From mandate to movement: making Toronto fully accessible

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) sets out a legal mandate to achieve accessibility for Ontarians by the year 2025. As the AODA is rolled out across Ontario, large urban centres like Toronto may experience challenges in implementing its standards, particularly as monitoring of the legislation is sporadic and there is no concrete definition for ‘full accessibility’. Consequently, urban planners, among other professionals, struggle to plan and design environments that are inclusive to users of all abilities. A content analysis of academic literature, policy, and best practices, as well as qualitative survey data among eight

planning and planning related professionals has helped to address the following research questions: Is Toronto on track to becoming a fully accessible city by the year 2025, as set out in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005)? And are planners adequately trained to design accessible built environments, beyond minimum provincial and municipal standards?

Key words:

An article on accessibility planning in theory and practice, used the key words: accessibility; built environments; urban planning; urban design; universal design; inclusive design; profession.