Guide 4 Demanding Accessible Services

Living Unlimited

You Have the Right to Ask

A Guide to Demanding Accessible Services

Last updated: July 2026.

Why This Guide Exists

Accessibility is not a favour. It is a right.

If a building, website, service, or organization is not accessible to you because of your disability, that is a barrier. And most barriers are fixable. The law says so. You have the right to ask for accessibility, to push for it, and to complain when you do not get it.

This guide is for people with disabilities who want to know how to exercise those rights in practice. It covers federal and provincial accessibility laws, how to make accessibility requests, how to escalate when things go wrong, and where to file complaints. It also covers digital accessibility, transportation, documents, and how social pressure can sometimes get results faster than formal complaints.

You do not have to accept inaccessible services and move on. You have options.

Section 1: Your Legal Rights, The Basics

The Accessible Canada Act

The Accessible Canada Act (ACA), which came into force in 2019, is the main federal accessibility law in Canada. It applies to federally regulated organizations, including banks, airlines, federal government departments, telecommunications companies, broadcasting companies, and federally regulated workplaces.

The ACA requires these organizations to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility in seven priority areas:

• Employment
• The built environment (physical spaces)
• Information and communication technologies (ICT), including websites and apps
• Communication other than ICT (printed materials, customer service)
• The procurement of goods, services, and facilities
• The design and delivery of programs and services
• Transportation

The AODA (Ontario)

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is Ontario's provincial accessibility law. It applies to most businesses and organizations in Ontario that provide goods or services to the public.

The AODA has five standards:

• Customer Service Standard: how organizations must serve customers with disabilities.
• Information and Communications Standard: how organizations must provide accessible information.
• Employment Standard: how employers must accommodate employees with disabilities.
• Transportation Standard: accessibility requirements for public transit in Ontario.
• Design of Public Spaces Standard: accessibility requirements for built environments.

Provincial Laws in Other Provinces

Other provinces have their own accessibility legislation, at different stages of development.

• Manitoba: The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) is similar in structure to the AODA.
• Nova Scotia: The Accessibility Act came into force in 2017.
• Prince Edward Island: has accessibility legislation.
• British Columbia: the Accessible British Columbia Act came into force in 2021. Newfoundland and Labrador: the Accessibility Act, 2021. Saskatchewan: The Accessible Saskatchewan Act, 2023. Alberta, Quebec and the territories do not have dedicated accessibility statutes of this kind, though Quebec has long-standing obligations under its own legislation. Check your own province, because this area is moving quickly. The human rights codes in all provinces also provide protection.

The Canadian Human Rights Act

Even where specific accessibility legislation does not apply, the Canadian Human Rights Act (federal) and provincial human rights codes prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. Organizations have a duty to accommodate people with disabilities to the point of undue hardship. This applies broadly: banks, stores, landlords, employers, and service providers.

Section 2: What Accessibility Means in Practice

What You Can Ask For

Accessibility can look different depending on your disability and the service. Here are some of the things you can ask for:

• Physical access: a ramp, an accessible entrance, an elevator, accessible washrooms, a ground floor meeting room.
• Communication access: documents in plain language, large print, braille, audio format, or digital format. A sign language interpreter. Captions on videos.
• Service delivery: being served at a lower counter, being given extra time, being allowed to have a support person with you.
• Digital access: a website that works with screen readers, captions on videos, alt text on images, accessible online forms.
• Alternative formats: getting information in the format that works for you instead of the default format.

What Counts as a Barrier

A barrier is anything that prevents a person with a disability from participating on equal terms. Barriers can be:

• Attitudinal: staff who are impatient, dismissive, or assume someone cannot make their own decisions because of their disability.
• Physical: steps without ramps, inaccessible washrooms, narrow doorways.
• Systemic: policies and procedures that do not account for disability.
• Informational: documents only available in one format, websites that do not work with assistive technology.
• Communication: no sign language interpretation, no captions, no plain language options.

Section 3: Making an Accessibility Request

How to Ask

Most accessibility needs can be met by simply asking. Many businesses and organizations are willing to provide accommodation when someone explains what they need. You do not owe anyone a medical diagnosis or detailed explanation of your disability. You just need to explain what you need.

Examples of how to frame a request:

• 'I need this document in a larger font, can you provide that?'
• 'I use a wheelchair and the accessible entrance is locked. Can someone let me in?'
• 'I have a hearing impairment. Can you provide captions for this online meeting?'
• 'I need to bring a support person. Is there a cost for them to attend?'

What to Document

If you think a refusal is possible, or if the situation involves ongoing access to a service, document from the start.

• Write down the date and time of every interaction.
• Note the name of the person you spoke with.
• Keep copies of any written requests you make.
• Keep copies of any responses you receive.

When to Put It in Writing

For important or ongoing requests, put them in writing. An email creates a record. It also prompts a more formal response.

Section 4: When a Business Refuses

Escalating Within the Organization

If the first person you talk to refuses your request, do not stop there. Ask to speak to a manager. Ask for the organization's accessibility plan or accessibility policy. In Ontario, large organizations covered by the AODA are required to have an accessibility policy and a process for receiving and responding to accessibility feedback.

Filing a Complaint Under the AODA

If you are in Ontario and an organization is not meeting its AODA obligations, you can file a complaint with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario.

• Visit the Ontario government's AODA website at ontario.ca/page/accessibility-in-ontario.
• Use the online complaint form to report a violation.
• The Directorate has the authority to investigate and, in serious cases, to issue penalties.

Filing a Human Rights Complaint

If you believe the refusal is discrimination based on your disability, you can file a human rights complaint. In Ontario, this goes to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO). Federally, it goes to the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC).

A human rights complaint can result in remedies including an order to provide accommodation, damages, and systemic changes.

Section 5: Digital Accessibility

What the Law Requires

Under the AODA's Information and Communications Standard, organizations in Ontario are required to make their websites and web content accessible according to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA. Federally regulated organizations under the ACA face similar requirements.

WCAG 2.0 Level AA covers things like:

• Alt text on images (text descriptions that screen readers can read out loud).
• Captions on videos.
• Sufficient colour contrast between text and background.
• Keyboard accessibility (being able to use a website without a mouse).
• Clear, understandable text.

What You Can Ask For

• Ask a business or organization to provide an accessible version of a document or webpage.
• Ask a streaming service to add captions or audio description.
• Ask an app provider to make their app work with your screen reader.
• Ask a company to make their online forms accessible.

How to Identify Digital Barriers

If a website or app is not accessible to you, that is likely a barrier under the law. Barriers to look for:

• Images with no descriptions (if you use a screen reader, it cannot read an image without alt text).
• Videos with no captions.
• Forms that cannot be navigated by keyboard.
• Documents only available as PDFs with no accessible alternative.
• Colour as the only way to distinguish information (problems for colour-blind users).

Filing a Complaint About Digital Accessibility

For Ontario-based organizations, file with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario. For federally regulated organizations (banks, telecom companies, broadcasters), file with the relevant federal regulator. See Section 11 for the complaint table.

Section 6: Physical Accessibility

What the Law Requires

Ontario's Design of Public Spaces Standard under the AODA sets out specific requirements for accessible built environments. These apply to outdoor public spaces like playgrounds and rest areas, recreational trails, and outdoor eating areas. The Ontario Building Code also includes accessibility requirements for buildings.

Federally regulated buildings and spaces must also meet accessibility standards.

What You Can Ask For

• An accessible entrance if the main entrance is not accessible.
• A ramp or elevator if you cannot use stairs.
• An accessible washroom.
• A seat or rest area if standing for extended periods is not possible.
• Accessible parking close to the entrance.

How to Report Physical Barriers

For businesses in Ontario, file an AODA complaint with the Accessibility Directorate. For public buildings, contact the building manager first and follow up with the Directorate if there is no response. For federal buildings, Accessibility Standards Canada is not the route: it develops standards and does not take complaints. Complaints about a federally regulated organization go to the Accessibility Commissioner at the Canadian Human Rights Commission, or to the Canadian Transportation Agency for transport and the CRTC for broadcasting and telecommunications.

Section 7: Customer Service Accessibility

What Businesses Must Do

Under the AODA's Customer Service Standard, Ontario businesses and organizations that provide goods or services to the public must:

• Serve customers with disabilities in a way that takes their needs into account.
• Allow customers to use assistive devices.
• Allow support persons and service animals.
• Let customers know when accessible service is not available and offer alternatives.
• Train staff on how to interact with people with different disabilities.

How to Get Better Service

If you are not getting accessible customer service:

• Ask to speak to someone who has been trained on the organization's accessibility policy.
• Tell the organization specifically what you need to access their services.
• If a service is unavailable in an accessible format, ask what alternatives are available.
• If you are turned away because of your disability or your support person, file a complaint.

Section 8: Accessible Documents

What You Can Ask For

When an organization provides you with a document (a form, a report, a contract, a letter), you can ask for it in an accessible format. Accessible formats include:

• Large print
• Braille
• Audio recording
• Plain language version
• Electronic format compatible with screen readers (a properly formatted Word document or accessible PDF)

Who Must Provide Accessible Documents

Under the AODA, Ontario organizations must provide accessible formats on request. Under the ACA, federal organizations must do the same.

Make your request in writing. Be specific about the format you need and why. Give a reasonable deadline.

What Makes a PDF Accessible

Not all PDFs are the same. An accessible PDF has:

• Actual text, not a scanned image (a scanned document is just a picture and cannot be read by screen readers).
• Tags that tell screen readers what type of content each element is (heading, paragraph, list, table).
• Alt text for any images in the document.
• A logical reading order.

Section 9: Transportation Accessibility

Federal Transportation Rules

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) enforces accessibility requirements for federally regulated transportation, including airlines, interprovincial rail such as VIA Rail, marine transportation, and bus services that cross a provincial or international border.

The Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations set out detailed requirements, including:

• Accessible booking and check-in processes.
• Assistance at airports and train stations.
• Rules about seating, mobility aids, and service animals.
• Requirements for accessible communications.

Provincial Public Transit (Ontario)

Ontario's AODA Transportation Standard applies to public transit providers in Ontario. They must:

• Provide accessible information about routes and schedules.
• Train staff on assisting passengers with disabilities.
• Have accessible vehicles and stops to the extent required by the standard.

When Transportation Is Inaccessible

For federally regulated transportation, file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency at otc-cta.gc.ca. The CTA has a fast-track process for accessible transportation complaints.

For provincially regulated transit in Ontario, file with the Accessibility Directorate or the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario if the issue involves discrimination.

Section 10: Accessible Social Media and Communications

What Organizations Should Be Doing

Organizations that communicate through social media, newsletters, or digital channels have an obligation to make that content accessible. This includes:

• Alt text on images posted to social media.
• Captions on videos, including Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube.
• Plain language summaries for complex content.
• Transcripts for audio content, including podcasts.

How to Ask for Accessible Communications

You can ask any organization to provide accessible versions of their communications. Practical examples:

• Ask a company to add alt text to their social media images.
• Ask a broadcaster to add audio description to their programming.
• Ask a podcast network for a transcript.
• Ask a newsletter to offer a plain language version.

Complaints About Broadcasting and Telecommunications

The CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) has jurisdiction over broadcasting and telecommunications accessibility, including:

• Closed captioning requirements for television broadcasters.
• Audio description requirements.
• Accessibility requirements for telecommunications services.

File a complaint with the CRTC at crtc.gc.ca if a broadcaster or telecommunications provider is not meeting its accessibility obligations.

Section 11: Filing Accessibility Complaints

Here is a summary of the main bodies that handle accessibility complaints and what they cover.

Where to complain	What it covers	Where to go
Accessibility Commissioner, at the Canadian Human Rights Commission	Accessible Canada Act obligations of federally regulated organizations: banks, federal departments, and federally regulated workplaces	chrc-ccdp.gc.ca
Canadian Human Rights Commission	Discrimination on the basis of disability by a federally regulated organization	chrc-ccdp.gc.ca
Canadian Transportation Agency	Air, interprovincial rail, marine and cross-border bus travel. Has a dedicated accessible transportation complaint process	otc-cta.gc.ca
CRTC	Broadcasting and telecommunications: captioning, audio description, accessible telecom services	crtc.gc.ca
Accessibility Directorate of Ontario	AODA compliance by Ontario organizations	ontario.ca/page/accessibility-in-ontario
Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario	Disability discrimination in Ontario: services, housing, employment	tribunalsontario.ca/hrto
Your provincial human rights commission or tribunal	Disability discrimination outside Ontario. Every province and territory has one	Search your province’s human rights commission

Two things worth knowing before you choose. Accessibility legislation and human rights law are separate routes and you may be able to use both: accessibility complaints are about an organization’s compliance with a standard, human rights complaints are about discrimination against you personally and can carry remedies including damages. And human rights complaints have deadlines, commonly one year, which vary by jurisdiction, so get advice early rather than assuming you have time.

Section 12: Using Social Media and Public Pressure

When and How

Formal complaint processes can be slow. Social media and public attention can sometimes produce faster results. Before using public pressure, consider:

• Have you already tried a direct request? Public pressure works best after private channels have failed.
• Are you prepared for a public conversation? Sometimes organizations respond defensively.
• Is your description of the barrier accurate? Stay factual.

Effective Social Media Advocacy

• Tag the organization directly. Public posts that tag the organization are more likely to get a response than posts that do not.
• Use relevant hashtags: #accessibility, #a11y (a common shorthand), #AODA, #AccessibleCanada.
• Be specific and factual. 'The main entrance has steps and no ramp' is more effective than general complaints.
• Share your post in relevant community groups. Amplification from others increases visibility.
• Document the barrier first: a photo, a screenshot, or a screen recording.

Public pressure is a legitimate tool. It has led to real changes in accessibility. Use it thoughtfully.

Section 13: Key Resources

Accessibility Law and Complaints

• AODA Alliance: independent watchdog on Ontario's accessibility law. aodaalliance.org
• Accessibility Directorate of Ontario: ontario.ca/page/accessibility-in-ontario
• Canadian Human Rights Commission: chrc-ccdp.gc.ca
• Canadian Transportation Agency: otc-cta.gc.ca
• CRTC: crtc.gc.ca

Legal Help

• ARCH Disability Law Centre (Ontario): disability-specific legal advice. archdisabilitylaw.ca
• Community Legal Clinics (Ontario): find your clinic at legalaid.on.ca

Advocacy and Community Organizations

• Disability Without Poverty: disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca
• Council of Canadians with Disabilities: ccdonline.ca
• Independent Living Canada: centres for independent living across Canada. ilcanada.ca
• Centre for Independent Living networks: in most provinces. Search 'Centre for Independent Living' and your province.

A Final Word

Accessibility barriers are not your fault and they are not inevitable. They are the result of choices, and choices can be changed.

Every time you ask for accommodation, file a complaint, or call out an inaccessible service, you are not just helping yourself. You are making it slightly more likely that the next person does not face the same barrier. Collective advocacy has produced every accessibility law we have. Individual requests, multiplied across thousands of people, produce cultural change.

You have the right to ask. Exercise it.