Accessibility isn't just the law, it's also the right thing to do. We have implemented policies and guidelines to create a barrier-free Laurier and adhere to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). 

The AODA at Laurier

Our initiatives in achieving an accessible campus, such as reporting disruptions and our Accessibility Advisory Committee, are heavily guided by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). By implementing the AODA standards at Laurier, we are challenging our departments to re-evaluate how they offer our services, and we have broadened our institutional knowledge of what it means to be accessible.

The AODA, 2005 is provincial legislation that mandates how businesses and organizations, including Laurier, provide accessible services to students, employees and community members with disabilities. The goal of the AODA is for Ontario to be fully accessible by 2025. To fulfill this goal, a series of standards have been enacted which impact these five areas:

• customer service
• design of public spaces (built environment)
• employment
• information and communication
• transportation

Learn More About the AODA

• The Ontario's AccessON website includes helpful videos and summaries of standards.
• The Council of Ontario Universities' Accessible Campus includes information about the AODA in a university setting.
• Ontario's eLaws site includes the AODA Accessible Standards for Customer Service legislation and AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation.

Ontario Human Rights Code

The Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) is a provincial law that prohibits actions that discriminate against people based on a protected ground, such as disability, in a protected social area, such as employment, housing and services.

The Code guarantees the right to equal treatment in education, without discrimination on the ground of disability, as part of the protection for equal treatment in services. In 2018, the OHRC policy on education for students with disabilities was released to aid education providers recognize and fulfill their obligations under the Code. This includes:

• The design of their facilities.
• Creating inclusive policies and procedures.
• Responding appropriately and in a timely way to accommodation requests.
• Effectively addressing complaints related to disability.

Policies to Foster Equity and Accessibility

Although many of Laurier’s policies can have an impact on equity and accessibility, the following are most related to accessibility:

• 8.10 Accessible Service Policy for persons with disabilities (includes service animals)
• 8.7 Employment Accommodation Policy
• 2.3 Academic Accommodation of Students with Disabilities
• 8.4 Employment Equity
• 6.1 Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination

A Scent-Free Laurier

While visiting Laurier, we ask that you avoid the use of perfume, cologne, scented lotions, scented hairspray, and other scented products. Scented products can trigger serious health reactions in people with asthma, migraines, allergies or chemical sensitivities. Scented products can create barriers. By creating a low-scent or scent-free environment, we contribute to the elimination of barriers for those with disabilities.