For your information - Abilities Canada

New Disability Policy Office

Newfoundland and and Labrador’s Disability Policy Office officially opened on June 1. It will be the focal point for government departments and agencies to develop barrier-free policies and programs. It will also strengthen partnerships with community agencies, business and the public sector. Leaders in the disability community provided valuable input into developing the office.
“Establishing this office will help ensure that we promote a fully inclusive society in Newfoundland and Labrador, and I look forward to seeing the positive developments that the Office will initiate in the coming months and years,” said Susan Sullivan, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. The director of the office is Mary Reid, who was previously executive director of the Independent Living Resource Centre in St. John’s and a board member for several disability organizations.

The AODA Alliance, the consumer advocacy group that works to support the implementation of accessibility standards in Ontario, invites more people to get involved. “The government is developing accessibility standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). They have one, the customer service standard, which is widely regarded among people with disabilities as inadequate,” says David Lepofsky, who became the Alliance’s chair in February. “They’re working on four more – access to employment, transportation, information and communications, and the built environment. Over the next six months, the government will make its final decisions on what to do with them.”

The AODA Alliance is developing a platform on each standard. “We try to get all the best ideas together and put
them out to the community for input,” says Lepofsky. “There are areas that are specialized, and we’ll need particular sectors
of people with disabilities to speak to those needs.” At the four-year mark, the AODA requires the government to appoint an independent reviewer to evaluate how well the legislation is working. The review is under way, led by former provincial cabinet member Charles Beer. The Alliance is seeking feedback on how the standards are progressing and what changes are
needed. It plans to submit a brief to the government. Lepofsky encourages the disability community to raise awareness of the need for strong accessibility standards. The Alliance is concerned about resistance from some people to AODA requirements,
which Lepofsky says is due to a misunderstanding of their obligations. “The duty to remove and prevent barriers to accessibility isn’t some new creation – it’s been required under the Human Rights Code and for governments under the
Charter of Rights and Freedoms for over 25 years. What the standards do is provide specific details.” Membership in the AODA Alliance is free. Sign up for email updates by writing to aodafeedback@rogers.com. “We can’t represent individuals
battling individual barriers, but we put out action tips on waging a campaign for full accessibility around the province,”
says Lepofsky. To learn more about the AODA Alliance, visit aodaalliance.org.

NEW LIFE FOR ASSISTIVE DEVICES

Modmobility, a social enterprise from March of Dimes Canada, sells quality used mobility equipment and assistive devices, such
as wheelchairs, scooters and bath equipment, at modmobility.ca. Items are sent to homes across Canada, or to Motion Specialties stores in Ontario and selected locations in Alberta and B.C. for viewing and purchase. The refurbished devices cost significantly less than new equipment. March of Dimes Canada accepts donations of equipment in good condition, or equipment that can be refurbished. Donors receive a charitable tax receipt for items valued over $50. Visit the site or call 1-866-976-6632.