Ontario Liberal Candidate in September 3 Scarborough Southwest By-Election Makes the 4 Pledges on Disability Accessibility that the AODA Alliance Requested

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Update

United for a Barrier-Free Ontario for All People with Disabilities

Website: www.aodaalliance.org

Email: aodafeedback@gmail.com

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Twitter: @aodaalliance

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Ontario Liberal Candidate in September 3 Scarborough Southwest By-Election Makes the 4 Pledges on Disability Accessibility that the AODA Alliance Requested

 

August 31, 2026

 

SUMMARY

 

On August 31, 2026, the AODA Alliance received election commitments from Ontario Liberal party candidate Ahsanul Hafiz who is running in the September 3, 2026 by-election in the Scarborough Southwest riding. His letter to the AODA Alliance is set out below.

 

The non-partisan AODA Alliance is encouraging everyone to raise disability issues in the September 3, 2026 by-elections underway in Scarborough Southwest, Hamilton East – Stoney Creek and York – Simcoe. The AODA Alliance’s August 20, 2026 By-Election Action Kit gives voters action tips on how to raise these issues. This includes pressing all parties and all candidates to make accessibility pledges that the AODA Alliance requested.

 

We sought commitments from candidates for the four major parties in the three September 3, 2026 by-elections, the PCs, Liberals, NDP and greens. So far:

  • All three Green candidates made the commitments we sought.
  • Two of the three NDP candidates made the commitments we sought.
  • One Liberal candidate made the commitments we sought.
  • No Tory candidates made the commitments we sought.

We have not heard from any Tory candidates, from one of the NDP candidates and from two of the three liberal candidates. Press them to answer us!  We will make public any further commitments we receive as quickly as we can. These by-elections are quickly approaching.

 

As a non-partisan coalition, we do not support or oppose any party or candidate.

 

The AODA Alliance’s August 20, 2026 letter to the candidates asks them to make four commitments that are important to over 2.9 million Ontarians with disabilities, including

  • To support and not weaken the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
  • To support tearing down disability barriers in Ontario’s education system facing hundreds of thousands of students with disabilities including enacting an Education Accessibility Standard under the AODA.
  • To oppose the use of public money to create or perpetuate disability barriers, and
  • To support reforming the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and the process for enforcing human rights in Ontario.

MORE DETAILS

 

August 31, 2026 Email from Ontario Liberal Candidate in Scarborough Southwest By-Election Ahsanul Hafiz

 

Dear Mr. Lepofsky,

 

Thank you for writing to me and for your many years of work to make Ontario more accessible.

I am happy to give you a clear answer. Yes, I support all four commitments you have asked for.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act was passed under an Ontario Liberal government in 2005 with support from all parties. It set an important goal for our province. Ontario did not meet the 2025 deadline for full accessibility. We have to be honest about that. But missing the deadline does not mean we give up on the goal.

  1. The AODA

Yes. I support the AODA and the goal of a fully accessible Ontario. I would oppose efforts to weaken the Act or the protections under it.

Ontario Liberals have committed to strengthening the implementation and enforcement of the AODA and continuing the work beyond the 2025 deadline. I support that commitment.

People with disabilities should be able to work, travel, receive health care, use public services and participate fully in their communities without facing barriers that should not be there.

  1. Education

Yes. I support an Education Accessibility Standard and better support for students with disabilities.

Ontario Liberals have previously committed to moving forward with an Education Accessibility Standard and to improving special education. This work needs to move forward.

Every child deserves a fair chance to learn and succeed. A disability should never prevent a student from getting the education and support they need.

We also need to make sure our schools have the staff and resources to provide that support.

  1. Public money and accessibility

Yes. Public money should never be used to create new barriers for people with disabilities or keep existing barriers in place.

When Ontario builds or funds a school, hospital, transit project, public building or other infrastructure, accessibility should be part of the plan from the beginning. It makes no sense to spend public money building something today that we will have to spend more money fixing tomorrow.

Ontario Liberals have made this commitment before, and I support it.

  1. Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario

Yes. Five years is far too long for someone to wait to have a human rights complaint heard.

A right does not mean very much if someone cannot have that right enforced in a reasonable amount of time. I support substantial reform to make the Human Rights Tribunal process effective and timely.

I also want to recognize that Ontario still has a lot of work to do. The AODA was an important achievement, but passing a law is not enough. What matters is whether people with disabilities see barriers removed in their daily lives.

If I am elected, I will support all four of these commitments and will work with the AODA Alliance and people with disabilities to keep moving Ontario toward full accessibility.

Thank you again for reaching out and for continuing to push all parties and candidates to do better.

Sincerely,

Ahsanul Hafiz

Ontario Liberal Candidate

Scarborough Southwest