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
The review states that the Ministry of Infrastructure should gain needed knowledge about accessibility in the built environment. This expertise should apply to both new construction and retrofitting existing buildings for accessibility.
Therefore, the review recommends that the accessibility agency should identify organizations that know and follow accessibility best practices when they construct or retrofit buildings. Then, the Ministry of Infrastructure should work with the agency to document all these best practices. From these documents, the Ministry should create measurable goals and processes for retrofitting buildings and spaces. The Ministry should then publicize these goals and processes so that other organizations in the public and private sectors can follow them. In addition, the Ministry should establish an action team that can advise other organizations constructing new buildings and spaces. The accessibility agency should oversee all these Ministry efforts.
This recommendation aligns with a recommendation in the third review of the AODA for reforming the management of public building projects in Ontario.