Ontario Health Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, 2025 to 2029

Statement of Commitment

Ontario Health is committed to respecting the core principles of accessibility legislation: dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity. We incorporate these principles into our policies, procedures, training and best practices. We strive to ensure that all Ontarians have access to our services and information when and how they need them.

We are dedicated to working with Ontarians to make accessibility for everyone a reality.

Introduction

A high-quality health care system starts with a culture that promotes equity and inclusivity and reduces disparities and barriers. We are committed to addressing racism and discrimination, reducing inequities in the health system and supporting more accessible services and information for everyone, including people with disabilities.

As a designated public sector organization, Ontario Health must comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). AODA aims to ensure greater accessibility for Ontarians of all abilities. It is Ontario’s roadmap to become barrier-free and includes accessibility standards in:

• customer service
• information and communications
• employment
• transportation
• design of public spaces

This Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2025 to 2029 outlines our plans for compliance with AODA, including the requirements set by the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulations. This, our second multi-year accessibility plan, builds on what we have accomplished since we introduced our first plan in 2019, when Ontario Health was formed as a new provincial agency.

Since we released that first plan, we have accomplished some important foundational work to embed and advance accessibility across our organization. However, we recognize that there is more work to be done to improve accessibility.

Over the next five years, we will continue the work begun under our previous plan and launch new initiatives to support more accessible services and information for everyone, including people with disabilities.

We are excited about the positive impact this plan will have and are committed to working collaboratively to achieve these goals. Together, we will build a future where barriers are continuously identified and removed, and where equity and accessibility are at the heart of our organizational culture.

Past Achievements to Remove and Prevent Barriers

Our Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2019 to 2024 was developed just after Ontario Health was created as a new provincial agency. During the time covered by the plan, we were bringing together 22 agencies and coordinating Ontario’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, we accomplished some important foundational work to embed and advance accessibility across our newly integrated organization.

In addition to maintaining compliance and reporting obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, we have made some significant progress under our first multi-year accessibility plan. Here are some examples of our accomplishments since 2019:

• Embedded equity, inclusion, diversity and anti-racism into our new organization’s mission and long-term strategic priorities and included people with disabilities as a priority group in our 2024/2025 annual business plan.
• Established a Provincial Equity Office to help build an organizational culture that promotes equity and reduces disparity.
• Developed an Equity, Inclusion, Diversity and Anti-Racism Framework and embedded those principles in our work.
• Developed and put in place numerous policies, practices and procedures aligned with the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity for people with disabilities. Examples include:
  • Accessibility Policy and related processes
  • Accommodation Policy and processes for employees and potential employees
  • Talent Attraction Policy supporting accommodations throughout the full recruitment process
  • Wellness Program catering to diverse needs, including mental health support services and ergonomic assessments
• Established an AODA Compliance Working Group to collaborate on the organization’s accessibility-related documents, including an accessibility policy and a multi-year accessibility plan.
• Implemented and delivered mandatory AODA training for all new hires within their first two weeks of employment.
• Implemented feedback processes for services available to persons living with disabilities, including a streamlined process for accessibility requests through our online contact form.
• Developed and delivered educational material to support Ontario Health team members in creating more accessible digital content and documents, including webinars, lunch and learns, a library of digital accessibility resources on the employee intranet, and an online community to increase awareness, skills and knowledge.
• Developed and implemented strategies, systems, tools and processes to support Ontario Health team members in creating more accessible websites, documents and digital tools, including:
  • More than 130 accessible templates for MS Word and PowerPoint documents
  • A formal exception request process, including extensive documentation, a tracking mechanism and regular follow-up, for files that cannot reasonably be made accessible for posting on the website (defined as “not practicable” in AODA)
  • A standardized approach for document accessibility assessments and remediation to improve consistency in results and advice given across the organization
  • A strategy to accelerate AODA compliance across products and services that includes standardized tools and testing, quality assurance integration, reference materials and training
  • A design system and WCAG 2.0 Level AA conforming component library for product development teams
• Designed/developed/launched multiple AODA-compliant clinical tools, digital applications and websites including our first corporate website, Health 811, several COVID-19 tools and the clinical platform ONE Health.
• Invested in website and document scanning and remediation tools, used regularly to support digital AODA compliance of our public website.
• Onboarded a remediation vendor of record for the organization to ensure AODA compliance of publicly available documents posted on the Ontario Health website.
• Embedded accessibility needs and accommodation plans in the performance development program. Equipped Human Resources Business Partners to support employees and leaders in conversations about career development and advancement of employees with disabilities.
• Embedded AODA and AODA requirements into procurement templates (e.g., Request for Proposal) and vendor contracts, with strong language defining vendors’ responsibility for AODA compliance.
• Hosted an event open to all staff during Disability Employment Awareness Month (October 2024) to educate Ontario Health team members on the needs and experiences of people living with disabilities in the workplace and across the province.

Strategies and Actions for 2025 to 2029

Over the next five years, we will continue the work begun under our previous plan and launch new initiatives to support more accessible services and information for everyone, including people living with disabilities.

In addition to maintaining our compliance obligations, we have planned the following accessibility initiatives to take place during 2025 to 2029:

Customer Service

Information and Communications

Employment

Procurement

Training

Other

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the advice and suggestions we received from the Ontario Health team members who provided feedback and input on this accessibility plan.

We Welcome Your Feedback

To provide feedback on this plan, for more information or to request this plan in an alternative format, please contact our Communications Department by:

• Email: info@ontariohealth.ca
• Phone: 1-877-280-8538
• TTY: 1-800-855-0511