What are the requirements for hospitals, schools boards, colleges and universities under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA)?

Hospitals, school boards, colleges and universities are required to prepare annual accessibility plans.

The plans must be developed in consultation with people with disabilities and made available to the public.

The plans are to address the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to people with disabilities in the organization’s by-laws (if any), and its policies, programs, practices and services. (section 15 and schedule ).

In preparing plans, two or more hospitals, school boards, colleges or universities may prepare joint plans. (section 17)

What tools are available to hospitals in developing accessibility plans?

In addition to a document entitled "A Guide to Annual Accessibility Planning under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001," The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario worked closely with the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) to prepare a customized guide and tool to assist hospitals with accessibility planning. The document is entitled "Toolkit for Annual Accessibility Planning under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act". A copy of this publication was mailed to all OHA member hospitals in March 2003. You can order it through the OHA website.

What tools are available to school boards in developing accessibility plans?

A document entitled "Annual Accessibility Planning for School Boards under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act: Guidelines and Toolkit" was developed in collaboration with a consortium of school boards to assist them with the development and implementation of their accessibility plans on an annual basis.

What tools are available to colleges and universities in developing accessibility plans?

There are a variety of resources available to help colleges and universities develop accessibility plans:

• Guide to Annual Accessibility Planning under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001.
• The Council of Ontario Universities has developed a customized planning guide entitled The Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001: Guidelines for the University Sector".
• The Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario (ACAATO) developed planning guidelines specifically for the college sector. For more information, contact ACAATO at 416-596-0744 or visit their website.

By what date must accessibility plans be prepared?

Plans should be prepared on an annual basis, enabling organizations to tie accessibility planning into their regular planning cycles.

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