Slide Three: Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
Part 1: AODA Laws
The purpose of Ontario Regulation 191/11 Integrated Accessibility Standards is to create a more inclusive province, that can attract more economic growth by removing as many barriers as possible, making Ontario open for everyone.AODA Standards
The Customer Service Standard requires all organizations to identify barriers, and remove them, in order to provide customer service that is more accessible to people who have disabilities.
Every provider shall develop, implement and maintain policies governing its provision of goods, services or facilities, as the case may be, to persons with disabilities.
The goods, services or facilities must be provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.
If a person with a disability is accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal, the provider shall ensure that the person is permitted to enter the premises with the animal and to keep the animal with him or her, unless the animal is otherwise excluded by law from the premises.
Every provider shall develop, implement and maintain policies governing its provision of goods, services or facilities, as the case may be, to persons with disabilities.
The goods, services or facilities must be provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.
If a person with a disability is accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal, the provider shall ensure that the person is permitted to enter the premises with the animal and to keep the animal with him or her, unless the animal is otherwise excluded by law from the premises.
The purpose of the Employment Standard is to help make hiring and employee support practices more accessible.
Every employer shall notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment processes.
Every employer shall inform its employees of its policies used to support its employees with disabilities, including, but not limited to, policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee's accessibility needs due to disability.
Every employer shall notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment processes.
Every employer shall inform its employees of its policies used to support its employees with disabilities, including, but not limited to, policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee's accessibility needs due to disability.
The purpose of the Information and Communications standard is to help organizations make their information accessible to people with disabilities.
Every obligated organization that has processes for receiving and responding to feedback shall ensure that the processes are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for the provision of accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.
Every obligated organization that has processes for receiving and responding to feedback shall ensure that the processes are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for the provision of accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.
The purpose of the Public Spaces and Buildings standard is to help organizations make new and redeveloped outdoor public areas and the building environment more accessible.
The purpose of the transportation standard is to make it easier for everyone to travel safely and confidently in the province.
All transportation service providers shall make available to the public current information on accessibility equipment and features of their vehicles, routes and services.
Transportation service providers shall conduct employee and volunteer accessibility training.
No transportation service provider shall charge a fare to a support person who is accompanying a person with a disability where the person with a disability has a need for a support person.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that there is clearly marked priority seating for persons with disabilities on its transportation vehicles and that the priority seating meets the specified standards.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that there are audible verbal announcements of all destination points or available route stops on its transportation vehicles while the vehicle is on route or while the vehicle is being operated.
All transportation service providers shall make available to the public current information on accessibility equipment and features of their vehicles, routes and services.
Transportation service providers shall conduct employee and volunteer accessibility training.
No transportation service provider shall charge a fare to a support person who is accompanying a person with a disability where the person with a disability has a need for a support person.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that there is clearly marked priority seating for persons with disabilities on its transportation vehicles and that the priority seating meets the specified standards.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that there are audible verbal announcements of all destination points or available route stops on its transportation vehicles while the vehicle is on route or while the vehicle is being operated.
New standards currently under review.
health care Standard Recommendation
education for kindergarten to Grade 12 Standard Recommendation
postsecondary education Standard Recommendation
health care Standard Recommendation
education for kindergarten to Grade 12 Standard Recommendation
postsecondary education Standard Recommendation
Compliance Requirements
AODA compliance is manditory for all Ontario organizations.Completing Your Accessibility Compliance Report
Businesses and non-profits with 20 or more employees and public sector organizations must complete an accessibility compliance report every three years.
Filing your report is a legal obligation under the AODA.
If you do not complete your accessibility compliance report, you could face enforcement measures which can include financial penalties.
The Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility (MSAA) conducts Verification audits every year to obtain and verify evidence of compliance.
A small organization, with fewer than 20 employees, is exempt from the requirement to file accessibility reports, but not from the regulations.
For the Government of Ontario and the Legislative Assembly, reports must be filed annually.
For designated public sector organizations the report must be filed every two years.
For large organizations the report must be filed every three years.
For small organizations having between 20 to 50 employees the report must be filed every three years.
For the Government of Ontario and the Legislative Assembly, reports must be filed annually.
For designated public sector organizations the report must be filed every two years.
For large organizations the report must be filed every three years.
For small organizations having between 20 to 50 employees the report must be filed every three years.
Audit Requirements
Business accessibility refers to the ease with which the organization's products, services, and facilities can be used by the company's employees and customers.Have an established accessibility policies strategy.
Have a multi-year accessibility plan, and update it every five years for designated public sector and large organisations only.
Provide training for all staff on the AODA Standards, the areas of the Ontario Human Rights Code that refer to people with disabilities, and on how to provide goods, services or facilities to a person with a disability.
Have a process for receiving and responding to feedback about how they provide accessibility to people with disabilities. This feedback process must be accessible to people with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats or communication supports upon request.
If found noncompliant the director shall determine whether the severity of the impact of the contravention is of a minor, moderate or major nature.
In cases where the impact of the contravention is determined to be major the director may set the penalty to a maximum of $100,000, in the case of a corporation and $50,000, in the case of an individual or unincorporated organization.
In cases where the impact of the contravention is determined to be major the director may set the penalty to a maximum of $100,000, in the case of a corporation and $50,000, in the case of an individual or unincorporated organization.
Benefits
Digital accessibility is an integrated component of business operations, and it deals with the design of technological products and services so that people with various disabilities can partake in the use of the products and services.Minimize Legal Risk
Many countries have laws requiring digital accessibility, and the issue is of increased legal concern.
Many countries have laws requiring digital accessibility, and the issue is of increased legal concern.
Extend Market Reach.
The global market of people with disabilities is over 1 billion people with a spending power of more than $6 trillion. Accessibility often improves the online experience for all users. Wider Audience Reach means higher sales figures and greater profitability.
The global market of people with disabilities is over 1 billion people with a spending power of more than $6 trillion. Accessibility often improves the online experience for all users. Wider Audience Reach means higher sales figures and greater profitability.
Innovation drives creativity.
Accessibility features in products and services often solve unanticipated problems. Improved Digital accessibility User Experience means ease of use, text clarity, and better navigation/practices that benefit users of all abilities.
Accessibility features in products and services often solve unanticipated problems. Improved Digital accessibility User Experience means ease of use, text clarity, and better navigation/practices that benefit users of all abilities.
Enhances Your Brand.
Diversity and inclusion efforts so important to business success are accelerated with a clear, well-integrated accessibility commitment. An accessible business is likely to be viewed more favorably and thus improving Brand Image with customers, friends, family, colleagues and social media.
Diversity and inclusion efforts so important to business success are accelerated with a clear, well-integrated accessibility commitment. An accessible business is likely to be viewed more favorably and thus improving Brand Image with customers, friends, family, colleagues and social media.
Accessibility standards improve visibility.
Search engines like Google are dedicated to providing the best search results to their users. Search engine crawlers take into account the user experience of your website and rank it accordingly.
Search engines like Google are dedicated to providing the best search results to their users. Search engine crawlers take into account the user experience of your website and rank it accordingly.