Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Ontario Trails - Beare Park Meeting, Cyclist Forum, Accessibility Panel, Get Out There and Dog Sledding all on Ontario Trails!

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Canadian Cyclist - Ontario Cycle Tourism Forum 2013
Canadian Cyclist Online. The source for Canadian cycling news and information including mountain bike and road bike tours, adventure biking features, ...
www.canadiancyclist.com/cycling4women_news.php?id...

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News Release

New Council to Help Make Ontario Even More Accessible

January 21, 2013

Ontario Government Improving Independence for People of all Abilities

Ontario has appointed a new council to help remove barriers for people with disabilities.

In response to recommendations by Charles Beer's review of Ontario's accessibility law, the government is establishing the Accessibility Standards Advisory Council. This new council will be chaired by Jim Sanders, former president and CEO of CNIB. The immediate mandate of the new council will be to:

Review Ontario's five existing accessibility standards.
Develop new accessibility standards based on the advice and feedback we have received to date from stakeholders.

Since the introduction of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act in 2005, Ontario has implemented standards that cover customer service, information and communications, employment, transportation and the design of public spaces. The most recent set of standards, the design of public spaces, became law on Jan. 1, 2013. As part of a phased-in approach, this newest standard will take effect in 2015 for the government, with full implementation by 2018.

Making Ontario more accessible is an important part of the Ontario government's plan to create opportunities for Ontarians and improve independence for people of all abilities.

QUICK FACTS

One in seven Ontarians has a disability — that’s 1.85 million people. Over the next 20 years, that number will rise as the population ages.
Ontario’s accessibility law affects 360,000 businesses and organizations throughout the province.
People with disabilities have an estimated spending power of $25 billion annually across Canada.