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Constance Exley

AODA Report Deadline Extended to June 30, 2021

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Organizations across Ontario are required to comply with accessibility standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and its Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation.

The Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility recognizes that the COVID-19 outbreak has created challenges for many businesses and non-profit organizations. For that reason, as director authorized by the AODA, I am exercising my discretion under section 14 of the AODA to extend the accessibility compliance reporting deadline from December 31, 2020 to June 30, 2021. This adjusted deadline applies to private sector organizations (i.e. businesses and non-profit), subject to the AODA, that have 20 or more employees in Ontario.

Details on completing and filing an accessibility compliance report are available at Ontario.ca/accessibilityreport.

If you require additional assistance with filing your compliance report, or would like this notice in an alternate format, please contact us at:

 

  • Phone: 1-866-515-2025 / 416-849-8276
  • TTY: 1-888-335-6611 / 416-326-0148 / Email: [email protected]

 

 (Excerpt from a memo sent out on October 5, 2020 by Garth Napier, Director, Compliance and Enforcement Branch, AODA Division, Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility)

 

Website Accessibility Requirement (AODA)

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By January 1, 2021, all designated public sector organizations, as well as private and nonprofit organizations with 50 or more employees in Ontario, must ensure their internet websites and web content on those sites conform with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA, other than:

  • success criteria 1.2.4 Captions (Live); and
  • success criteria 1.2.5 Audio Descriptions (Pre-recorded).

“Internet website” is defined in the AODA as a collection of related web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that are accessible to the public.  “Web content” includes documents such as Word, PDFs, and PowerPoint presentations. 

The requirements apply to:

  • internet websites and web content, including web-based applications, that an organization controls directly or through a contractual relationship that allows for modification of the product; and
  • web content published on an internet website after January 1, 2012.

Private/non-profit organizations with less than 50 employees in Ontario are not required to meet this requirement.

If you are not sure how to make your website accessible and compliant with the AODA, we can audit your site to identify accessibility issues and tell you how to remediate them.

Request a quote to get a website accessibility audit.

 

Accessibility Compliance Report

By December 31, 2020, all designated public sector organizations, as well as private and nonprofit organizations with 20 or more employees in Ontario, must file an Accessibility Compliance Report.

The purpose of the report is to confirm for the Government of Ontario that your organization has met its current accessibility requirements under the AODA.  It contains such questions as:

  • Does your organization have written accessibility policies and a statement of commitment?
  • Does your organization provide appropriate training on the AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation and the Human Rights Code as it pertains to people with disabilities?
  • Does your organization have a process to provide accessible formats and communication supports to people with disabilities in a timely manner and at no extra cost?

Learn more about how to submit your Compliance Report.

Enabling Accessibility Fund – Now Open

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The federal government recently announced a call for proposals for the Enabling Accessibility Fund. This is a great time for organizations who are looking to do accessibility improvements to apply for funding to help make our communities and workplaces more accessible.

Eligibility

To receive funding, your organization must be a:

  • not-for-profit (an organization that does not make money for itself)
  • business (with a maximum of 99 full-time equivalent employees)
  • small municipality (with population under 125,000 as per the 2016 Census data)
  • Indigenous organization (including band council, tribal council and self-governing organization)
  • territorial government

In addition:

  • you must submit a complete application package before 3:00 pm (EDT) on July 13, 2020
  • your funding request cannot exceed $100,000
  • your project cannot exceed 24 months
  • your project activities cannot be:
    • on a Government of Canada property
    • in a public hospital
    • in a public school (or on school grounds)
    • in a private home or dwelling
  • your organization must not have received funding from the 2018 EAF funding processes for small and mid-sized projects
  • your project must be in one of the following:
    • a facility where persons with disabilities work or could work in the future (Workplace Accessibility Stream), or
    • a community space where programs or services are, or will be available for persons with disabilities (Community Accessibility Stream)
  • for projects other than ramps, accessible doors and accessible washrooms, you must provide 1 external cost estimate. You must submit a rationale if you cannot provide an estimate and an explanation of how you calculated your project costs

Applications are due July 13, 2020.

Enabling Accessibility Fund Information

Compliance Reports are Due

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Businesses and non-profits with 20 or more employees must submit an Accessibility Compliance Report to the government by June 30, 2021 (extended from Dec. 31, 2020).

Before Your Start

To complete the form you need your organization’s:

  • legal name
  • business number (BN9 – found in your federal or provincial tax return)
  • number of employees
  • name and contact information of your certifier (a senior officer with legal authority to say that the report is complete and accurate)

How to fill out your report

  • For each question, click ‘Yes’ if you are in compliance or ‘No’ if you are not in compliance. If you want to add some comments, you can do so in the comment box below each question.
  • Each question has links to:
    • The related section of the regulation
    • Resources to help you understand and meet the requirements
  • After completing all the questions, save and review the form.
  • Once you have submitted your form, you will receive a message that will confirm your submission or let you know if there was an error.

Changes to Your Organization

Notify the government if your organization has had a change in any of the following:

  • Address
  • Primary contact information
  • Number of employees
  • Status (for example is no longer in business or has fewer than 20 employees)

Use this form to update your organization’s profile.

Questions

If you have any questions about accessibility compliance reporting or details necessary to complete the forms, please contact Service Ontario at:

Complete Your Compliance Report

 

 

Free Building Accessibility Audit and Certification

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The Rick Hansen Foundation, thanks to funding from the Ontario Government, is offering free building accessibility audits and certifications to nonprofits, businesses, and public sector organizations. The Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification rating scorecard will highlight specific areas where you can improve accessibility and your site may be certified at one of two levels:  ‘RHF Accessibility Certified’ or ‘RHF Accessibility Certified Gold.’  Under the Ontario grant program two hundred and fifty (250) organizations will be selected from ten eligible municipalities:

  • Brampton  
  • Greater Sudbury
  • Hamilton
  • Kitchener  
  • London 
  • Markham
  • Mississauga
  • Ottawa 
  • Toronto  
  • Windsor

Organizations may make multiple applications for more than one site.

Application Deadline: March 27, 2020

 
Successful applicants will be notified in early July 2020.

Funding provided by the Government of Ontario will cover all requirements of participation, including:  

  • Registration fees to the CSA Group for the RHFAC Registry 
  • RHFAC Professional fees and travel costs 
  • Recognition label and shipping 

NOTE: A rating from the Rick Hansen Foundation does not have legal weight and does not affect or replace legal requirements applicable in Ontario.

 
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Call for Advisory Committee Members

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The Ontario BIA Association (OBIAA) is leading, in partnership with the Ontario Government, the 2020 Heritage and Accessibility Summit Project. The Summit, to be held in the fall of 2020, aims to inspire action and build awareness amongst planners, architects, engineers, heritage leaders, media, BIAs, businesses, people with disabilities, and more.  This will be a gathering of people who care deeply about heritage and accessibility and who, through multi-stakeholder dialogue, can develop a vision that unites their distinct roles and visions.

The Project Advisory Committee will be comprised of members from BIAs, heritage building owners, developers, planners, organizations supporting persons with disabilities, architects, engineers, and municipal staff and Accessibility Advisory Committee members.

Advisory Committee Terms of Reference

Advisory Committee Application Form

Application Deadline: February 7, 2020

 

Accessibility Services Canada is pleased to be working on this, our fourth, EnAbling Change Project with OBIAA and the Government of Ontario.

 

Proposed Updates to the AODA

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Ontario’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) undergoes periodic reviews and updates. The Information and Communications Standards Development Committee — a group of representatives from various sectors, including business, municipalities and people with disabilities — has drafted some initial recommendations to improve the existing Information and Communications Standards and they would like your feedback.

The Committee’s report is separated into two parts:

  • Phase 1: The Committee reviewed all requirements in effect for 24 months or longer and voted on 30 initial recommendations related to these requirements.
  • Phase 2: The Committee has developed a proposal, through one recommendation, for a new model to transform and modernize the regulatory approach to accessibility in Ontario.

The committee will review all the feedback it receives before it submits its final report and recommendations to the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility for consideration.

Feedback deadline: September 27, 2019

 

How to Give Feedback

Step One: Read the committee’s initial recommendations.

Step Two: Submit your feedback through two online surveys.

Take the Surveys

Phase 1 Survey: http://bit.ly/2Hw0drfPhase 2 Survey: http://bit.ly/2HtHZXi

 

Alternative Formats

If you need the initial recommendations in an alternate format or if you have any questions, call or email the Ontario Government.

Toll-free: 1-866-515-2025 or toll-free TTY: 1-800-268-7095

Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Or email: [email protected]

 

Alternative Feedback Submission

You can send your feedback by email to [email protected]

Or by mail to:
Attention: Rich Donovan, Chair
Information and Communications Standards Review Feedback
Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility
777 Bay Street,
6th Floor, Suite 601A
Toronto, Ontario  M7A 2J4

All feedback received will be considered by the committee before finalizing its recommendations to the minister.

It’s Official! The Accessible Canada Act is now Law

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With the adoption of An Act to Ensure a Barrier-free Canada (Accessible Canada Act), the Government of Canada is fulfilling its mandate promise to introduce new accessibility legislation. The Accessible Canada Act establishes a framework to create a barrier-free Canada through the proactive identification, removal and prevention of accessibility barriers. It will also ensure that persons with disabilities are no longer required to fight barriers to accessibility on an individual basis.

The Accessible Canada Act applies to the federally regulated private sector, which includes the banking, transportation and telecommunications sectors, as well as the Government of Canada, Crown corporations and Parliament. Under the Act, these organizations will be required to develop and publish accessibility plans that describe how they will identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility. They will also be required to establish a mechanism for receiving and addressing feedback on accessibility from anyone who interacts with their organization. Finally, they will have to develop regular progress reports on the implementation of their plan and addressing any feedback they receive.

The Accessible Canada Act also establishes new structures and positions, including:

  • the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization (CASDO), led by a board of directors comprised of a majority of persons with disabilities that will develop accessibility standards in collaboration with the disability community and industry;
  • a Chief Accessibility Officer, who will advise the Minister of Accessibility and monitor systemic and emerging accessibility issues; and
  • an Accessibility Commissioner, who will spearhead compliance and enforcement activities under the legislation.

The next phase of implementation will include the development of standards and regulations that will provide clear guidance on accessibility requirements.

The coming into force of the Accessible Canada Act also legislates National AccessAbility Week as beginning each year on the last Sunday in May, with the objective of promoting accessibility and celebrating the contributions of persons with disabilities across the country. 

 

Quick Facts

  • Approximately one in five Canadians, or about 6.2 million people aged 15 and over, report having a disability that limits them in their daily activities.
  • The Accessible Canada Act was developed following the most inclusive and accessible consultations with the disability community in our country’s history. More than 6,000 Canadians and 100 accessibility organizations shared their views and ideas about an accessible Canada.
  • Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act, was tabled in Parliament on June 20, 2018, and passed by the Senate with amendments on May 13, 2019. The House of Commons concurred with all amendments on May 29, 2019, and the Act received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019.

Bill C-81: Accessible Canada Act has been passed by Parliament!

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There was great news announced during this year’s National Accessibility Week – the House of Commons passed all the amendments to Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act. Now the only thing left is for the Federal Government to give the bill “Royal Assent” which should be in the next few weeks.

The AODA Alliance has been quick to point out what they feel are serious deficiencies in the bill. For example:

* It gives the Federal Government helpful powers to promote accessibility, but largely does not require that these ever be used. For example, it lets the Federal Government create helpful and enforceable national accessibility standards but does not require the Federal Government to ever do so.

* It provides for helpful enforcement tools but splinters its enforcement across four federal agencies, which is a real disadvantage to people with disabilities.

* It continues to allow federal public money to be used to create or perpetuate accessibility barriers against people with disabilities.

* It lets the Federal Government grant sweeping exemptions from some of the bill’s requirements to regulated organizations, including the Federal Government itself.

* It is excessively complicated and hard to read. This threatens to make it less effective and harder to implement.

As with all things, it’s one step at a time….