General Requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standard

ESTABLISHMENT OF ACCESSIBILITY POLICIES

All obligated organizations will be required to develop, implement and maintain policies on how they achieve or will achieve accessibility in include a statement of commitment, prepare written documents describing their policies and to have those documents publicly available and provided in an accessible format upon request. Obligated Organizations (other than small not-for-profit or private sector organizations) will be required to include a statement of organizational commitment; prepare written documents describing their policies; make those documents publicly available and provide them in an accessible format upon request.

ACCESSIBILITY PLANS

Obligated Organizations will be required to establish, implement, maintain and document a multi-year accessibility plan, outlining the organization’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers (visible and invisible) and meet the requirements of the Integrated Standard. This plan must be posted on the organization’s website (if any) and provided in an accessible format. The plan must be reviewed and updated at least once every five years.

PROCURING OR ACQUIRING GOODS, SERVICES OR FACILITIES

When procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities, designated public sector organizations will be required to incorporate “accessibility criteria and features”, unless it is not practicable to do so, in which case the affected organization must explain why it did not do so (if requested).

TRAINING

All Obligated Organizations must provide training on the Integrated Standard’s requirements as well as the Human Rights Code (as it pertains to persons with disabilities) to their employees, volunteers, persons who participate in developing the organization’s policies, and all other persons who provide goods and services on behalf of the organization. The training must occur as soon as practicable and following any changes to the applicable policies. The training shall be appropriate to the duties of the particular individual, and most Obligated Organizations are required to keep training records, including the date of the training and the individuals trained.

What has your business done to ensure compliance with the Integrated Accessibility Standard  of the 

AODA?

If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-503-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca or visit www.accessibilitycompliance.ca