AODA compliance deadlines for small business

2 minute read

If you are a business owner in Ontario then you should be aware of the AODA compliance deadlines. AODA is an acronym for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act. The AODA became law in 2005 and ensures accessibility standards for all Ontarians and applies to all governments, nonprofits and businesses. While the ultimate deadline for the province is 2025, there are a number of deadlines along the way that you should pay attention to. Some have already passed, and additional deadlines are coming up that you should be aware of.

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Disabilities is a broad definition that goes beyond the physical disabilities we commonly think about like a person with a physical disability who may use a wheelchair. This definition includes both visible and non-visible disabilities such as vision disabilities, hearing impairment, intellectual, developmental, learning and mental health disabilities. Using this definition the government of Ontario says 15.5% of people in the province may have a disability.

If you are a small business and have 1 to 49 employees then you are considered a small business

AODA compliance deadlines for small businesses:

By Jan 1, 2012	Accessible Customer Service Create an accessibility policy for customers, volunteers and employees Train all safe and volunteers on policy Create an emergency plan and public safety information that is accessible for employees
By Dec 31, 2014	Accessibility Compliance Report File accessibility compliance report with the government of Ontario
By Jan 1, 2015	Accessibility Policies Create policies for accessibility goals Update electronic terminals and kiosks to be fully accessible
By Jan 1, 2016	Accessibilities Law and Training Training staff and volunteers on accessibility laws and their obligations Create surveys or methods of communication so people with disabilities can provide feedback
By Jan 1, 2017	Accessible Public Information Make your public information available in accessible formats Make your employment and career development information available in accessible formats
By Jan 1, 2018	Accessible Public Spaces Ensure parking lots, service counters, queues and seating areas are accessible
By Dec 31, 2020	Accessibility Compliance Report File accessibility compliance report with the government of Ontario
By Dec 31, 2023	Accessibility Compliance Report File accessibility compliance report with the government of Ontario

Additionally, small businesses with less than 20 employees do not need to file compliance accessibility reports, but are still required to meet the standards set out by the deadlines above.

How this affects your business

If your business is found to be non-compliant with AODA standards you face the possibility of fines of up to $100,000 per day. More importantly, as a small business, you typically interact with customers on a direct level more often than larger businesses do. Ensuring all forms of accessibility and understanding the needs of your employees and customers alike, is ultimately good for your business. Be proactive and put the right policies, training and materials in place before the deadline.

For more information on AODA compliance deadlines please visit the following sites:

Government of Ontario

Health & Safety Ontario

Ontario Human Rights Commission