Accessibility Legislation
People with disabilities should have access to the same opportunities as everyone else. They should be able to do all the things most others take for granted: going out to work, school, appointments or shopping, to the theatre, or to a restaurant. To accomplish this goal, the Government of Ontario has adopted accessibility legislation. There are 2 Acts: The Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Business and organizations that provide goods and services to people in Ontario are affected by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. They now have an obligation to meet requirements set out in the Act in the areas of:
- customer service (policies and procedures);
- transportation (taxis, trains, buses, etc);
- information and communications (alternate formats such as Braille, audio); and
- employment (accommodating employees with disabilities, recruitment and selection practices).
There is also going to be requirements for the "built environment" which means buildings and outdoor spaces, but the built environment standards are still pending as of March, 2012.
All businesses and organizations that have at least one employee and provide services to people in Ontario are required to make their operations accessible. Read the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act by clicking here to find out what your obligations are.
There are 3 Regulations under the umbrella of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. They are:
Integrated Standard for Employment, Transportation and Information/Communications
Exemptions from Reporting Requirements
The original Ontarians with Disabilities Act is still in place but does not apply to the private sector.