In 2005, the AODA passed into law with unanimous support from all three political parties. This landmark legislation started Ontario on a journey to create an accessible province within 20 years. Ontario is the jurisdiction in the world to require staff to be trained on accessibility.
Embracing the business case for accessibility is a win-win proposition for organizations of all sizes and for people with disabilities. The bottom line is that an accessible province means more opportunities for all Ontarians. For our economy, it means up to a $600 a year per capita increase in the gross domestic product.
For Ontario’s 1.8 million people with disabilities, it means being able to actively participate in our communities, workforce, and economy.
For business, it means tapping into an underused talent pool, creating new products and services based on universal design, and harnessing the buying power of more people, both in-store and online.
That makes becoming accessible and promoting accessibility not just the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do for businesses and organizations of all sizes.
