Kara Sears
The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) is a federal law that aims to identify, remove and prevent barriers facing people with disabilities. The Act applies to the federal public sector, Crown corporations, and all federally-regulated organizations, building on the Canadian Human Rights Act. It focuses on the prohibition of discrimination based on disability. The ACA is designed to create a barrier-free Canada by 2040, with a focus on accessibility in employment, physical environments, information and communication technologies, communication outside of ICT, programs and services, and the procurement of goods and services. The Act also established the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization (now Accessibility Standards Canada) to develop national accessibility standards.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To make Canada barrier-free by 1 January 2040 |
| Scope | Federal public sector, Crown corporations, and all federally-regulated organizations |
| Focus | Prohibition of discrimination based on disability |
| Priority areas | Employment, emergency measures, built environment, information and communication technologies, indigenous accessibility, accessible communications, transportation, and government buildings |
| Established bodies | Accessibility Standards Canada, Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization, Council of Federal Accessibility Agencies |
| Key principles | "Nothing Without Us", collaboration, sustainability, transparency |
| Compliance activities | Inspections, compliance audits, compliance orders, notices of violation with warning or penalty |
| Related legislation | Accessible British Columbia Act, Accessibility for Manitobans Act, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act |
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What You'll Learn
- The Accessible Canada Act is a federal law
- The Act aims to remove barriers for people with disabilities
- It applies to the federal public sector, Crown corporations and federally-regulated organisations
- The Act recognises sign languages as primary languages for deaf people in Canada
- The Act is enforced by the Accessibility Commissioner
The Accessible Canada Act is a federal law
The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) is a federal law that aims to remove barriers and promote inclusion for people with disabilities. It was adopted in 2019 and aims to create a barrier-free Canada by 2040. The ACA applies to the federal public sector, Crown corporations, and all federally regulated organizations, including government departments, agencies, and private businesses in certain sectors such as banking, telecommunications, and transportation.
The Act established Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC), led by a Chief Executive Officer and a board of directors, with the majority of board members being people with disabilities. ASC is responsible for developing accessibility standards and advancing accessibility research. These standards are voluntary, but if the government adopts them into regulations, they become mandatory.
The ACA also created the role of the Accessibility Commissioner, who is responsible for enforcing compliance with the Act and ensuring that organizations meet their obligations. The Commissioner has a range of tools to ensure compliance, including inspections, compliance audits, and compliance orders. Organizations must notify the Commissioner when they publish their plans, feedback processes, and progress reports.
The ACA is based on several principles, including dignity, equal opportunity, barrier-free access, meaningful choices, and the involvement of persons with disabilities in creating laws, policies, and programs that impact them. The Act recognizes sign languages, such as American Sign Language and Indigenous sign languages, as the primary languages for communication by deaf persons in Canada.
The ACA is a landmark federal legislation that fulfills the Canadian government's commitment to accessibility and the rights of persons with disabilities. It is the result of significant consultation with stakeholders and the disability community. The Act aims to benefit all Canadians and create a more inclusive and accessible society.
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The Act aims to remove barriers for people with disabilities
The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) is a federal law that aims to identify, remove and prevent barriers facing people with disabilities. The Act was adopted in 2019 and is the first national Canadian legislation on accessibility, applying to all government departments and federally-regulated agencies.
The Act established Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC), previously known as the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization, to help create a barrier-free Canada. ASC is responsible for developing accessibility standards to be integrated into Canada's federal regulations. The majority of ASC's board members are people with disabilities, and the organisation is led by a Chief Executive Officer. The Accessibility Commissioner enforces the Act in all priority areas, including employment and the non-passenger built environment.
The ACA applies to a wide range of federally regulated entities, including government buildings, banks, airlines, telecommunications, transportation, and federal courts. The Act requires these regulated entities to prepare and publish accessibility plans, set up feedback processes, and report on their progress.
The Minister responsible for the ACA has the mandate to create a barrier-free Canada by 1 January 2040. To achieve this, the Minister may support and conduct research to identify, remove and prevent barriers, implement policies and programs that address accessibility, and gather, analyse and publish information related to accessibility.
The ACA is based on principles of equality and inclusion, recognising the need to treat everyone with dignity, regardless of their disabilities. It aims to ensure that everyone has the same opportunity to build the life they want, with barrier-free access to full and equal participation in society.
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It applies to the federal public sector, Crown corporations and federally-regulated organisations
The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) applies to the federal public sector, including government departments and agencies, Crown corporations, and federally-regulated organisations. This includes industries such as banking, telecommunications, and transportation, as well as government buildings, banks, and federal courts.
The ACA is a federal law that aims to identify, remove, and prevent barriers facing people with disabilities. It is designed to ensure that everyone in Canada is treated fairly and with dignity, regardless of their disabilities. The Act recognises the right of persons with disabilities to be involved in the development and design of laws, policies, programs, services, and structures that impact them. This principle, known as "Nothing Without Us", is a key part of the ACA's commitment to creating a barrier-free Canada by 2040.
To achieve this goal, the ACA established the Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC), previously known as the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization. The ASC is responsible for developing national accessibility standards and advancing accessibility research. It is led by a Chief Accessibility Officer who advises the Minister on accessibility issues and reports on the progress made towards a barrier-free Canada.
The ACA also introduced the role of the Accessibility Commissioner, who is responsible for enforcing compliance with the Act and ensuring that organisations meet their obligations. This includes ensuring that organisations develop accessibility plans, incorporate feedback tools, and publish progress reports. The Commissioner has a range of tools to ensure compliance, including inspections, audits, and compliance orders.
The ACA is a landmark legislation that builds on the Canadian Human Rights Act and aims to prohibit discrimination based on disability. It is the first national Canadian legislation on accessibility, impacting all government departments and agencies, and it is expected to benefit all Canadians, especially those with disabilities.
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The Act recognises sign languages as primary languages for deaf people in Canada
The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) is a federal law that aims to make Canada barrier-free by 1 January 2040. The Act applies to the federal public sector, Crown corporations, and all federally-regulated organisations, building on the Canadian Human Rights Act. It focuses on the prohibition of discrimination based on disability.
The Act recognises American Sign Language (ASL), Quebec Sign Language (LSQ), and Indigenous sign languages as the primary languages for communication by deaf persons in Canada. This recognition is a crucial step towards accessibility and inclusion for the deaf community in the country.
The Accessible Canada Act only recognises ASL at the federal level. However, the Ontario Education Act sanctions the use of ASL and LSQ as languages of instruction in all schools for deaf students in Ontario. The Act also includes Indigenous sign languages within its purpose and direct scope, supporting and promoting the use of these languages and the efforts of Indigenous peoples to reclaim, revitalise, maintain, and strengthen them.
The legal recognition of sign languages in Canada is a significant development, ensuring that deaf individuals have the same opportunities to participate fully and equally in society. This recognition also underscores the importance of involving persons with disabilities in the development and design of laws, policies, and services that impact their lives.
Overall, the Accessible Canada Act's recognition of sign languages as primary languages for deaf people in Canada is a positive step towards creating a more inclusive and accessible society for all.
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The Act is enforced by the Accessibility Commissioner
The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) is a federal law that aims to identify, remove, and prevent barriers facing people with disabilities. The Act applies to the federal government and organizations regulated by the federal government, including government departments, private businesses, banks, airlines, and phone companies. The ACA was adopted with the goal of creating a barrier-free Canada by 2040.
The Accessibility Commissioner also deals with certain accessibility complaints. For example, if an organization has not complied with a regulation under the Act, individuals can file an accessibility complaint, and these complaints will generally go to the Accessibility Commissioner. The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal will deal with appeals of some of the Accessibility Commissioner's decisions under the Accessible Canada Act.
The Accessibility Commissioner is a member of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, which is Canada's national human rights institution. The Commission helps ensure that everyone in Canada is treated fairly, regardless of their disabilities. The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Disability Inclusion is responsible for the Accessible Canada Act and can give advice, support research, and create policies and programs about accessibility. The Minister receives information, advice, and reports from the Chief Accessibility Officer and the Accessibility Commissioner.
The Chief Accessibility Officer provides advice and reports about the Accessible Canada Act to the Minister, including outcomes and new or systemic accessibility issues. Accessibility Standards Canada, an accredited standards development organization, develops and reviews accessibility standards and can recommend that the government turn these standards into regulations. Organizations are only required to follow accessibility standards if the government turns them into regulations.
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Frequently asked questions
The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) is a federal law that aims to identify, remove and prevent barriers facing people with disabilities. The ACA is designed to create a barrier-free Canada by 2040.
The key principles of the ACA include the idea that everyone must be treated with dignity, regardless of their disabilities, and that everyone must have the same opportunity to build the life they want. Another key principle is "Nothing Without Us", which means that persons with disabilities should be consulted when developing laws, policies and programs that impact them.
The priority areas of the ACA include employment, emergency measures, the built environment, information and communication technologies, Indigenous accessibility, and accessible communications.
The Accessibility Commissioner is responsible for enforcing the Accessible Canada Act. The Accessibility Commissioner can use a range of tools to ensure that organizations are meeting their obligations under the Act, including inspections, compliance audits, and compliance orders.
