Implementing the First Review of the Transportation Standards

After AODA standards come into force, they must be reviewed at least every five (5) years. In other words, the AODA Standards Development Committee that created each standard must also review it every five (5) years, or more often. After a period of public feedback, the Committee must submit the final version of their review to the Minister in charge of the AODA. Then, the minister must recommend to the Lieutenant Governor that the standard be accepted in whole, in part, or with modifications. The first review of the Transportation Standards became public in 2018. However, the Ontario government has not made any of the changes to the Transportation Standards that the review recommends. In short, no steps have been taken for implementing the first review of the transportation standards.

Implementing the First Review of the Transportation Standards

In this review, the Committee outlines many improvements to make transportation within and between cities in Ontario accessible for passengers with disabilities by 2025. Recommendations impact transportation services such as:

• Conventional transit, including:
  • Buses
  • Motor coaches
  • Streetcars
  • Subways
  • Light rail
  • Commuter rail
  • Inter-city rail
• Specialized transit
• Cities that licence taxicabs

The Committee recommends changes to the standards to reduce the accessibility barriers that passengers with disabilities currently face while using these services. However, in some instances, the Committee does not recommend changes to the Transportation Standards. Nonetheless, the Committee identifies barriers that passengers with disabilities face, and recommends strategies to remove these barriers. These strategies involve partnership between the transportation sector and other sectors of the province. While the Committee cannot recommend changes to other legislation, it can offer guidance to potential partner sectors. If the government and partner sectors implement these recommendations, the province will be closer to its goal of full accessibility by 2025.

Recommendation for Conventional and Specialized Transit

One (1) of the Committee’s recommendations applies to both conventional and specialized transit companies:

• Identification cards for passengers travelling with support persons

Recommendations for Conventional Transit

Alternatively, some of the Committee’s recommendations apply only to conventional transit companies. For instance, the review recommends:

• A public education campaign about space for assistive devices on public transit
• Travel training for passengers with disabilities
• More accessible seating, and better enforcement for its use
• Education for drivers on the requirement to transport service animals
• Priority boarding options, and enforcement of mandates for audiovisual announcements
• Improved and enforced mandates for technical features on:
  • Vehicles
  • Signage
  • Other elements of the public-transit infrastructure, such as stops and shelters

Recommendations for Specialized Transit

On the other hand, the Committee made other recommendations that only apply to specialized transit companies. For example, the review recommends:

• Avoiding errors resulting in multiple fares
• clarifying booking requirements
• Avoiding fees for medical forms
• Coordinating specialized transit between cities

Recommendations Related to Taxicabs

In addition, some of the Committee’s recommendations apply to cities that licence taxicabs, and to other ridesharing services. For instance, the review recommends:

• On-demand accessible taxicabs
• AODA training for taxicab drivers

Many of these recommendations are similar to suggestions in the Third Review of the AODA for barrier removal in specialized transit, conventional transit, and the rideshare industry. However, like the Committee’s recommendations, the Third Review’s recommendations have not yet been implemented.

Though the government must hold and publicize reviews of the AODA and each of its standards, no mandate requires the government to follow the recommendations in these reviews. However, Ontario will never become fully accessible until the government improves and enforces the AODA standards. Therefore, implementing the first review of the transportation standards is a crucial step toward meeting the AODA’s goal of an accessible province by 2025. In contrast, if the government does not implement these recommendations, it will not meet the deadline mandated in its own law.

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