AODA Resources

This month is Mobility Awareness Month!

Mobility Awareness Month takes place across Canada in May every year. The month raises awareness about how people with physical disabilities can move freely and enjoy active lifestyles. In addition, the public can learn more about how people can use assistive devices and other equipment to be actively involved in their communities.

Mobility Awareness Month

Mobility Awareness Month is a chance for the public to learn how people use assistive devices to travel:

Mobility Awareness Month. Read full article.

This month is Mental Health Awareness Month!

Mental Health Awareness Month takes place across Canada in May every year. During this month, Canadians can learn about mental illnesses and how they affect people’s lives in different ways. In addition, the public can learn more about how to reduce the stigma around mental illnesses.

Mental Health Awareness Month

What are Mental Illnesses?

Mental illnesses are medical conditions that can affect many different aspects of a person, such as:

Mental Health Awareness Month. Read full article.

Every four years, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario appoints someone to review the AODA. This reviewer spends time meeting with the public, especially people with disabilities, discussing possible improvements the AODA might need. Based on this public feedback, the reviewer writes a report about how effective the AODA and its mandates are. In addition, the reviewer recommends steps the government can take to improve the Act. The reviewer then submits this report to the Minister in charge of the AODA. The fourth review of the AODA was submitted in June 2023, and became public in December 2023.

Recommendations in the Fourth Review of the AODA. Read full article.

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 under the AODA. 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. Furthermore, Donovan outlines tactical recommendations the province should follow to fulfill its remaining responsibilities in the public sector. One of these tactical recommendations is accessibility in all Ontario public buildings by 2030.

Accessibility in All Ontario Public Buildings by 2030. Read full article.

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 under the AODA. 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. Furthermore, Donovan outlines tactical recommendations the province should follow to fulfill its remaining responsibilities in the public sector. One of these tactical recommendations is expertise on building accessibility within the Ministry of Infrastructure.

Expertise on Building Accessibility within the Ministry of Infrastructure. Read full article.