Commercial Property Services
Curb cuts — the ramp transitions between parking areas and pedestrian walkways — are required at all accessible routes under Ontario's Building Code and AODA. Non-compliant curb cuts make properties inaccessible to wheelchair users and mobility device users.
AODA requirements specify curb cut dimensions: maximum 1:12 slope (8.3%), minimum 1.5 metre width at the ramp face, and tactile warning surface at the bottom transition to alert visually impaired users.
Industry Best Practices
The landing at the top and bottom of curb cuts must be level. A sloped landing makes wheelchair manoeuvring difficult or impossible. This detail is commonly under-installed on DIY or budget-focused curb cut projects.
Detectable warning surfaces — truncated domes — are required at the bottom of curb cuts where the ramp meets the vehicle travel surface. These must be colour-contrasting and installed to specified dimensions.
How D&D Commercial Services Can Help
Drainage management at curb cuts is important. Water collecting at curb cut bases creates ice in winter — exactly where mobility device users are most vulnerable. Positive drainage away from the ramp base is a design requirement.
Regular inspection of curb cuts identifies settlement, surface deterioration, and drainage problems that compromise accessibility function. Annual inspection as part of an AODA compliance review is best practice.
Retrofitting non-compliant curb cuts is a common requirement at older commercial properties. The work is straightforward for a qualified contractor; deferring it creates ongoing AODA compliance liability and potential human rights commission complaints.