Your Rights in Recovery: Navigating Work, Housing, and Healthcare in Ontario

It is crucial to know that in Ontario, you have protected rights. Addiction is legally recognized as a disability, which means you are protected from discrimination. This guide provides an overview of your rights in recovery and what that means in practical terms.

The Foundation: The Ontario Human Rights Code

The cornerstone of your protection is the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Code prohibits discrimination and harassment based on specific “grounds,” and one of those grounds is disability. The Human Rights Commission of Ontario has explicitly stated that this includes “previous or current drug and alcohol dependencies.”

This means it is illegal for someone to treat you unfairly or deny you a service because you have or have had an addiction.

Your Rights in Employment

This is often the area of greatest concern. Many people worry about losing their jobs or being unable to find one.

• Duty to Accommodate: Your employer has a legal “duty to accommodate” your disability, up to the point of undue hardship. This means they must make reasonable adjustments to help you do your job.
• • Examples: This could include flexible hours to attend clinic appointments, a modified work schedule, or time off for intensive treatment.
• Confidentiality: Your medical information is confidential. You are not required to disclose the specifics of your condition, only that you have a medical need for an accommodation. A letter from your doctor at Arrow Medical can simply state that you require accommodation for a medical reason.
• Hiring: An employer cannot refuse to hire you because you are on methadone or Suboxone, as long as you can safely perform the essential duties of the job.

You can be fired for performance issues (e.g., being late, poor work quality), but you cannot be fired simply for having a substance use disorder or for being in treatment.

Your Rights in Housing

A landlord cannot refuse to rent to you or evict you because you have a substance use disorder or because you are a patient at a clinic like Arrow Medical.

• You must still meet your responsibilities as a tenant, such as paying your rent and not disturbing your neighbours.
• If your substance use led to behaviour that violated your lease, your landlord could evict you for that behaviour, but not for the disability itself.

Your Rights in Healthcare

You have the right to receive medical care with respect and without judgment.

• Access to Care: A doctor, dentist, or other healthcare provider cannot refuse to treat you because you are on OAT or because you use drugs.
• Dignity and Respect: The medical teams at Arrow Medical and other healthcare settings are ethically and professionally bound to treat you with dignity. We understand that addiction is a disease, not a moral failing.

Navigating Your Rights

Knowing your rights is the first step. If you feel like someone is discriminating against you, you can seek advice from organizations like the Human Rights Legal Support Centre, which provides free legal services.

At Arrow Medical, we support your whole recovery. While our focus is on your medical stabilization through treatments like Methadone, Suboxone, and safe supply, we believe that empowerment comes from knowledge. Being stable in your health and confident in your rights is a powerful combination for rebuilding your life. Walk in today to start a journey of healing and empowerment.