In Newfoundland and Labrador, statutory protection is afforded to residents and visitors accompanied by a service animal under the Service Animals Act. This legislation, an Act to ensure access for service animals used by persons with disabilities was assented June 27 2012 and repealed the rather antiquated Blind Persons’ Rights Act.
The Service Animals Act provides in part, rights of access as follows:
A person shall not
- (a) deny a person with a disability the accommodation, services or facilities available in a place to which the public is customarily admitted; or
- (b) discriminate against a person with a disability with respect to the accommodation, services or facilities available in a place to which the public is customarily admitted, or the charges for the use of the place, for the reason only that the person is a person with a disability accompanied by a service animal.
A person shall not
- (a) deny to a person occupancy of a commercial unit or a self-contained dwelling unit; or
- (b) discriminate against a person with respect to a term or condition of occupancy of a commercial unit or a self-contained dwelling unit, by reason only that the person is a person with a disability and keeps or is customarily accompanied by a service animal.
A prohibition in a lease against the keeping of dogs or animals does not apply to a service animal owned or used by a person with a disability.
a person shall not charge a fee to a person with a disability for his or her service animal in respect of a right of admission to or enjoyment of accommodation, services or facilities under section 4 or in respect of a right of occupation under section 5 (of the Act).
Nothing in this Act grants a right to a person with a disability to require a service, facility or accommodation in respect of his or her service animal, other than
- (a) the right to be accompanied by the service animal; or
- (b) the right of the person with a disability to have the service animal live with him or her in a dwelling unit.
A person who contravenes this Act or the regulations is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction.
- (a) in the case of an individual, to a fine of not more than $500 or to imprisonment for not more than 30 days or to both a fine and imprisonment; and
- (b) in the case of a corporation, to a fine of not more than $1,000.
Newfoundland and Labrador also protect the rights of people with disabilities, including access rights for guide dog users under their Human Rights Act.