The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 says that in order to make Ontario accessible, we all have to work together to break down barriers. We will do this by developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards.
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Here’s an example of a barrier and the solution.
Barrier: A person with low vision can’t read the menu in your restaurant because the print is too small.
Solution: Large print menu/audio cassette.
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What are barriers to accessibility?
Barriers are obstacles that prevent people with disabilities from doing the kinds of things most of us do without thinking. Things like catching a bus, going to work, buying groceries, taking in a show, eating out or getting a hair cut.
What is a standard?
A standard is an agreed way of doing something. Standards control the quality, safety and reliability of products and services.
Standards are good for business. They reduce the risk of ending up with poor quality or unsafe goods or services. Consumers have more confidence in products and services that meet certain standards.
How accessibility standards are being developed and in what areas
Accessibility standards are the rules that businesses and organizations in Ontario will have to follow to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility.
Standards development committees — composed of people with disabilities or their representatives, people from different industries and sectors and Ontario government ministries — are developing accessibility standards in five important areas of our lives.
Common standards
Four of these areas will be common to all sectors — private, public and not-for-profit — and may apply broadly to all businesses and organizations in Ontario. For this reason, these standards are referred to as common standards. The areas in which common accessibility standards are being developed are:
Sector-specific standard
A fifth standard is being developed in the area of transportation. The transportation standard is sector-specific and will apply to modes of passenger transportation under provincial and municipal jurisdictions.
Public review and feedback
Once a proposed standard is drafted, it is posted for public review and feedback. The committee members may then use that feedback to assist them in modifying the proposed standard before submitting it to the Minister of Community and Social Services.
Once the the final proposed standard is received, 90 days may elapse until the Minister advises the committee whether the proposed standard will be recommended to Cabinet.
When a standard becomes law
Once developed and made into law, these standards will include the steps businesses and organizations will have to take to meet compliance requirements and timetables, if applicable. (The Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Regulation is now law. It came into effect on January 1, 2008.) The act says that the length of time to reach a specific target must be no more than five years. Accessibility for people with disabilities must be achieved by 2025.