REGINA -- Provincial Justice Minister Gordon Wyant says he is reviewing part of Saskatchewan's human rights code that allows some landlords to discriminate against renters based on sexual orientation.

"When I became aware that there was an issue, I engaged my officials to review that particular section of the human rights code," Wyant said, adding he plans to meet with those officials and then with the chief human rights commissioner "to get his perspective on it."

Under the province's human rights code, discrimination regarding rental occupancy is prohibited, with a few exceptions.

One allows "discrimination on the basis of the sex or sexual orientation of a person with respect to the renting or leasing of any dwelling unit in any housing accommodation that is composed of not more than two dwelling units, where the owner of the housing accommodation or the owner's family resides in one of the two dwelling units."

Wyant said he became aware of the provision after a reporter relayed a question from Twitter about it.

"It's concerning that there are exceptions in the code that have the effect of discriminating against people," Wyant said, noting he knows of only two other Canadian jurisdictions with the same provision.

Wyant said he wants to understand reasons the provision was put into the code decades ago and if they're still valid.

Part of the context could have been permitting female owners in homes with two or fewer dwellings to rent spaces only to other females, he acknowledged.

The minister said he hasn't had any complaints about the provision, but added that is no excuse not to review it, "given the evolution of society." Wyant said he is "anxious" to review the provision, but isn't sure when a decision about it will be made.

jcouture@thestarphoenix.com