The AODA Legal Responsibilities For Ontario Businesses
Public Spaces, Transportation, Health and Education
The purpose of Ontario Regulation 191/11 Integrated Accessibility Standards is to create a more inclusive province, that can attract more economic growth by removing as many barriers as possible, making Ontario open for everyone.Public Spaces And Buildings
The purpose of the Public Spaces and Buildings standard is to help organizations make new and redeveloped outdoor public areas and the building environment more accessible.This refers to the design of:
There must be at a minimum one service counter that accommodates a mobility aid for each type of service provided and the accessible service counter must be clearly identified with signage, where there are multiple queuing lines and service counters.
Aisles, seating areas, doors and stairways must meet accessibility requirements.
There must be at a minimum one service counter that accommodates a mobility aid for each type of service provided and the accessible service counter must be clearly identified with signage, where there are multiple queuing lines and service counters.
Aisles, seating areas, doors and stairways must meet accessibility requirements.
This refers to the design of:
- Trails for cross-country skiing, mountain biking, Wilderness trails, backcountry trails and portage routes.
- The design of rest areas, passing areas, viewing areas and amenities on the trail.
- Outdoor public use eating areas must have tables that are accessible to persons using mobility aids by having knee and toe clearance underneath.
- Outdoor play spaces, Curb ramps, pedestrian control signals, and parking facilities must meet accessibility requirements.
Transportation Standard
The purpose of the transportation standard is to make it easier for everyone to travel safely and confidently in the province.All conventional transportation service providers and specialized transportation service providers shall make available to the public current information on accessibility equipment and features of their vehicles, routes and services.
If the accessibility equipment on a vehicle is not functioning and equivalent service cannot be provided, conventional transportation service providers and specialized transportation service providers shall take reasonable steps to accommodate persons with disabilities who would otherwise use the equipment and the transportation service provider shall repair the equipment as soon as is practicable.
Conventional transportation service providers and specialized transportation service providers shall conduct employee and volunteer accessibility training.
If the accessibility equipment on a vehicle is not functioning and equivalent service cannot be provided, conventional transportation service providers and specialized transportation service providers shall take reasonable steps to accommodate persons with disabilities who would otherwise use the equipment and the transportation service provider shall repair the equipment as soon as is practicable.
Conventional transportation service providers and specialized transportation service providers shall conduct employee and volunteer accessibility training.
Conventional transportation service providers and specialized transportation service providers shall conduct employee and volunteer accessibility training.
Conventional transportation service providers and specialized transportation service providers shall keep a record of the training provided, including the dates on which the training is provided and the number of individuals to whom it is provided.
Conventional transportation service providers and specialized transportation service providers shall keep a record of the training provided, including the dates on which the training is provided and the number of individuals to whom it is provided.
Conventional transportation service providers and specialized transportation service providers, shall establish, implement, maintain and document emergency preparedness and response policies that provide for the safety of persons with disabilities, and shall make those policies available to the public.
No conventional transportation service provider shall charge a higher fare to a person with a disability than the fare that is charged to a person without a disability where the person with a disability uses conventional transportation services, but a conventional transportation service provider may charge a lesser fare for a person with a disability.
No conventional transportation service provider and no specialized transportation service provider shall charge a fare to a support person who is accompanying a person with a disability where the person with a disability has a need for a support person.
No conventional transportation service provider and no specialized transportation service provider shall charge a fare to a support person who is accompanying a person with a disability where the person with a disability has a need for a support person.
In the accessibility plan, conventional transportation service providers shall identify the process for managing, evaluating and taking action on customer feedback.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall annually hold at least one public meeting involving persons with disabilities to ensure that they have an opportunity to participate in a review of the accessibility plan and that they are given the opportunity to provide feedback on the accessibility plan.
Specialized transportation service providers shall, in their accessibility plans, identify the process for estimating the demand for specialized transportation services, and develop steps to reduce wait times for specialized transportation services.
Conventional transportation service providers and specialized transportation service providers shall, in their accessibility plans, describe their procedures for dealing with accessibility equipment failures on their respective types of vehicles.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall annually hold at least one public meeting involving persons with disabilities to ensure that they have an opportunity to participate in a review of the accessibility plan and that they are given the opportunity to provide feedback on the accessibility plan.
Specialized transportation service providers shall, in their accessibility plans, identify the process for estimating the demand for specialized transportation services, and develop steps to reduce wait times for specialized transportation services.
Conventional transportation service providers and specialized transportation service providers shall, in their accessibility plans, describe their procedures for dealing with accessibility equipment failures on their respective types of vehicles.
Conventional transportation service providers shall, deploy lifting devices, ramps or portable bridge plates upon the request of a person with a disability, ensure that adequate time is provided to persons with disabilities to safely board, be secured and deboard transportation vehicles and that assistance be provided, upon request, for these activities, assist with safe and careful storage of mobility aids or mobility assistive devices used by persons with disabilities, and allow a person with a disability to travel with a medical aid.
Except where not practicable to do so, a conventional transportation service provider that does not provide specialized transportation services shall ensure that any person with a disability who, because of his or her disability, is unable to use conventional transportation services is provided with an alternative accessible method of transportation.
Conventional transportation service providers, in respect of transportation vehicles to which this section applies, shall ensure that persons with disabilities are able to board or deboard a transportation vehicle at the closest available safe location, as determined by the operator, that is not an official stop, if the official stop is not accessible and the safe location is along the same transit route.
Where a route or scheduled service is temporarily changed and the change is known in advance of the commencement of the trip, conventional transportation service providers shall make available alternate accessible arrangements to transfer persons with disabilities to their route destination where alternate arrangements for persons without disabilities are inaccessible, and ensure information on alternate arrangements is communicated in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability.
Except where not practicable to do so, a conventional transportation service provider that does not provide specialized transportation services shall ensure that any person with a disability who, because of his or her disability, is unable to use conventional transportation services is provided with an alternative accessible method of transportation.
Conventional transportation service providers, in respect of transportation vehicles to which this section applies, shall ensure that persons with disabilities are able to board or deboard a transportation vehicle at the closest available safe location, as determined by the operator, that is not an official stop, if the official stop is not accessible and the safe location is along the same transit route.
Where a route or scheduled service is temporarily changed and the change is known in advance of the commencement of the trip, conventional transportation service providers shall make available alternate accessible arrangements to transfer persons with disabilities to their route destination where alternate arrangements for persons without disabilities are inaccessible, and ensure information on alternate arrangements is communicated in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall, if safe storage is possible, ensure that mobility aids and mobility assistive devices are stored in the passenger compartments of its transportation vehicles within reach of the person with the disability who uses the aid or device.
No conventional transportation service provider shall charge a fee for the storage of a mobility aid or a mobility assistive device.
No conventional transportation service provider shall charge a fee for the storage of a mobility aid or a mobility assistive device.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that there is clearly marked priority seating for persons with disabilities on its transportation vehicles and that the priority seating meets the specified standards.
The priority seating for persons with disabilities shall be located as close as practicable to the entrance door of the vehicle.
The priority seating for persons with disabilities shall be located as close as practicable to the entrance door of the vehicle.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that all of its transportation vehicles are equipped with grab bars, handholds, handrails or stanchions that are provided where appropriate.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that all of its transportation vehicles have floors that produce a minimal glare and are slip resistant, and any carpeted surfaces have a low, firm and level pile or loop and are securely fastened.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that all of its transportation vehicles have floors that produce a minimal glare and are slip resistant, and any carpeted surfaces have a low, firm and level pile or loop and are securely fastened.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that there are, on request, pre-boarding verbal announcements of the route, direction, destination or next major stop.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that there are audible verbal announcements of all destination points or available route stops on its transportation vehicles while the vehicle is on route or while the vehicle is being operated.
Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that there are audible verbal announcements of all destination points or available route stops on its transportation vehicles while the vehicle is on route or while the vehicle is being operated.