Services


Man on crutches using power door operator         Two seniors walking in park         Woman using scooter in residential courtyard


SPH provides services related to all aspects of achieving compliance with Accessible Canada Act (ACA) implementation and/or AODA legislation and related requirements / accessibility standards that are currently in place.

SPH will provide services independently to our Clients or in collaboration with a larger team - depending on the needs of the Client and scope of the project.

To meet the needs and budgets of all potential Clients, our services are available:

  • On a fixed fee per project basis;
  • On an open-ended consulting basis - as an extension of your staff, or
  • On a limited consulting basis.

Accessible Canada Act (ACA, 2019)


As identified by the Government of Canada:

"The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) applies to the federally regulated private sector, which includes the banking, transportation and telecommunications sectors, as well as the Government of Canada, Crown corporations and Parliament. Under the Act, these organizations will be required to develop and publish accessibility plans that describe how they will identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility. They will also be required to establish a mechanism for receiving and addressing feedback on accessibility from anyone who interacts with their organization. Finally, they will have to develop regular progress reports on the implementation of their plan and addressing any feedback they receive."

The ACA received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019.

For additional information, visit the Government of Canada website.


Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA, 2005)


In 2005, the Government of Ontario passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, also known as the AODA. Its goal is to make Ontario accessible by 2025 by creating and enforcing accessibility standards that address key areas of daily living.

For detailed information on Ontario's accessibility laws, standards and reporting requirements under the AODA, visit the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario's website and the Government of Ontario's e-Laws website.


Removing barriers is a challenging task for any organization and there are typically never any ‘generic’ solutions - each planning, design and development context is unique. SPH can bring experience to the table to assist in this process, whether in-house or through our network of reputable associates.

Our extensive experience is important now that many organizations have developed their first Accessibility Plans and have conducted Customer Service Training, while continuing the process of formal barrier identification and developing suitable strategies for barrier removal and prevention over the long term.

SPH will work with Clients to design appropriate next steps to address AODA compliance and accessibility planning issues / requirements in the most cost effective ways. Tapping into experience, lessons learned and implementing best practices that have been used locally, nationally and internationally is the new challenge for organizations responsible for developing, reviewing and monitoring annual  AODA Accessibility Plans.


Core Services

 

Core services provided by the SPH team are now highlighted to demonstrate our firm's leadership in inclusive design:

 


Read About Accessible Design Compliance

Review of architectural drawings to determine the level of accessibility compliance....

Read About Age-friendly Communities

SPH works collaboratively with diverse client groups and all levels of government in a variety of accessibility planning projects and initiatives geared...

Read About AODA / ACA Compliance & Accessibility Planning

A sample of accessibility planning services that we can provide...

Read About Expert Witness

Contact SPH to provide Expert Witness services...

Read About Facility Accessibility Audits

A Facility Accessibility Audit is an examination of a building's interior and exterior environments...

Read About Aging in Place and Visitability

SPH can advise homeowners on work related to planning, designing...

Read About Special Projects, Studies and Consultation

SPH offers services for a variety of specialized projects....