Currently, only five (5) sectors of the economy have AODA standards that require accessibility for citizens with disabilities. In addition, committees are developing standards in two (2) more sectors, education and healthcare. However, the AODA’s goal is an accessible Ontario by the year 2025. If only seven (7) sectors of the economy have AODA standards, the province will not be accessible in four (4) years. Therefore, the Third Review of the AODA recommends the creation of new AODA standards. For example, the review states that Ontario needs AODA standards for the sector of politics and elections. These standards would allow more citizens with disabilities to vote, run for office, or take part in political campaigns.
News Articles
News articles regarding the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
January 4th is World Braille Day
Today is World Braille Day! World Braille Day, celebrated on January 4th every year, honours the legacy of Louis Braille. The day is also a chance to spread awareness about the capabilities of blind people worldwide.
Improving School Residence Accessibility
In our last article, we covered how new and renovated school buildings need to be accessible to students, educators, parents, and visitors with disabilities. We also outlined why an education standard should mandate more accessibility in older school buildings. In this article, we focus on residence accessibility.
Ontario Needs to Make More School Spaces Accessible
The AODA does not yet have an education standard. Two committees are making recommendations about what an education standard should include. In the meantime, the Design of Public Spaces Standard and the Ontario Building Code both have rules that apply to educational institutions. These rules make school spaces more accessible for students, educators, parents, and visitors with disabilities. Accessible school spaces can include:
- Public and private schools
- School board offices
School Library Accessibility
The AODA does not yet have an education standard. Two committees are making recommendations about what an education standard should include. In the meantime, educational institutions must follow the rules in the Information and Communications Standards that apply to other organizations. In addition, there are also rules just for educational institutions. For instance, school libraries must make their resources available to students with disabilities. School library accessibility applies to libraries in: