Two years ago, the McGuinty government proclaimed the landmark Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, which requires the province to develop accessibility standards that will apply to the private and public sector across the entire province, in order to address and remove barriers for people with disabilities.
Proposed standards are being drafted by standards development committees, each made up of representatives from the disability community as well as the public and private sectors, and service providers from the appropriate sectors. Once a proposed standard is drafted, it is posted for public review and feedback. The committee members may then use that feedback to assist them in modifying the proposed standard before they submit it to the Minister. Once the Minister receives the final proposed standard, she has 90 days to advise the committee whether she will recommend that the proposed standard be adopted in regulation, in whole, in part, or with changes.
The Ontario government announced the standard on June 27, 2007 for public review and feedback. The public review period ended on September 28, 2007.
See below for more details: