Lisa Riegel

The applicant filed an application alleging discrimination with respect to goods, services, and facilities after attempting to get permission to modify his property in a heritage conservation district.

The Tribunal directed the parties to make submissions on whether the application should be deferred pending the retrial of charges against the applicant under the Ontario Heritage Act for paving his backyard without a permit.

The Tribunal declined to defer the application, noting that the retrial was scheduled for a date that had already passed, meaning there was no concurrent proceeding to defer to.

The applicant filed a human rights application alleging discrimination in the provision of services by the City of Markham, its Mayor, and two Councillors, after her hydro was disconnected.

Following a summary hearing to assess whether the application had a reasonable prospect of success, the Tribunal allowed amendments to add the City of Markham as a respondent.

The Tribunal dismissed the claims based on gender identity and marital status, as well as all claims against the Mayor and one Councillor, finding no evidence linking their alleged failure to intervene to the applicant's race.

The claim against the remaining Councillor was allowed to proceed due to a factual dispute over a comment allegedly made about the applicant's background.

The applicant requested an adjournment of a scheduled summary hearing due to an unanticipated family emergency requiring her to travel to the United States.

The respondents opposed the adjournment unless it could be rescheduled within two weeks.

The Tribunal found the circumstances constituted an exceptional circumstance under its Practice Direction and granted the adjournment.