Access Awareness
ARCH is grateful for its long-standing partnership with the Law Society of Ontario, Equity Initiatives Department, in co-organizing and co-hosting the Access Awareness event on an annual basis.
Access Awareness 2025
Details coming soon!
Access Awareness 2024
Navigating Capacity in your Legal Practice with Clients with Disabilities
On May 29th, 2024 ARCH Disability Law Centre and the Law Society of Ontario hosted our annual National AccessAbility Week event titled: Navigating Capacity in your Legal Practice with Clients with Disabilities.
This year’s program offered a panel discussion on the topic of capacity to instruct legal counsel, with a focus on building knowledge and skills for legal practitioners who work with clients with disabilities who have capacity issues. Panellists discussed common assumptions and misconceptions about disability and capacity, as well as legal obligations and professional responsibilities to clients with disabilities who have capacity issues. Panelists also offered practical tips for accommodating clients with capacity issues, with a particular focus on clients with mental health disabilities, clients with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and clients with communication disabilities.
National Access Awareness Program from May 29, 2024 recording is available on the Law Society of Ontario’s website:
NOTE: The recording starts at 2 minute and 34 seconds.
The introduction to the video provides a Copyright & Disclaimer:
The content of this webcast is provided as part of the Equity Education Series hosted by the Law Society of Ontario (Society). The content, including information and opinions, provided by presenters does not represent or embody any official position of, or statement by, the Society, except where specifically indicated; nor does it attempt to provide legal advice. The Society accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content, and expressly disclaims any such responsibility.
Copyright for the content of this webcast is held by the Society and/or the original authors. All content of this webcast, including graphic images, is protected by copyright laws, both as individual works and as a compilation. No user of this webcast may sell, republish, copy, reproduce, modify or distribute this webcast or any portion of this webcast without the prior written permission of the Society or other copyright holder.
The end message: Thank you for attending the Equity Legal Education Series event. This concludes today’s webcast.
Access Awareness 2023
Accessible justice for persons with environmental sensitivities
National Access Awareness from May 31, 2023 recording is available here: Law Society of Ontario – ARCH Archived Webcast
At this event, ARCH Executive Director and panelists discussed the particular barriers and access to justice issues that persons with environmental sensitivities face.
The first panel included a medical expert who explored the nature, prevalence, and particular considerations regarding this disability in addition to a pre-recorded video from someone with lived experience who shared their insight regarding barriers to accessing justice, legal representation, and legal processes.
The second panel explored accommodation and practice issues for legal practitioners in representing clients with environmental sensitivities, including the duty to accommodate in the delivery of legal services and effective strategies for an accessible practice as it relates to environmental sensitivities. Attendees learn about a new project called Empowering Community and Removal of Barriers and how lawyers can get involved, as well as some preliminary research findings from that project.
If you attended our AccessAbility Awareness event on May 31, 2023, please consider filling out our Survey (ARCH Disability Law Centre, EHAC, ASEQ): Survey: Accessible justice for persons with environmental sensitivities
Access Awareness 2022
Advancing Accessibility Through Legislation and Litigation
National Access Awareness from June 1, 2022 is now available for viewing.
To watch or download the webcast with captions, go to: https://lso.freestonelms.com/viewer/eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJjaGFwdGVySUQiOjQyNzU4NSwiY3VzdG9tZXJJRCI6MTExMTg1OTl9.jaash8s8fhJjhrprO9UVnxk1FUzozQNR4BNhhpsBy8w
At this event, ARCH Lawyers and panelists discussed critical issues in advancing accessibility, including discussion of the Accessible Canada Act and considered developments in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) in the context of the fourth legislative review that is currently underway. They concluded by exploring the landmark judicial review decision for equal access in Hejka v. the Regional Municipality of Durham – a case centred around access to accessible transit. They discussed the case in relation to two key issues: Failure to properly interpret the AODA and relevant regulation, as well as failure to provide sufficient reasons for a decision that had such a significant impact on the applicant.
Access Awareness 2021
Advocacy strategies for persons with disabilities during COVID-19
National Access Awareness Program from June 6, 2021, is available for online viewing below.
To watch or download the webcast with captions, go to: https://bit.ly/32Qaj4j
At this event, ARCH lawyers will discuss advocacy strategies for persons with disabilities during the pandemic and how they continued to include persons with disabilities in discussions that affect them. ARCH lawyers will also examine changes to their practice of law and offer reflections on how those changes will influence the future practice of law.
Access Awareness 2019
Accessibility at Administrative Tribunals
National Access Awareness Program from June 5, 2019, is available for online viewing below.
To watch or download the webcast with captions, go to: https://bit.ly/2HAIRcW
This year’s discussion was about accessibility at administrative tribunals. With a focus on the Human Rights Tribunal and the Landlord and Tenant Board, speakers talked about procedural accommodations for persons with disabilities as a way to ensure equal access to administrative tribunals. They’ve also addressed recent case law related to procedural accommodations and explored creative strategies to address barriers faced by persons with disabilities in accessing this system.
Access Awareness 2018
Privacy as it Relates to Persons with Disabilities
National Access Awareness Program from June 5, 2018, is available for online viewing below.
ARCH co-hosted its annual Access Awareness event with the Law Society of Ontario on June 5, 2018. The theme of this year’s event was privacy as it relates to persons with disabilities. The panel consisted of: Sunil Gurmukh from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Mariam Shanouda, Staff Lawyer at ARCH, Maureen Haan, President & CEO of The Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work, and moderated by Marian MacGregor, Law Society of Ontario
The panelists shared their expertise and provided practice tips for lawyers on how to respect the privacy rights of clients and colleagues with disabilities. Also discussed were developments in the case law relating to the privacy rights of persons with disabilities. Over 100 people attended the event and over 650 web streamed it live.
Access Awareness 2017
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: The View from Canada
National Access Awareness Program from June 6, 2017, is available for online viewing below.
The theme for this year’s Access Awareness event was the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ first review of Canada. The UN Committee heard not only from representatives of the Canadian government, but also from delegates representing a number of disability rights organizations in Canada. Several members of that delegation participated in our Access Awareness panel discussion. The panelists discussed the UN Committee’s process and how the Committee’s Concluding Observations can be used to advance disability rights in Canada. The event was well attended, with 140 participants registered to attend in person and over 400 via webcast.
The theme for this year’s Access Awareness event was the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ first review of Canada. The UN Committee heard not only from representatives of the Canadian government, but also from delegates representing a number of disability rights organizations in Canada. Several members of that delegation participated in our Access Awareness panel discussion. The panelists discussed the UN Committee’s process and how the Committee’s Concluding Observations can be used to advance disability rights in Canada. The event was well attended, with 140 participants registered to attend in person and over 400 via webcast.
Access Awareness 2016
Celebrating Action: Developmental Services and Legal Rights
National Access Awareness Program from May 31, 2016, is available for online viewing below.
This event, provided in partnership by ARCH and The Law Society of Upper Canada, highlighted the history of activism by persons labelled with intellectual disabilities and discussed present day concerns, including issues related to reproductive rights. Community leaders spoke about their current advocacy efforts and how this work should inform law and policy.
Access Awareness 2015
The Carter decision on physician- assisted dying: where do people with disabilities go from here?
National Access Awareness Program from June 4, 2015, is available for online viewing below.
On Access Awareness Event (June 4, 2015), ARCH Disability Law Centre and the Law Society of Upper Canada present Law Society Public Education Equality Series: The Carter decision on physician- assisted dying: where do people with disabilities go from here?