Workbook final

e.g. new ICT design, a relook on customer services in general, greater inclusion for a whole range of people that are

disadvantaged, a better way finding system for tourists, etc.



The Accessibility Directorate has produced over 30 videos showcasing accessibility in Ontario.



The accessibility reports and plans have produced change and a number of both public and private organizations

have gone beyond the requirement in various areas. A shiny example is Ontario’s Government, e.g. by launching its

Public Service Accessible Customer Service Policy, by being the first public sector organization to file its compliance

report, by establishing its Public Service Multi-year Accessibility Plan and by publishing its Multi-Year Accessibility

Plan: 2012 Annual Status Report.

ACTS ON

UTCOME

MPACT AND EFFECTIVENESS

According to the Moran Report, at this half-way point to the 2025 goal of Ontario being fully accessible, it seems

clear that much good work has been done, but that, however, the novelty of the AODA regime has also meant

that the pace of change has been slower than many hoped. Although the AODA overall continues to be

positively viewed – including by people with disabilities – the rate of progress is a widespread source of concern.

Perhaps the most overwhelming number of concerns with barriers was raised about the built environment and

the issue of retrofits to remove existing barriers was seen as particularly important (since current accessibility

requirements apply only to new buildings and extensive renovations). The AODA should address better non-

visible disabilities, such as mental illness, autism, etc. Efforts to raise awareness have fallen seriously short,

particularly with businesses. There is widespread “fatigue” – implementation fatigue, training fatigue and

review fatigue, as current standards are often not clear enough about what is required, have serious gaps, their

timelines are too long, several requirements are weak, and exemptions are too broad. In the disability

community, the view was widely held that the Government should begin work immediately on new standards

for education – including the pre-school, school and post-secondary stages – and for the entire health care

system, and that the Built Environment Standard has to include residential housing (“visitability standards”). The

AODA does not contain any mechanisms to address costs. A further concern was the slow pace of the

Government’s promised review of provincial laws and regulations: In 2013, the Government stated that, by the

end of 2014, 13 ministries will have reviewed 51 statutes (this leaves about 700 other statutes, as well as 1,500

regulations, still to be examined). Concerning the private sector: Figures of November 2013 showed that about

30 per cent of the 51,000 organizations with 20 or more employees that were required to file compliance

reports had done so. In addition, compliance reports reflect no measurable objectives that would tell

organizations where they are, what remains to be done or how they rate. On the other hand, the personnel of

the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario (ADO) are widely seen as being as positive and proactive as possible,

within the limits that they have been given. In particular, ADO’s online Accessibility Compliance Wizard got a

very positive response.