Holland Bloorview's Accessibility Planning
As a hospital and a publicly-funded facility in Ontario, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is obligated to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005. As an organization whose primary mandate is to create a world of possibility for children with disability, Holland Bloorview embraces our mandate and leadership role in ensuring accessibility for everyone.
The purpose of the AODA is to develop, implement and enforce standards for accessibility in Ontario related to goods, services, facilities, employment, accommodation and buildings by 2025. As a designated Public Sector organization, Holland Bloorview has two obligations under this Act:
- Develop an annual Accessibility Plan, make it available to the public, and follow through on the implementation of the plan.
- Comply with the Customer Service Standard and the Integrated Accessibility standards.
For the purposes of Holland Bloorview's Accessibility Planning, Holland Bloorview uses the Ontario Human Rights Code definition of 'disability', which is also the definition used in the development of the AODA.
- any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device
- a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability
- a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language
- a mental disorder, or "handicap".
In addition, Holland Bloorview references the AODA's definition of a "barrier", which is anything that stops a person with a disability from fully taking part in society because of that disability. Some barriers include:
- physical barriers, for example a step at the entrance to a store;
- architectural barriers, for example no elevators in a building of more than one floor;
- information or communications barriers, for example a publication that is not available in large print;
- attitudinal barriers, for example assuming people with a disability can't perform a certain task when in fact they can;
- technological barriers such as traffic lights that change too quickly before a person with a disability has time to get through the intersection; and barriers created by policies or practices, for instance not offering different ways to complete a test as part of job hiring.
Accessibility Planning Advisory Committee (APAC)
To guide Holland Bloorview in the development of its Accessibility Plan, Holland Bloorview has created an Accessibility Planning Advisory Committee (APAC).
The Accessibility Planning Advisory Committee exists to:
- ensure Bloorview meets its obligations under the AODA to develop an annual Accessibility Plan;
- provide advice on what the plan should include;
- review Holland Bloorview's annual progress on the plan; and
- help identify annual priorities within the plan.
The APAC is accountable to the Senior Management Team, who has responsibility for approving Holland Bloorview's annual Accessibility Plan.
2022-2023 Membership
- Allan Marriage, Holland Bloorview Foundation
- Alison Hughes, Holland Bloorview Foundation
- Carolyn McDougall, Participation and Inclusion
- Dolly Menna-Dack, Client and Family Integrated Care
- Anna Tendera, Family Leader
- Crystal Chin, Youth Leader
- Emily Chan, Complex Continuing Care
- Carolyn Wilson, Complex Continuing Care
- Ian Rogers, Building Services
- Dr. Timothy Ross, Bloorview Research Institute
- Joanne Miedzik, Volunteer Resources & Reception
- Larissa Haluszka-Smith, Volunteer Resources
- David Miadovnik, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Anti-racism
- Lorraine Thomas, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Anti-racism
