Accessibility
Disabilities affect people of all ages and background. Some people are born with one or more disabilities. Many others develop disabilities through illness, injury or aging. People with disabilities represent a significant and growing part of our population. The Canadian Survey on Disabilities undertaken by Statistics Canada in 2017 reports that approximately 6.2 million Canadians and 2.6 million Ontarians have disabilities - about 24% of the population or 1 in every 5 persons. This is an increase from 13.5% from the 2012 survey. Therefore enhancing the ability of people with disabilities to live independently and contribute to the community will have positive effects on future prosperity in Ontario. The infographic on the next page shows a snapshot of the survey.
The Province of Ontario recognized that accessibility is a shared responsibility and passed the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA) on December 14, 2001 to require provincial and municipal governments and key broader public sector organizations to review their policies, programs and services through the development of annual accessibility plans and for municipalities with populations of 10,000+ must have an Accessibility Advisory Committee.
In June 2005, the Province of Ontario furthered its commitment to accessibility by expanding previous legislation to include the private sector with the goal to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities by 2025. The purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, is to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities in five important areas of their lives within specified time limits:
• customer service
• information and communications
• employment
• transportation
• built environment
In 2007, Ontario Regulation 429/07 regarding accessible customer service was passed and required municipalities to be compliant by January 1, 2010. On June 3, 2011, the Ontario government passed the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation 191/11. The regulation, which combines accessibility standards in four areas – information and communication, employment, and transportation and design of public places, came into force July 1, 2011.
AccessForward - Training for an Accessible Ontario
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
Integrated Accessibility Standards
Ontario Human Rights Code
Ontario Human Rights Commission