Workbook final

100 / 454

188 - Resources to help understand obligations under the Accessibility
for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, GAATES, Canada
CONTACT
GAATES - Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments
Mr. Bob Topping
Canada
+1 905 278 0665
OVERALL GOAL /MISSION
The main mission of this project is to support architects, landscape architects, urban planners, architectural
technologists, engineering technologists and other small businesses to understand, inherit and implement a new
Ontarian law, which enacts the provision of fully accessible goods, services and facilities.
THE SOLUTION THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED
Since the "Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act" (AODA), which was passed by the Ontario government, was
complex and largely unknown to small businesses and especially architects, urban planners, landscape architects,
architectural technologists and engineering technologists were not aware of the consequences that the passed law
would bring with itself, this project wants to update these professionals and inform them about their legal obligations
with easy to use guides and other resources. In phase one the members of the project-developed publications,
especially created for design professionals and other small businesses that should be able to advise them of their now
existing legal obligations. The primary goal was to show how small businesses can provide their clients with the
necessary information about the new act, but in forms that are fully accessible and the secondary goal was to show
ways on how to communicate with their clients in an inclusive way. The members also developed a database to support
businesses in finding suppliers that can provide accessible information and communication development support
devices. In phase two, the aim was to produce learning and reference resources to assist design professionals to
understand and implement the accessible built-environment requirements enacted under the new act. This happened
via an illustrated technical guide that informs about the "Accessibility Standard for the Design of Public Spaces".
COUNTRIES IN WHICH IT WAS DEVELOPED: Canada
COUNTRY/ COUNTRIES IN WHICH IT IS OPERATING: Canada
FACTS ABOUT SIZE AND SCOPE
1) Until now there have been over 8 000 downloads of the provided materials from the website