New Service Provided by OPC !!
Nov 08

Making Ontario Accessible For People with Disabilities

Ontario has an important Law:

It's called the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.  It's the first of its kind in Canada.

People with disabilities should have the same kind of opportunities as everyone else.  They should be able to do things that most of us take for granted - going to work or school, shopping, taking in a movie or having a meal in a restaurant.

That's the goal of Ontario's legislation.   Businesses and organizations who provide goods and services to people of Ontario will have to meet certain accessibility standards in five important areas of our lives:

• Customer Service
• Transportation
• Information and Communications
• Built Environment
• Employment

As well, on February 18, 2009, the Ontario Governement released the proposed Employment Accessibility Standard for a public review period.  A standards development committee, composed of representatives from the disability and buisness communities, developed the proposed standard.  The goal of the proposed standards is to help employers create equal opportunities for people with disabilties.  The proposed standard:

• sets out specific requirements for the recruitment, retention and accommodation of people with disabilities, and
• applies to all organizations in Ontario with at least one employee

Everyone in Ontario can:

• review the proposed standard
• submit comments

The committee will use the feeback received during the review period to shape the final proposed standard before submitting it to the Governement for consideration as law.

Optimal Performance Consultants welcomes to our consulting team our Accessibility Audit Specialist and our Accessibility Contractor and Engineer who specialize in developing courses of action and costing models for businesses in Ontario and Canada.  This new team will help your business audit your current accessibility status and make improvements over time which will ensure compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. 

Please contact our head office if you have any questions about this new service at 416-860-0002 or 888-768-2106.

Jane E. Sleeth
Managing Director