Legislation

The office of the Associate Provost, Campus Support and Accessibility provides leadership to help create a safe, healthy, equitable, and accessible campus environment for all. This work is guided by key legislation, including the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The Ontario Human Rights Code is provincial law that guarantees equal rights and opportunities for all. It prohibits actions that discriminate against people based on a protected ground (e.g., disability, family status, creed) in a protected social areas  (e.g., employment, housing, and services like education). 

• Duty to accommodate and ensure the provision of reasonable accommodations (proactively and retroactively) to the point of undue hardship; 
• Duty to inquire into accommodation needs if you suspect they may be needed;
• Duty to address incidents of discrimination or harassment promptly and fairly.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) was enacted in 2005 and is an Ontario law mandating that organizations must follow standards to become fully accessible by 2025. There are currently 5 standards: 1. Information & Communication. 2. Transportation. 3. Customer Service. 4. Employment. 5. Design of public spaces.  

In 2018, the Ontario Government committed to the development of an education standard under the AODA. The 185 Recommendations in the proposed Postsecondary Education Standards were presented to the Ministry but are not yet codified. 

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) is Ontario’s legislation governing workplace health and safety. It provides a legal framework to achieve our goal of protecting workers from health and safety hazards on the job, mandates that employers take reasonable steps to prevent and address workplace harassment, and identifies the responsibilities of all involved to maintain a safe and respectful work environment. 

• Bill 132, Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act
• O. Reg. 131/16: Sexual Violence At Colleges And Universities
• Bill 18, Consent Awareness Week Act
• Bill 26, Strengthening Post-secondary Institutions and Students Act
• Blind Persons' Rights Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. B.7
• Ontario’s Building Code
• Ontario Criminal Code
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Act 1997 

• Policy 33 - Ethical Behavior
• Policy 34 – Health, Safety, and Environment
• Policy 36 – Dispute Resolution for University Support Staff
• Policy 39  – Leaves of Absence for Staff Members
• Policy 42 – Preventing and Responding to Sexual Violence
• Policy 58 – Accessibility
• Policy 61 – Religious Accommodations
• Policy 67 – Employee Assistance Program 
• Service Animal Verification Guidelines
• Workplace Violence Prevention and Harassment Programs
• Student Academic Accommodation Guidelines
• (Employee) Disability Accommodation Guidelines