Not sure how to deny an applicant or if I even can

[Michelle Chabot]

I'm in a bit of a pickle right now trying to decide how to go about denying an applicant.  I know the laws in British Columbia that landlords need to following regarding discrimination, but I'm kind of stuck with what I should do:

I have an applicant that currently doesn't meet my requirements for minimum income. She is pregnant and will be going on maternity leave in January, so her monthly income will be even less.  This would normally be a no brainier, but she's also applying for family maintenance, which is a fancy way if saying child support, and rent payments would be paid directly to me.  When I looked up the family maintenance website for my province, they have a department specifically for enforcing payments from the person paying the child support. So this tells me that family maintenance checks aren't guaranteed (as  they are with social assistance) because you are relying on the other person to be able to pay their support payments. I'm not allowed to discriminate based on types of income, but what  if there's a chance I don't get the rent check?  I'm going to call the family maintenance office tomorrow, but I'm wondering if anyone has encountered this or has any advice on how to turn down this applicant. 

[Matt Devincenzo]

@Michelle Chabot I think you're reading into the spirit and letter of the law too much here, and making it something that it isn't. (I don't know BC law but I doubt I'm off here) The law with regard to qualifying an applicant is that you can't discriminate based on source of income. It (assuming) doesn't say anything about future possible income that is not currently a source. 

You make decisions based upon today and the facts that are presented. Today the income she has presented is not sufficient to meet your rental criteria: case closed. That is what you do and that is what you tell her.