Submission to Rich Donovan – 4th Independent Review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
May 26, 2023
Climate and context
Accessibility matters because it is a precondition for persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully and equally in society.[4] Ten years ago, the Second Independent Reviewer, Mayo Moran, observed that “[a]n inclusive society of the kind that the AODA aims at will be healthier and more robust along many dimensions.” [5] The Interim Report of the 4th Independent Review (“Interim Report”) comes at a time when persons with disabilities experienced a rise in discriminatory barriers[6] due to the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and “the corresponding policy and legal responses attempting to contain it.”
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Letter: Follow Up to Expanding Health Card Renewal Services to Persons with Disabilities
February 14, 2022
To our leaders in government,
Re: Expanding Health Card Renewal Services to Persons with Disabilities
ARCH Disability Law Centre is an Ontario-based specialty legal clinic that is dedicated to defending and advancing the equality rights of persons with disabilities.
We welcome the Government of Ontario’s recent announcement[1] extending the deadline to renew health cards in light of the exigencies of the pandemic, and allowing those with Ontario Photo Cards the same opportunity to renew online as those with a driver’s license in the coming months.
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Submission regarding the Proposed Guidance and Template for Preparing Accessibility Plans
November 30, 2021
Submission of ARCH Disability Law Centre to the Accessible Canada Directorate, Employment and Social Development Canada Regarding the Proposed Guidance and Template for Preparing Accessibility Plans
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Submissions on Proposed Regulations under the Connecting Care Act
August 7, 2020
RCH is pleased to have this opportunity to comment on the proposed Regulations under the Connecting Care Act (the Act). Our submissions reflect a general legal analysis of the proposed Regulations in their current draft form. These submissions are informed by ARCH’s work with our communities, however the short timeframe of this consultation precluded a fulsome consultation with the communities of persons who will be affected by the Regulations.
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Open Letter on the Need to Swiftly Pass All Senate Amendments to Bill C-81- Accessible Canada Act
May 14, 2019
The undersigned national, provincial and local disability groups ask all Members of Parliament to commit to swiftly pass all the amendments to Bill C-81, the proposed Accessible Canada Act that the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (SOCI) passed on May 2, 2019.
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Paper – Discussion Paper on Proposed Federal Accessibility Legislation and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2017)
February 08, 2017
This paper addresses an important legal issue ARCH recommended the Government to address as it developed the proposed federal accessibility legislation: the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its relationship with the planned federal accessibility legislation.
Paper – Legal Analysis of Accessible Canada Act – Final Report (2018)
October 01, 2018
This report provides a legal analysis of Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier free Canada. It incorporates feedback that ARCH received from persons with disabilities and disability organizations on the first draft of this report. This resource is part of ARCH’s Advocating for an Accessible Canada initiative.
Submission – ARCH’s Recommendations for Strengthening Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act (2018)
October 16, 2018
ARCH’s recommended amendments to ensure that Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act, achieves its purpose and potential. This resource is part of ARCH’s Advocating for an Accessible Canada initiative.
Open Letter Regarding the Need to Strengthen Bill C-81 – Accessible Canada Act
[Le français suit]
October 30, 2018
Dear Minister Qualtrough and HUMA Committee Members:
We the undersigned commend the Federal Government for committing to enact national accessibility legislation. As provincial and national disability rights organizations, we write to express significant concerns regarding Bill C-81. The following highlights our key concerns and reflects the concerns raised by our communities before the HUMA Committee. Amendments are essential to effectively remedy these concerns.
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Plain Language Summary: Legal Analysis of Bill C-81 – Final Report (2018)
October 01, 2018
A summary of the legal analysis of Bill C-81, Accessible Canada Act, in plain language
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Submission – ARCH’s Submission on Third Independent Review of the AODA (2018)
September 28, 2018
ARCH’s submission on the Third Independent Review of the AODA. The recommendations here should be considered together with ARCH submissions to the past two Independent Reviews and ARCH submissions on the AODA standards.
Submission – ARCH’s Initial Recommendations for Review of the AODA Employment Accessibility Standard (2018)
July 27, 2018
ARCH’s submission on the Initial Recommendations for Review of the Employment Accessibility Standard under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
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Paper – Considerations for Effective Implementation and Enforcement of the Proposed Federal Accessibility Legislation (2017)
May 10, 2017
This paper addresses an important legal issue ARCH recommended the Government to address as it developed the proposed federal accessibility legislation: ensuring effective implementation and enforcement of the proposed federal accessibility legislation.
Submission – Brief to the Ontario Government on Necessary Revisions to the 2007 Customer Service Accessibility Standard, 2016
March 16, 2016
Introduction
In this brief, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Alliance and ARCH Disability Law Centre (ARCH) jointly present concrete, workable, and much-needed revisions to strengthen the Customer Service Accessibility Standard. The Ontario Government can easily implement these without excessive cost or delay.