AODA POLICY

Overview

Ontario is the first province and one of the first jurisdictions in the world to enact specific legislation establishing a goal and time-frame for accessibility. It is also the first jurisdiction to legislate accessibility reporting and to establish standards so people with disabilities can participate more actively in their communities.

This is how the government is making Ontario more accessible by 2025.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act,2005

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (<abbr”>AODA) is a law that sets out a process for developing and enforcing accessibility standards.

Persons with disabilities and industry representatives work together with the government to develop the standards.

Implementing and enforcing these standards will help us reach our goal of an accessible Ontario by 2025.

Accessibility standards

Accessibility standards are laws that government, businesses, non-profits and public sector organizations must follow to become more accessible.

They help organizations identify and remove barriers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities in 5 areas of daily life:

Customer service standard

To help remove barriers for people with disabilities so they can access goods, services or facilities.

Read more about the changes to the accessible customer service standard

• The Customer service standard on e-laws

Information and communications standard

To help organizations make their information accessible to people with disabilities.

• The Information and communications standard on e-laws

Transportation standard

To make it easier for everyone to travel in the province.

• The Transportation standard on e-laws

Employment standard

To help make hiring and employee support practices more accessible.

• The Employment standard on e-laws

Design of public spaces standard

To help organizations make new and redeveloped outdoor public areas accessible.

• The Design of public spaces standard on e-laws

Integrated accessibility standards regulation guidelines

The guidelines for the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation will beundergoing a review. The standards you need to follow and reporting deadlines you need to meet still apply. Read the regulation now.

Reports and action plans

The 10-year Accessibility Action Plan describes the next steps to engage employers, strengthen and promote accessibility to ensure we remain on track to create an accessible province in the decade ahead.

The 2014 Accessibility Compliance Action Plan details the government’s strategy to help organizations comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

The progress report on the Accessibility Compliance Action Plan summarizes our progress in building compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

The Accessibility Compliance and Enforcement Report outlines how the Government of Ontario built awareness, promoted compliance and enforced the AODA in 2015.

The annual report on the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act outlines our progress in enforcing accessibility laws, raising awareness about accessibility and advancing accessibility in communities across the province.