This project will develop a City of Ottawa Accessibility Maturity Model in adherence to provincial and federal legislation, municipal bylaws, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and the Accessible Canada Act (ACA). It will align with the W3C Accessibility Maturity Model and the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA).
The project addresses gaps in how accessibility is assessed across departments by moving from compliance to a structured, repeatable model. It will assess maturity across the ACA’s seven priority areas and five AODA standards. A key innovation is embedding persons with disabilities directly in assessment, prioritization, and implementation, operationalizing 'Nothing Without Us'.
End goals include a scored maturity model (e.g., Level 1–5), assessment tools, a prioritized roadmap, and a repeatable implementation toolkit. Suitable students will have skills in policy, accessibility, UX, or public administration.