1. Towards an Accessible Ontario
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
Canadian Assistive Devices Association
March 26, 2012

2. Purpose To provide an overview of: Importance of accessibility
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
Customer Service Standard
Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation
Status of built environment legislation
Compliance assistance & resources available to organizations

3. Why Accessibility? The Numbers
About 1.85 million people in Ontario have disabilities
Seniors aged 65+ could more than double to
4.1 million by 2036
By 2017, more seniors than children aged 14 and under
15.5%
people with disabilities
About 1.85 million people in Ontario have disabilities; that’s 15.5% of Ontario’s population
As the population ages, the number of Ontarians with a disability will increase, as will the need for accessibility
The number of seniors aged 65 and over is projected to more than double from 1.7 million in 2008 to 4.1 million by 2036
By 2017, for the first time, seniors will account for a larger share of the population than children aged 14 and under

4. Why Accessibility? The Economics
Labour Market Impact
Unemployment rate five times as high
High rate of job performance and retention
Increase employment income by up to $618 million
Increasingly dependent on a workforce with disabilities or aging
Business Impact
Revenue increases across the economy, particularly in the tourism and retail sectors.
Opportunity for businesses to compete and succeed:
attract customers & build customer loyalty
develop and market products
improve services for everyone
Make up a large untapped labour market potential
Unemployment rate five times as high as people without disabilities
By more fully integrating people with disabilities into the labour market, there’s potential to increase employment income by up to $618 million
Statistics show employees with disabilities often score higher than their co-workers in job performance and job retention
With a labour/skills shortage, Ontario may be increasingly dependent on a workforce:
currently with disabilities; and/or
working beyond current retirement age – when accessibility issues more readily impact labour market participation/productivity after age 65
Government of Ontario commissioned the Martin Prosperity Institute (MPI) to study the benefits of accessibility
Through implementation of accessibility standards, Ontario could expect revenue increases across the economy
Tourism and retail are examples of two sectors that should see increased revenue:
Tourism could see a 3 – 7% increase in visits and could result in additional tourism expenditures of $700 million to $1.6 billion over the next five years
Retail could see increase in sales ranging from $3.8 to $9.6 billion over the next 5 years

5. Why Accessibility? Benefits Everyone
Accessibility not only helps people with disabilities, it benefits:
seniors
families travelling with young children
shoppers
visitors with luggage
Accessibility is the right thing to do!!!
Accessibility not only helps people with disabilities, it benefits:
seniors, especially those with mobility difficulties
families travelling with young children using strollers or wagons
shoppers carrying many bags or parcels
visitors with luggage

6. An Accessible Ontario by 2025 Leader in Accessibility
First in the world to mandate accessibility instead of react to complaints
First in the world that requires staff to be trained on accessibility
First in Canada with a clear goal and a time frame in which to meet that goal
Ontario is Canada’s leader on accessibility
It’s the first jurisdiction in the world to move from legislation that reacts to complaints to one that takes a proactive approach to mandating accessibility
It’s the first jurisdiction in the world that requires public and private sector organizations to train their staff on accessibility (providing service to people with disabilities and requirements of accessibility standards) and on the Ontario Human Rights Code as it relates to people with Disabilities
It’s the only jurisdiction in Canada with legislation that sets out a clear goal and a time frame in which to meet that goal - accessibility in the areas that most impact the daily lives of people with disabilities by 2025

7. About the AODA The Goal & Standards
An accessible Ontario by 2025 in five key areas of daily living:
Customer Service
Addresses how organizations offer equal access to their goods/services.
2. Transportation
Addresses ways to prevent and remove barriers to transportation so that everyone can more easily travel in Ontario.
Employment
Requires organizations to have a process on how to accommodate persons in activities such as interviews, workplace duties, etc.
Information and Communications
Makes the ways organizations send and receive information and communications accessible to persons with disabilities.
Built Environment
Will address access to and within buildings and outdoor spaces.

8. Accessibility Customer Service Standard Who has to Comply
The customer service standard is simply about:
Understanding that customers with disabilities may have different needs
Helping them access your goods and services
Applies to all organizations with at least one employee in Ontario, that provide goods or services to the public or other organizations
360,000 organizations have to comply:
January 1, broader public sector
January 1, private and not-for-profit sectors
60,000 organizations have to report:
only those with 20+ employees
file report by December 31, 2012
The customer service standard (Ontario Regulation 429/07) was the first accessibility standard to become law under the AODA
It came into force January 1, 2008
Applies to approximately 360,000 organizations in Ontario:
designated public sector organizations:
provincial and municipal governments, including Legislative Assembly of Ontario
universities, colleges, hospitals, school boards and public transit organizations
provincial agencies listed in Schedule 1 of the regulation
compliance date was January 1, 2010: 100% compliance reporting rate
all other organizations with at least one employee in Ontario, that provide goods or services to the public or other organizations:
private businesses
non-profit organizations
organizations with 20 or more employees, must comply by
January 1, 2012 – that’s about 60,000 organizations
compliance reports will have to be filed by December 31, 2012
organizations with one to 19 employees must comply by
January 1, 2012, but are exempted from reporting

9. Accessibility Customer Service Standard What you have to Do to Comply
Develop customer service policies and procedures for serving people with disabilities.
Make sure that your policies and procedures are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity.
Have a policy on allowing people to use the following to access your goods and services:
assistive devices
service animals
support persons
Consider a person’s disability when communicating
Ensure policies, practices and procedures are consistent with key principles of:
Independence - freedom from control or influence of others – freedom to make your own choices. In other situations, it may mean the freedom to do things in your own way.
Dignity - treat them as customers and clients who are as valued and as deserving of effective and full service as any other customer.
Integration - allow people with disabilities to fully benefit from the same services, in the same place and in the same or similar way as other customers.
Equal opportunity - having the same chances, options, benefits and results as others. In the case of services it means that people with disabilities have the same opportunity to benefit from the way you provide goods or services as others.
Set up policies, practices and procedures on:
providing goods or services to people with disabilities
the use of assistive devices
service animals and support persons – must be allowed in areas open to the public

10. Accessibility Customer Service Standard What you have to Do to Comply
Provide training on accessible customer service:
staff, volunteers, contractors, and anyone who deals with the public on your behalf
anyone involved in developing customer service policies, practices and procedures
Let people know about:
admission fees (if any) for support persons
temporary disruptions in services or facilities
Set up feedback process. Determine how to:
receive feedback
respond to feedback
make information about the process available to the public
Provide training to:
Let people know ahead of time what, if any, admission fee will be charged for a support person
Let the public know when facilities or services are temporarily not available
Set up a process to receive and respond to feedback
Regardless of format, the training must cover the following:
Review of the purposes of the AODA and requirements of the customer service standard;
Instruction on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities;
Instruction on how to interact with people with disabilities who use assistive devices or require the assistance of a guide dog, other service animal or a support person;
Instruction on how to use equipment or devices available at your premises or that you provide otherwise, that may help people with disabilities access your services, such as TTY telephones, elevators, lifts, accessible interactive kiosks or other technology; and
Instruction on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing your services.

11. Training on Assistive Devices
Training must cover the following:
Instruction on how to interact with people with disabilities who use assistive devices or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
Instruction on how to use equipment or devices available at your premises or that you provide
Accessibility Standards for Customer Service: Training Resource has unit on assistive devices:
What is an assistive device?
About commonly used assistive devices
How to interact with customers who use assistive devices

12. Accessibility Customer Service Standard Documentation
Public sector and organizations with 20+ employees must also:
Complete an online report on your compliance by the reporting deadline.
Document in writing all of your policies and procedures on how you provide accessible customer service.
Notify customers that all of the documents required by the standard are available upon request.
When providing documents required under the standard, make sure the information is in a format that takes into account the person’s disability.
Designated public sector organizations and organizations with 20 or more employees, must:
document in writing all policies, practices and procedures for providing accessible customer service to people with disabilities, including:
policies, practices and procedures on service animals, support persons and assistive devices
the steps to take when there is a temporary disruption in services or facilities
a training policy
a description of the customer feedback process
let customers know that these documents are available on request
provide this information to a person with a disability in a format that takes into account his or her disability

13. Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR)
Regulates three accessibility standards: Information and Communications; Employment; and Transportation
Came into effect on July 1, 2011 and is now law.
Applies to all organizations in the public, private and non-profit sectors.
All Broader Public Sector organizations must report their compliance with the IASR
Private and not-for-profit organizations with 50+ employees must also report compliance online
Requirements will be phased in over time, giving organizations time to integrate the accessibility requirements into their regular business processes.
The next accessibility standard, the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation or IASR for short, came into effect on July 1, 2011.
The regulation integrates the Information and Communications, Employment and Transportation Standards into one regulation and streamlines requirements common to each standard.
The IASR will help create inclusion for everyone in Ontario, regardless of their abilities, so they can reach their full potential.
Applies to all organizations in the public, private and non-profit sectors.
In addition, all Broader Public Sector organizations and private and not-for-profit organizations with 50+ employees must report their compliance with the IASR.
Wherever possible, we have phased-in implementation and reduced burden on organizations. Compliance timelines will vary depending on the size of your organization. Large organizations, defined by having 50 employees or more, will be required to comply with certain requirements prior to smaller organizations.

14. Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation General Requirements
Develop policies to support each standard
Establish and maintain multi-year accessibility plans
Train employees and volunteers on the regulation & the Ontario Human Rights Code, as applicable
General
Develop policies to support each standard
Public sector and large private organizations are required to establish and maintain multi-year accessibility plans outlining strategies to prevent and remove barriers
Public sector to consult with people with disabilities when establishing, reviewing and updating accessibility plans
Provide training to employees and volunteers about the regulation, as well as the Ontario Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities
Training must also be provided to those who participate in developing the organization’s policies, and all those who provide goods, services or facilities on the organization’s behalf.
*important to note that the IASR has a different class structure than the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service
Customer Service: 1 – 19 and 20+
IASR: 1 – 49 and 50+

15. Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation Summary of Standards
Information and Communications
Will help people with disabilities access information and communications that many of us rely on every day (e.g. accessible formats and websites and web content.
Employment
Builds on existing requirements of the Ontario Human Rights Code
Will help organizations support and keep more skilled employees
Will make accessibility a normal part of finding, hiring and communicating with employees who have disabilities
Transportation
Will make it easier for people with disabilities to get to where they need to go.
Information and Communications
Outlines how organizations will be required to create, provide and receive information and communications in ways that are accessible for people with disabilities.
Some requirements:
accessible formats and communication supports
accessible websites and web content
educational and training resources
Employment
Removes barriers to joining the workforce and promotes inclusive workplaces that accommodate disabilities
recruitment, assessment and selection
plans and processes
Ontario Human Rights Code already requires accommodation for people with disabilities in the workplace – the standard addresses the process
Transportation
Supports barrier-free travel for work and leisure
Includes requirements for:
conventional and specialized transit
school boards
hospitals, colleges and universities
municipalities and taxicabs
ferries

16. Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation Early Requirements
As of January 1, 2012…
Accessible Public Safety Information (I & C Standard)
Organizations that prepare emergency procedures, plans or public safety information and make them available publicly must provide this information in accessible formats or with communications supports on request.
Workplace Emergency Information for Employees with Disabilities (Employment Standard)
Employers are required to have individualized workplace emergency response information prepared for employees with disabilities.
Applies to permanent and temporary disabilities.
Guidelines and templates have been developed to help organizations meet this requirement
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to developing individualized emergency response information, the regulation does not specify what accommodations employers must make for an employee with a disability or what information must be provided. It gives employers the flexibility to work with the individual to determine what information best meets their needs in an emergency situation.
Information about a disability is personal and private and must be treated confidentially. Also, employers don’t need to know the details of an employee’s disability, only the kind of help or assistance they may need.
In determining the necessary accommodations, the best resource is the employees themselves. While the standard does not require you to develop the information in consultation with the employee, doing so may ensure that an employee’s individual needs are being met.

17. Accessibility Reporting Who Needs to Report?
Businesses and organizations covered by an accessibility standard
Customer Service: organizations with 20 or more employees
IASR: organizations with 50 or more employees
File reports online through the ServiceOntario (
Must make accessibility reports available to the public
Businesses and organizations covered by an accessibility standard will be required to file a report, unless specifically exempted by regulation
Customer Service: organizations with fewer than 20 employees are exempt
IASR: organizations with fewer than 50 employees are exempt
Reports to be filed on-line, in a simple checklist format
AODA requires obligated organizations to make accessibility reports available to the public
How often do Compliance reports need to be submitted?
Under the AODA, obligated organizations are required to file an accessibility report annually or at such other times as the director may specify.
At this time, the ADO is looking into BPS reporting every 2 years and private/non-profit, reporting every 3 years unless otherwise indicated by the Director.
This approach will need to be reviewed and confirmed based on the requirements of the remaining standards.

18. Accessible Built Environment What to Expect
Changes will be reflected in two areas:
Within buildings, including:
entrances, doorways and corridors
public washrooms
In outdoor spaces, such as:
play spaces
pedestrian trails
accessible parking spaces
Focus is on a go-forward basis
Proposed built environment standard is still under development and is not law
We anticipate that changes will be reflected in two legislative components:
Ontario Building Code – areas such as:
entrances, doorways and corridors
public washrooms
AODA – outdoor spaces such as:
play spaces
pedestrian trails
accessible parking spaces
Focus is on a go-forward basis (will not apply to retrofit)
Government is still considering what will become law and when
In October 2011, the Premier indicated commitment to move forward with the built environment standard, promptly and responsibly

19. Getting to Compliance A Progressive Approach
Compliance Assistance
Self-Certification Accessibility Reporting
Reports Audited; Risk Assessment Used to Determine Follow-up
Inspections & Enforcement
Non-compliant reports, non-filers, patterns of complaints
60,000 obligated organizations required to report
Supported by public education and awareness
360,000 organizations will be required to comply with standards
Orders and penalties — Based on risk and severity of violation
Compliance approach is based on an improvement model and goal, with assistance being the focus
First step is to educate and make people aware
Involves awareness campaigns, partnerships with key associations and groups, as well as publishing tools and templates to assist organizations
Resources – such as plain language guides and handbooks – are available to help organizations understand and meet their obligations
Also offer targeted compliance assistance through a help desk, automated reminders to organizations and by sending notices of non-compliance
The approach to inspecting, assessing and enforcing compliance will be to focus on resources to promote and advance accessibility and, when required, involve inspections and enforcement based on escalating procedures and proportionate responses
Reports received online will be audited to determine where follow-up is needed
Vast majority of efforts will be at the top end of this diagram
Focus is on helping businesses through education and outreach

20. Public Education Strategy Helping Organizations Comply
Information, free tools, and resources distributed through:
ontario.ca/AccessON
key events and conferences
stakeholder websites, newsletters, and publications
AODA Contact Centre (ServiceOntario)
Partnerships with key provincial umbrella organizations. The EnAbling Change Program is an annual program that:
provides funding for projects that will make a significant impact on improving accessibility and/or promote compliance with the AODA.
seeks partners who have the vision, leadership and commitment to improve accessibility.
seeks partners whose impact is broad enough to be felt throughout an industry or sector, or across several sectors.
The Accessibility Directorate reaches out to obligated organizations to assist them in meeting the requirements of accessibility standards:
Develop and distribute free compliance assistance information and resources through key channels:
ministry website
key events and conferences
stakeholder websites, newsletters and publications
AODA Contact Centre (ServiceOntario) dedicated to answering enquiries about the AODA and accessibility standards
Strategic public and private sector partnerships with key provincial umbrella organizations

21. EnAbling Change Partners
This slide lists all of our partners within each sector.
Between 2005 and 2010 the ADO established 49 effective, strategic EnAbling Change Partnerships. Eight additional partnerships have been established for 2011/2012 to support the implementation of the IASR. 21

22. Getting to 2025 Make Accessibility Your Business
Learn about, identify and remove barriers
Implement accessibility standards
Work together to pool ideas and resources
Nurture a culture of accessibility at work and in your community
Visit our website to learn more and get updates
Be an Accessibility Champion!
Learn about different types of barriers, identify them in your workplace and community and make every effort to remove them
Work with and support your local community organizations in implementing and complying with accessibility standards
Work together today and continually to pool ideas and resources – share best practices and don’t re-invent the wheel
Nurture a culture of accessibility at work and in your community
Visit and send people to our website to learn more and get updates

23. Links and Resources AccessON AODA Contact Centre (ServiceOntario)
Click on “What do I need to do?”
AODA Contact Centre (ServiceOntario)
Toll-Free:
TTY: /
Fax:
ServiceOntario Publications
(to order resources online):
Facebook.com/AccessOn
@OntMinCommunity