Ontario government ramps up AODA enforcement – Is your organization compliant?

The Ontario Government announced an audit blitz this fall pertaining to compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”). The blitz focuses on two specific AODA requirements, namely the requirement to prepare a multi-year accessibility plan and the requirement to put in place individual workplace emergency response plans for employees with disabilities.

The blitz is part of a larger AODA compliance and enforcement plan. The AODA is still relatively new legislation and the government has, until recently, taken a passive approach to enforcement, through requiring most organizations to file accessibility reports, which is a self-reporting mechanism. Although there have only been a handful of adjudicative decisions released on AODA compliance matters (see our blog on these decisions here), we will likely be seeing more in the future as the government takes a more active approach to enforcement.

Most organizations are required to prepare a multi-year accessibility plan.  An effective accessibility plan will outline the requirements that apply to the organization, the compliance deadlines, and steps taken to achieve the organizations compliance goals. The accessibility plan must be reviewed at least once every five years and should be posted on the organizations website.

Is your company ready for an AODA audit?

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 @ 416-579-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca