The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) guides our efforts to make U of T accessible to, and inclusive of, everyone in our community. Established by the provincial government, the AODA outlines standards that public, private, and non-profit organizations must follow to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities. This webpage shares our institutional progress in meeting the AODA Standards – Information & Communication, Employment, Transportation, Design of Public Spaces, Customer Service, and the General Requirements. For more information on our efforts, we encourage you to review the U of T AODA office website, our annual AODA Report and the University’s Statement of Commitment Regarding Persons with Disabilities.

• General Requirements
• Information & Communication
• Employment
• Transportation
• Design of Public Spaces
• Customer Service

General Requirements

These requirements help organizations develop policies and plans to make sure they are meeting the standards and removing barriers for persons with disabilities.

Accessibility Plans

The University is required to establish, implement, and maintain a multi-year accessibility plan to achieve the goals of the AODA. Our AODA Multi-year Accessibility Plan, 2025 serves as a roadmap for many of the initiatives described on this webpage.

Accessible Procurement

• Our Procurement website provides guidance on including accessibility criteria in processes for buying and acquiring goods, services and facilities.
• Requirements for accessible design, criteria, and features are included in invitation to quote templates:
  • Invitation to Quote – Goods – Procurement Services
• Requirements for accessible design, criteria, and features are included in request for proposal templates and the AODA Office works with Procurement Services to provide regular training on procurement and accessibility.
• All Chairs, Directors and Managers must sign off on accessible procurement rules in Accountability Reports

Training

• The AODA Online Training Module covers all training requirements under the Customer Services Standards as well as those of the general requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation, which includes information on the Ontario Human Rights Code as it relates to disability.

Information & Communication

This standard helps organizations make their information accessible to people with disabilities.

Feedback

• The AODA Office has a comprehensive and accessible process for receiving and responding to feedback on the accessibility of the University’s goods, services and facilities.
  • The Reporting: Consultation and Resolution webpage outlines how to report and resolve accessibility concerns.

Accessible formats and communication supports

• The U of T homepage includes language informing the community about how to make accessible format requests.
  • This approach is reflected across all divisional homepages.

Emergency procedure, plans, or public safety information

• All U of T emergency procedures, plans and public safety information are posted on the University’s Emergency Preparedness website. It is AODA compliant and accessible versions can be requested.

Accessible websites and web content

• The AODA Office provides web accessibility reviews, consultation, and training to the University community so that we can achieve AODA compliance. This is accomplished through a strategic approach to compliance reviews; ongoing consultation with website owners to ensure compliance; and the offering of training covering all aspects of the University’s web ecosystem, from procurement to content management.

Educational and training resources and materials

• Students can register with Accessibility Services for assistance in navigating disability-related barriers to academic success. Accessibility Services provides services and supports for learning, problem solving, and inclusion. Available accommodations include access to materials in alternate formats (e.g., braille, large print, digitized text, voice-activated software, assisted-hearing devices).

Training to educators

• The University’s teaching and learning centres regularly provide training to educators on accessible course design through their programming. More recently, this focused on University Design for Learning (UDL) to proactively eliminate barriers to academic success. For example, the Centre for Teaching Support and Innovation offered a Course Design Institute on UDL to introduce faculty to frameworks and practical strategies to offer more inclusive, accessible, and flexible learning opportunities.

Libraries of educational and training institutions

• University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) is committed to making their collections equitably available to persons with disabilities. If the available format of collections presents challenges or barriers, UTL works with students, faculty, staff, librarians, and community members to make the collection available in a format that best suits the individual’s needs. In some cases, this might include required course materials such as textbooks.
• Library users can contact the Library Accessibility Office for support.

Employment

This standard helps make hiring and employee support practices more accessible.

Recruitment, assessment or selection process

• Every job posted on the U of T Careers website has an accompanying statement affirming our commitment to making our processes as accessible as possible. Accommodations can be requested at any point during the application and hiring process by contacting uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.

Notice to successful applicants

• Language meeting these requirements has been included in the template letters of offer provided by University HR & Labour Relations and in appointment letter templates provided by the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life (VPFAL).
• The University has also developed a Diversity in Recruitment manual instructing recruiters to include a statement about accommodation throughout the recruitment process.

Informing employees of supports

• Language meeting these requirements has been included in the template letters of offer provided by PSEC and in appointment letter templates provided by VPFAL.
• The University makes its Accommodation Guidelines for Employees with Disabilities publicly available.

Documented individual accommodation plans and other requirements under the AODA employment standards

• The University satisfies the rest of the AODA employment standards, including accessible format supports, workplace emergency response information, return to work, and performance management to redeployment through its employee accommodation guidelines and the services of Health & Wellbeing Programs & Services.
• The University’s emergency preparedness resources also refer to the appropriate services for persons navigating disability-related barriers.

Transportation

This standard makes it easier for everyone to travel in the province.

Public sector organizations

• The University is not primarily in the business of transportation, but does provide transportation service via the UTM shuttle bus. The majority of UTM shuttle buses are accessibly equipped with two spaces available for passengers who use mobility devices such as wheelchairs and scooters. If U of T community members require accessible service for specific departure times, they can contact Parking and Transportation Services for trip confirmation in advance.

Design of Public Spaces

This standard helps organizations make new and redeveloped outdoor public areas accessible.

All Design of Public Spaces technical requirements

• In 2023, the University formally adopted a new Facility Accessibility Design Standard (FADS) that provides a comprehensive approach to designing an accessible built environment. The FADS fully integrates the Design of Public Spaces Standard technical requirements throughout.
  • Prior to this, the University’s design standards referred to the Design of Public Spaces and the specific sections new and redeveloped spaces needed to follow.

Maintenance

• Each University campus has integrated the maintenance of accessible elements into already existing robust procedures for preventative and emergency maintenance, including dealing with temporary disruptions. More can be found on the facilities management website for each campus:
  • Facilities Management & Planning, UTM
  • Facilities & Services, St. George (see: Property Management, Elevators, Grounds)
  • Facilities Management, UTSC

Customer Service

This standard helps remove barriers for people with disabilities so they can access goods, services, or facilities.

Establishment of policies

• The University’s Statement of Commitment covers our requirements under the Customer Service Standard.

Use of service animals and support persons

• The University has a comprehensive Service Animals Guideline. Service animals are welcome to accompany persons with disabilities on any of the three University of Toronto campuses, unless one of the exceptions outlined in the guideline applies.
  • Support persons are welcomed at the University to accompany persons with disabilities in order for them to access the University services.

Notice of temporary disruptions

• Each campus has a process for providing notices of temporary disruptions. These are listed below:
  • U of T Mississauga provides notices via an Active Access Notices website.
  • St. George provides notices via a Building Access Notices website.
  • U of T Scarborough provides notices on information screens and physical posts.

Training for staff

• The training requirements under the Customer Service Standard are covered by the University’s 30-minute online module.

Feedback process required

• The AODA Office has a comprehensive and accessible process for receiving and responding to feedback on the accessibility of the University’s goods, services and facilities.
  • The Reporting: Consultation and Resolution webpage welcomes this feedback.

Format of documents

• The U of T homepage includes language informing the community about how to make accessible format requests.
  • This approach is reflected across all divisional homepages.
  • The University’s Statement of Commitment includes language ensuring that requests for accessible service, including documents, must be facilitated promptly.

Education and Engagement

The University of Toronto offers a variety of training sessions, supports, and resources to enhance our community’s understanding of accessibility and Universal Design for Learning. Visit the links below to learn more.

AODA & Universal Design Event Calendar

AODA Office