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…
Join me at the TechWell StarCanada 2017 software conference in Toronto, October 15-20, 2017. While Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility for a wider spectrum of users, including the blind, and their interfaces is being required by law across more jurisdictions, testing for it remains limited, naive, and too late. Take away an understanding of…
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…
Join me at the FITC Front-End Developer Conference, Web Unleashed 2017, September 25 and 26. I will be participating in the panel session Making the Web Accessible for People with Disabilities, taking place on September 26 at 11:30Am to 12:15PM, at the Toronto Marriott downtown Eaton Centre hotel, room Salon CD. FITC stands for Future,…
Join me at the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science third annual Accessibility Innovation Showcase. The Accessibility Innovation Showcase is an event highlighting innovative assistive technologies and devices through interactive exhibits, and is taking place on September 25-26, 2017, at the Sheraton Centre, 123 Queen Street West, Toronto. The admission is free, and Thousands of…
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…
PR Newswire, September 14, 2017 The Discover Ability Network will showcase the business advantages of employing persons with disabilities. The Honourable David Onley, Special Advisor to the Government of Ontario’s Minister Responsible for Accessibility, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and the Discover Ability Network partners launched a new program and online portal that will…
