Through ILC, I have a better idea of where to go and where to ask for help.
What is the AODA?
Ontario has a very important law called the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Passed in 2005, the purpose of this act is to achieve full accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, and spaces by developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards. Businesses and organizations that provide goods and services to people in Ontario now have to meet certain accessibility standards in five key areas of everyday life:
1. Customer Service
2. Information & Communication
3. Transportation
4. Employment
5. Built Environment
Staggered timelines for these standards have been set by the province, and have been scheduled with the intention of establishing a barrier-free Ontario on or before January 1, 2025
The first standard to become law is the Accessible Customer Service Standard, which was passed in 2008 and requires private-sector businesses to provide training to their employees on Accessible Customer Service by January 1, 2012.
The Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region provides this training for a nominal fee. To find out more, visit our Beyond Barriers page.
In June, 2011, an Integrated Standard was passed, amalgamating the Information & Communication, Transportation and Employment standards into one.
For more information on the Accessible Customer Service standard, please visit the Ministry of Community and Social Services website.
The AODA and ILCWR
Accessible Customer Service
ILCWR is committed to Accessible customer service. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), ILCWR has developed its own Accessible Customer Service Policy. To read the full document in either its original or plain-language format, click here.
Information & Communication
On September 30th, ILCWR's Information & Communication policy comes into effect, governing all internal and external communications created by the organization. To read the full document, click here.
Feedback Form
ILCWR values feedback from the community. Any comments or complaints about the manner in which ILCWR provides services to persons with disabilities may be submitted by telephone, fax, in person, in writing, in electronic format, or through TTY. Responses will be received in the format the feedback was given, and within 10 business days.
To fill out a Feedback Form online, click here.
To print out our Feedback Form in PDF format, click here.
