12/15/2015


The Province has made recent changes to the accessibility laws in Ontario.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) was preceded by the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA), which set the foundation for accessibility in the public sector.

The Ontario government has removed sections of the ODA which are comparable to those addressed by the AODA or its regulations.
 
Effective December 1, 2015, twelve sections of the ODA have been repealed.  These sections are largely duplicated or addressed in a comparable manner by the AODA or its regulations.  This change will positively reduce the administrative burden on municipalities.
 
In particular, three sections of the ODA that directly impact municipalities were repealed as follows:

1. Section 11 - Municipal Accessibility Plans

  • the ODA Requirement to Develop Annual Accessibility Plans
  • the AODA requires municipalities to develop multi-year accessibility plans.
2. Section 12 - Accessibility Advisory Committees
  • the ODA Requirement for Municipalities to Develop Accessibility Advisory Committees (AACs)
  • the AODA requires that the majority of AAC members be persons with disabilities and provides for an expanded scope of the committee when compared with ODA-related requirements.
3. Section 13 - Municipal Goods and Services
  • the ODA Requirement for Municipalities to Ensure Accessible Procurement of Goods and Services
  • the AODA requires all broader public sector organizations to incorporate accessibility into procurements of goods, services and facilities, including kiosks.
All other ODA requirements continue to be in effect.  The AODA remains Ontario’s primary accessibility law and municipalities will continue to be required to comply with applicable requirements in that statute and its regulations.

To view the amended legislation, visit the Ministry website.