Programs and Services

The Ontario Human Rights Code of Ontario, 1981, Amended 1989, 2001, 2006) provides the right to freedom from discrimination based on “disability” in a number of areas, including:

• services, goods and facilities
• housing
• contracts
• employment, including application forms, job interview
• group membership

The Ontario Human Rights Code definitions of a disability include:

• a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language.

Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, persons with disabilities have the right to full integration and participation in society. They should be able to access services, employment, and housing, and face the same duties and responsibilities as everyone else.

Employers, landlords, service providers, and others have a duty to consider the needs of persons with disabilities up-front. This means designing for buildings, processes, programs or services inclusively. If existing physical structures, systems, or attitudes create barriers, they must be removed. Where it is not possible to remove barriers, special arrangements must be made so that persons with disabilities can fully participate. This is what is called accommodation.

Even when facilities and services are designed as inclusively as possible, some persons with disabilities may still require an accommodation to meet their individual needs. The duty to accommodate is the legal obligation that employers, unions, landlords and service providers have under the Code to meet the needs of persons with disabilities, unless to do so would cause undue hardship*. The goal of accommodation is to allow equal participation in, and benefit from, services, housing, or the workplace.  Education is considered a service.

*undue hardship usually means that the service provider would have to prove that they do not have the ability to pay for the accommodation for this individual, or that the accommodation would create a risk to health and safety.

What if I have been denied accommodation and feel that I have been discriminated against?

A claim of discrimination or harassment can be brought to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) by filing an application.  The HRTO handles all new human rights applications under the Ontario Human Rights Code and is the decision-making body for all applications claiming a violation of human rights under the Code.

The HRTO resolves applications by helping the parties settle the claim through its mediation process. If the parties do not agree to mediation, or mediation does not resolve the application, the HRTO holds a hearing to decide the application.

As the HRTO has the power to hold hearings, make decisions and order remedies, it is a quasi-judicial adjudicative agency.  The decision-makers are called Vice-chairs, Members or adjudicators.  All HRTO decision-makers are impartial and neutral with experience, knowledge and training in human rights law and issues.  The HRTO also has staff who process applications.

Persons who want to make an application to the HRTO may ask for advice from the Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC). The Centre is independent of the HRTO and offers free services throughout the province, giving legal advice and other assistance to individuals who believe that another individual, an organization, corporation, or government agency or department has violated their rights under the Code. The HRLSC has produced a PowerPoint presentation on How to file a human rights application at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.

People may also get help from other legal clinics, a private lawyer or a paralegal, or may choose to file an application on their own.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) is legislation that was designed to create an accessible, barrier-free Ontario by 2025. The act calls for the development of standards which will be implemented in stages to give everyone enough time to plan ahead and build accessibility improvements into their normal business plans and practices. Accessibility standards are the rules that businesses and organizations in Ontario will have to follow to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility.

The first standard to come into effect was the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service. Standards development committees and the Accessibility Directorate, Ministry of Community and Social Services, have also been developing standards in the areas of:

• information and communications
• employment
• transportation
• built environment (buildings and other structures)

LDAO had representation on two standards development committees, Accessible Information and Communications, and Employment Accessibility.

The Accessibility Standards for Customer Service became law on January 1, 2008. Under the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, all businesses or organizations that provide goods or services to the public or to other third parties in Ontario must do certain things to make sure they are providing accessible customer service to people with various kinds of disabilities, including learning disabilities.  Public sector organizations must comply with the standards by January 1, 2010, and other organizations by January 1, 2012.

To read more about the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service:

Read about Customer Service for Persons with Learning Disabilities

Accessible Information & Communications and Employment Accessibility standards

As mentioned, LDAO was represented on two of the standards development committees under the AODA.  After final revisions were made in response to feedback from public reviews, final proposed standards on Accessible Information & Communications and on Employment Accessibility were submitted to the Minister of Community and Social Services.  The final proposed Accessible Information & Communications standard was submitted April 28, 2009 and the final proposed Employment Accessibility standard was submitted August 12, 2009.

AODA Public Review

In June 2009, Charles Beer was appointed by the Ontario government to conduct an independent review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). Charles Beer’s report, Charting a Path Forward, was released in February 2010, and it recommended that the Accessibility Directorate harmonize the accessibility standards prior to releasing the remaining proposed standards as regulations. This recommendation made sense in terms of harmonizing the timelines, so that obligated sectors are not confused and can make unified plans to meet the requirements of the standards.

Integrated Accessibility Regulation

On September 1, 2010 the Minister of Community & Social Services released for public consultation a proposed Integrated Accessibility Regulation under the AODA that would combine standards for Information & Communication, Employment and Transportation. The proposed regulation included accessibility requirements that are general, as well as specific requirements for information & communication, employment, and transportation.  It also included compliance enforcement initiatives and timelines for compliance, from 2011 and 2025.

On June 3, 2011 the provincial government proclaimed the new Regulation 191/11, Integrated Accessibility Standards, under the AODA.

In August 2012 the government released a Guide to implementing the various sections of the Integrated Accessibility Regulation:
A Guide to the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation

Algonquin College
www.algonquincollege.com/cal/

Cambrian College
http://cambriancollege.ca/accessibility/glenn-crombie-centre/

Canadore College
www.canadorecollege.ca/departments-services/student-success-services

Centennial College
www.centennialcollege.ca/csd

Collège Boréal
www.collegeboreal.ca/services-etudiants/besoins-particuliers/

College La Cité
www.collegelacite.ca/services-aux-etudiants#La_Boussole

Conestoga College
www.conestogac.on.ca/accessibility-services/

Confederation College
www.confederationc.on.ca/accessibility-services

Durham College
www.durhamcollege.ca/student-experience/helping-you-succeed/access-and-support-centre

Fanshawe College
www.fanshawec.ca/student-life/student-services/accessibility

Fleming College
https://flemingcollege.ca/student-life/accessible-education-services

George Brown College
www.georgebrown.ca/accessible-learning-services/

Georgian College

www.georgiancollege.ca/student-life/student-services/accessibility-services/

Humber College
www.humber.ca/student-life/swac/accessible-learning

Lambton College
www.lambtoncollege.ca/Accessibility-Centre/Academic-Accommodations/  

Loyalist College
www.loyalistcollege.com/current-students/student-success-services/accessability-centre/

Mohawk College
www.mohawkcollege.ca/StudentServices/AccessibleLearningServices.html

Niagara College
www.niagaracollege.ca/cswd

Northern College
www.northernc.on.ca/accessibility-services/

Sault College

www.saultcollege.ca/Accessibility/index.asp

Seneca College
www.senecacollege.ca/students/counselling/index.html

Sheridan College
www.sheridancollege.ca/about/accessibility/students.aspx

Sir Sandford Fleming College
http://flemingcollege.ca/services/accessible-education-services

St. Clair College
www.stclaircollege.ca/studentservices/accessibilityservices.html

St. Lawrence College

www.stlawrencecollege.ca/campuses-and-services/services-and-facilities/accessibility/

Amethyst Demonstration School
Website: www.psbnet.ca/eng/schools/amethyst/index.html
Contact Phone: (519) 453-4400
Address: 1515 Cheapside St London, Ontario N5V 3N9

Centre Jules-Léger ÉA Difficulté
Website: www.centrejulesleger.com
Contact Phone: (613) 761-9300
Address: 281 Lanark Ave Ottawa, Ontario K1Z6R8

Sagonaska Demonstration School
Website: www.psbnet.ca/eng/schools/sagonaska/index.html
Contact Phone: (613) 967-2830
Address: 350 Dundas St W Belleville, Ontario K8P1B2

Trillium Demonstration School
Website: www.psbnet.ca/eng/schools/trillium/index.html
Contact Phone: (905) 878-2851
Address: 347 Ontario St S Milton, Ontario L9T3X9

Camp Kennebec
www.campkennebec.com

Camp Kennebec welcomes campers with a range of exceptionalities, including ADHD and learning difficulties. Optional 1:1 academic tutoring with onsite teachers and educators

Camp Kirk
www.campkirk.com/

Established in 1993, Camp Kirk is a residential (overnight) camp for boys and girls 6 to 13 years of age who have Learning Disabilities and/or ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), including those with incontinence or enuresis (bedwetting) difficulties. Camp Kirk’s mission is to provide a nurturing, non-competitive and structured environment that allows these children the opportunity to enjoy a residential camping experience and to develop social, emotional and physical skills, thereby raising their self esteem.

Camp Kodiak
www.campkodiak.com/

Camp Kodiak is an overnight summer camp for children and teens (6 to 18 years old) with and without learning disabilities, ADHD, and high-functioning ASD (formerly diagnosed as Asperger’s Syndrome). We provide an academic program, a social skills program, and 50+ activities. Our mature staff includes many professionals from the fields of education, social work, child and youth care, and recreation, as well as college and university students. Everything we do — from camp activities to social skills to life skills — are facilitated in a way to help campers achieve as much success as possible.

CDI Camp Towhee
http://www.camptowhee.ca/

Camp Towhee is a residential therapeutic program for children and adolescents with learning disabilities and related psychosocial difficulties. Located on a beautiful lakefront property in Haliburton, Ontario, Camp Towhee provides the perfect environment for making new friends and experiencing success.