While many of us like pets, treat them like family members, there are also people who prefer to live in a building without pets for multiple reasons; allergies, fear, dislike towards pets, sensitivity, regardless of the reason there are some condominiums which don’t allow any pets, at the bottom of the blog we provide the list of these buildings.
What is a pet?
Pet is generally defined as companion animal kept by people for companionship or pleasure.
Is service animal a pet?
Under the Human Rights Code in Ontario, service animals are not considered pets and must be accommodated by the condominium board even of otherwise such animal being pet wouldn’t be allowed due to restrictions, such as size, for example.
Definition of service animal (as per Government of Ontario).
Service animal is trained to assist people with disabilities, and can be easily identified as animal related to handler’s disability, such as guide dog wearing a vest or a harness, or the handler can provide a documentation from regulated health professional providing documentation the animal is required due to disability.
Do the same rules apply to therapy and emotional support animals?
From the perspective of accommodation in a condominium in Ontario, therapy and emotional support animals are not treated the same as service animals. Service animals must be accommodated by the condominium board; this doesn’t apply to therapy and emotional support animals.
No pet provision in the tenancy agreement is unenforceable, can condominium board force to remove tenants’ pet?
No pet provision prohibiting the presence of pets is void as per RTA(Residential Tenancies Act rule 2006,C.17,S14), however the condominium rules override the RTA pet rules, and the condominium board can force the removal of a pet owned by the tenants, the same way they have the right to remove the pet owned by the unit owner.
Do condominiums have pet restrictions?
In short yes, even if the condo corporation doesn’t have it’s own specific restrictions, there are municipal restrictions which will be followed. For example in Toronto you are limited to 3 dogs or 6 pets in total, can’t own a monkey or large reptile and so on.
Here are the most common restrictions in condominiums;
- No animal, livestock, reptile or fowl other than a pet such as caged bird, fish, cat or dog.
- No breeding allowed.
- Any nuisance or dangerous animal as determined at the sole discretion of the board, can be removed.
- Size restrictions for dogs, 25-30 range lb is very common.
- Breed restrictions for dogs, any breeds commonly used as guard or attack dogs such as pit bulls, rottweilers, dobermans, and so on are prohibited.
- Number of pets, 2 pet limit is very common, many buildings will allow 1 pet, some will allow 1 dog but 2 cats.
- Size of aquarium for fish.
If you have a rottweiler, 4 cats, snakes and so on as pets, you will have a difficult time finding a condo that fits your lifestyle, not impossible but your options will be very limited. A nuisance pet can be a 15lb tiny dog that barks 24/7, that type of dog may be removed from the condominium premises.
How to confirm condominium pet rules?
Pet rules can be found in declaration and rules documents which are part of the status certificate. Every purchaser, owner, landlord or tenant should carefully review the rules, you can also contact the property manager to confirm, just keep in mind that if they give you incorrect answer (it does happen), what’s in the declaration and rules document is the most important and valid.
List of condominium not allowing any pets.
3 Pemberton Avenue, Toronto.
8 Pemberton Avenue, Toronto.
18 Pemberton Avenue, Toronto.
22 Shallmar Boulevard, Toronto.
25 Maitland Street, Toronto.
25 & 35 Kingsbridge Garden Circle in Mississauga.
28 Pemberton Avenue, Toronto.
29 Pemberton Avenue, Toronto.
39 Pemberton Avenue, Toronto.
55 Harbour Square, Toronto.
65 Harbour Square, Toronto.
71 Simcoe Street, Toronto.
77 Harbour Square, Toronto.
99 Harbour Square, Toronto.
120 Promenade Circle in Vaughan.
3100 Kirwin Avenue, Mississauga.
3320 Fieldgate Dr. Mississauga.
7250 Yonge St in Vaughan.
7300 Yonge St in Vaughan.
7373 Martin Grove in Vaughan.
There are approximately 10,000 condominiums in GTA with only a handful (around 20 according to our list, there may be few more we are not aware of) not allowing pets. People seeking an accommodation with pets have plenty of choices as long as the pets meet the common restrictions, for people who don’t want to share the buildings with pets the choices are limited to a very small number of buildings.
We suggest everyone who own service dogs to avoid buildings prohibiting pets so there aren’t any conflicts with other occupants or the board, with the majority of condominiums allowing pets there are plenty of choices.
If you know of any other condominiums that don’t allow any pets, or changed the rules, please kindly send as a note so we can update the list.
Useful and related links:
Ontario accessibility, service animals rules.
ICC Property Management – condo pet rules.
Lash Condo Law – service animals in no pet condos.
Condominium Authority of Ontario – pets and animals.
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