Since October 1999, municipal codes and bylaws and building codes require that new buildings be accessible. Since the same month in 2004, the same governing bodies have passed laws against discrimination of disabled persons that mandate reasonable building adjustments to accommodate disabled people.

Even when facilities are designed as inclusively as possible, some persons with disabilities may still require an accommodation to meet their individual needs. The “duty to accommodate” is the legal obligation that employers, unions, landlords and service providers have under the Code to meet the needs of persons with disabilities. The goal of accommodation is to allow equal participation in services, housing, or the workplace.

An Accessibility Audit undertaken by Kleinfeldt determines the level of accessibility of your building, beginning with the site grounds, and progressing to address other building elements.

There are many different types of Accessibility Audits; some focus on a certain type of disability, while others are more concerned with a certain area of a building. A simple code conformance audit determines if a building meets the Ontario Building Code (OBC) requirements. A universal design audit is generally more comprehensive, and strives to ensure that your building offers an environment assessable to all users.

Kleinfeldt Accessibility Audits enable you to ensure your property is accessible to all people; a worthwhile goal regardless of governmental regulations.

Kleinfeldt Consultants Limited (KCL) is now a member in good standing of the Accessibility Consultants of Ontario http://www.acaontario.ca/default.asp and we recently updated the range of services we provide with regard to accessibility legislation relating to the built environment* in Ontario.

(*Built environment refers to access, egress and movement within buildings and outdoor spaces and includes counter heights, aisle and door width, parking, signage, pedestrian access routes and signal systems.)

Architectural and Engineering Accessibility Services for Built Environments.

KCL's specialized accesibility consulting services include: Assistance with Grant Applications Standard and Legislative Compliance Advice and Research Accessibility Planning and Cost Analysis Building Audits and Plan Reviews Specification and Evaluation of Accessibility Products Preparation of Construction and Tender Documentation Contractor Evaluation and Selection On-Site Quality Assurance and Mockup Testing Construction Management and Expediting Professional Reporting Professional Witness Accessibility Research and Development

Accessibility Consultants of Ontario http://www.acaontario.ca/default.asp

Background; The Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, also known as the Customer Service Standard, came into force January 1, 2008 and is now the law. Designated public sector organizations must comply by January 1, 2010 and file a report by 2010. Organizations in the private sector, including non-profit, with 20 or more employees must comply by January 1, 2012, and file a report in 2012.

Organizations in the private sector, including non-profit, with one to nineteen employees must comply by January 1, 2012, but are exempted from reporting.