You're using an outdated browser. This website will not display correctly and some features will not work.
Learn more about the browsers we support for a faster and safer online experience.

Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 32 - Bill 125

Skip to content
Show explanatory note

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Explanatory Note was written as a reader’s aid to Bill 125 and does not form part of the law.  Bill 125 has been enacted as Chapter 32 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2001.

The Bill imposes a number of obligations, with respect to improving access for persons with disabilities, on the Government of Ontario and other organizations.  The obligations include the following:

1. In consultation with persons with disabilities and others, the Government is required to develop barrier-free design guidelines for buildings, structures and premises and to ensure that any buildings, structures or premises that it purchases, constructs or significantly renovates after the Bill comes into force comply with those guidelines.  When entering into a lease for a building, structure or premises, or part of a building, structure or premises, for the occupation or regular use by its employees after the Bill comes into force, the Government is also required to have regard to the extent to which the design of the leased premises complies with the guidelines.

2. In deciding to purchase goods or services through the procurement process for the use of itself, its employees or the public, the Government is required to have regard to their accessibility for persons with disabilities.

3. Where technically feasible, the Government is required to provide its internet sites in a format that is accessible to persons with disabilities.

4. Upon receiving a request by a person with disabilities, and where technically feasible, the Government is required to make an Ontario Government publication available in a format that is accessible to the person.

5. The Government is required to accommodate the accessibility needs of its employees and applicants for positions as government employees who are invited to par­ticipate in the selection process.  The Government is required to ensure that its employees with managerial or supervisory functions receive training with respect to its obligations and also to inform its employees of the rights and obligations that they and the Government have in the area.

6. The Government may include requirements with respect to accessibility to persons with disabilities as part of the eligibility criteria for certain projects or classes of projects to receive funding under a government-funded capital program.

7. Each ministry is required to prepare an annual acces­sibility plan that addresses the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in the Acts and regulations administered by the ministry and in the ministry’s policies, programs, practices and services.  The ministries must make their accessibility plans available to the public.  The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, by regulation, include other organiza­tions in the definition of “ministry”.

8. Municipalities are required to have an accessibility plan that addresses the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in their by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services.  They must make their accessibility plans available to the public. Municipalities having a population of not less than 10, 000 must have an accessibility advisory committee to advise on the implementation and effectiveness of the plans. The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, by regulation, extend any of the requirements described in this paragraph to other organizations specified by the regulation.

9. In deciding to purchase goods or services through the procurement process for the use of itself, its employees or the public, the council of every municipality is required to have regard to their accessibility for persons with disabilities.

10. Organizations that provide public transportation are required to have an accessibility plan that addresses the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in their by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services.  They must make their accessibility plans available to the public.

11. The Schedule to the Bill lists organizations such as district school boards, hospitals, colleges of applied arts and technology and universities.  The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, by regulation, name other organizations or classes of organizations to the Schedule or delete them from the Schedule.  Every organization listed in the Schedule is required to prepare an annual accessibility plan that addresses the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in the organization’s by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services.  The organizations must make their accessibility plans available to the public.

12. Every agency listed in the regulations is required to have an accessibility policy that addresses the provision of services to persons with disabilities in its policies, programs and practices.

13. The Minister responsible for the administration of the Bill is required to establish the Accessibility Advisory Council of Ontario to advise on issues related to the subject-matter of the Bill and the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario under the Minister’s direction.

It is an offence, punishable by a fine of not more than $50,000, for a body to fail to contravene a requirement that requires it to prepare an accessibility plan or a policy, to make it available to the public or to establish or continue an accessibility advisory committee.

The Bill amends other Acts as follows:

1. The Bill amends the Election Act to require every returning officer for an electoral district to report to the Chief Electoral Officer on the measures taken to provide accessibility for electors with disabilities in the district.  The Chief Election Officer must make the report available to the public.

2. The definition of “campaign expense” in the Election Finances Act is amended to exclude expenses that a candidate with disabilities incurs and that are directly related to the disabilities.

3. The Bill amends the Highway Traffic Act to increase the penalty for various offences related to the use of disabled person parking permits.  The penalty in the current Act is not less than $60 and not more than $500.  Under the amendment, the penalty is not less than $300 and not more than $5,000.

4. References to “handicap” in the Human Rights Code are replaced with “disability”.

5. The Bill amends the Legislative Assembly Act to require the Speaker to prepare an annual accessibility plan that addresses the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in the Legislative Chamber and the other parts of the Legislative Building that are under the Speaker’s control and in the policies, programs, practices and services of the Assembly.  The Speaker must make the accessibility plan available to the public.

6. The Bill amends the Municipal Act to allow municipalities to require, as a condition for licensing a business, that the business premises be accessible to persons with disabilities.  By-laws made with respect to the use of disabled person parking permits and the provision of parking spaces for vehicles displaying disabled person parking permits must provide that contravention of the by-laws is an offence punishable by a minimum fine of $300.  The owner of a vehicle left parked, standing or stopped in violation of the by-laws is also guilty of the offence, whether or not the owner was the driver of the vehicle at the time.

7. The references to electors with impaired mobility under section 45 of the Municipal Elections Act are expanded to cover electors with disabilities.  At present, the Act gives the clerk of a municipality where a municipal election is held discretion to make variations to the form of the ballot to accommodate electors with visual impairments. The Bill changes that from a discretionary power to a requirement.

8. The Bill amends the Planning Act to add accessibility for persons with disabilities to the matters of provincial interest that the council of a municipality, a local board, a planning board and the Ontario Municipal Board must have regard to in carrying out their responsibilities under the Act.  The Bill also adds accessibility for persons with disabilities to the matters that approval authorities must have regard to in considering a draft plan of subdivision.

9. Service managers that construct or alter housing projects under subsection 5 (1) of the Social Housing Reform Act, 2000 or that deal with programs under subsection 5 (2) of the Act shall ensure that the housing project or program contains the number or percentage specified by the regulations of modified units and units that comply with the criteria and requirements specified by the regulations for accessibility for persons with disabilities.

 

 

chapter 32

An Act to improve the identification,
removal and prevention of barriers
faced by persons with disabilities
and to make related amendments
to other Acts

Assented to December 14, 2001

CONTENTS

 

Preamble

 

 

Interpretation

1.

2.

3.

Purpose

Definitions

Recognition of existing legal obligations

Duties of the Government of Ontario

 

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

 

 

 

 

11.

12.

13.

 

 

 

 

14.

15.

16.

 

 

 

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

 

 

 

 

Government buildings, structures and premises

Government goods and services

Government internet sites

Government publications

Government employees

Government-funded capital programs

Ministry accessibility plans

 

 

Duties of Municipalities

 

Municipal accessibility plans

Accessibility advisory committees

Municipal goods and services

 

Duties of Other Organizations,
Agencies and Persons

 

Public transportation organizations

Scheduled organizations

Agencies

 

General

 

Joint accessibility plans

Guidelines for accessibility plans and policies

Accessibility Advisory Council of Ontario

Accessibility Directorate of Ontario

Offences

Review of Act

Regulations

 

 

 

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

 

 

 

33.

34.

Complementary Amendments

 

Election Act

Election Finances Act

Highway Traffic Act

Human Rights Code

Legislative Assembly Act

Municipal Act

Municipal Elections Act, 1996

Planning Act

Social Housing Reform Act, 2000

 

Commencement and Short Title

 

Commencement

Short title

 

Schedule

______________

Preamble

The people of Ontario support the right of persons of all ages with disabilities to enjoy equal opportunity and to participate fully in the life of the province.

Ontarians with disabilities experience barriers to participating in the mainstream of Ontario society.  The number of persons with disabilities is expected to increase as the population ages, since the incidence of disability increases with age.

The Government of Ontario is committed to working with every sector of society to build on what it has already achieved together with those sectors and to move towards a province in which no new barriers are created and existing ones are removed.  This responsibility rests with every social and economic sector, every region, every government, every organization, institution and association, and every person in Ontario.

The right of persons with disabilities to equal treatment without discrimination in accordance with the Human Rights Code is addressed in a number of Ontario statutes and regulations.  Some of these are set out below.

The Assessment Act provides for exemptions from property taxation where improvements, alterations or additions to existing homes or designated portions of new homes are made or built to accommodate persons with disabilities who would otherwise require care in an institution.

The Blind Persons’ Rights Act prohibits discrimination in services, accommodation, facilities or occupancy against blind persons using guide dogs and prohibits persons who are not blind from using white canes.

The Building Code Act, 1992 and the regulations made under it establish standards for the construction, renovation and change of use of buildings and structures, including standards related to the accessibility of buildings and structures for persons with disabilities.

personnes handicapées de l’ontario chap. 32 1023

 
As an incentive to encourage employers to hire persons with disabilities, the Corporations Tax Act allows employers an additional deduction for the costs of modifying buildings, structures and premises, acquiring certain equipment and providing special training in order to accommodate persons with disabilities in the workplace. The Income Tax Act provides a similar credit to unincorporated employers.

The Education Act includes provisions to address the needs of students with disabilities who have been identified as “exceptional pupils”.  School boards must provide special education programs and services to these students.

The Ontario Disability Support Program Act, 1997 provides a separate income and employment support program for eligible persons with disabilities.  It removes persons with disabilities from the welfare system and provides them with assistance that recognizes their unique needs.

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 provides loss of earnings, health care and labour market re-entry benefits for persons with work-related injuries and disabilities.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms also provides that persons with disabilities are equal before and under the law and have the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law.

The Government of Ontario believes that all governments in Canada have a responsibility to enact legislation to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities by comprehensively identifying, removing and preventing barriers to their participation in the life of the jurisdictions of those governments.

The Government of Ontario believes that it is desirable to demonstrate continued leadership in improving opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Interpretation

Purpose

1. The purpose of this Act is to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities and to provide for their involvement in the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to their full participation in the life of the province.

Definitions

2. (1) In this Act,

“agency” means an organization or a class of organizations named or described in the regulations as an agency or agencies for the purposes of this Act; (“agence”)

 “barrier” means anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability, including a physical barrier, an architectural barrier, an information or communications barrier, an attitudinal barrier, a technological barrier, a policy or a practice; (“obstacle”)

“disability” means,

(a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,

(b) a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,

(c) a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,

(d) a mental disorder, or

(e) an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997; (“handicap”)

“Government of Ontario” includes a ministry of the Government of Ontario and the organizations that the regulations specify are part of the Government of Ontario; (“gouvernement de l’Ontario”)

“Minister” means the Minister of Citizenship or whatever other member of the Executive Council to whom the administration of this Act is assigned under the Executive Council Act; (“ministre”)

“ministry” means a ministry of the Government of Ontario and includes any other organization that the regulations designate as a ministry for the purposes of this Act, but does not include an organization that the regulations designate as not being a ministry for the purposes of this Act; (“ministère”)

“municipality” means a local municipality, a county, a regional municipality, a district municipality or the County of Oxford; (“municipalité”)

“Ontario Government publication” means a publication or an appendix to a publication in any form, including print and electronic forms, that the Government of Ontario, an officer of the Assembly or an officer of the Legislature issues and provides to the public, but does not include a publication or an appendix to a publication that is specified in the regulations or that,

(a) is of a scientific, technical, reference, research or scholarly nature, and

(b) although not restricted in circulation to the confines of the Government of Ontario, is not normally available for general circulation to members of the public or is normally consulted by members of the public with the assistance of government employees; (“publication du gouvernement de l’Ontario”)

“public transportation organization” means a person or entity that provides any service for which a fare is charged for transporting the public by vehicles operated,

(a) by, for or on behalf of the Government of Ontario, a municipality, a local board of a municipality or a transit or transportation commission or authority,

(b) under an agreement between the Government of Ontario and a person, firm, corporation, or transit or transportation commission or authority,

(c) under an agreement between a municipality and a person, firm, corporation, or transit or transportation commission or authority, or

(d) under a licence issued by the Government of Ontario or a municipality to a person, firm, corporation, or transit or transportation commission or authority,

and includes special transportation facilities for persons with disabilities, but does not include any person or entity, or class of person or entity, that is specified in the regulations; (“organisation de transport en commun”)

“regulations” means the regulations made under this Act, unless the context indicates or requires otherwise; (“règlements”)

“Scheduled organization” means an organization or a class of organizations named or described in the Schedule. (“organisation mentionnée en annexe”)

Interpretation

(2) References in this Act to employees of the Government of Ontario shall be deemed to be references to public servants, as defined in section 1 of the Public Service Act.

Recognition of existing legal obligations

3. Nothing in this Act, the regulations or the standards or guidelines made under this Act diminishes in any way the existing legal obligations of the Government of Ontario or any person or organization with respect to persons with disabilities.

Duties of the Government of Ontario

Government buildings, structures and premises

4. (1) In consultation with persons with disabilities and others, the Government of Ontario shall develop barrier-free design guidelines to promote accessibility for persons with disabilities to buildings, structures and premises, or parts of buildings, structures and premises, that the Government purchases, enters into a lease for, constructs or significantly renovates after this section comes into force.

Level of accessibility

(2) The guidelines shall ensure that the level of accessibility for persons with disabilities is equal to or exceeds the level of accessibility required by the Building Code Act, 1992 and the regulations made under it.

Different requirements

(3) The guidelines may impose different requirements, including different times at which the requirements must be met, for different buildings, structures or premises or different classes of buildings, structures or premises and may specify buildings, structures or premises or classes of buildings, structures or premises for which there are no requirements.

Duty to comply

(4) The Government of Ontario shall ensure that the design of buildings, structures and premises, or parts of buildings, structures and premises, that it purchases, constructs or significantly renovates after this section comes into force complies with the guidelines before occupation or regular use by its employees.

New leases

(5) If, after this section comes into force, the Government of Ontario enters into a new lease for a building, structure or premises, or part of a building, structure or premises, for the occupation or regular use by its employees, the Government shall have regard to the extent to which the design of the building, structure or premises, or part of the building, structure or premises, complies with the guidelines, in determining whether to enter into the lease.

Not regulations

(6) The guidelines are not regulations within the meaning of the Regulations Act.

Government goods and services

5. In deciding to purchase goods or services through the procurement process for the use of itself, its employees or the public, the Government of Ontario shall have regard to the accessibility for persons with disabilities to the goods or services.

Government internet sites

6. The Government of Ontario shall provide its internet sites in a format that is accessible to persons with disabilities, unless it is not technically feasible to do so.

Government publications

7. Within a reasonable time after receiving a request by or on behalf of a person with disabilities, the Government of Ontario shall make an Ontario Government publication available in a format that is accessible to the person, unless it is not technically feasible to do so.

Government employees

8. (1) The Government of Ontario shall accommodate the accessibility needs of its employees in accordance with the Human Rights Code to the extent that the needs relate to their employment.

Applicants for employment

(2) The Government of Ontario shall accommodate the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities who apply for a position as a government employee and whom the Government invites to participate in the selection process for employment to the extent that the needs relate to the selection process.

Training

(3) The Government of Ontario shall ensure that its employees who have managerial or supervisory functions receive training in fulfilling the Government’s obligations under this section.

Information

(4) The Government of Ontario shall inform its employees of the rights and obligations of the Government and its employees under this section.

Reimbursement of eligible expenses

(5) The Management Board Secretariat shall, out of the money appropriated annually to it for this purpose, authorize reimbursement to a ministry for eligible expenses that the ministry has incurred in fulfilling the ministry’s obligations under subsections (1) and (2).

Amount of reimbursement

(6) The reimbursement shall be in the amount that the Management Board Secretariat determines and be made in accordance with the guidelines established by the Management Board Secretariat.

Government-funded capital programs

9. (1) If a project relates to an existing or proposed building, structure or premises for which the Building Code Act, 1992 and the regulations made under it establish a level of accessibility for persons with disabilities, the project shall meet or exceed that level in order to be eligible to receive funding under a government-funded capital program.

Same, other projects

(2) If a project is not a project described in subsection (1) or if the projects in a class of projects are not projects described in that subsection, the Government of Ontario may include requirements to provide accessibility for persons with disabilities as part of the eligibility criteria for the project or the class of projects, as the case may be, to receive funding under a government-funded capital program.

Ministry accessibility plans

10. (1) Each ministry shall,

(a) prepare an accessibility plan as part of its annual planning process; and

(b) consult with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario in preparing the plan.

Contents

(2) The accessibility plan shall address the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in the Acts and regulations administered by the ministry and in the ministry’s policies, programs, practices and services.

Same

(3) The accessibility plan shall include,

(a) a report on the measures the ministry has taken to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities;

(b) the measures in place to ensure that the ministry assesses its proposals for Acts, regulations, policies, programs, practices and services to determine their effect on accessibility for persons with disabilities;

(c) a list of the Acts, regulations, policies, programs, practices and services that the ministry will review in the coming year in order to identify barriers to persons with disabilities;

(d) the measures that the ministry intends to take in the coming year to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities; and

(e) all other information that the regulations prescribe for the purpose of the plan.

Availability to the public

(4) A ministry shall make its accessibility plan available to the public.

Duties of Municipalities

Municipal accessibility plans

11. (1) Each year, the council of every municipality shall,

(a) prepare an accessibility plan; and

Sec./art. 11 (1) personnes handicapées de l’ontario chap. 32 1029

 
(b) either,

(i) seek advice from the accessibility advisory committee that it establishes or continues under subsection 12 (1), or

(ii) consult with persons with disabilities and others, if the council has not established or continued an accessibility advisory committee under subsection 12 (1).

Contents

(2) The accessibility plan shall address the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in the municipality’s by-laws and in its policies, programs, practices and services.

Same

(3) The accessibility plan shall include,

(a) a report on the measures the municipality has taken to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities;

(b) the measures in place to ensure that the municipality assesses its proposals for by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services to determine their effect on accessibility for persons with disabilities;

(c) a list of the by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services that the municipality will review in the coming year in order to identify barriers to persons with disabilities;

(d) the measures that the municipality intends to take in the coming year to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities; and

(e) all other information that the regulations prescribe for the purpose of the plan.

Availability to the public

(4) A municipality shall make its accessibility plan available to the public.

Accessibility advisory committees

12. (1) The council of every municipality having a population of not less than 10,000 shall establish or continue an accessibility advisory committee and the council of every municipality having a population of less than 10,000 may establish or continue an accessibility advisory committee.

Duty of committee

(2) The committee shall advise the council in each year about the preparation, implementation and effectiveness of its accessibility plan.

Members

(3) A majority of the members of the committee shall include persons with disabilities.

1030 Chap. 32 ontarians with disabilities Sec./art. 12 (4)

 
Duty of council

(4) The council shall seek advice from the committee on the accessibility for persons with disabilities to a building, structure or premises, or part of a building, structure or premises,

(a) that the council purchases, constructs or significantly renovates;

(b) for which the council enters into a new lease; or

(c) that a person provides as municipal capital facilities under an agreement entered into with the council in accordance with section 210.1 of the Municipal Act.

Functions

(5) The committee shall,

(a) perform the functions set out in this section, including reviewing in a timely manner the site plans and drawings described in section 41 of the Planning Act that the committee selects; and

(b) perform all other functions that are specified in the regulations.

Supplying site plans

(6) If the committee selects site plans and drawings described in section 41 of the Planning Act to review, the council shall supply them to the committee in a timely manner for the purpose of the review.

Municipal goods and services

13. In deciding to purchase goods or services through the procurement process for the use of itself, its employees or the public, the council of every municipality shall have regard to the accessibility for persons with disabilities to the goods or services.

Duties of Other Organizations,
Agencies and Persons

Public transportation organizations

14. (1) Each year, every public transportation organization shall,

(a) prepare an accessibility plan; and

(b) consult with persons with disabilities and others in preparing the plan.

Contents

(2) The accessibility plan shall address the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in the organization’s by-laws, if any, and in its policies, programs, practices and services.

Same

(3) The accessibility plan shall include,

Sec./art. 14 (3) personnes handicapées de l’ontario chap. 32 1031

 
(a) a report on the measures the organization has taken to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities;

(b) the measures in place to ensure that the organization assesses its proposals for by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services to determine their effect on accessibility for persons with disabilities;

(c) a list of the by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services that the organization will review in the coming year in order to identify barriers to persons with disabilities;

(d) the measures that the organization intends to take in the coming year to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities; and

(e) all other information that the regulations prescribe for the purpose of the plan.

Availability to the public

(4) A public transportation organization shall make its accessibility plan available to the public.

Scheduled organizations

15. (1) Each year, every Scheduled organization shall,

(a) prepare an accessibility plan; and

(b) consult with persons with disabilities and others in preparing the plan. 

Contents

(2) The accessibility plan shall address the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in the organization’s by-laws, if any, and in its policies, programs, practices and services.

Same

(3) The accessibility plan shall include,

(a) a report on the measures the organization has taken to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities;

(b) the measures in place to ensure that the organization assesses its proposals for by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services to determine their effect on accessibility for persons with disabilities;

(c) a list of the by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services that the organization will review in the coming year in order to identify barriers to persons with disabilities;

(d) the measures that the organization intends to take in the coming year to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities; and

(e) all other information that the regulations prescribe for the purpose of the plan.

Availability to the public

(4) A Scheduled organization shall make its accessibility plan available to the public.

Agencies

16. (1) Every agency shall prepare an accessibility policy.

Contents

(2) The accessibility policy shall address the provision of services to persons with disabilities in the policies, programs and practices of the agency.

Joint accessibility policies

(3) Two or more agencies that are each required to prepare an accessibility policy may prepare a joint accessibility policy.

No individual policies

(4) Agencies that prepare a joint accessibility policy are not each required under this Act to prepare an individual accessibility policy if the joint policy meets the requirements of this section for the individual policy.

General

Joint accessibility plans

17. (1) Two or more ministries, municipalities, organizations specified by a regulation made under clause 23 (1) (g), public transportation organizations or Scheduled organizations that are each required to prepare an accessibility plan and to make it available to the public may prepare a joint accessibility plan and make it available to the public.

No individual plans

(2) Ministries, municipalities, organizations specified by a regulation made under clause 23 (1) (g), public transportation organizations and Scheduled organizations that prepare a joint accessibility plan and make it available to the public are not each required under this Act to prepare an individual accessibility plan and to make it available to the public if the joint plan meets the requirements of this Act for the individual plan.

Joint accessibility advisory committees

(3) Two or more municipalities or organizations specified by a regulation made under clause 23 (1) (g) that are each required to establish or continue an accessibility advisory committee may establish or continue a joint accessibility advisory committee.

No individual committees

(4) Municipalities and organizations specified by a regulation made under clause 23 (1) (g) that establish or continue a joint accessibility advisory committee are not each required under this Act to establish or continue an accessibility advisory committee.

Guidelines for accessibility plans and policies

18. (1) The Government of Ontario shall specify guidelines for the preparation of accessibility plans and policies under this Act, and may establish different guidelines for ministries, municipalities, organizations specified by a regulation made under clause 23 (1) (g), public transportation organizations, Scheduled organizations, agencies and other persons or organizations to follow in preparing their accessibility plans or policies.

Exemptions

(2) A guideline may exempt a ministry, a municipality, an organization specified by a regulation made under clause 23 (1) (g), a public transportation organization, a Scheduled organization, an agency or any other person or organization from the application of a specified provision of the guidelines.

Conflict

(3) A regulation governing the preparation of accessibility plans or policies prevails over a guideline.

Not regulations

(4) The guidelines are not regulations within the meaning of the Regulations Act.

Accessibility Advisory Council of Ontario

19. (1) The Minister shall establish a committee of persons to be known in English as the Accessibility Advisory Council of Ontario and in French as Conseil consultatif de l’accessibilité pour l’Ontario.

Members

(2) A majority of the members of the Council shall be persons with disabilities.

Remuneration and expenses

(3) The Minister may pay the members of the Council the remuneration and the reimbursement for expenses that the Lieutenant Governor in Council determines.

Duties

(4) At the direction of the Minister, the Council shall advise the Minister on,

(a) the implementation of this Act and the preparation of the regulations;

(b) programs of public information related to this Act;

(c) the accessibility for persons with disabilities to services provided or funded by the Government of Ontario;

(d) the accessibility for persons with disabilities to employment opportunities in economic sectors in Ontario; and

(e) all other matters related to the subject-matter of this Act that the Minister directs.

Reports

(5) The Council shall give the Minister an annual report on its activities and whatever other reports that the Minister requests.

Accessibility Directorate of Ontario

20. (1) The employees who are considered necessary shall be appointed under the Public Service Act to form an office that is under the direction of the Minister and that is known in English as the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario and in French as Direction générale de l’accessibilité pour l’Ontario.

Duties

(2) At the direction of the Minister, the Directorate shall,

(a) support the Accessibility Advisory Council of Ontario and consult with it;

(b) conduct research and develop and conduct programs of public education on the purpose and implementation of this Act;

(c) consult with ministries, municipalities, organizations specified by a regulation made under clause 23 (1) (g), public transportation organizations, Scheduled organizations, agencies or other persons or organizations on the preparation of their accessibility plans and policies under this Act;

(d) request that the ministries, municipalities, organizations specified by a regulation made under clause 23 (1) (g), public transportation organizations, Scheduled organizations, agencies or other persons or organizations that prepare accessibility plans or policies as required by this Act provide the Directorate with the accessibility plans or policies that the Directorate determines;

(e) review, in the manner that it determines, accessibility plans or policies from among those that it requests under clause (d); 

(f) consult, as the Minister directs, with the Accessibility Advisory Council of Ontario, persons with disabilities and those other persons and organizations that the Minister directs to develop codes, codes of conduct, formulae, standards, guidelines, protocols and procedures related to the subject-matter of this Act;

(g) consider the comments that it receives on draft regulations under subsection 23 (2) and make recommendations to the Minister on the draft regulations;

(h) examine and review Acts, regulations, and programs or policies established by Acts or regulations and make recommendations to the Minister for amending them or adopting, making or establishing new Acts, regulations, programs or policies to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities; and

(i) carry out all other duties related to the subject-matter of this Act that the Minister determines.

Offences

21. The following are guilty of an offence and on conviction are liable to a fine of not more than $50,000:

1. A ministry that contravenes clause 10 (1) (a) or subsection 10 (4).

2. A municipality or an organization specified by a regulation made under clause 23 (1) (g) that contravenes clause 11 (1) (a) or subsection 11 (4) or a requirement in subsection 12 (1).

3. A public transportation organization that contravenes clause 14 (1) (a) or subsection 14 (4).

4. A Scheduled organization that contravenes clause 15 (1) (a) or subsection 15 (4).

5. An agency that contravenes subsection 16 (1).

Review of Act

22. (1) The Executive Council shall cause a review of this Act to be undertaken within five years after this section comes into force.

Contents

(2) The review may include recommendations to improve the effectiveness of this Act.

Regulations

23. (1) Subject to subsection (2), the Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations,

(a) designating an organization that is to come or is not to come within the definition of “ministry” or “Government of Ontario” in section 2;

(b) amending the Schedule in any way, including by adding any organization or class of organizations to the Schedule or removing any organization or class of organizations from it;

(c) subject to subsection (3), naming or describing any organization or class of organizations that is or are to come, or is or are not to come, within the definition of “agency” in section 2;

(d) dealing with any matter that this Act describes as a matter that the regulations may prescribe, specify, designate, set out or otherwise deal with;

(e) specifying what constitutes a significant renovation mentioned in subsection 4 (1) or (4) or clause 12 (4) (a) and a new lease mentioned in subsection 4 (5) or clause 12 (4) (b);

(f) governing the preparation and contents of accessibility plans or policies under this Act;

(g) specifying an organization, other than a municipality or an organization in the private sector, or specifying a class of such organizations, to which section 11, 12 or 13 or any part of them is to apply and specifying the way in which the applicable part of the sections is to apply;

(h) specifying a time period within which the Government of Ontario or any ministry, municipality, organization specified by a regulation made under clause (g), public transportation organization, Scheduled organization, agency or other organization or person is required to comply with an obligation described in this Act if this Act does not specify or otherwise provide a time period for that purpose;

(i) exempting a person, a ministry, a municipality, an organization specified by a regulation made under clause (g), a public transportation organization, a Scheduled organization, an agency, any other organization, a building, structure or premises or a class of any of them from the application of a specified provision of this Act or the regulations;

(j) respecting any matter that the Lieutenant Governor in Council considers necessary to facilitate the implementation or administration of this Act.

Opportunity for comments

(2) The Lieutenant Governor in Council shall not make a regulation under subsection (1) until it has published a draft of it in The Ontario Gazette and allowed interested persons a reasonable opportunity to make comments on the draft to the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario.

Restrictions on agencies

(3) The Lieutenant Governor in Council shall not make a regulation under clause (1) (c) naming or describing any organization or class of organizations that is or are to come within the definition of “agency” in section 2 unless the organization or the members of the class, as the case may be,

(a) provide services to the public;

(b) are not organizations in the private sector; and

(c) are described in one or more of the following items:

(i) they receive ongoing funding from the Government of Ontario, where the total amount of funding received in any year is equal to or greater than the amount specified in the regulations,

(ii) they are created, established or continued by an Act, a regulation or an order in council or operated under an Act, a regulation or an order in council,

(iii) they provide services under a licence issued by Ontario or a municipality,

(iv) they own, lease or manage property or buildings, structures or premises to which the public is admitted,

(v) they hold hearings that are open to the public,

(vi) they have an annual budget equal to or greater than an amount specified in the regulations,

(vii) they have employees and the total number of their employees in any year is equal to or greater than the number specified in the regulations.

Scope

(4) A regulation may be general or particular in its application and may be limited as to place.

Classes

(5) A regulation may create different classes of persons, ministries, municipalities, organizations specified by a regulation made under clause (1) (g), public transportation organizations, Scheduled organizations, agencies, other organizations, buildings, structures or premises and may impose different requirements, conditions or restrictions on or relating to each class.

Same

(6) A class under this Act or the regulations may be defined with respect to any attribute, quality or characteristic or combination of those items and may be defined to consist of or to include or exclude any specified member, whether or not with the same attributes, qualities or characteristics.

Adoption of codes

(7) If the Lieutenant Governor in Council is satisfied that, at the request of the Minister, the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario has consulted with the persons and organizations that the Minister directs under clause 20 (2) (f) with respect to a code, code of conduct, formula, standard, guideline, protocol or procedure, a regulation may,

(a) adopt by reference the code, code of conduct, formula, standard, guideline, protocol or procedure, in whole or in part, with the changes that the Lieutenant Governor in Council considers necessary; and

(b) require compliance with any code, code of conduct, formula, standard, guideline, protocol or procedure so adopted.

Complementary Amendments

Election Act

24. (1) The heading immediately preceding section 55 of the Election Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Electors with Disabilities

(2) The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Report on accessibility

55.1 (1) Within three months after polling day in the election, every returning officer for an electoral district shall prepare a report on the measures that the officer has taken to provide accessibility for electors with disabilities in the district and shall submit the report to the Chief Election Officer.

Availability to the public

(2) The Chief Election Officer shall make the report available to the public.

Election Finances Act

25. The definition of “campaign expense” in subsection 1 (1) of the Election Finances Act, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1998, chapter 9, section 51, is further amended by adding the following clause:

(b.1) expenses that are incurred by a candidate with disabilities and that are directly related to the candidate’s disabilities,

Highway Traffic Act

26. (1) Section 27 of the Highway Traffic Act is amended by striking out “or” at the end of clause (c) and by adding the following clauses:

(e) give, lend, sell or offer for sale a disabled person parking permit or permit the use of it by another person otherwise than in accordance with the regulations; or

(f) make, permit the making of, give, lend, sell or offer for sale a fictitious or altered disabled person parking permit.

(2) Section 27 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:

Penalty

(2) A person who contravenes clause (1) (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f) is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not less than $300 and not more than $5,000.

Human Rights Code

27. (1) The English version of the following provisions of the Human Rights Code is amended by striking out “handicap” wherever it occurs and substituting in each case “disability”:

1. Section 1, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1999, chapter 6, section 28.

2. Subsections 2 (1) and (2), as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1999, chapter 6, section 28.

3. Section 3, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1999, chapter 6, section 28.

4. Subsections 5 (1) and (2), as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1999, chapter 6, section 28.

5. Section 6, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1999, chapter 6, section 28.

(2) The definition of “because of handicap” in subsection 10 (1) of the Act, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1993, chapter 27, Schedule, 1997, chapter 16, section 8 and 2001, chapter 13, section 19, is repealed.

(3) Subsection 10 (1) of the Act, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1993, chapter 27, Schedule, 1997, chapter 16, section 8, 1999, chapter 6, section 28 and 2001, chapter 13, section 19, is further amended by adding the following definition:

“disability” means,

(a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,

(b) a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,

(c) a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,

(d) a mental disorder, or

(e) an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997;  (“handicap”)

(4) Section 10 of the Act, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1993, chapter 27, Schedule, 1997, chapter 16, section 8, 1999, chapter 6, section 28 and 2001, chapter 13, section 19, is further amended by adding the following subsection:

Past and presumed disabilities

(3) The right to equal treatment without discrimination because of disability includes the right to equal treatment without discrimination because a person has or has had a disability or is believed to have or to have had a disability.

(5) The English version of the following provisions of the Act is amended by striking out “handicap” wherever it occurs and substituting in each case “disability”:

1. Subsection 17 (1).

2. Section 22, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1999, chapter 6, section 28.

3. Clause 24 (1) (a), as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1999, chapter 6, section 28.

4. Subsections 25 (3) and (4).

Legislative Assembly Act

28. The Legislative Assembly Act is amended by adding the following section:

Accessibility plan

103.1 (1) Each year, the Speaker shall prepare an accessibility plan.

Contents

(2) The accessibility plan shall address the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in the Legislative Chamber and the other parts of the Legislative Building that are under the Speaker’s control and in the policies, programs, practices and services of the Assembly.

Same

(3) The accessibility plan shall include, with respect to the Legislative Chamber, the other parts of the Legislative Building that are under the Speaker’s control and the policies, programs, practices and services of the Assembly,

(a) a report on the measures the Speaker has taken to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities;

(b) the measures in place to ensure that the Speaker assesses his or her proposals for policies, programs, practices and services to determine their effect on accessibility for persons with disabilities;

(c) a list of the policies, programs, practices and services that the Speaker will review in the coming year in order to identify barriers to persons with disabilities; and

(d) the measures that the Speaker intends to take in the coming year to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities.

Availability to the public

(4) The Speaker shall make the accessibility plan available to the public.

Municipal Act

29. (1) Clause 257.2 (2) (f) of the Municipal Act, as enacted by the Statutes of Ontario, 1996, chapter 1, Schedule M, section 22, is amended by striking out “and” at the end of subclause (ii) and by adding the following subclause:

(ii.1) requiring the premises of the business, or a part of the premises, to be accessible to persons with disabilities, and

. . . . .

(2) The Act is amended by adding the following section:

Parking for disabled persons

322.1 (1) Despite section 320, a by-law passed under paragraph 125 or 153 of section 210 shall provide that every person who contravenes the by-law is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not less than $300.

Owner of vehicle

(2) A by-law passed under paragraph 125 or 153 of section 210 may provide that the owner of a vehicle that has been left parked, standing or stopped in contravention of the by-law is guilty of an offence, even if the owner was not the driver of the vehicle at the time of contravention of the by-law, unless, at that time, the vehicle was in the possession of a person other than the owner without the owner’s consent.

Penalty

(3) A person convicted of an offence mentioned in subsection (2) is liable to a fine of not less than $300.

Payment out of court

(4) If a by-law passed under paragraph 125 or 153 of section 210 regulates the parking, standing or stopping of vehicles, if it is an offence to contravene the by-law and if a person is alleged to have contravened the by-law, the by-law may provide a procedure for the person to make voluntary payment out of court of the penalties for the offence.

Municipal Elections Act, 1996

30. (1) Subsection 41 (3) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 is amended by striking out “The clerk may” and substituting “The clerk shall”.

(2) Subsection 45 (2) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Special needs

(2) In choosing a location for a voting place, the clerk shall have regard to the needs of electors with disabilities.

(3) Subsection 45 (9) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:

Attendance on electors with disabilities

(9) To allow an elector with a disability to vote, a deputy returning officer shall attend on the elector anywhere within the area designated as the voting place.

Planning Act

31. (1) Section 2 of the Planning Act, as re-enacted by the Statutes of Ontario, 1994, chapter 23, section 5 and amended by 1996, chapter 4, section 2, is further amended by adding the following clause:

(h.1) the accessibility for persons with disabilities to all facilities, services and matters to which this Act applies;

(2) Subsection 51 (24) of the Act, as enacted by the Statutes of Ontario, 1994, chapter 23, section 30, is amended by striking out the portion before clause (a) and substituting the following:

Criteria

(24) In considering a draft plan of subdivision, regard shall be had, among other matters, to the health, safety, convenience, accessibility for persons with disabilities and welfare of the present and future inhabitants of the municipality and to,

. . . . .

Social Housing Reform Act, 2000

32. The Social Housing Reform Act, 2000 is amended by adding the following section:

Accessible units

5.1 A service manager that exercises a power with respect to a housing project under clause 5 (1) (c) or (d) or a power with respect to a program under subsection 5 (2) shall ensure that,

(a) the housing project or the program, as the case may be, contains the prescribed number or percentage of modified units and units that comply with the prescribed criteria and requirements for accessibility for persons with disabilities; and

(b) households are selected for occupancy of the modified units and units described in clause (a) in the prescribed manner.

Commencement and Short Title

Commencement

33. (1) This Act comes into force on a day to be named by proclamation of the Lieutenant Governor.

Selective proclamation

(2) A proclamation mentioned in subsection (1) may apply to one or more sections, to one or more subsections, clauses, paragraphs or other subdivisions of any section or subsection or to one or more items in the Schedule.

Short title

34. The short title of this Act is the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001.


Schedule

1. Every district school board as defined in section 1 of the Education Act and every board established under section 68 of that Act.

2. Every hospital as defined in the Public Hospitals Act and every private hospital operated under the authority of a licence issued under the Private Hospitals Act.

3. A board of governors of a college of applied arts and technology.

4. Every university in Ontario, and its affiliated and federated colleges, that receives operating grants from the Government of Ontario.