Guide
The customer service standard, explained
The Accessibility Standards for Customer Service were Ontario's first accessibility standard. Since 2016 they live in Part IV.2 of O. Reg. 191/11 (ss. 80.45 to 80.51) and apply to every organization that provides goods, services or facilities to the public or to other third parties. For organizations with 20 to 49 employees, this is the only standard the 2026 report asks about.
The six duties, for every size
- Policies (s. 80.46). Develop, implement and maintain policies on serving people with disabilities, using reasonable efforts to follow four principles: dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity. Communicate in a way that takes the person's disability into account. The policies must address assistive devices (people may use their own, or other measures you provide).
- Service animals and support persons (s. 80.47). Where the public has access to your premises: allow guide dogs and service animals (unless excluded by another law, in which case provide other measures); allow support persons to accompany the person; if you ever require a support person, do so only after consulting the person and finding it necessary for health or safety with no other reasonable option, and waive the support person's fee; give advance notice of any fee for support persons.
- Notice of temporary disruptions (s. 80.48). When facilities or services that people with disabilities rely on (an elevator, an accessible washroom, a TTY line) are temporarily unavailable, post a public notice with the reason, the expected duration and any alternatives.
- Training (s. 80.49). Everyone who deals with the public or develops your policies: see the training guide for the required content.
- Feedback process (s. 80.50). A process for receiving and responding to feedback about how you serve people with disabilities, saying what you do with complaints, accessible on request (accessible formats, communication supports), and made known to the public.
- Accessible formats for your customer service documents (s. 80.51). When you are required to give someone a copy of one of these documents, provide it in an accessible format or with communication supports on request, in a timely way and at no more than the regular cost.
The six documents, for 50 or more employees and the public sector
Each duty above has a “write it down and tell people it is available” companion that applies to “every provider other than a small organization” (1 to 49 employees):
| Document | Section |
|---|---|
| Customer service policies, with notice that they are available on request | s. 80.46(4) to (6) |
| Policy on service animals and support persons, with notice | s. 80.47(8) to (10) |
| Steps to be taken for a temporary disruption, with notice | s. 80.48(3) to (5) |
| Training records (dates, number trained) | s. 80.49(5) |
| Training policy: content summary and when training is given, with notice | s. 80.49(6) to (8) |
| Feedback process, with notice | s. 80.50(5) to (7) |
“Notice” can be a sign on the premises, a page on your website, or another reasonable method. A business or non-profit with 1 to 49 employees is not required to produce any of these documents; it must still do the six things above.
The 2026 report question
For 20 to 49 employees the form asks one question: Is your organization in compliance with all applicable requirements of the Customer Service Standards?
For 50 or more it is question 6 of six. Before answering, check each of the six duties above and, at 50 or more, each of the six documents.
Lisavel's customer-service pack (US$49) walks organizations with 20 to 49 employees through exactly this, with recommended templates for the policy, the feedback process and a training sign-off. At 50 or more employees the full report drafts all six documents. Start with the free check.
Sources
- O. Reg. 191/11, Part IV.2 (ss. 80.45 to 80.51).
- O. Reg. 429/07 (revoked July 1, 2016; historic).
- Ontario: Accessibility rules for businesses and non-profits.
Not legal advice. The regulation on e-Laws prevails.