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 appointing a Commissioner of Accessibility to review the AODA every year.
Commissioner of Accessibility to Review the AODA Every Year
The review states that the current process of reviewing the AODA every four (4) years is not effective. In addition, the AODA does not clearly state whether it requires reviews after 2025. However, reviews must take place to hold the Ontario government accountable for AODA implementation.
Recommendations
Therefore, the review recommends that the government should appoint an Assistant Auditor General, Commissioner of Accessibility to review the AODA every year. This Commissioner of Accessibility should be part of the Office of the Auditor General of Ontario. Moreover, this Commissioner of Accessibility should report every year to the Ontario Legislature about the province’s accessibility. The report should include the Commissioner of Accessibility’s recommendations for achieving accessibility in the public sector.
Moreover, the review should also include the province’s progress, if any, regarding the accessibility crisis, through recommendations such as:
- Emergency response protocol that addresses the needs of people with disabilities
- Accessibility plans for government services and employment
- An agency to oversee AODA enforcement and other accessibility initiatives
- An accessibility action plan
- A process for auditing accessible procurement
In addition, the Commissioner of Accessibility should continue reporting on this progress every ninety (90) days. These crisis reports should continue until the Commissioner of Accessibility decides that the crisis has been resolved.
Furthermore, the Commissioner of Accessibility’s yearly report should include an account of government spending on accessibility in the public sector. This recommendation aligns with a recommendation in the third review of the AODA for spending public money on accessible structures and services.
Finally, the Commissioner of Accessibility should work closely with the accessibility agency, as well as other government ministries. The Commissioner of Accessibility should audit, educate, and encourage accessibility best practices within all these departments.