Important events that impact people with disabilities in the news
John Power, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of National Revenue, November 23, 2017 The Government understands that living with a disability can have significant impacts on individuals and their families. The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, announced that the Disability Advisory Committee, originally formed in 2004 and disbanded in 2006, is being…
Zack Quaintance, Staff writer for Government Technology, November 20, 2017 People with hearing and sight disabilities using screen readers and other assistive tech must be able to access content on government websites, but getting and staying compliant is a challenge. Updates for Section 508 accessibility legislation go into effect in January, creating new specifications for…
MIRIAM KATAWAZI, Toronto Star Staff Reporter, November 1, 2017 Ryerson University’s $112-million Student Learning Centre poses safety risks for people with disabilities, advocate David Lepofsky says. The eight-storey structure, which opened in February 2015 at the corner of Yonge and Gould Sts., provides space on campus for students to socialize and work. The building won…
AODA Alliance, toronto, October 29, 2017 The AODA Alliance today makes public a striking 12-minute video (and a more detailed 30-minute version) revealing significant disability accessibility barriers in a new public building in the heart of downtown Toronto, built in part with public money. This video documents accessibility problems at the new Ryerson University Student…
Sean Kilpatrick, Toronto Star, October 15, 2017 The federal minister responsible for crafting Canada’s first national accessibility legislation says the law should be ready by next spring and should benefit not only people with disabilities, but their caregivers. Minister Kent Hehr says the bill, which has been highly anticipated, will benefit both those with disabilities…
Alicia Ann Pereira, Ontario Human Rights Commission, October 12, 2017 Today, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) released a new policy statement explaining the purpose and importance of the duty to accommodate under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Employers and unions, housing providers and service providers have a legal duty to accommodate the Code-related needs…
Anastasia V. Silva, Samaritanmag online magazine news, October 5, 2017 The CNIB has started to install beacons in the Yonge-St. Clair area of Toronto, which will improve accessibility for those in the neighbourhood with visual impairments. Two hundred shops and restaurants are expected to come on board at no cost to them. The beacons are…
Rich Donovan, Special to the Globe and Mail, September 29, 2017 Canadian business has struggled since 1989 to hire people with disabilities in any material numbers. This is not a uniquely Canadian phenomenon. The experience has been repeated globally by millions of companies. Stats show that the 18.7 per cent of the population that self-declares…
Natalie Nanowski, CBC News, September 20, 2017 TTC hears concerns about long waits and inaccessible stations at annual meeting. The TTC’s annual accessibility meeting drew about 300 people to the Beanfield Centre at Exhibition Place. It’s intended to highlight any concerns or questions people have about the accessibility of the TTC or Wheel-Trans. The TTC…
Emily Chung, CBC News, September 19, 2017 CNIB pilot project plans to install 200 wayfinding beacons in Toronto stores and restaurants. If you were blind and walked into a coffee shop, how would you find the counter so you could order? The iOS BlindSquare app gives verbal directions to customers at several businesses in the…
