Ontario is making progress on its plan to be accessible to people with disabilities by 2025. This is the goal of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). In June 2005, the act became law.
Under this legislation, the government of Ontario is developing mandatory accessibility standards that will identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities in key areas of daily living. The first accessibility standard – for customer service – came into effect on January 1, 2008.
Other proposed accessibility standards are being developed in the areas of transportation, information and communications, built environment and employment.
About the EnAbling Change Partnership Program
IF YOUR INDUSTRY OR SECTOR HAS INNOVATIVE IDEAS ON ACCESSIBILITY, CONSIDER THIS PARTNERSHIP PROPOSAL:
The Ontario Government is looking for organizations that want to play a leadership role in improving accessibility for people with disabilities and helping organizations meet the requirements of the AODA and accessibility standards.
The EnAbling Change Partnership Program is part of the government’s commitment to improving accessibility for people with disabilities. The program provides funding for strategic partnership projects that will significantly promote compliance with the AODA and accessibility standards. The impact should be broad enough to be felt throughout an industry or sector, or across several sectors.
Administered by the Ministry of Community and Social Services’ Accessibility Directorate of Ontario (ADO), the program seeks partners who have the vision, leadership and commitment to make meaningful progress on improving accessibility.
Program Goals
The goals of the EnAbling Change Partnership Program are to:
- Support sector-wide or cross-sector compliance with the AODA and accessibility standards by developing educational tools, resources or best practices that can be distributed to obligated organizations across the province and across different sectors
- Encourage businesses, trade or service associations, or the broader public sector to be leaders and share their knowledge and expertise with other involved partners and support implementation of the legislation
- Have a positive impact on people with disabilities by removing barriers and meeting clearly identified requirements for improving accessibility
- Generate lasting results that continually improve accessibility in Ontario.
Eligible partnership projects
| Partnerships: “an arrangement between two or more parties who have agreed to work co-operatively toward shared and/or compatible objectives and in which there is: shared authority and responsibility; joint investment of resources and mutual benefits”
~ The Journal of Public Sector Management |
- Partnership projects will be assessed based on their capacity to support Ontario sectors complying with the AODA and accessibility standards.
- Projects must be timely and cost-effective, and benefit people and organizations beyond the project participants.
- Projects must involve others in implementation and design, include participation or input from people with disabilities, and generate experience and expertise that can be shared across groups.
Your project idea will be evaluated against the following criteria:
| Eligibility Criteria |
Weight |
Leadership
Partner demonstrates leadership in improving accessibility and strong commitment to the purpose of the AODA and accessibility standards |
30
|
Measurable Targets
Key deliverables meet informational and educational needs that will help sector(s) prepare for or comply with an accessibility standard under the AODA
|
30 |
Sustainability and Continuous Improvement
Project has lasting educational value and contributes to educating organizations and promoting attitudinal change towards full inclusion
|
25 |
Partnerships and Linkages
Project generates experience and expertise that can be shared across groups |
15 |
| Total |
100 |
Here are a few examples of projects that have been funded under this program:
Example 1 – The lead partner was an umbrella organization in Ontario that represented municipalities across the province. The project included the development of a customized accessibility toolkit to help municipalities comply with Ontario’s new customer service standard, a series of regional training sessions held across the province, as well as a website dedicated to accessibility.
Example 2 – The lead partner was a large organization representing retailers including department, independent and online merchants across Canada. The partner developed an e-learning module tailored to the needs of the retail sector to help them comply with the customer service standard. Member organizations were notified of new information through emails, publications, newsletters and website postings. The lead partner also shared information through annual general meetings, conferences and events.
We welcome your innovative project suggestions.
Funding
The government is committing a total of $1 million to support the EnAbling Change Partnership Program for 2009/10. The ADO will share project development and implementation costs up to 75 per cent of total eligible project costs, as well as contribute expertise required to make the project a success. Partners must commit to contributing a minimum of 25 per cent of the total project cost. This contribution can be financial or in-kind through expertise, knowledge or human resources.
Costs eligible for funding
The following costs are eligible for ministry contribution:
- salaries for staff and consultants directly involved in project development and implementation
- production costs of deliverables
- costs related to project administration and coordination.
Costs not eligible for funding
The program does not fund:
- capital expenses such as equipment, furniture or building renovations (e.g., ramps, automatic door openers, etc.)
- accessibility audits
- operational expenses related to an organization’s ongoing business activities (e.g., administrative and overhead costs such as rent, telephone and communication services); costs associated with ongoing programs and services, etc.
- therapy programs, counselling or support groups
- workplace accommodation or other accessibility measures already required under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Who is eligible for funding
The lead applicant must be:
- incorporated for at least one year
- a not-for-profit trade or service organization representing a sector, industry or profession
- a non-government organization
- located in Ontario.
In addition, the lead organization must have a minimum of $2 million general liability insurance coverage. The lead organization may wish to partner with other organizations in their sector or industry that share the same commitment to improving accessibility for people with disabilities.
Who is not eligible for funding
Public sector organizations, private/for-profit organizations and individuals are not eligible to apply as the lead organization. However, they could participate as secondary partners and be involved in project design and/or implementation.
Organizations, projects or activities whose primary purpose is related to political activity as defined by Revenue Canada, including furthering the aims of a political party, promoting a political or religious doctrine or persuading the public to adopt a particular political view, are not eligible for funding.
Application Process
The deadline for 2009/10 applications was May 15, 2009. Please check back and consider applying in the spring 2010.