AODA

ARE YOU READY?

Making Ontario accessible for people with disabilities in Ontario has an important law. It’s called the Accessibility Act for Ontarians with Disabilities, 2005. It is the first of its kind in Canada.

People with disabilities should have the same kind of opportunities as everyone else. They should be able to do the things that most of us take for granted – going to work or school, shopping, taking in movie or eating out.

That is the goal of Ontario’s legislation. Businesses and organizations who provide goods and services to people in Ontario will have to meet certain accessibility standards in five important areas of our lives which include:

• Customer service
• Transportation
• Information and communication
• Built environment
• Employment

“The Accessibility Standards for Customer Service” regulations came into effect on January 1, 2008. Ontario businesses that provide goods and services, and have more than one employee in Ontario, must be in compliance with all facets of the regulations by 2012. Public sector organizations must comply by 2010.

For more information regarding the AODA please log on to www.mcss.gov.on.ca.

(Source: Accessibility Standards for Customer Service; Summary of Requirements, Ministry of Community and Social Services, October 2008)