Ontario compliance

AODA Training for Ontario Employers

Assign the six AccessForward modules for Ontario's required AODA training, and keep a record of when every employee and volunteer completed them.

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The short answer

Yes, AODA training is mandatory for every organization with at least one employee in Ontario. Train every employee and volunteer as soon as practicable after they join, on the accessibility standards that apply to their work and on the Ontario Human Rights Code as it applies to people with disabilities. There is no fixed refresher, but you must train people on changes to your accessibility policies. At 50 or more employees in Ontario, you must also keep a record of the training.

20 or more employees? Your accessibility compliance report is due December 31, 2026 The report asks you to confirm your training is done. Who files, what it asks, and how to file.

Who must provide AODA training

Under section 7 of Ontario's Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (O. Reg. 191/11, made under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005), every organization with at least one employee in Ontario must train:

  • all employees and volunteers,
  • everyone who participates in developing the organization's policies, and
  • anyone who provides goods, services or facilities on the organization's behalf.

Training must cover the requirements of the accessibility standards that apply to your organization and the Ontario Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities. It must happen as soon as practicable after a person joins, and you must provide training on any changes to your accessibility policies. Businesses and non-profits with 50 or more employees in Ontario, and every public sector organization, must also keep a record of the training provided, including dates and the number of people trained. Smaller private organizations still have to train; they just aren't required to keep that record.

What's in the course

Ethica assigns the six AccessForward training modules published by the Government of Ontario. Employees take each one on the AccessForward site. Training must be appropriate to each person's duties (s. 7(2)), so not everyone needs every module.

Total time: roughly 103 minutes per person, in short modules. AccessForward doesn't issue certificates; each module ends with a sample completion certificate the employee signs and dates, then uploads to Ethica. Assign the modules for the standards that apply to your organization. To fully satisfy s. 7, pair the modules with training on the Ontario Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities — for example the Ontario Human Rights Commission's "Working Together" module.

Frequently asked questions

Is AODA training mandatory for my business?
Yes — every organization in Ontario with at least one employee must train employees and volunteers on the applicable accessibility standards and the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities (O. Reg. 191/11, s. 7).
How quickly do new hires need the training?
The regulation requires training as soon as practicable after a person is hired. Launch the course for everyone in Ethica and each new employee is assigned it the moment you add them.
Do we need to repeat the training every year?
No fixed refresher interval is prescribed, but you must provide training on any changes to your accessibility policies. Businesses and non-profits with 50 or more employees in Ontario, and public sector organizations, must keep a record of the training with its dates and the number of people trained. Ethica's per-person record covers that and shows exactly who completed it.
How long does the training take?
The six modules take roughly 100 minutes in total, and each can be completed separately. Employees start from an email link, with no accounts or passwords.
Is there a deadline for reporting on AODA compliance?
Businesses and non-profits with 20 or more employees in Ontario must file an accessibility compliance report by December 31, 2026, and every three years after that. The report includes confirming that your training requirements are met.

If you were asked to prove it tomorrow

Delivering the training is the first step. The second is being able to show who completed it and when. Some of these rules require that record outright; for the rest it is your best evidence.

Accessibility (AODA) training
Training is required at any size. Businesses and non-profits with 50+ employees in Ontario, and every public sector organization, must also keep a record of the training with its dates and the number of people trained (O. Reg. 191/11, s. 7(5)). Below that a record isn't required, but a per-person completion record is still your proof

Ethica keeps that record for you — every completion timestamped against the employee, exportable to CSV, or as a zip of certificates and signed acknowledgment records, the moment someone asks.

From nothing to an audit-ready record

No course files, no course authoring, no learner accounts. Ethica does the setup; you add your people.

1

Launch the course

Choose everyone, a role, or the people you pick. Each requirement comes with a due date you can change: 30 days after assignment for AODA Accessibility Training.

2

Add your team

Add employees one by one or import a CSV. Courses you launch for everyone, or for a role, go to future hires automatically, so nobody is missed.

3

Export the proof

Ask "who is overdue on this?" and get the answer in seconds. Export completions to CSV, or download a zip of certificates and signed acknowledgments.

Related

Have the record before anyone asks for it

Start a free 30-day trial, launch the course, and add your team. That's the whole setup.

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Training modules from AccessForward (accessforward.ca), a Government of Ontario website. © King's Printer for Ontario. Ethica is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Ontario.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your obligations against the current text of the legislation.