What is the AODA?
October 2, 2018 Greg Thomson
AODA has been active in Ontario since 2005, however, people might still be wondering: what is the AODA? The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) is an Ontario law mandating that organizations must follow standards to become more accessible to people with disabilities. The goal for the province is to be fully accessible by 2025. All levels of government, private sectors, and non-profits must comply with this legislation.
What is the AODA?
Based off the 2001 Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Ontario government decided to further elaborate on this Act. In 2005, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) came into effect, making Ontario the first province to enact such ground-breaking legislation. This new Act’s purpose is to create accessibility standards that organizations from public, private, and non-profit sectors must follow and to make an accessible province for all Ontarians.
What is a Disability?
The term “disability” covers a range of visible and invisible conditions that may have been present from birth, caused by an accident, or developed over time. For instance, disabilities include:
- Blindness or visual impairment
- Deafness or hearing disabilities
- Speech impairment
- Physical or mobility disabilities, such as:
- Paralysis
- Amputation
- Difficulty with balance or coordination
- Brain injury
- Epilepsy
- Intellectual disabilities
- Learning disabilities
- Mental health [...]