The government enacted the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act in 2005. This act lays the framework for the development of province-wide mandatory standards on accessibility in all areas of daily life.

Accessibility standards

Accessibility standards are the rules that businesses and organizations in Ontario will have to follow to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility.

Accessibility standards will apply to five important areas. Four standards have already been made into law:

• customer service
• employment
• information and communications
• transportation.

The fifth standard — built environment — is being developed.

Review of the legislation

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 requires the Lieutenant Governor to appoint someone to conduct an independent review of the legislation and regulations:

• within four years of it coming into force, and
• every three years after that.

On June 12, 2009, Ontario appointed Charles Beer to do the first independent review of the act.

From September to December 2009, Mr. Beer consulted with a wide range of individuals and groups from across Ontario. He held:

• nearly 90 meetings in Toronto, Ottawa and London
• videoconferences for people in northern communities, and
• English and French webinars for people with disabilities who would not have been able to participate otherwise.

On May 31, 2010, Community and Social Services Minister Madeleine Meilleur tabled Mr. Beer’s report in the Ontario Legislature.