Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Project
Standards Development
It has been the position of our partner school board associations that the school board sector must be represented when developing standards for implementing the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. We have actively monitored the development of the Customer Service Standard which is now an Ontario Regulation and have collaborated with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario on the development of an implementation Resource Guide Accessible Schools: Leading The Way and on creating a training module "How May I Help You?" which is now available on both the OPSBA and OESC websites. As work on AODA goes forward, a school board sector representative has been on the following Standards Development Committees:
- Accessible Transportation
- Accessible Information and Communications
- Accessibility in Employment
- Accessible Built Environment
To date, we have made the following submissions to the Minister of Community and Social Services:
- OPSBA and OCSTA joint response to Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard* (71K PDF)
- Joint response to Proposed Accessibility in Employment Standard(97K PDF)
- Joint response to Proposed Standard for Accessible Information and Communication (57K PDF)
- Letter to Minister re Proposed Standard for Accessible Transportation (19K PDF)
- Joint response to Proposed Customer Service Standard(43K PDF)
While they have yet to be enacted as Regulations, the final version of the following Standards have been posted on the website of the Ministry of Community and Social Services:
- The final version of the proposed Standard for Accessible Information and Communication (123K PDF). Additional supporting documents related to the proposed Standard include IC Plain Language Version (73K PDF) and IC Compliance Timelines (31K PDF).
- The final version of the proposed Standard for Accessibility in Employment. A Plain Language Version of this Standard is also available.
* Initial Proposed Standard for Accessible Built Environment (1.44M PDF), Built Environment Overview (35K PDF), Built Environment Plain Language Version (90K PDF), and Built Environment Costing Study (416K PDF).
RE: INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE AODA LEGISLATION
Charles Beer has been appointed as an Independent Reviewer of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Mr. Beer will be conducting public consultations to gather input on our experience with the roll-out of the legislation including the work of the Standards Development committees. OPSBA participated in a consultation session specific to the MUSH sector (Municipalities, Universities, Schools, Hospitals) in early October.