Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001

The people of Ontario support the right of persons of all ages with disabilities to enjoy equal opportunity and to participate fully in the life of the province. Ontarians with disabilities experience barriers to participating in the mainstream of Ontario society. The number of persons with disabilities is expected to increase as the population ages, since the incidence of disability increases with age. The Government of Ontario is committed to working with every sector of society to build on what it has already achieved together with those sectors and to move towards a province in which no new barriers are created and existing ones are removed. This responsibility rests with every social and economic sector, every region, every government, every organization, institution and association, and every person in Ontario. The right of persons with disabilities to equal treatment without discr…

Interpretation

1 The purpose of this Act is to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities and to provide for their involvement in the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to their full participation in the life of the province. 2001, c. 32, s. 1.

2 (1) In this Act, “agency” means an organization or a class of organizations named or described in the regulations as an agency or agencies for the purposes of this Act; (“organisme”) “barrier” means anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability, including a physical barrier, an architectural barrier, an information or communications barrier, an attitudinal barrier, a technological barrier, a policy or a practice; (“obstacle”) “disability” means, (a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or h…

3 Repealed: 2005, c. 11, s. 42. Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2005, c. 11, s. 42 - 01/12/2015

Duties of the Government of Ontario

4 (1) In consultation with persons with disabilities and others, the Government of Ontario shall develop barrier-free design guidelines to promote accessibility for persons with disabilities to buildings, structures and premises, or parts of buildings, structures and premises, that the Government purchases, enters into a lease for, constructs or significantly renovates after this section comes into force. 2001, c. 32, s. 4 (1). Level of accessibility (2) The guidelines shall ensure that the level of accessibility for persons with disabilities is equal to or exceeds the level of accessibility required by the Building Code Act, 1992 and the regulations made under it. 2001, c. 32, s. 4 (2). Different requirements (3) The guidelines may impose different requirements, including different times at which the requirements must be met, for different buildings, structures or premises or different …

5-7 Repealed: 2005, c. 11, s. 42. Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2005, c. 11, s. 42 - 01/12/2015

8 (1) The Government of Ontario shall accommodate the accessibility needs of its employees in accordance with the Human Rights Code to the extent that the needs relate to their employment. 2001, c. 32, s. 8 (1). Applicants for employment (2) The Government of Ontario shall accommodate the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities who apply for a position as a government employee and whom the Government invites to participate in the selection process for employment to the extent that the needs relate to the selection process. 2001, c. 32, s. 8 (2). Training (3) The Government of Ontario shall ensure that its employees who have managerial or supervisory functions receive training in fulfilling the Government’s obligations under this section. 2001, c. 32, s. 8 (3). Information (4) The Government of Ontario shall inform its employees of the rights and obligations of the Government and…

9 (1) If a project relates to an existing or proposed building, structure or premises for which the Building Code Act, 1992 and the regulations made under it establish a level of accessibility for persons with disabilities, the project shall meet or exceed that level in order to be eligible to receive funding under a government-funded capital program. 2001, c. 32, s. 9 (1). Same, other projects (2) If a project is not a project described in subsection (1) or if the projects in a class of projects are not projects described in that subsection, the Government of Ontario may include requirements to provide accessibility for persons with disabilities as part of the eligibility criteria for the project or the class of projects, as the case may be, to receive funding under a government-funded capital program. 2001, c. 32, s. 9 (2).

10-13 Repealed: 2005, c. 11, s. 42. Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2005, c. 11, s. 42 - 01/12/2015

Duties of Other Organizations, Agencies and Persons

14 (1) Each year, every public transportation organization shall, (a) prepare an accessibility plan; and (b) consult with persons with disabilities and others in preparing the plan. 2001, c. 32, s. 14 (1). Contents (2) The accessibility plan shall address the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in the organization’s by-laws, if any, and in its policies, programs, practices and services. 2001, c. 32, s. 14 (2). Same (3) The accessibility plan shall include, (a) a report on the measures the organization has taken to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities; (b) the measures in place to ensure that the organization assesses its proposals for by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services to determine their effect on accessibility for persons with disabilities; (c) a list of the by-laws, policies, programs, practices …

15 (1) Each year, every Scheduled organization shall, (a) prepare an accessibility plan; and (b) consult with persons with disabilities and others in preparing the plan. 2001, c. 32, s. 15 (1). Contents (2) The accessibility plan shall address the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in the organization’s by-laws, if any, and in its policies, programs, practices and services. 2001, c. 32, s. 15 (2). Same (3) The accessibility plan shall include, (a) a report on the measures the organization has taken to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities; (b) the measures in place to ensure that the organization assesses its proposals for by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services to determine their effect on accessibility for persons with disabilities; (c) a list of the by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services…

16 Repealed: 2005, c. 11, s. 42. Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2005, c. 11, s. 42 - 01/12/2015

General Joint accessibility plans and committees

17 (1) Two or more ministries, municipalities, organizations specified by a regulation made under clause 23 (1) (g), public transportation organizations or Scheduled organizations that are each required to prepare an accessibility plan and to make it available to the public may prepare a joint accessibility plan and make it available to the public. 2001, c. 32, s. 17 (1). No individual plans (2) Ministries, municipalities, organizations specified by a regulation made under clause 23 (1) (g), public transportation organizations and Scheduled organizations that prepare a joint accessibility plan and make it available to the public are not each required under this Act to prepare an individual accessibility plan and to make it available to the public if the joint plan meets the requirements of this Act for the individual plan. 2001, c. 32, s. 17 (2). Joint accessibility advisory committees (…

18 Repealed: 2005, c. 11, s. 42. Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2005, c. 11, s. 42 - 01/12/2015

19 Repealed: 2005, c. 11, s. 42 (1). Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2005, c. 11, s. 42 (1) - 04/11/2005

20 Repealed: 2005, c. 11, s. 42. Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2005, c. 11, s. 42 - 01/12/2015

21 Repealed. See: Table of Public Statute Provisions Repealed Under Section 10.1 of the Legislation Act, 2006 – December 31, 2011. Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2001, S. O. 2001, c. 32, s. 21 - see Table of Public Statute Provisions Repealed Under Section 10.1 of the Legislation Act, 2006 – December 31, 2011 - 31/12/2011

22 Repealed: 2005, c. 11, s. 42. Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2005, c. 11, s. 42 - 01/12/2015

23 (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations, (a) designating an organization that is to come or is not to come within the definition of “ministry” or “Government of Ontario” in section 2; (b) amending the Schedule in any way, including by adding any organization or class of organizations to the Schedule or removing any organization or class of organizations from it; (c) subject to subsection (3), naming or describing any organization or class of organizations that is or are to come, or is or are not to come, within the definition of “agency” in section 2; (d) dealing with any matter that this Act describes as a matter that the regulations may prescribe, specify, designate, set out or otherwise deal with; (e) specifying what constitutes a significant renovation mentioned in subsection 4 (1) or (4) or clause 12 (4) (a) and a new lease mentioned…

24-32 Omitted (amends or repeals other Acts). 2001, c. 32, ss. 24-32.

33 Omitted (provides for coming into force of provisions of this Act). 2001, c. 32, s. 33.

34 Omitted (enacts short title of this Act). 2001, c. 32, s. 34.

schedule 1. Every district school board as defined in section 1 of the Education Act and every board established under section 68 of that Act. 2. Every hospital as defined in the Public Hospitals Act and every private hospital operated under the authority of a licence issued under the Private Hospitals Act. 3. A board of governors of a college of applied arts and technology. 4. Every university in Ontario, and its affiliated and federated colleges, that receives operating grants from the Government of Ontario. 2001, c. 32, Sched. Section Amendments with date in force (d/m/y) 2017, c. 25, Sched. 9, s. 105 - no effect - see 2023, c. 4, Sched. 1, s. 67 - 18/05/2023 ______________