University of Toronto (U of T) faculty and staff will soon receive information about upcoming training sessions on the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

The AODA is a piece of legislation aimed at making the places we work, live and learn as accessible as possible.

To increase awareness and understanding of the Act, large public sector employers, such as the University of Toronto, are required to provide training to their employees on the AODA, its standards, and the Ontario Human Rights Code as it relates to disability.

While acknowledging the legal requirements, Ben Poynton, U of T’s AODA Officer noted that “(l)earning about accessibility as per the AODA standards, although a legislative requirement, will ready University community members to create more accessible and inclusive campuses.”

In order to meet this training requirement, the AODA Office has developed a new 30-minute online training module, which will be rolled out to all employee groups this winter. Individuals who complete this training will receive a certificate upon completion of each module and will also have the session added to their employee training record.

Details about the online training will be available in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, if anyone has questions they are encouraged to contact the AODA Office at aoda@utoronto.ca.