This week is Eating Disorders Awareness Week!
Eating Disorders Awareness Week takes place across Canada from February 1st to 7th every year. During this week, eating disorders groups throughout Canada raise awareness about how eating disorders impact people’s lives. Moreover, these groups also teach the public about supports that help people who have eating disorders to live full lives.
In the fourth review of the AODA, Rich Donovan states that Ontario will not be fully accessible by 2025. In other words, the provincial government will not meet its own deadline, set out in the AODA in 2005. Moreover, Donovan states that the province lacks the knowledge and resources to enforce needed accessibility regulations throughout Ontario. As a result, Donovan recommends federal government responsibility for accessibility in Ontario’s private sector. Under this new arrangement, the provincial government, with support from the accessibility agency, could focus on public-sector AODA enforcement. Therefore, the review recommends renewed focus on provincial government responsibility for accessibility in the public sector of Ontario.
In the fourth review of the AODA, Rich Donovan states that Ontario will not be fully accessible by 2025. In other words, the provincial government will not meet its own deadline, set out in the AODA in 2005. Moreover, Donovan states that the province lacks the knowledge and resources to enforce needed accessibility regulations throughout Ontario. In contrast, the federal government has the resources to create widespread change. Moreover, the federal government has recently made more progress toward accessibility than the provincial government. For example, the Accessible Canada Act requires federally-regulated employers to have accessibility plans, feedback processes, and progress reports. In short, Ontario should coordinate with the federal government to ensure accessibility. As a result, Donovan recommends federal government responsibility for accessibility in the private sector of Ontario.
In the fourth review of the AODA, Rich Donovan states that Ontario will not be fully accessible by 2025. In other words, the provincial government will not meet its own deadline, set out in the AODA in 2005. Limited creation, implementation, and enforcement of AODA standards impacts the well-being and safety of Ontarians with disabilities. Therefore, Donovan recommends that the Ontario government should declare this lack of progress on accessibility a crisis. This crisis state should last six (6) months. During this time, the Ontario government should form a crisis committee to implement crucial accessibility improvements in the province. The Premier should act as the chair of this committee, and the Secretary of Cabinet should act as co-chair. One of the improvements the committee should implement is a process for auditing accessible procurement.
In the fourth review of the AODA, Rich Donovan states that Ontario will not be fully accessible by 2025. In other words, the provincial government will not meet its own deadline, set out in the AODA in 2005. Limited creation, implementation, and enforcement of AODA standards impacts the well-being and safety of Ontarians with disabilities. Therefore, Donovan recommends that the Ontario government should declare this lack of progress on accessibility a crisis. This crisis state should last six (6) months. During this time, the Ontario government should form a crisis committee to implement crucial accessibility improvements in the province. The Premier should act as the chair of this committee, and the Secretary of Cabinet should act as co-chair. One of the improvements the committee should implement is the creation of an accessibility action plan.
