Since its inception in 2005, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) (“The Act”) has been maintaining standards and timelines associated with identifying and removing barriers for people with disabilities in 5 areas of daily life. The ultimate goal of the Act is to achieve a more accessible and inclusive province by January 1, 2025. The Act applies to every person and organization in the public and private sectors of Ontario. By now, every Ontarian should have received AODA training, and be familiar with applicable AODA policies and plans at minimum.
Businesses and non-profit organizations with 20 or more employees are required to complete accessibility compliance reports every three years. Designated public sector organizations are required to complete accessibility compliance reports every two years. The upcoming reporting deadline for businesses and non-profit organizations, as well as public sector organizations is December 31, 2023.
Organizations with fewer than 50 employees must have an accessibility policy/policies that include a statement of commitment and outlines rules for achieving accessibility goals. Accessibility policies should be consistent with your business vision and goals, while removing barriers and addressing needs. Organizations with 50 or more employees are also required to have an accessibility policy, and it must be made available to the public. Accessibility policies should be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure evolving standards and requirements are continually met.
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