New Accessible Customer Service Standards come into force July 1st. Are you ready?

June 22nd, 2016 by Katie Douglas

On July 1, 2016, the Accessible Customer Service Standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (the AODA) are changing. The changes apply to all organizations in Ontario with one or more employees that provide goods or services to the public.

The AODA is organized into five ‘standards’: customer service, information and communications, transportation, employment, and the design of public spaces. These standards are being phased in gradually and will be fully implemented in 2025. We’ve previously written about the new employment standards coming into force under the AODA in 2017. Those changes apply to all organizations with fewer than 50 employees. Read up on them here.

Below is a brief summary of the changes coming July 1st under the Customer Service Standard. Organizations with questions or which are unsure if they are meeting their obligations under the AODA are encouraged to contact us. Continue reading “New Accessible Customer Service Standards come into force July 1st. Are you ready?”

Introducing new lawyer, Katie Douglas

June 21st, 2016 by Iler Campbell

Katie Douglas has articled with us for the last year and we’re very pleased that she’s agreed to stay on as a new  lawyer – she is a great fit for the firm, as those of you who’ve met her will surely agree.  Sharp eyed readers of our blog should recognize her name as one of our regular authors. For more on Katie, take a look at her profile.

Celebrating Brian’s AMS/John Hodgson Award of Excellence in Charity and Not‑For‑Profit Law

June 3rd, 2016 by Iler Campbell

IMG_3005Brian Iler was presented with the 2016 AMS/John Hodgson Award of Excellence in Charity and Not‑For‑Profit Law on June 2 by the Ontario Bar Association Charity and Not-For‑Profit Law Section in a luncheon ceremony. Celia Chandler introduced him with a brief recounting of his career and his personality. She called out “his energy, his idealism, his ability to cut to the chase.”

Brian followed that up with more detail, recounting key moments in his career. He remains, in his words, “an unrepentant 68er ‑ hopeful, not without reason, that with collective and sustained community initiatives, the world can be made a better place.”

Read on for the full text of their comments. There’s some great history in there! Here’s to more great work to come! Continue reading “Celebrating Brian’s AMS/John Hodgson Award of Excellence in Charity and Not‑For‑Profit Law”

Small organizations: new accessibility standards apply to you starting 2017

May 31st, 2016 by Katie Douglas

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (the AODA) removes barriers to participation in society for people with disabilities by requiring organizations to follow various “Accessibility Standards.” Currently, small organizations –organizations with 1 to 49 employees – must meet two Accessibility Standards. The first, Information and Communications Standards, require that, if requested, organizations provide or arrange for communication supports (e.g.. sign language interpreters) and information in accessible formats (e.g. large type brochures) for people with disabilities. Further, small organizations that provide goods or services to members of the public (e.g. a food co‑operative) must meet the Customer Service Standards which require that they provide their goods and services in a way that is accessible to people with disabilities, including accommodating service animals. Continue reading “Small organizations: new accessibility standards apply to you starting 2017”

Thank you for all the support; I’m back at work full time

May 27th, 2016 by Celia Chandler

As many of you know, my partner, Jack, was diagnosed with lung cancer in January.  Princess Margaret Cancer Centre began immediately to treat him aggressively with chemo and radiation; as a result, I’ve been working part‑time.

I’m very pleased to report that Jack’s treatment is largely complete and the test results are very encouraging. He is tired but confident that he’s on the road to recovery.   Jack’s definitely got the power of positive thinking on his side!

Thank you for your expressions of concern over these months ‑‑ how comforting to receive support from such a large circle of friends, many with your own cancer stories.   Thanks too for patiently waiting for me to respond to your emails or for letting me pass work to colleagues.  (I’m so grateful for colleagues who’ve picked up the slack!)

This week I’ve happily returned to work full‑time.   Please don’t hesitate to be in touch with me.   And keep the good thoughts coming Jack’s way.

Bill C-16 introduces transgender protections but keeps Harper’s damaging human rights legacy

May 26th, 2016 by Shelina Ali

This article was first published on rabble.ca

Last week, the Liberal government introduced Bill C-16, an Act to Amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code of Canada to protect transgender individuals from discrimination and hate propaganda. The bill is almost identical to Bill C-279, a private member’s bill introduced in 2012 by NDP MP Randall Garrison. The two bills seek to make very simple amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) and the Criminal Code of Canada (Criminal Code): to provide protection from discrimination and from hate propaganda based on gender identity or expression.

The history and fate of the previous Bill C-279, together with prior amendments to the CHRA carried out by the Harper government in 2012 under Bill C-304, provide important insight into why the reintroduction of these amendments is so important — but also how, through Bill C-16, the Liberal government has failed to take advantage of a crucial opportunity to undo Harper’s damaging impact on the scope of equality rights protections available to Canadians under the CHRA. Continue reading “Bill C-16 introduces transgender protections but keeps Harper’s damaging human rights legacy”