Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act: Training Resources
The Township of South-West Oxford has responsibilities under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). The AODA was passed in 2005 with goal of the legislation to make Ontario accessible for people with disabilities by 2025. The province has developed mandatory, province-wide standards to achieve this goal and improve accessibility throughout the Province. In accordance with the legislation, the Township has a responsibility to train all full and part-time staff, members of Council, volunteers, and third-party contractors on the requirements of the AODA, providing accessible customer service, and how the AODA relates to the Ontario Human Rights Code.
The Township has prepared an Accessible Customer Service training brochure for all volunteers and third-party contractors that perform work on behalf of the Township. Providing accessible customer service generally consists of the following principles:
- Services need to be provided in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities;
- Goods and services should be provided to persons with disabilities in a way that is integrated unless an alternate measure is temporarily or permanently and absolutely required to enable the individual to obtain, use, or benefit from the good or services; and
- People with disabilities must be given an opportunity equal to that given to others to obtain, use, and benefit from the goods and services.
The Township’s Accessible Customer Service training brochure reviews best practices with respect to providing customer service to persons with physical disabilities, speech or language disabilities, deaf or hard of hearing, blindness, mental health, and intellectual or learning disabilities. It also reviews the use of assistive devices, service animals, and support persons by some individuals.
View the Township of South-West Oxford Accessibility Training Brochure.
Ontario Human Rights Code: Video Series
In addition to the requirements of the AODA, the Township is required to provide training on the Ontario Human Rights Code as it relates to the AODA. The Code is intended to protect people from discrimination in specific situations which include: employment, housing, services, unions, and vocational associations and contracts. Under the Code, individuals have the right to be free from discrimination in five parts of society – which are referred to as social areas – based on one or more grounds. The five social areas are: employment, housing, services, unions, and vocational associations and contracts.
Discrimination based on 17 different personal attributes – which are called grounds – is against the law under the Code. The grounds include: citizenship, race, place of origin, ethnic origin, colour, ancestry, disability, age, creed, sex/pregnancy, family status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, receipt of public assistance (within the social area of housing), and record of offences (within the social area of employment).
Individuals have the right to be free from discrimination when they receive goods or services, or use facilities, that are provided by local governments. The Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act work together to ensure that persons with disabilities have the right to equal treatment in accessing services such as those provided by local businesses and municipalities.
Watch the following short video series to understand how the Code and AODA work together:
- Part 2: The Code.
- Part 3: Understanding the Duty to Accommodate.
- Part 4: Applying Human Rights Principles.
- Part 5: Compliance and Enforcement.
Accessibility Training Sign-Off
Once you have completed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and Human Rights Code training, please complete the Accessibility Training Sign-Off form. When you submit the form, your response will automatically be emailed to the Clerk so our office has a record of your training.