The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) sets out the process for developing and enforcing accessibility standards in Ontario. Its purpose is to achieve accessibility standards for Ontarians with physical and mental disabilities by 2025.
All levels of government, private sector organizations and non-profit organizations must comply with this legislation. Compliance deadline dates depend on the size of the organization and the sector in which it operates.
Here are the next major AODA deadlines to assist with compliance efforts:
AODA Compliance Report:
The AODA Compliance Report is a self-assessment of an organization’s status in terms of compliance with all provincial accessibility requirements. By December 31, 2019, designated public sector organizations are required to file an Accessibility Compliance Report.
By December 31, 2020, private sector organizations with 20+ employees and non-profit organizations with 20+ employees are required to file an Accessibility Compliance Report.
Accessible Websites:
By January 1, 2021, private sector and non-profit organizations with 50+ employees and designated public sector organizations must make websites and web content accessible (all new internet websites and web content conforms with WCAG 2.0 level AA (excluding live captioning and audio description)).As part of your year-end housekeeping, we encourage you to review the deadlines above and confirm your organization’s compliance.
AODA Compliance Training:
In order to be compliant with the AODA, not only are organizations compelled to improve accessibility, they’re also required to provide training to all their staff, directors, volunteers and contractors to ensure these individuals also understand how to comply.
This AODA compliance training, as outlined in Section 7 of the law, must take place as early as possible and a diligent record of the training must be kept. If an organization’s accessibility policies change, the training needs to be updated. The training should also include an understanding of the Ontario Human Rights Code and how it protects people with disabilities from discrimination.
