Overview
Legal/Policy Framework
Draft Standard
AMCTO's Submission on the Draft Accessible Built Environment Standard
Examples of What Ontario Municipalities are Doing in Advance of the Release of the Accessible Built Environment Standard

Overview

The Ontario Government is issuing five sets of standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) to achieve the vision of a barrier-free Ontario by 2025. The first draft proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard was released for public review from July to October, 2009.  The committee will now revise the proposed standard to reflect the public's input and will submit a final proposed standard to the government for consideration as law.

• Status Update as of March 9, 2010 as Presented to: Ontario Contractors Association

Legal/Policy Framework

Final Accessibility Standards for Built Environment have not yet been brought forward in a regulation. The standard is expected in 2011. A draft of the standard is found below.

Draft Standard

• Built Environment Draft Standard

AMCTO's Submission on the Draft Accessible Built Environment Standard

• September 2009 Submission on AODA Built Environment Standard
• July 2009 Request for Consultation Period Extention re Built Environment Standard

Examples of What Ontario Municipalities are Doing in Advance of the Release of the Accessible Built Environment Standard

• Conference Presentation - Accessibility in the City of Cornwall, Denise Labelle Gelinas, City Clerk, City of Cornwall
• Link to Municipal Monitor Cover Page Article on Accessibility

       Ontario Municipal Design Guidelines

• London Facility Accessibility Design Guidelines, Background, 2007
• Brampton Accessibility Technical Standards (PDF 2MB), 2005
• Hamilton Barrier-Free Design Guidelines (PDF 11MB), 2006
• Facility Accessibility Design Guidelines (html)
• Facility Accessibility Design Guidelines (pdf)
• Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines (PDF 2MB), 2004

        Universal Design Principles

• Universal Design - Waterloo Region Trends Research, 2001
• Center for Universal Design (CUD), North Carolina State University

        Other Jurisdictions

• OPS Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (2008-2013) - Built Environment
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA) - Accessible Design for the Built Environment Standard, B651-04, updated March, 2007 (CSA shop)
• ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG), as amended through September 2002
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design
• National Center on Workforce and Disability (NCWD) Built Environment Facility Checklist, U.S.

       Please alert us to new examples

Resources

• Making Buildings and Spaces Accessible, Ministry of Community and Social Services, AccessON
• Ontario Human Rights Commission Submission to the Accessible Built Environment Standards Development Committee, October, 2009
• Planning for Barrier-Free Municipalities - MAH
• Toronto Association of Business Improvement (TABIA) on Making Buildings Accessible
• Playability Tool Kit - OPA
• Existing Facilities Checklist, Disabled Women's Network Ontario (DAWN)
• Link to University of Buffalo - Offers a certificate program in Universal design through the School of Architecture. These courses are offered on line and are helpful for determining accessibility considerations in the design of municipal facilities. One of our Municipal Accessibility Project Team members, Steve Murphy, can provide more information about these courses. He can be reached at steve.murphy@niagararegion.ca.