Ontarians with Disabilities Act

Disability
Theory and models Disability theory Ableism / Disablism Medical model Social model
Education Mainstreaming Individualized Education Program (IEP) Special needs Special school Special education Learning disability
Therapy Physical Occupational Speech
Societal implications Disability rights movement Inclusion Normalisation People-first language Pejorative terms
Personal assistance Personal care assistant (ADLs) Orthotics and braces Prosthetics Assistive technology Assisted living Mobility aid Physical accessibility Universal design Web accessibility
Socioeconomic assistance Social Security Disability Insurance Supplemental Security Income Ticket to Work Disability Living Allowance Disabled students allowance Disabled Persons Railcard Freedom Pass Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped
Groups Organizations National Telecommuting Institute Society for Disability Studies Disabled Peoples' International (DPI) Visitability
Disabled sports Special Olympics Paralympic Games Deaflympics Invictus Games
Culture Disability in the arts Disability art Disability in the media
Disability portal Disability Lists

The Ontarians with Disabilities Act is the short title of the Ontario Government's Bill 125 - "An Act to improve the identification, removal and prevention of barriers faced by persons with disabilities and to make related amendments to other Acts". The Act received Royal Assent on 14 December 2001 and came into force on February 7, 2002. A new piece of legislation was enacted to address accessibility issues, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 in 2005. The Ontarians with Disabilities Act remains in force.

The Bill's original purpose had been to achieve a barrier-free Ontario for persons with disabilities -- a right of full participation. It was to require the timely removal of existing new barriers, within reasonable time lines and in accordance with reasonable cost parameters. It was meant to apply to employment, public transit, education, provincial and municipal government services and facilities, and other goods, services and facilities offered to the public.

Those who supported the idea of an ODA hoped that it would require government bodies, and others bound by law to identify the barriers that they now have which impede persons with disabilities from full participation, and to design reasonable plans consistent with their resources to remove these barriers and to prevent new ones from being created, all within reasonable time lines. They wanted it to allow for the enactment of regulations with input from disability groups, business interests and others, to set out measures to be implemented to achieve the ODA's goals, and reasonable time lines for their achievement. It was meant to incorporate an effective, fair and timely process for enforcement.

However, Bill 125 became a weak act that suggested voluntary action without enforcement, penalties or deadlines. Critics of the Bill (e.g. the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee) have petitioned the government to revisit the Act and pass a stronger, more effective Act, which they did in 2005 with the enactment of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/3/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.

Ontarians with Disabilities Act

See also

External links