Is your workplace ready for Ontario’s next accessibility reporting deadline? For businesses and non-profits with 20 or more Ontario employees, the Accessibility Compliance Report is due December 31, 2026. Smaller businesses still have accessibility and training responsibilities, while employers with 50 or more employees face additional requirements.

For businesses in Orillia, Barrie, Muskoka and surrounding communities, now is a good time to review policies, train employees and organize supporting records. STC-HR can help with workplace assessments, compliance training and due diligence documentation, turning requirements into practical workplace actions.

What AODA means for your business

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, establishes a framework for removing and preventing barriers. Its standards address customer service, information and communications, employment, transportation and public spaces. Requirements depend on your organization’s size, sector and activities.

The December deadline is for reporting ongoing compliance. Training, accommodation and accessibility practices should already be part of everyday operations. This article focuses on Ontario businesses and non-profits; public-sector and federally regulated organizations need a separate assessment of their obligations.

1 to 19 employees Small business still has responsibilities

Businesses with 1–19 Ontario employees do not have to submit an Accessibility Compliance Report. However, they must meet applicable accessibility requirements, including required training, accessible customer service, accessibility policies, information and communication supports, and employment practices.

Under the general accessibility policy requirements, organizations with fewer than 50 employees generally do not have to document their policies. Written procedures are nevertheless useful for explaining responsibilities and maintaining consistency.

A practical starting point is to identify who handles accessibility requests. Do employees know what to do if someone cannot use a printed form or needs help accessing a service? Clear procedures and relevant onboarding training help a small team respond confidently.

20 to 49 employees Review your practices and file your report

Businesses with 20–49 Ontario employees must meet applicable accessibility requirements, provide required training and file their Accessibility Compliance Report by December 31, 2026.

This reporting threshold does not automatically trigger the additional requirements that apply at 50 employees, such as a multi-year accessibility plan or the specific public website standard.

Before filing, check whether your report answers reflect actual workplace practices. Recent hires may have missed training. A recruitment policy may mention accommodation while current job advertisements omit it. Compare each applicable reporting question with your procedures and evidence, identify gaps and assign someone to address them.

50 or more employees Additional planning and documentation

Businesses with 50 or more Ontario employees must also file by December 31, 2026. They have additional responsibilities, including documented accessibility policies and a multi-year accessibility plan. Required documents must be publicly available and provided in accessible formats on request. Post the plan on your website, if you have one, and review and update it at least every five years.

These employers must retain prescribed training records, including dates and the number of people trained. They also need a written process for developing documented individual accommodation plans and a documented return-to-work process for employees returning from disability-related absences who require accommodation.

Assign responsibilities across HR, operations, supervisors and communications. A useful plan identifies actions, owners and timelines, making it easier to follow through and demonstrate progress.

Training needs to connect with people’s work

Required training covers employees and volunteers, people developing organizational policies, and people providing goods, services or facilities on your behalf. It must address accessible customer service, relevant AODA standards and the Ontario Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Provide training as soon as practicable and update it when relevant policies change.

Make the content appropriate to people’s duties. HR staff need to understand accessible recruitment and accommodation. Customer service employees need practical ways to assist people encountering barriers. Supervisors need to know how to respond to requests and arrange support.

At 50 or more employees, prescribed training records are required. For smaller employers, keeping records remains a useful practice. Training completion supports your program, but a certificate alone does not establish full organizational compliance.

Check hiring communication and workplace support

Employment requirements include notifying applicants about accommodation, consulting selected applicants who request it, informing employees about support policies and providing accessible workplace information where needed. Provide individualized emergency response information when an employee’s disability makes it necessary and the employer is aware of the need. Consider accessibility in relevant performance management, career development and redeployment practices. 

Accessible formats and communication supports must be provided on request in a timely manner, considering disability-related needs, at no more than the regular cost. Consult the person about a suitable response.

For example, an accessible electronic document may work better than a scanned image. Review how staff receive these requests and who arranges the alternative. Protect sensitive accommodation information and keep it separate from general training records.

Website accessibility and public spaces

If your business or non-profit has 50 or more Ontario employees, its public website generally needs to meet Ontario’s website accessibility requirements. In practical terms, people with disabilities should be able to find information, move between pages and use features such as forms. Ask your website provider to check it against the required standard, called WCAG 2.0 Level AA. This requirement has been in place since January 2021; December 2026 is the reporting deadline, not a new website deadline.

The detailed rules include exceptions and limits on which websites and content are covered. Your website provider should confirm what applies and explain any fixes needed. Businesses with fewer than 50 employees still need to provide accessible information and communication support when required.

AODA rules can also apply when you build or make major changes to certain public spaces, such as outdoor paths, parking areas and service counters. Check the requirements before starting the work. These rules do not mean every existing building must be renovated by December 2026. Building accessibility requirements and individual accommodation duties may also apply separately.

File accurately and keep evidence

Confirm your Ontario employee count using current reporting instructions, including full-time, part-time, seasonal and contract employees. Distinguish contract employees from genuine independent contractors; volunteers and employees outside Ontario are not counted as Ontario employees. Resolve uncertainty near a threshold before selecting your category.

Submit through Ontario’s Accessibility Compliance Reporting Portal. Someone with authority to legally bind the organization must certify the report.

Address gaps promptly, but do not miss the deadline because improvements remain unfinished. Answer accurately and maintain a corrective action plan. Useful evidence includes dated policies, training records, review findings, completed improvements and the submitted report. Filing is not government certification of full accessibility.

STC HR can help you take the next step

STC-HR provides Training, Implementation, and Support to help employers strengthen AODA practices.

Our workplace assessments can identify gaps in policies, procedures and documentation. Our compliance training helps employees and managers understand their responsibilities. We can also help organize due diligence documentation, including training records, policy reviews and corrective action tracking.

Whether you need a small-business review or coordinated support for a larger workplace, we can help you establish practical next steps and follow through.

Contact STC-HR at info@stchr.ca or 705-300-3577, or visit stchr.ca to discuss your workplace’s needs.