Independence and Opportunity

A MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER

November 5, 2001

People from all walks of life and from every organization and institution work hard to build a province we can be proud of -- a land of opportunity. Ontarians freely acknowledge that their province is one of the best places in the world in which to work, invest, live and raise a family.

From its first day in office, your government has been committed to maximizing the potential of every individual Ontarian for the benefit of all Ontarians. And under our leadership, Ontarians have come together like never before to tackle many serious social and economic issues that for too long had lingered unresolved.

To secure our future, we must continue to move forward together. We are building a legacy for our children and grandchildren as a fair and inclusive society. To do this requires tapping the talents, experience and expertise of every person who calls Ontario home, encouraging every person to contribute to their community, and making sure we remove the many and varied barriers that prevent people from experiencing full citizenship.

We envision an Ontario where persons with disabilities can experience the same fullness of opportunity as all Ontarians. We envision an Ontario where persons with disabilities can get into and around their community safely, attend and participate in a town council meeting, get to a job that nurtures their skills, and live as independently as possible. This "Framework for Change," along with the "Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001" (ODA), which is before the legislature, is a tribute to all Ontarians with disabilities. It proposes the actions government and its partners need to take to ensure that persons with disabilities share in the opportunities prosperity brings.

Our plan has been developed with significant input from persons with disabilities and other partners. Over the past months I have personally met with hundreds of individuals, groups, organizations, institutions and associations. Your input has been invaluable.

We have listened. We have learned. And we are now taking action, proudly and confidently, to move steadily toward an Ontario in which no new barriers are created and existing ones are removed.

Our approach is balanced, reasonable and practical. It is positive and constructive. It is a plan that engages all sectors of society, drawing on their expertise to create further positive change. Most important of all, our approach is achievable.

Some of our first steps will include opportunities for persons with disabilities to become engaged in the reforms we are about to create together. But we will need everyone’s help and contribution in the period ahead.

Please join me and your government in this united effort by reading this document, thinking of ways that you can become part of the solution -- and taking action in whatever way you are able. You can make a difference.

-- The Honourable Cam Jackson, Minister of Citizenship



INDEPENDENCE AND OPPORTUNITY
Ontario’s Vision for Persons with Disabilities

The people of Ontario support the right of every person with a disability to live as independently as possible, to enjoy equal opportunity and to participate fully in every aspect of life in our province.

We believe that the dignity and worth of all Ontarians should be respected and valued.

We have a responsibility to ensure that persons with disabilities share the same rights, freedoms and obligations as every Ontarian. This is a responsibility which rests with every government, every region, every institution, every association, every sector and every person in Ontario.

Achieving this vision makes good sense for us all. Persons with disabilities make significant contributions to the well-being of their neighbours, communities and province. And we all benefit when we maximize the potential that lies within every person.

To this end, the Government of Ontario pledges to work in partnership with Ontarians to build on what we have already achieved together. We will move steadily towards a province in which no new barriers to persons with disabilities are created and existing ones are removed.

Independence and Opportunity: The Vision We Share

-- Mike Harris, Premier

-- Cam Jackson, Minister of Citizenship



A PROPOSED ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
In Conversation with the Minister

Raymond Cohen, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of ABILITIES magazine, recently spoke with Minister Cam Jackson about the new legislation that has been put forward to ensure the rights of people with disabilities in Ontario to access their province fully.

Q: Minister, this has been a long and arduous process. This legislation has been anticipated for six and a half years, by one and half million people with disabilities in Ontario. Clearly, there have been times when a path towards an ODA has been quite contentious. In the final analysis, were you guided by any specific principles?

A: We wanted to engage the disability community, first and foremost. Second, we wanted to reach out to a broad spectrum of governments and the private sector.

Q: Is there any legislation you worked on in the past, which prepared you for this process?

A: I have been involved in social policy for my entire political career, and I learned early that you have to engage people in the process of reform. I believe in an approach that puts people inside the legislation, so they can share the responsibility for driving the agenda forward.

Q: How important was it to you that the government be seen to be keeping its longstanding promise to persons with disabilities?

A: This government has honoured each and every one of its commitments. We are pleased to be able to table this proposed legislation on time, before the end of November.

Q: A central part of the unofficial debate between government and community has been whether the ODA should be based on voluntary or mandatory compliance. How would you characterize the model you have developed?

A: The proposed legislation is rather unique in that it is part of a comprehensive strategy that includes both mandatory and voluntary components. The strength of the proposed regulation-making powers within the legislation would mean that even the voluntary components could eventually lead to mandatory imperatives. This approach would give us the flexibility that we would need in order to ensure that everyone participates actively and supports this important legislation.

Q: Does the legislation level the playing field regardless of disability? I am thinking here of disabilities beyond those that restrict mobility. Does the new act address the concerns of people with intellectual disabilities, sensory disabilities and so on?

A: We would use the broadest definition possible of persons with disabilities, to ensure that everyone could seek solutions and remedies under the proposed legislation.

Q: Physical access is an obvious issue. What about other issues of access, such as transportation, Braille signage, worker accommodations or government materials being presented in alternate format?

A: The proposed legislation would require public and broader public sector organizations to develop annual accessibility plans that would identify these kinds of barriers. And there would need to be plans that remove those barriers. We have the legislative authority and the regulatory ability to make that happen.

Q: Do you envision a specific yardstick being applied across all municipalities by which businesses and services will be evaluated and monitored, or will it be left to each municipality to determine its own standards?

A: Municipalities really want a flexible model. And as I met personally with accessibility advisory committees and members of council and mayors all across the province, it was clear to me that some would be able to reach compliance in a few years, while others would take a little longer. It would be done at different rates, but I believe this would be a first in Canada -- that every community throughout Ontario would be on track to remove those barriers.

Q: It sounds like each municipality will be very much involved in its own process, but do you see any operating guidelines or direction in terms of developing standards?

A: Yes. There is some excellent work already done in the province. It just hasn’t, thus far, had the kind of support that government and legislation can provide it. We’ll set up "best practices" -- we will offer guidelines that can be considered for implementation in communities. With the leadership of the provincial council linked with activities of the local accessibility advisory committees, working cooperatively with municipalities, we believe barriers will be removed at a very quick rate. We will have effective, supportable, meaningful standards that we can share all across Ontario.

Q: What about enforcement? Where are the teeth in this legislation?

A: This is a law that applies to government and the broader public sector first. These organizations will be required to report publicly, so that the public can determine the speed at which they’re achieving these important benchmarks. We’re also developing regulations that could contain further enforcement features if deemed necessary. We’ll have power in the regulations to mandate standards for the private sector once the sector has worked with the directorate to establish these standards.

Q: Does the new legislation differentiate between private and public sector buildings, businesses and services?

A: Yes. There are a host of new obligations under the public sector, including buildings it owns, leases and constructs. New standards will apply, of course, to the Ontario Legislature -- the speaker will be required to have a full accessibility plan. We also know that we can make further adjustments to the Ontario Building Code and to the Planning Act.

Q: Have you and your staff been able to project a timeline as to when activities related to the ODA will commence?

A: This is a legislative process, and we do wish to have some consultation with the disability community. But it is our hope that we will be able to win sufficient support on the floor of the legislature and have the bill passed this fall, so that we can begin the full implementation and commencement of the new legal obligations in Ontario beginning in the new year.

Q: Why are you so confident that your vision of a greater independence and opportunities for people with disabilities is achievable in Ontario?

A: First of all, we are going to partner with all sectors. Secondly, we are engaging the disability community. I believe that the empowering model of social reform is the most enduring of all reforms that government can undertake. Our model does not attack any given sector, it engages them. The message I heard from the disability community is that they want an Ontarians with Disabilities Act that every Ontarian can feel a part of.

Q: How would you answer critics who say your approach won’t work?

A: I believe that this is very progressive legislation. I believe that it engages the disability community like never before. Ontario expects to achieve an outcome by engaging everyone in the process. This model does that very clearly.

Q: Virtually every other province has a premier’s council or a minister’s advisory committee on disability issues. You’ve mentioned the Ontario Accessibility Directorate and Advisory Council -- what is its status?

A: Ontario has an opportunity now to create one of the strongest councils anywhere in Canada. And a directorate within the Ministry of Citizenship. These organizations would help direct the outcome of the legislation.

Q: You have been meeting with other community leaders to discuss the ODA. Can you speak to what the general reaction has been thus far?

A: Many mayors and council members in Ontario have demonstrated an understanding of and a sensitivity towards the needs of persons with disabilities. There are some who have expressed concern that we are creating a mandatory environment for municipalities. But I have yet to find an elected official who flatly says, "We will not support this."

Q: Do you feel you have met the demands of the community as reflected by the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee?

A: The initial feedback has been extremely positive. I am encouraged by that. The legislation was written with regulatory power within it so that these changes can continue to be made. The disability community would have access to the Accessibility Advisory Council and local accessibility advisory committees. We will be harnessing their good ideas and their legitimate needs, and channelling those with future legislation or regulations. That’s what progress is about. Ontario expects no less.



MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER
"The Government of Ontario, reflecting the desire and determination of Ontarians to do what is right, is moving dramatically to increase independence and opportunity for persons with disabilities. Building on an already strong foundation of services and support, we will keep our promise -- and position -- as a leading edge jurisdiction, moving carefully and compassionately toward a fully inclusive future for persons with disabilities."
-- Mike Harris, Premier

TOWARD THE VISION
"We have a Vision of an Ontario where old barriers are removed and no new ones are created. We have a plan to achieve this Vision. And we have a host of supportive stakeholders in municipal government, the disability community, the broader public sector and private sectors ready and willing to make it happen."
-- Cam Jackson, Minister of Citizenship



BUILDING A FRAMEWORK FOR CHANGE ON A STRONG FOUNDATION

In 1995, the Government of Ontario made a firm commitment to increase opportunities for persons with disabilities. The government’s solid track record is built upon a strong foundation of existing legislation, a considerable number of services and programs for persons with disabilities and nearly six billion dollars in annual spending.

A strong Ontario Human Rights Code provides a solid basis for the rights of persons with disabilities in this province. Simply put, it is against the law to discriminate against persons with disabilities.

The Government of Ontario spends billions of dollars annually on programs and services for persons with disabilities. Almost $1 billion in new funding has been announced since the current government was elected in 1995.

Examples of new initiatives include:

- In 2001, $20 million was allocated to children’s treatment centres to improve access for children with special needs.
- In 1999, $35 million in new resources went to improving support and services for persons with developmental disabilities living in the community, and their families.
- In 1998, the government confirmed that a pilot project to enable adults with physical disabilities to manage their own support and attendant services would be made permanent, and approved an annual budget increase of $18.7 million.
- In 1997, a $25 million matching grant went to the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation for spinal cord and brain injury prevention, rehabilitation and research.

Though the foundation is strong, clearly there is much more yet to be done. The Vision Statement released November 1 reaffirms the government’s commitment to building an inclusive Ontario for persons with disabilities.

Our plan to achieve this vision was developed with the input and support of many organizations and individuals representing persons with disabilities. Throughout the consultation process, the disability community said that strong legislation with mandatory measures is necessary, but that it is not the complete solution. We have listened and responded.

The government’s proposed "Framework for Change" would directly affect four key sectors: the Ontario Public Service; municipalities; the broader public sector; and the private sector. Each has a role to play in helping Ontario realize its vision for persons with disabilities. The framework inclused strong legislation, non-legislative initiatives and a multi-year plan.

Two new bodies -- the Ontario Accessibility Directorate and the Accessibility Advisory Council of Ontario -- would be created through legislation at the provincial level to help make Ontario more inclusive.

In addition, several pieces of existing legislation would be amended to immediately improve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities.


The Province of Ontario -- Leading by Example

The provincial government has a responsibility to set a high standard and to demonstrate leadership.

The Ontario Public Service (OPS) is the province’s largest employer, with more than 60,000 employees. The day-to-day operations of government have far-reaching implications. From access to information, to obtaining a birth certificate or driver’s licence, to simply having access to the province’s seat of government, persons with disabilities still face many barriers.

The requirements being proposed for the OPS would set important new standards for accessibility in this province and for accessible service delivery.

TAKING ACTION...

Accessibility Plans

- Every ministry would be required to prepare an annual accessibility plan and to develop these plans in consultation with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario. Plans would be made public.

- Accessibility plans would: identify current barriers to be addressed; describe the actions to be taken to identify and remove barriers in legislation, programs, practices, services and policies; and report on progress made in the previous year. Some agencies would be required to develop accessibility policies.

Government Buildings

- The government would be required to develop barrier-free design guidelines for buildings and premises, in consultation with persons with disabilities and others.

- It would be required to ensure that any buildings or premises it purchases, constructs or renovates significantly, after the Bill comes into force, would comply with those guidelines. Simply put, the business of Ontario ministries would be made more accessible to employees and customers with disabilities.

- The government would have to have regard to compliance with the guidelines for buildings when it enters into new leasing agreements.

- All citizens of Ontario have the right to access their seat of government. The Bill would require the Speaker of the House to prepare an accessibility plan applicable to all areas under the Speaker’s control. The plan would address the identification, removal and prevention of barriers in the Legislative chamber and the other areas of the Legislative Building. The plan would also address the policies, programs, practices or services of the Legislature.

Buying Goods and Services

- The province buys billions of dollars’ worth of goods and services every year. It would be required by law to make accessibility a consideration in such purchases. This would mean that thousands of suppliers throughout Ontario would have to become aware of and consider the accessibility of the goods and services they provide if they wish to sell to the Ontario government.

Communication and Information

- Where technically feasible, provincial government Internet sites would have to be accessible by persons with disabilities.

- With some exceptions, such as maps, government information materials would have to be made available, upon request, and within a reasonable time frame, in a format accessible to persons with disabilities who request them.

Employment

- The government would be required to accommodate the accessibility needs of its employees and of those who apply for positions and are invited to take part in the selection process.

- Through an annual $1 million accommodation fund, Management Board Secretariat would reimburse ministries for certain expenses they incur to accommodate job applicants and employees.

- All managers and supervisors would be required to receive training on the legislation and the government’s obligations regarding accessibility in employment.

Government-Funded Capital Programs

- Buildings that are built with government capital funding would have to meet or exceed the accessibility requirements of the Ontario Building Code. In addition, the government would be able to set accessibility criteria in other types of projects. This is one way to ensure no new barriers will be created.

GETTING RESULTS...

- Greater public accountability

- Improved access to services and information

- Physical barriers identified and removed over a prescribed period of time

- Heightened public awareness of disability issues


The Accessibility Advisory Council of Ontario

During consultation on the proposed "Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001," many businesses, municipalities and other organizations said repeatedly that they wanted to do the right thing but that they didn’t always have the information and knowledge that enabled them to do so. As a result, good intentions often fell short of expectations.

To guide and assist these partners, the legislation proposes the creation of an Accessibility Advisory Council of Ontario which would report directly to the Minister of Citizenship.

TAKING ACTION...

The council would bring together individuals who have the expertise, experience and knowledge to provide strategic advice to the minister. It would oversee implementation of the legislation. It would also be charged with the responsibility of monitoring and advancing the legislation and would provide annual reports on its activities. The council would include persons with disabilities.

GETTING RESULTS

The council could:

- Provide a long-term "lens" on accessibility issues to ensure continual progress toward an accessible Ontario over time.
- Proactively encourage partnerships and garner support from all sectors.
- Advise the minister and government on disability issues.


The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario

During the consultation process, participants expressed concern about a lack of service delivery, attitudinal barriers and the need for a single point of access to government where persons with disabilities could raise their concerns. The directorate would address these concerns, among others.

TAKING ACTION...

The directorate would work with and across all of the sectors and ministries that are charged with responsibility for helping the government achieve its vision. It would work with municipalities and the private sector to set standards and incentives for the removal of barriers on a sector-by-sector basis.

GETTING RESULTS...

The directorate would:

- Provide specialized knowledge and research.
- Assist municipalities, the OPS, school boards, public transportation providers, hospitals, colleges and universities with accessibility planning.
- Develop partnering relationships with standard-setting organizations, the disability community and the private sector to continually remove barriers.
- Consult with the disability community on an ongoing basis to implement change.
- Provide information and advice to the government on disability-related issues.
- Help develop sectoral standards and codes.

The directorate would launch a public education program to change attitude and awareness. The campaign would deliver the message that opening doors is everybody’s business.


The Municipal Sector

Perhaps no government has a more direct impact on our daily lives than the municipal level. Municipalities play a significant role in the development of our communities -- the streets, parks, public transit and public buildings that we use every day.

Municipalities implement the Building Code and the Planning Act and oversee renovations and retrofits. They are staffed by professionals, skilled in planning and building inspections. They currently oversee and enforce bylaws designed to improve accessibility and mobility for municipal residents.

That’s why the mandatory participation of municipalities is key to realizing fully the government’s vision for persons with disabilities. That’s why the "Framework for Change" engages municipalities as partners while, at the same time, respecting their request for flexibility, their need for autonomy and their desire to work towards locally driven solutions.

TAKING ACTION...

The "Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001," if passed by the Legislature, would engage municipalities in a number of ways:

- Municipalities of 10,000 or more residents (representing more than 90 per cent of the population) would be required to develop annual accessibility plans and to make those plans public.

- Municipalities of 10,000 or more residents would be required to establish accessibility advisory committees which would report to council. The committees would advise on the development of accessibility plans, among other functions. Municipalities would have to seek input from their advisory committees when purchasing, constructing, renovating or leasing new buildings.

- As seen in many examples across the province, change occurs when the community that is affected by change is included in the process. Mandating annual plans and committees will result in the identification and planned removal of barriers over time. More than 160 municipalities would plan for accessibility as a regular part of doing business.

- Functions of the committees and the process of implementation would be developed through regulation in consultation with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.


- Municipalities would be required to consider the needs of persons with disabilities when purchasing goods or services through the procurement process.

- Additional municipal powers and obligations would be created under the Act. For example, a municipality could set accessibility as a condition for issuing a municipal licence.

- Municipalities would also have to consider accessibility when approving a plan of a subdivision and when engaging in planning.

- No new subdivisions or construction would occur without consideration of accessibility features. Curb cuts and audible traffic signals and inclusive design would become more common features in communities across Ontario.

GETTING RESULTS...

- Significant improvements in community accessibility -- as demonstrated by those municipalities that have already benefited from their accessibility advisory committees and planning processes.

- Increased public awareness of disability issues.

- Greater public accountability.

- An ongoing and participatory role in decision-making for persons with disabilities.


Other Broader Public Sector Organizations

While the province and municipalities, working together, can accomplish a great deal, the government recognizes that a much broader coalition would be needed to realize its vision fully. Obligations and expectations from sectors beyond these two levels of government are captured in the legislation.

Beyond municipalities, the term "broader public sector" (BPS) refers to those organizations and institutions that are the major recipients of provincial government funding -- hospitals, colleges, universities and school boards.

In addition, public transportation providers -- including transit systems and authorities -- would be required to develop annual accessibility plans. Accessible public transportation systems play a significant role in enabling persons with disabilities to have access to their communities and to employment.

TAKING ACTION...

- The legislation would require BPS organizations -- and public transportation providers -- to mirror the efforts of government by requiring them to develop annual accessibility plans and make them public. Plans would set out improvement goals, as well as describing progress made in the previous year.

- Plans would be required to identify the barriers faced by persons with disabilities and the actions that would be taken to address them. This would include barriers in policies, practices, programs and services.

- Other BPS organizations, including some government agencies, would be required to establish accessibility policies to address how they are providing services to persons with disabilities.

- Some 159 hospitals, 25 colleges, 17 universities and 78 school boards would be developing and implementing plans that would significantly enhance the access of persons with disabilities to education, training and services.


GETTING RESULTS...

- Increased access to schools, colleges, universities, hospitals and public transit.

- Better services for persons with disabilities at schools, colleges, universities and hospitals.

- Greater public accountability.

- Heightened public awareness.


The Private Sector

The private sector is the engine of growth in Ontario.

In the future, the most sustainable companies will be those that create environments in which all individuals are able to contribute their skills, energies and experience towards success. They will be companies with the capacity to employ persons with disabilities, serve customers with disabilities and compete in an increasingly diverse market.

The government believes there is a strong moral, legal and financial motivation for the private sector to improve the accessibility of persons with disabilities to its goods, services, workplaces and business establishments. A number of private sector organizations already have accessibility programs because they recognize that accessibility is good for business. Many others have partnered with government in groundbreaking and award-winning accessibility projects. The corporate will to change things for the better is growing.

Ontario’s business and tourist operators compete in a North American market that is already extremely sensitive and responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities. The experience of working with the Greater Toronto Hotel Association, the Ontario Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Association, and Tourism Toronto, among others, has shown the government that private sector organizations recognize the sound business reasons for improved accessibility and can contribute significantly to the independence of persons with disabilities.

TAKING ACTION...

One of the initiatives of the proposed Accessibility Directorate of Ontario and the Accessibility Advisory Council of Ontario would be to encourage the active participation of various sectors in the creation of accessibility standards. These would then be adopted by those sectors. Once those standards were developed and their principles adopted by a substantial portion of each sector, the government could use its proposed regulation-making authority to enshrine those standards in law and make them mandatory.

GETTING RESULTS...

- Development of flexible, industry-appropriate standards

- Private sector commitment, and partnerships between industry and persons with disabilities

- Clear sectoral standards for accessibility

- Standards could eventually become law

TAKING ACTION

Through the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario, the government would, as a necessary first step, create and administer incentive programs to encourage the participation of all sectors in identifying and removing barriers. One of the first goals would be to encourage businesses to remove physical barriers, such as obvious barriers at entranceways, to make businesses physically accessible to persons with disabilities. Another would be to launch a substantial public education program to overcome attitudinal barriers.

GETTING RESULTS...

- Improved access to business facilities for those people in Ontario who use motorized scooters, wheelchairs, walkers and other assistive devices

- Independence of persons with disabilities is enhanced

- Increased retail job opportunities for persons with disabilities

- Considerable potential for retail businesses to attract customers with disabilities


Legislation to be Amended Immediately

Several Acts would be amended to help improve accessibility for persons with disabilities. For example:

- New penalties would be included under the Highway Traffic Act for the misuse of disability parking permits and under the Municipal Act for illegal use of disability parking spaces.

- The Legislative Assembly Act would be amended to require the Speaker to prepare an annual accessibility plan.

- Amendments would be made to the Elections Act, the Municipal Elections Act and the Election Finances Act to improve the accessibility of the provincial and municipal election processes.

- The definition of "disability" in the Ontario Human Rights Code would be updated to replace the term "handicap" with the term "disability," and to include persons with disabilities who use service animals other than guide dogs.

- The Planning Act would be amended to reinforce accessibility as a planning interest. Accessibility for persons with disabilities would have to be considered when approving a subdivision plan.

- The Municipal Act would be amended to allow municipalities to set requirements for accessibility when granting licences.

- The Social Housing Reform Act would be amended to require managers of social housing services to ensure that a percentage of their housing units would be accessible.

Other Impacts

- Consultations on updating the Ontario Building Code and the Ontario Human Rights Code are taking place.

- The Ontarians with Disabilities Act would automatically be reviewed and updated after five years.



"I believe in moving forward with purpose, and working together to reach a common end. The proposed Ontarians with Disabilities Act incorporates this philosophy and offers a level of commitment that is unprecedented in Canada."
-- Dean LaBute, Regional Representative of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee

"From this point forward, all sectors will have to embrace accessibility as a value and incorporate it into their thinking on a daily basis. This is a significant beginning and we commend the government for demonstrating leadership and putting Ontario at the forefront of mandating change."
-- Barry Munro, President, Canadian Spinal Research Organization

"This legislation is significant. It is a positive framework for furthering change where both the public and private sector can work together with the goal of providing persons with disabilities equal opportunities, barrier free access and full citizenship."
-- Ann Mulvale, Mayor of Oakville



"The proposed Ontarians with Disabilities Act takes the right approach with a combination of mandatory and voluntary measures. Legislation isn’t the only solution. We need to encourage the private sector to get involved and introduce incentives for barrier removal. We need everyone’s participation in overcoming attitudinal barriers and reminding people that opening doors is everyone’s business."
-- Jeff Adams, Olympian and Paralympian


ACHIEVING THE VISION

The Ontario government’s commitment to persons with disabilities is ambitious. No other jurisdiction in Canada has made such a far-reaching, comprehensive commitment to create more accessible communities and to prevent and remove barriers to independence and opportunity.

There are still many obstacles to true independence and opportunity in Ontario for persons with disabilities, but by working together we can achieve our vision of an Ontario where no new barriers are created and existing ones are removed.

For persons with disabilities, the "Framework for Change" offers an unparalleled opportunity to help make change happen -- now and long into the future.

We are creating an alternative future filled with anticipation, hope and change. More importantly, it will be filled with dignity as all Ontarians understand the needs of our citizens with different abilities.

Please consider how you can become involved so that, together, we can begin to work toward the full citizenship of persons with disabilities.

Thank you for reading the "Framework for Change." You can provide feedback to your government through the contact information listed below.

Ontario Ministry of Citizenship
400 University Avenue, 3rd Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2R9
Tel.: (416) 326-0207
Toll-Free: 1-888-520-5828
TTY: (416) 326-0148
Toll-Free TTY: 1-888-335-6611
E-mail: ODA@mczcr.gov.on.ca


Please note: The "Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001," was Introduced and received First Reading in the Ontario Legislature in November. At the time this magazine went to print, the proposed legislation was before the Legislature. Readers should keep in mind that the text of the Bill may change during the Legislative process.

For up-to-date information on the status of the bill, consult the Ministry of Citizenship’s website at www.gov.on.ca/mczcr or the website of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, www.ontla.on.ca, where you will find a section on Bills before the House.