Ministry of Transportation 2006-2007 Accessibility Plan
Table of Contents
Introduction
In June 2005, the Ontario government took a strong stand on accessibility when it passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) into law.
The AODA lays out a comprehensive road map to make Ontario accessible to all people through the development, implementation and enforcement of new, mandatory accessibility standards for some of the most important aspects of people's lives.
The first two standards that are currently being developed cover the areas of transportation and customer service. On June 13, the first anniversary of the passage of the AODA, the government announced the development of three new standards that will address information and communications, the built environment, and employment.
While the government is moving forward to implement the AODA, there will be a transition period where government and the broader public sector will continue to meet their obligations under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA). These obligations will remain in effect until they are repealed and replaced by standards under the new act.
Under the ODA, Ontario government ministries, municipalities, hospitals, school boards, colleges, universities and public transportation organizations are required to develop annual accessibility plans to make policies, practices, programs, services and buildings more accessible to people with disabilities. These plans must be made available to the public. Accessibility planning efforts to date have developed a strong foundation for the development of accessibility standards that will mean real and effective change.
This document is the fourth annual accessibility plan developed by the Ministry of Transportation. It highlights the achievements of the 2005-06 plan and outlines the commitments for 2006-07 so that no new barriers are created and, over time, existing ones are removed.
This ministry intends to build on its achievements by implementing initiatives that support the government's commitment to continue to make Ontario an inclusive and accessible province where people of all abilities have a chance to fully achieve their potential.
Message from the Minister
Honourable
Donna Cansfield
This year marks the first anniversary of the landmark Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA), designed to foster the development, implementation and enforcement of accessibility standards in key areas of daily living.
All public sector and broader public sector organizations are required by law to have an annual accessibility plan and to make it available to the public. This is the fourth year in which plans have been written and implemented by organizations such as ours across the province.
My ministry is committed to improving accessibility through identifying, removing and preventing barriers. In the past year, we have worked together within our ministry, across government and with stakeholders to achieve accessibility goals. Notable recent achievements include the introduction of the Accessible Parking Permit program in January 2006. Details of this and many other commitments can be found in the pages that follow.
As we look to the future, we are building on the success of our previous plans and continuing to find ways to better meet the needs of all people with disabilities who come into contact with this ministry, whether they are staff, members of the general public or ministry stakeholders.
Sincerely,
(original signed)
The Honourable Donna Cansfield
Minister of Transportation
Report on Achievements
2005-2006 Accessibility Improvement Initiatives
The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is proud to announce the successful implementation of its 2005-2006 Accessibility Plan commitments. These achievements are significant, tangible changes that make a real difference to the lives of Ontarians with disabilities. This success also demonstrates MTO's strong support of both the Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and its dedication towards identifying, removing and preventing barriers. This section provides a status report of all achievements.
Commitment: Introduce program improvements to the disabled person parking permit (DPPP) program.
Status: Complete
Action: This program has been radically revised and improved to better serve people with disabilities. More than 50 stakeholders were involved in the review process including community groups, medical and enforcement communities and organizations that represent people with disabilities. The following changes were made and were well-received by stakeholders:
- The program name was changed to Accessible Parking Permit (APP) to better reflect preferred language used with respect to people with disabilities
- The eligibility criteria were revised to increase reliance on measurable and observable conditions that impact mobility and enhance the certification process: ensuring that only those people who need the permit receive one
- Processing times for applications was cut in half
- Permits were made more secure and tamper-resistant to guard against fraud and misuse
- A new Traveller Permit was created to enable travellers with disabilities to park in designated Ontario airport parking spaces and take their regular permit with them for use in other areas
- Registered nurses can now certify applications, benefiting people living in remote locations
- People certified under the criteria as having a permanent disability no longer need to be medically re-certified to renew their permits.
Timeframe: Changes to the program were effective January 16, 2006.
Commitment: Assess the level of knowledge of accessibility issues among staff and provide employees with an opportunity to assist in identifying and removing barriers.
Status: Complete
Action: An ODA Employee Questionnaire was developed and distributed to 384 Management Compensation Plan employees. The findings were used to compile a thorough report outlining strengths, opportunities for improvements and recommendations and submitted to senior management. The results have proved invaluable in setting new commitments in the 2006-07 Accessibility Plan. For instance:
- Less than one third of respondents were unaware of the Management Board Secretariat Guidelines for Procurement of Accessible Goods and Services for Persons with Disabilities. To remedy this, MTO senior executives communicated the necessary information and strongly encouraged staff with responsibilities in this area to complete online procurement training
- Half of respondents said that their office does not provide information inviting people with disabilities to identify accommodation requirements when advertising for public events. Guidelines on accessible meetings were redistributed to staff with responsibilities in this area. This finding was also considered during the planning stage of the accessibility training delivery proposal
- Close to 80 per cent responded that they would find it useful to have a barrier-free checklist to ensure a barrier-free office. MTO has committed to reflect that request in this year's plan.
Timeframe: The ODA Employee Questionnaire was distributed in December 2005 and the findings were submitted to management in April 2006.
Commitment: Increase both management and human resource professional knowledge and promote awareness regarding employment accommodation for current and future employees.
Status: Complete
Action: MTO developed an informative newsletter containing employment accommodation-related articles, expert advice, tools, tips and useful links. It was distributed to over 400 employees in the management group and human resources, and was very positively received.
Timeframe: Senior management distributed the newsletter on December 2, 2005.
Commitment: Enhance knowledge of MTO staff that work directly with the landlord on facility-related projects such as renovations with regards to the new Ontario Re alty Corporation (ORC) barrier-free guidelines.
Status: Complete
Action: Three training sessions were successfully delivered to MTO accommodation officers, regional business managers and building management representatives. A total of 22 people received the training. The following topics were profiled:
- The new ORC barrier-free guidelines
- The results of the recent MTO building audits
- An overview of current and future ODA and AODA requirements.
Timeframe: Training sessions were delivered between March 21 and April 12, 2006.
Commitment: Enhance Road Construction Information services.
Status: Complete
Action: MTO's road information service hotline provides the public with an excellent source of information on road conditions, closures and construction. Information is accessed via the Internet and an automated phone service. To further enhance customer accessibility, MTO added voice recognition with touch-tone back-up. This provides bilingual multiple channels of access to serve Ontario's culturally diverse population. Customer satisfaction with the new service is consistently 95-100 per cent.
Timeframe: January 2006
Commitment: Together with regional operational coordinators, the ministry will assess the current level of accessibility of the Senior Driver Renewal Program.
Status: Complete
Action: The current accessibility level was reviewed, with outstanding results:
- Telephone customer service representatives provide excellent customer service. They explain and answer any questions about the session to ease clients' anxiety. They provide clear direction on how to get to the location and inform participants of session timelines in case they require accommodation.
- The Downsview driver-testing centre was upgraded to include comfortable chairs and a noise-free environment. Returning seniors made positive comments about these improvements.
- Current ODA and future AODA requirements were shared with MTO staff responsible for delivering the Senior Driver Renewal Program.
Timeframe: The senior driver-testing centre located in Downsview was renovated in the spring of 2006.
Commitment: MTO customer service front-line staff will receive training on serving customers with disabilities.
Status: In progress
Action: Through a request to senior management, it was found that 761 staff members provide some type of customer service to the public across Ontario. MTO developed an effective training proposal to educate these staff on better serving customers with disabilities. It consists of three phases:
- Phase one: distribution of general information and educational materials to staff by senior executives
- Phases two and three: online and in-class training, entitled Serving Customers with Disabilities, developed by the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario
In-class training began in September 2006. Two training sessions were delivered to over 55 ferry staff in Kingston.
Timeframe: In September 2006, senior management distributed tips and tools to MTO staff. On September 28 and 29, two training sessions were delivered.
Rationale: Phases two and three will be completed pending the release of the online training module.
Commitment: Continue to review language used in existing and proposed ministry acts and regulations to ensure appropriate language is used with respect to people with disabilities.
Status: Complete
Action: In March 2006, MTO completed a language appropriateness review of 27 acts and 109 regulations. The review identified non-preferred language in three acts and five regulations. MTO took prompt action:
- Program areas and Legal Services Branch were notified of the findings so that they could make appropriate amendments.
- Senior management distributed the Guide for Reviewing Policies Pursuant to Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 to staff with policy responsibilities. This guide was also posted on the MTO ODA intranet site.
Timeframe: The Guide for Reviewing Policies Pursuant to Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 was widely distributed in November 2005. Findings were communicated to respective program areas and Legal Services Branch in June 2006.
Ongoing Accessibility Improvement Initiatives
Over the past few years, MTO has achieved a wide range of accessibility goals. We continue to build on these achievements in order to create a fully inclusive society. This section provides a status report of ongoing initiatives and the many benefits they are providing.
Commitment: MTO will provide guidance, assistance and direction as needed to its service providers to address accessibility requirements.
Status: Ongoing
Action: MTO worked with service providers to share information and tools and produce a high standard of education, training and direction. Accessibility issues were discussed and solutions were explored, developed and implemented. Notable achievements include:
- MTO INFO Teletypewriter (TTY) numbers were promoted through two new educational products about the new passenger restriction for teen G2 drivers. A graduated licensing brochure and poster were distributed to Drive Test Centres (Serco), the Private Issuers Network and through stakeholders to community road safety groups across Ontario. Serco displayed the poster and the brochure on their www.drivetest.ca website and a package was distributed to 870 secondary schools in Ontario
- In January 2006, building management began offering permits that entitled employees with disabilities to use an entrance designated as a childcare drop-off and pick-up zone
- In spring of 2006, the MTO Eastern Region Engineering Office worked diligently with various service providers and stakeholders, including the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, in addressing an accessibility request received from a township
- In the spring of 2006, building management made a provision for barrier-free access in their Request for Proposals tender documents. This ensures that accessibility is maintained during renovation and building retrofits
- In the spring of 2006, building management built a structure at the front entrance of the St. Catharines building. This is effective in breaking high winds that prevented the main entrance door from opening properly
- MTO INFO General Inquiry TTY numbers were added to publications at reprint.
Timeframe: October 2005 to September 2006 reporting period.
Commitment: MTO will continue to assess various MTO workplace emergency evacuation processes.
Status: Ongoing
Action: As the lead ministry, at the Downsview site, MTO updated its emergency training, policies and procedures to enhance emergency evacuation processes for people with disabilities. The Downsview Fire Plan, which included provisions for people with disabilities, was approved by the Toronto Fire Department. In St. Catharines, the emergency management activities are ongoing and include regular meetings with fire wardens as well as training.
Timeframe: On December 15, 2005, the Downsview Fire Plan was approved by the Toronto Fire Department.
Commitment: MTO will support the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario to implement the AODA, 2005.
Status: Ongoing
Action: In the fall of 2005, MTO contributed significantly to the development of support materials to establish a Transportation Standard Development Committee (T-SDC). MTO is the lead ministry on T-SDC and is working to develop a proposed transportation accessibility standard for municipal and provincial public transportation services.
Timeframe: T-SDC working meetings were held from January 2006 to August 2006.
Commitment: MTO will continue to consider public input in the identification of barriers in the delivery of our services.
Status: Ongoing
Action: MTO worked diligently to address accessibility issues raised through various channels, including a dedicated ODA internet address. In 2005, MTO received 14 ODA-related e-mail inquiries. All were addressed within the service quality correspondence standard timelines. Some public recommendations directly influenced program improvements. For instance:
- The new Traveller Permit is a direct outcome of a recommendation from an Ontario citizen. The permit allows travellers with a disability who park in designated Ontario airport parking spaces to take their regular permit with them
- A construction plan for a traffic signal was enhanced to include an accessible pedestrian signal. This followed a request from an Eastern Region township
- Feedback was received following a memo concerning restricted access to a building. This led to a modification that accommodated employees with disabilities
- Communications using non-preferred language were reported. These concerns were immediately addressed by advising respective parties of terms preferred by people with disabilities. Subsequent communications used appropriate language
- High winds made it difficult for users with disabilities to access the main entrance to the St. Catharines building. The issue was raised with a local committee and building management. Physical structures were constructed and large trees planted to divert and break the wind
- Employees and visitors with disabilities voiced their concerns about the availability of accessible parking spots when the municipal parking garage in St. Catharines announced closure of some of their parking floors. The municipal parking garage is connected to the building and is used by staff and visitors. Short-term solutions were promptly implemented, including increasing accessible parking spots at the underground MTO building. Visitors were also made aware of a Municipality of St. Catharines by-law that allows people with a valid accessible parking permit to use parking meter spaces at no charge. Building management initiated a major project to retrofit the front entrance of the building, providing a drop-off and pick-up zone.
Timeframe: October 2005 to September 2006 reporting period.
Commitment: The ODA Planning Team will administer and implement commitments stated in the plan, monitor implementation progress, evaluate and provide progress reports as required. The team will support the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario in implementing the new Act.
Status: Ongoing
Action: MTO is committed to enhancing the team's effectiveness in achieving their goals. Many improvements have been made:
- The Terms of Reference document was revised and posted on the ODA intranet site in October 2005
- In the fall of 2005, an ODA shared drive was created to assist with the sharing and processing of relevant ODA information
- On November 17, 2005, an ODA Orientation presentation for new members was developed and posted on the ODA shared drive
- Support was provided to AODA Standards Development Committee representatives in their efforts to develop customer service and transportation accessibility standards.
Timeframe: October 2005 to September 2006 reporting period.
Commitment: MTO will continue to consider accessibility in the purchase of goods and services.
Status: Ongoing
Action: MTO continued to provide guidance and support to managers during the procurement process.
- Through the Transit Procurement Initiative, MTO has been working with a select number of municipalities to develop a common bus specification for a joint procurement. The detailed vehicle specification ensures buses will meet or exceed accessibility requirements as defined in Ontario Regulation 629, under the Highway Traffic Act
- Senior management clearly communicated their expectations with regards to accessibility requirements during the procurement process. Staff were strongly encouraged to complete the online procurement training module developed by the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario
- MTO procurement efforts to renew contracting with Community Living Kingston benefited the community on several fronts. This contract provides community-based work opportunities for 60 people with developmental disabilities in the Kingston community.
Timeframe: October 2005 to September 2006 reporting period.
Commitment: Continue to provide, as required, advice and consultation to program areas on ODA and AODA requirements.
Status: Ongoing
Action: The ODA Planning Team is committed to responding effectively to internal ODA and AODA requests. The team delivered presentations, provided information and reference materials, reviewed proposals, recommended approaches and provided advice. Compared with previous years, there was a significant increase in demand for both information and consultation. Accessibility is becoming part of doing business. Additionally, MTO staff participated in the development of the GO Transit Accessibility Plan 2006.
Timeframe: October 2005 to September 2006 reporting period.
Commitment: Assess what tools can be developed to assist with the application of the employment accommodation process.
Status: Ongoing
Action: MTO has taken practical steps to develop tools to better support the employment accommodation process. This involved several measures:
- In July 2006, MTO solicited ideas from human resources coordinators. The script offering employment accommodation to current and potential employees was also re-distributed. The human resources coordinators requested a practical guide for managers to assist in providing appropriate accommodation during the recruitment process.
- The Employment Accommodation Requiring Technical Device Tip Sheet for Managers was promoted through a newsletter and posted on ODA's intranet site in the fall of 2005. This useful tip sheet was also shared with other ministries.
Timeframe: October 2005 to September 2006 reporting period.
Commitment: New managers will receive ODA online training delivered through the employee intranet site.
Status: Ongoing
Action: MTO delivered this commitment:
- New managers were identified
- Direction to complete the mandatory online ODA training was communicated
- Results were monitored and the senior management group was given a progress report
Timeframe: In August 2006, senior management instructed new managers to complete the mandatory ODA training.
Commitment: MTO will explore the improvement of the accessibility of ministry-sponsored public meetings.
Status: Ongoing
Action: MTO distributed guidelines to 30 key ministry staff involved with public meetings, who forwarded this to staff. MTO is also developing a public consultation policy as part of an ongoing update to the Class Environmental Assessment process. This policy will help ensure that people with disabilities are accommodated at Public Information Centres, where the ministry shares information about environmental assessments, highway planning and design projects for potential construction projects.
Timeframe: Guidelines were distributed to key ministry staff during the summer of 2006.
Commitment: Continue to provide advice and guidance on web content to MTO staff on ODA requirements.
Status: Ongoing
Action: The MTO Web editor is very diligent in ensuring that new information proposed for posting on the internet meets accessibility requirements. MTO has met a high standard for eliminating barriers to access the ministry's online information and services. We have continued to develop our Web products to meet this benchmark. For instance:
- MTO follows the World Wide Web Consortium accessibility guidelines, priorities I & II and the Government of Ontario Public Web Standard issued recently by Ministry of Government Services
- An MTO representative attended inter-ministerial web committee meetings and workshops as required
- The ROAD INFO web section was improved (colour coding, non-flashing icons, font)
- All new web staff as well as outside contractors must have a working knowledge of web accessibility guidelines and best practices.
Timeframe: October 2005 to September 2006 reporting period.
Commitment: In consultation with public and private stakeholders, explore enhancements to the Beginner Driver Education program for people with disabilities.
Status: Ongoing
Action: MTO facilitated two working group meetings to explore a workable solution for providing driver education services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. A number of options were considered, including exploring the viability of delivering the in-class portion of the ministry-approved Beginner Driver Education course online.
Timeframe: Meetings were held in December 2005 and March 2006.
Commitment: MTO will continue to work on the Transportation Strategy for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. This strategy also supports the transportation objectives of the government's growth plan, developed by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal.
Status: Deferred
Rationale: The Transportation Strategy is no longer in development.
Commitment: MTO will continue to work on highway signing initiatives to improve traveling for highways users, particularly for senior drivers and other people with visual impairments.
Status: Ongoing
Action: The ministry continued to monitor and test new devices and materials that have the potential to improve visibility of highway signs and pavement markings. High visibility micro-prismatic fluorescent sheeting is now required on many major construction signs to make the signs more visible in daylight and nighttime conditions.
Timeframe: October 2005 to September 2006 reporting period.
Commitment: MTO will continue to strive to ensure barrier-free access to ministry buildings with a focus on entrances and points of egress, accessibility to corridors, washrooms and common work areas, and signage related to both interior and exterior entranceways.
Status: Ongoing
Action: MTO continued to work with landlords and made many key accessibility improvements.
- In St. Catharines, automatic door openers were installed in exterior washroom doors. As a first step to address high wind-related issues that made the doors difficult to open, a structure was built at the St. Paul entrance to diminish wind effect
- In Downsview, the installation of a lift in building A was completed to provide access to other buildings on site. Voice annunciation was installed in the elevators in buildings B and D. A total of $112,000 was invested in these two locations this year.
- In Eastern region, automatic door openers were installed at the main door of the Barrack Street Passenger Ferry building (Wolfe Island Ferry) and on the interior unisex washroom door at the same location. Four automatic door openers were also installed on both male and female washrooms at the Glenora Ferry Operations. Directional signs (12) were installed in various locations (Bancroft area office, Kingston regional complex, Ottawa area office and Port Hope area office). Signage was upgraded using specifications (glare-free surface, colour contrasts, tactile raised characters, Grade 1 Braille, appropriate accessibility symbols, etc) from the Barrier-Free Access Standards for Ontario Government Facilities. A total of $22,000 was invested in eastern region.
Timeframe: October 2005 to September 2006 reporting period.
Commitment: MTO will continue to work with Ontario municipalities to assist in improving and renewing their municipal transit systems and assessing whether their transit vehicle management plans are consistent with ODA requirements.
Status: Ongoing
Action: Several important steps were taken to improve municipal transit systems:
- All vehicles purchased using the provincial gas tax funding were fully accessible
- As part of the Federal/Provincial Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund program, the province provided funding to the Toronto Transit Commission to make some subway stations accessible
- In 2005, through the Ontario Transit Vehicle Program, the province provided funding to support the purchase of 494 new conventional transit replacement buses, 78 expansion buses, 55 specialized transit replacement buses and 6 specialized transit expansion buses
Timeframe: October 2005 to September 2006 reporting period.
Commitments – Measures to Prevent New Barriers
In the coming year, the Ministry of Transportation will implement many new accessibility commitments and initiatives. Senior executives are ambassadors for the ODA/OADA taking every opportunity to educate vendors and suppliers to ensure that their products and services meet accessibility requirements. We will also build on our previous successes and continue to work towards achieving full accessibility. This section summarizes these commitments.
Customer Service
MTO is highly committed to providing excellent customer service to all people of Ontario. To prevent customer service barriers we will continue to:
- Support the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario in its efforts to meet requirements under AODA with respect to the Customer Service Standards
- Add the MTO INFO General Inquiry TTY numbers to publications at reprint
- Provide guidance, assistance and direction as needed to service providers with respect to customer service
- Consider accessibility in the purchase of goods and services, including the maintenance of standard Request for Proposals (RFP) templates to reflect ODA obligations
Employment
This ministry will build on achievements of the past years. We will be diligent in preventing employment barriers by continuing to:
- Support the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario in its efforts to meet requirements under AODA with respect to the Employment Standards
- Offer employment accommodation to current and prospective employees during all phases of the recruitment process
- Provide support, advice and assistance to managers on employment accommodation requests
- Monitor and report on ODA online mandatory training for new managers as per Section 8(3) of ODA, 2001
Communications and Information
MTO made significant progress in this area. We will strive continually to remove and prevent barriers in communications and information processing. To achieve this we will continue to:
- Support the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario in meeting requirements under AODA with respect to the Communications and Information Standards
- Monitor and assess ODA compliance of web-based resources to be posted on MTO's internet site
- Follow World Wide Web Consortium Accessibility Guidelines, priorities I & II
Built Environment
MTO has achieved great success in removing and preventing barriers in the built (building) environment. Building on our success in this area is vital. We will continue to:
- Support the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario in meeting requirements under AODA with respect to the Built Environment Customer Service Standards
- Work closely with building management with respect to the requirements under the Barrier-Free Access Standards for Ontario Government Facilities
Acts and Regulations
- We will continue working with divisional key staff with responsibilities in this area as well as Legal Services Branch
Other Barriers
- We will continue to support the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario in meeting requirements under ODA and AODA including the work of the Transportation Standard Development Committee
- We will continue to seek and welcome public ODA input and recommendations through various channels
- We will continue to administer and implement commitments outlined under the MTO Accessibility Plan
- We will continue to provide advice and consultation to program areas on ODA and AODA requirements
- We will continue to ensure that the Emergency Management and Response Plans include consideration for people with disabilities
Commitments – Barriers to be Addressed
The Ministry of Transportation is committed to addressing barriers for people with disabilities, using many practical, effective measures. This section summarizes these commitments.
Customer Service
Barrier: Not all key staff members who provide customer service to the public received the Serving Customers with Disabilities training.
Commitment: Ensure that all staff members who provide services to the public have received training on serving customers with disabilities.
Responsibility: Corporate Services Division will coordinate this initiative in collaboration with other divisions
Timeline: September 2007
Barrier: Staff working with third party service providers may not have sufficient ODA/AODA knowledge.
Commitment: Enhance ODA/AODA knowledge of Issuing Office Administrators.
Responsibility: Road User Safety Division
Timeline: Summer 2007
Barrier: Beginner Driver Education not readily available for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Commitment: Continue to facilitate discussions with the working group to find a suitable solution for appropriate driver education services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Responsibility: Road User Safety Division
Timeline: Ongoing
Barrier: The Downsview complex does not have visual indicators to facilitate the safe evacuation of people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Commitment: Work with the landlord to provide light indicators to facilitate the safe evacuation of people who are deaf or hard of hearing in the Downsview complex.
Responsibility: Corporate Services Division, Facilities and Business Services Branch in cooperation with building management
Timeline: September 2007 and subject to building management project schedule
Employment Accommodation
Barrier: Managers and human resources professionals would benefit from receiving various communication products once the new, enhanced, comprehensive policy on Employment Accommodation, Return-to-Work and Illness and Injury is released.
Commitment: Address knowledge gap with the management group and human resource professionals.
Responsibility: Corporate Services Division
Timeline: Subject to the timing of the policy release and Ministry of Government Services directions
Barrier: Human resources professionals indicated that managers would benefit from receiving a practical guide on how to provide appropriate accommodation during the recruitment process (at the request of the applicant).
Commitment: Develop a practical accommodation guide for managers to assist them when recruiting.
Responsibility: Corporate Services Division
Timeline: Spring 2007
Communications and Information
Barrier: MTO staff in various business capacities do not have the appropriate level of knowledge with regards to ODA and AODA.
Commitment: Develop an accessibility communication strategy. Senior management will distribute communication products as identified under the communication strategy.
Responsibility: Corporate Services Division
Timeline: Communication strategy to be completed in the fall of 2006. Communication products to be distributed between January 2007 and September 2007
Built Environment
Barrier: Accessibility to municipal transit system.
Commitment: Continue to work with Ontario municipalities to assist in improving and renewing their municipal transit systems and assessing whether their transit vehicle management plans are consistent with the requirements as set out in ODA.
Responsibility: Policy and Planning Division
Timeline: Fall 2006
Barrier: The St. Catharines building location does not have appropriate accessible parking spaces to accommodate the public and visitors with disabilities.
Commitment: Work closely with building management during construction to re-shape the front yard of the St. Catharines building to resolve insufficient accessible parking spaces.
Responsibility: Corporate Services Division, Facilities and Business Services Branch in cooperation with building management
Timeline: Project completion scheduled by the fall of 2007
Barrier: Winds sometimes make it difficult for people with disabilities to access the front entrance of the St. Catharines building.
Commitment: Work closely with building management to retrofit the front entrance of the St. Catharines building to allow for easier access by people with disabilities.
Responsibility: Corporate Services Division, Facilities and Business Services Branch in cooperation with building management
Timeline: Project completion scheduled by the fall of 2007
Barrier: Identification of a crossing at a highway intersection in Eastern region that is unsafe for people with a visual disability.
Commitment: An accessible pedestrian signal (APS) will be installed during the installation of a traffic signal on Highway 41 in Northbrook.
Responsibility: Provincial Highways Management Division, MTO Eastern Region Engineering Office
Timeline: Fall 2006
Barrier: Managers indicated that they would find it useful to have a barrier-free checklist to ensure a barrier-free office.
Commitment: Distribute a barrier-free checklist to MTO managers.
Responsibility: Corporate Services Division
Timeline: Winter 2007
Acts and Regulations, Policies and Directives
Barrier: The MTO Directive pertaining to Carpool Parking Facilities Policy, Procedures and Responsibilities is not in accordance with the Barrier-Free Access Standards for Ontario Government Facilities guidelines provisions.
Commitment: Review and update this Directive.
Responsibility: Policy and Planning Division
Timeline: Spring 2007
Barrier: MTO does not have a formal policy addressing accessible public meetings.
Commitment: Develop a policy on accessibility at ministry Public Information Centre events as part of an ongoing update to the Class Environment Assessment process.
Responsibility: Policy and Planning Division and Provincial Highways Management Division
Timeline: Multi-year plan given that the review process includes participation of other ministries
For more information
Questions or comments about the ministry's accessibility plan are always welcome.
Please phone MTO INFO General Inquiry Service at:
| GTA area: | 416-235-4686 |
| 1-800 number: | 1-800-268-4686 |
| TTY number: | 905-704-2426 (St. Catharines area) |
| TTY 1-866 number: | 1-866-471-8929 |
| E-mail: | oda@ontario.ca |
| Ministry website address: | www.mto.gov.on.ca |
Visit the Ministry of Community and Social Services web portal: Accessibility For Ontarians with Disabilities. The site promotes accessibility and provides information and resources on how to make Ontario a barrier-free province.
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