Skip to content
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Youtube
Ontario chamber of commerce logo.
  • Advocacy
    • Campaign Trail & Advocacy Updates – 2025 Federal Election
    • Ontario Competes
    • Our Publications
    • Ontario Economic Report
    • Ontario’s Mining Future 2030
    • Artificial Intelligence Hub
    • Economic Reconciliation Initiative
    • Housing Affordability Initiative
    • Policy Brief Series
  • Councils
  • Events
    • Advocacy Day
    • Annual General Meeting
    • Ontario Business Achievement Awards
    • Ontario Business Advisory Council
    • Ontario Economic Summit
    • Smart Growth Symposium
    • Webinars
  • Programs
    • Seeding Digital Skills
    • Skills Bridge
    • Talent Opportunities Program
    • Export and Trade
  • Membership
    • Affinity Programs
  • News
    • Media Releases
    • Policy Updates
    • Blogs
  • About
    • Contact
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Employment
    • Strategic Plan
A magnifying glass icon on a white background.
x
x
  • Advocacy
    • Campaign Trail & Advocacy Updates – 2025 Federal Election
    • Ontario Competes
    • Our Publications
    • Ontario Economic Report
    • Ontario’s Mining Future 2030
    • Artificial Intelligence Hub
    • Economic Reconciliation Initiative
    • Housing Affordability Initiative
    • Policy Brief Series
  • Councils
  • Events
    • Advocacy Day
    • Annual General Meeting
    • Ontario Business Achievement Awards
    • Ontario Business Advisory Council
    • Ontario Economic Summit
    • Smart Growth Symposium
    • Webinars
  • Programs
    • Seeding Digital Skills
    • Skills Bridge
    • Talent Opportunities Program
    • Export and Trade
  • Membership
    • Affinity Programs
  • News
    • Media Releases
    • Policy Updates
    • Blogs
  • About
    • Contact
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Employment
    • Strategic Plan
A man is riding a bike on a hill.

Accessibility Creates Opportunities for Everyone

COVID-19 Information Tariff Resources
Navigating U.S. Tariffs
Become a Member
Become a Member >
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Youtube

Blog

Accessibility Creates Opportunities for Everyone

June 27, 2019

Accessibility. It is a word that is often tossed around, but what does it mean exactly?

There are four principles of accessibility:

  1. Dignity: Provide service in a way that allows the person with a disability to maintain self-respect and the respect of other people.
  2. Independence: Allow a person with a disability to do things on their own without unnecessary help or interference from others.
  3. Integration: Provide service in a way that allows the person with a disability to access the same products and services in a similar manner, to the extent possible, as other customers.
  4. Equal opportunity: Ensure that customers with disabilities have the same access to your goods, services, or facilities as other customers.

Put simply, accessibility means giving people of all abilities opportunities to participate in everyday life. One in seven people in Ontario has a disability. That is a whopping 1.65 million Ontarians.

By 2036, that number is anticipated to rise to 1 in 5 as Ontario’s population ages. Businesses that are accessible will be able to better reach this massive segment of Ontario’s consumers.

People with disabilities do not comprise a small segment of the population: more than 15 per cent of Ontarians report having a disability.

That is why the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) passed in 2005 aims to identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities (PWD).

The AODA aims to make Ontario fully accessible by 2025 through five standards:

  • Customer Service: Focuses on the businesses policies and practices that prevent PWD from obtaining the same level of customer service as their non-disabled counterparts.
  • Information and Communications: Increases access to information, including that provided in person, through print, phone and online services.
  • Employment: Addresses practices related to employee/employer relationships, including recruitment, hiring and retention policies and processes.
  • Transportation: Ensures accessible transportation for PWD, including buses and trains.
  • Design of Public Spaces: Addresses accessibility within buildings and outdoor spaces, including issues such as counter height, aisle and door width and parking.

The AODA standards will be phased in over a 20-year period. These standards affect every business and organization with one or more employees and require regular compliance reporting.

So what can you do to ensure that your business is meeting it’s requirements? Simple. Sign up for an Accessibility Works Enabling Change Workshop.

Presented by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Accessibility Works EnAbling Change Workshops help Ontario’s businesses and not-for-profit organizations to understand and comply with their obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

In collaboration with your local chamber of commerce or board of trade, we can help your business develop a plan to ensure that you are meeting your requirements in two ways:

  1. We can work with you to schedule a workshop. We will come to your community and provide a one-hour workshop with everything that you need to know about your accessibility requirements.
  2. We can also work with you to deliver a webinar. This one-hour, online interactive session is your chance to learn what you need to know about Ontario’s accessibility laws.

Beyond compliance, there are enormous benefits of making your business more accessible and inclusive.

  • Creating better access to your business, whether by installing a ramp to your store or allowing for accessible options on your website, opens up your market. Learn more about the $55 billion PWD market in Canada.
  • Creating inclusive hiring and recruitment practices means vastly growing your pool of candidates – allowing you to hire the very best. Learn more about how PWDs are often a business’ best employees.

Learn more about the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and how your business can comply.

Start connecting with amazing talent now at https://discoverability.network/.

[1] Source: https://discoverability.network/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/19187_AccessibilityGuide_EN.pdf

Previous

Eglinton Crosstown: Bombardier Light Rail Transit Vehicles

Next

Being AODA Compliant is the Right Thing to do for Your Business

Follow Us

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Youtube

Site Nav

  • Advocacy
  • Events
  • Programs
  • Membership
  • News
  • About
  • Contact

Receive Updates

Subscribe to our mailing list and stay up to date on everything with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce

Subscribe Now
PREMIER MEMBERS
A purple and green logo on a black background. Atkins reals logo on a white background. A green logo on a black background. A teal color with a white background. A blue and green logo with a cross in the middle. A blue bell logo on a white background. Rbc bank of canada logo. A blue and white logo with a black background. A blue and gray logo with a blue and gray background. Chambers of commerce group insurance plan logo. Rr america logo on a black background. The cn logo on a black background. Canadian fuels association logo. A logo with a red, orange, and yellow background. Mccarthy tetrault logo on an orange background. The meridian logo on a black background. A black and white photo of a man and a woman. A blue and red logo with the word mcdonald's. Bruce power innovation at work logo. The logo for the ontario medical association. The power corporation of canada logo. The lily logo on a black background. Fresh intelligence logo on a black background. A colorful logo with the word mcdonald's on it. A black and yellow logo with a yellow arrow. Waste Connections of Canada A blue logo with the word cogeco on it. A blue and orange logo with the number 5 on it. The canadian maple leaf logo on a black background. A logo with an orange and black background. Imperial Oil logo A logo with a red and gray background. GSK's logo The university of cleveland college of business and economics logo. The logo for luna feel the power. A red and black logo on a black background. Tln media group logo. 404 etr express rail route logo. The logo for astrezeca. Biomarin logo on a black background. The logo for the board of canadian registered safety professionals. A green, blue, and yellow logo. A blue and white logo with a blue background. Magna logo on a black background. Pfizer logo Servicenow logo on a black background. Canada life logo on a black background. Northbridge insurance logo on a black background. A green logo with the word mnp. Tc energy logo on a white background. Destination northern ontario logo. The interac logo with a hand on it. A thin red line on a black background. The cadillac fairview logo. Meta logo. Beer canada logo on a white background. Cibc logo with a canadian maple leaf. The logo for port montreal. The federation of rental housing providers of ontario logo. The logo for bennett jones. Kpmg logo on a white background. Agnico eagle logo. The logo for colleges colleges ontario. Leger 360

Ontario Chamber of Commerce © 2025 | Privacy Policy | Service Standard | Employment Opportunities
The OCC is an accredited chamber of commerce