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Recommendations in the Third Review of the AODA

Every four years, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario appoints someone to review the AODA. Moreover, this reviewer spends time meeting with the public, especially people with disabilities. During these meetings, attendees discuss 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. In this article, we list the recommendations in the third review of the AODA, published in 2019.

Recommendations in the Third Review of the AODA

The Honourable David C. Onley, former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, wrote the third review of the AODA. In this review, he recommends many changes the government can make that will help the AODA become better law. For instance, Onley recommends that the Ontario government should:

Moreover, Onley also recommends that the government clarify some basic concepts in the AODA, such as:

Recommendations for Cultural Changes

In addition, Onley recommends how changes to our culture can help people understand disability more clearly. As a result, Ontarians may be more willing to create a barrier-free province. For example, Onley recommends:

Recommendations for Improving AODA Standards

Furthermore, Onley recommends improvements to current and future AODA standards. For instance:

Recommendations for Structural Improvements

Onley also recommends improving all standards and laws governing buildings and public spaces. For example, these improvements include:

Recommendations for Enforcing the AODA

Onley describes many problems with current methods for enforcing the AODA. Therefore, he recommends new methods of enforcement, including:

Finally, Onley outlines the barriers to employment that people with disabilities face. He recommends that the government improve its strategy for employing people with disabilities. He also recommends that the government commit to solving a number of small problems in every-day accessibility.

In addition to direct recommendations, Onley’s review also includes discussion of more disability barriers, and suggestions from attendees about how to remove these barriers. Our next article will list these suggestions.