Accessibility progress report 2024 for the Correctional Service of Canada

General

Introduction

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) remains committed and continues to make strides in addressing accessibility barriers within the organization.

Driven by the mandates of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), CSC has engaged with its workforce, community, and stakeholders to develop and implement concrete actions across the organization. The National Champion for Persons with Disabilities and National Chair have played a leadership role in advocating for accessibility and ensuring that the objectives of the ACA remain at the forefront of CSC's plans. With broad engagement across the organization, continued progress has been made in advancing accessibility initiatives.

Despite the unique challenges of working in a correctional environment, CSC is committed to creating a barrier-free workplace that supports both employees and the rehabilitation of offenders. The progress achieved reflects our ongoing dedication to overcoming complexities and improving the organization's practices within this unique setting.

In 2023 to 2024, CSC has seen progress in various areas.

CSC continues to advance its commitment to employment equity and diversity, recognizing the vital role this plays in creating an accessible and inclusive workplace. The organization has taken steps to embed these considerations into its Human Resources (HR) practices, including staffing, management discussions, and HR planning. Key 2023 to 2024 initiatives include an Employment Systems Review (ESR) to identify and address systemic barriers to employment for persons with disabilities and other designated groups. During the reporting period, CSC has continued leveraging programs like the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities to build a more representative workforce, while also taking steps to foster a culture that encourages self-identification.

CSC's dedication to accessibility extends beyond its workforce to its physical and digital spaces. Numerous infrastructure assessments and projects have been undertaken across the country to improve accessibility in the built environment, including strategies for the aging offender population in custody.

Significant efforts have also been made to ensure that CSC’s digital presence adheres to accessibility standards. This includes training staff on web guidelines, sessions for page editors, and undertaking projects to ensure web content, forms, and resources meet these standards. In 2022 to 2023, CSC launched an Accessibility Centre of Expertise to support employees with applications and software accessibility needs, and in 2023 to 2024 released a toolkit to help other federal government departments launch their own Accessibility Centres of Expertise. CSC continues the promotion of a “yes-by-default” approach to accommodations, further demonstrating a tangible commitment to creating an accessible and inclusive workplace.

Feedback

We want to hear from you! CSC is committed to creating an open and transparent feedback process not only for employees and offenders, but for all Canadians. To take actions to prevent and remove barriers, the Director of Human Resources Planning, Official Languages and Employment Equity Division will ensure all feedback is shared with the relevant stakeholders in the organization for their consideration.

How to provide feedback

You can provide CSC feedback by contacting our Accessibility Team in the following ways:

• Accessibility feedback form
• email: CSC_Accessibility_Feedback-Retroaction_Accessibilite_SCC.GEN-NAT@CSC-SCC.GC.CA
• phone: 1-833-390-4053
• mail:
  Director, Human Resources Planning, Official Languages and Employment Equity
  Correctional Service of Canada
  Mailbox #9
  340 Laurier Avenue West
  Ottawa ON K1A 0P9

Submit anonymous feedback

If you would like to provide anonymous feedback:

• do not state your name or provide any other identifying information (for example, your email address or phone number)
• state that you would like your feedback to remain anonymous if your email address includes your name
• do not include your return address on the envelope if you send feedback by mail

The Accessibility Team will acknowledge the receipt of your feedback using the same method that you used to communicate with us. This will not apply to feedback that is submitted anonymously.

If you want a response

If you ask for a response, we will respond in the same way that you communicated with us.

Finding answers to more complex issues might take time. If that's the case for your feedback, we will follow up to let you know what we're doing.

Online form or email feedback

We will respond by email within 5 business days.

Phone feedback

We will respond by phone within 5 business days.

Mail-in feedback

We will respond by mail within 15 business days upon receipt of mail, plus mailing time.

What we do with your feedback

We analyze feedback for trends and patterns. We don’t identify individuals in our reports.

The only time your feedback will be connected to you is when you request a personal response from our Accessibility Team.

We publish annual progress reports in the years between accessibility plans. In these progress reports, we report on the feedback we receive and how we are taking it into consideration.

Request an alternate format

You can request an alternate version of our feedback process, accessibility plans or progress reports by the following methods:

• email: SC_Accessibility_Feedback-Retroaction_Accessibilite_SCC.GEN-NAT@CSC-SCC.GC.CA
• phone: 1-833-390-4053
• mail:
  Director, Human Resources Planning, Official Languages and Employment Equity
  Correctional Service of Canada
  Mailbox #9
  340 Laurier Avenue West
  Ottawa ON K1A 0P9

Feedback regarding the implementation of the Accessibility Plan

Employees at CSC will be consulted on the implementation of the Accessibility Plan as part of the required annual update process. As per the ACA, annual progress reports for this plan must include the feedback on the implementation of the Plan that was received by CSC and how that feedback was taken into consideration. Upon audit, documentation will be provided to the Accessibility Commissioner.

Members of the public can submit feedback on the implementation of the Plan by using 1 of the methods listed above.

Offenders in the care and custody of CSC will be consulted on the implementation of the Plan through offender committees, in accordance with legislation and policy, as per section 74 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.

Feedback regarding accessibility of a CSC facility

Members of the public who wish to report feedback regarding accessibility in a CSC facility can use 1 of the methods above or contact the institutional administration directly. Contact information (phone number and mailing address) is listed in the National Facility Directory.

Any comments, concerns, or complaints from offenders regarding accessibility of facilities can be submitted through the offender request form and, if needed, escalated through the process described in Commissioner's Directive 081: Offender Complaints and Grievances.

Feedback regarding the barriers encountered by employees

CSC gathers anonymous feedback on the employment experiences of persons with disabilities through the annual Public Service Employee Survey (PSES), onboarding questionnaires, and employee departure questionnaires. Employees are encouraged to speak with their manager if they are experiencing barriers in their employment situations. Under the Canadian Human Rights Act, federally regulated employers are required to accommodate the needs of individuals, or class of individuals, based on prohibited grounds of discrimination. This is commonly referred to as the “duty to accommodate.” Furthermore, the requirement to proactively identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility, especially for persons with disabilities, is provided in the Accessible Canada Act.

The Duty to Accommodate (DTA) Program can be reached at GEN-NATDTA-OPDMA@CSC-SCC.GC.CA. The Regional DTA Advisors phone list is available to employees on CSC’s intranet (The Hub) and contains contact information for the regional Advisors. Employees can request an accommodation by submitting CSC/SCC Form 1555 Accommodation Form to their managers.

Feedback about offender programs and services

Any person who interacts with CSC can provide feedback about barriers they encounter in programs and services through 1 of the methods identified above. Specific to correctional programs, Commissioner's Directive 726: Correctional Programs identifies the Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Integrated Services (ADCIS) as the individual who oversees the quality and consistency in the referral and delivery of correctional programs to all offenders across their respective region. The regional ADCIS can be reached at their respective Regional Headquarters, by phone or in writing at the address found in CSC’s National Facility Directory.

CSC's Health Services Sector promotes clinical independence and patient-centered care. This includes being the primary contact to manage complaints and grievances related to health services. Consequently, in addition to the methods above, written complaints or concerns can be addressed to the Chief of Health Services in the institution.

Any other complaints, comments, or concerns from offenders regarding accessibility of programs and services can be submitted through the offender request form and, if needed, escalated through the process described in Commissioner’s Directive 081: Offender Complaints and Grievances.

2024 Progress Report

CSC’s Accessibility Plan identifies barriers in accessibility in the priority areas listed in section 5 of the ACA. The activities outlined in the Plan to address these barriers are based on the 5 departmental goals in the Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service (2019). Each goal captures the actions CSC will undertake to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility.

The Progress Report is organized based on the priority areas in the ACA. The goals outlined in CSC’s 2022 to 2025 Accessibility Plan and status of the activities are outlined in Annex A: Action Plan.

Employment

In 2023 to 2024, CSC continued to work toward improving its persons with disabilities representation through hiring objectives. The objective for this year to close the Workforce Availability (WFA) gap was 463 hires. Actual hiring in 2023 to 2024 was 46, indicating that significant work remains to attract persons with disabilities. While the representation data indicates a downward trend for persons with disabilities since 2019 to 2020, there was a slight increase from 6.2% in 2022 to 2023 to 6.4% in 2023 to 2024.

To further improve representation, CSC is focused on increasing awareness of the importance of self-identification and reducing any stigma associated with identifying as having a disability. The organization remains committed to enhancing representation through communication campaigns, promoting hiring flexibilities, and providing readily available representation data to managers.

CSC is actively contributing to the Government of Canada’s goal to hire 5,000 persons with disabilities by 2025. Since the initiative's inception in 2020, CSC has made 198 hires, ranking 41st in 2022 to 2023 amongst all government departments for its contributions, and remains the highest ranked amongst the Public Safety departments.

Self-identification

CSC anticipates that the upcoming launch of the new Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) self-identification platform, coupled with a targeted communication strategy, will help reduce stigma and increase understanding of the benefits of self- identifying.

Even though the platform has not yet launched, CSC has continued to promote the importance of self-identifying throughout 2023 to 2024. It has been embedded in broad internal messaging, posts on The Hub, and discussed within networks, and committees.

Tools and resources

In 2023 to 2024, CSC prioritized inclusive hiring practices by providing the following to support HR Advisors and hiring managers:

• training and resources on increasing representation and on accommodations in the selection process. For example: training was delivered to HR Advisors on increasing representation, how to evaluate biases and barriers of an assessment method, and assessment accommodations in the selection process
• communications and training for sub-delegated managers on the assessment of biases and barriers of an assessment method
• tools and information sessions on how to navigate the Human Resources Business Intelligence dashboard
• updated the Increasing Representation staffing tool
• promoted sessions on Supporting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Through Staffing to the staffing community; and
• CSC’s staffing policy suite, procedures, and tools were reviewed and updated for the coming into force of section 36(2) of the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) on July 1, 2023

Moreover, to better support diversity and inclusion goals, CSC currently integrates representation data into its HR cyclical planning activities and processes, including recruitment, staffing, and management discussions. This data is crucial for identifying potential gaps and barriers and allowing for informed decisions that create a more diverse and representative workforce. In 2023, these efforts were strengthened with the launch of an HR planning dashboard that provides regional and sectoral management teams with detailed workforce information, including representation data. CSC has expanded these dashboards for all front-line groups and is finalizing the workforce information for key non-front-line groups.

Hiring initiatives and flexibilities

To enhance accessibility and expand opportunities for persons with disabilities, CSC implemented several key initiatives this past year which included:

Specialized recruitment posters for Correctional Officer positions were designed to attract candidates with disabilities. To further support these candidates, CSC also conducted information sessions providing detailed information about the recruitment process, training, and job duties, where subject matter experts were available to answer questions. Additionally, a Medical Limitations Review Committee was established to ensure Correctional Officer and Primary Worker candidates with medical restrictions receive a fair and transparent review of their qualifications.

CSC also implemented a variety of staffing processes for entry-level positions across the country that were tailored to both national and regional needs.

To provide ongoing support for existing employees, CSC implemented the National Process for the Management of Employees with Internal Permanent Accommodation Status (IPAS) to ensure individuals who cannot permanently return or remain in their substantive position due to an identified need for accommodation under the Canadian Human Rights Act are considered first for indeterminately vacant positions as well as temporary opportunities that exceed 6 months.

To address the ongoing shortage of healthcare professionals, CSC is developing a comprehensive Health Human Resources Strategy. This strategy will focus on the recruitment, orientation, and retention of healthcare professionals, with careful consideration given to the needs of all employment equity groups.

CSC is actively liaising with employment equity organizations in the community and academic institutions, such as Kingston Youth Services, to identify and recruit qualified persons with disabilities for employment opportunities.

Lastly, in 2023 to 2024, CSC took part in the Government of Canada Opportunities for Students and Recent Graduates with Disabilities Job Fair. CSC is collaborating with Jobs Abilities Canada, an online platform promoting job opportunities for persons with disabilities and monthly posting all external job openings within CSC.

Developing and promoting employees

CSC is dedicated to creating an environment where employees with disabilities can develop and advance their careers. Recognizing the importance of tracking progress, CSC continues to work toward mechanisms to monitor acting, assignment, and promotion rates for persons with disabilities.

To further support advancement, CSC encourages the participation of employees with disabilities in special projects and micro-missions, which provide valuable opportunities to develop new skills and expand their knowledge as they build new professional networks.

Building on the success of the inaugural 2022 cohort, CSC launched the second cohort of its Leadership Connexion Program in 2023 to 2024. This program, based on the TBS Mentorship+ model, targets aspiring executives from employment equity groups, providing them with advanced leadership development and sponsorship opportunities. Each participant is paired with a sponsor and engages in a range of developmental activities over a 1-year period. In Cohort 2, 8% of participants identified as a person with disabilities.

In addition to internal initiatives, CSC leverages external programs, such as the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities, persons with disabilities inventory from the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP), and Public Service wide training opportunities such as programs from the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS).

CSC also utilized hiring flexibilities, such as non-advertised appointments and streamlined staffing delegation for employment equity groups to ensure that employees with disabilities have equitable access to promotional opportunities.

Supporting a culture of inclusion

CSC continued to promote accessibility initiatives, raise awareness, and provide resources related to accessibility across the organization. Initiatives include promoting awareness weeks, conducting accessibility audits, offering sign language courses, and organizing workshops on disability integration and employment. On each staffing action, HR Advisors provide advice to hiring managers on how to remove or mitigate biases and barriers that disadvantage persons belonging to equity-seeking groups in staffing processes. They also have a mechanism in place where managers confirm they have done their due diligence in mitigating biases and barriers in assessments.

To raise awareness of the DTA process, an annual awareness campaign was held on December 10, 2023, which corresponds with Human Rights Day. The focus of the campaign was to share the DTA team’s commitment to ongoing service delivery and upcoming program improvements, while raising awareness about ways in which managers and employees can actively engage in the accommodation process. Training sessions on DTA were also held from April 2023 to March 2024, which covered a variety of topics for managers and employees, including roles and responsibilities of employees, managers and unions, IPAS, tools and resources, and more.

To gain a deeper understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by its employees, CSC is leveraging its 2022 to 2025 ESR, which includes a qualitative and quantitative review with employee surveys focusing on diversity and inclusion. This informs our ongoing review of HR policies, practices, and processes to support progress with CSC’s diversity and inclusion objectives.

In 2024, the National Champion for Persons with Disabilities and National Chair were renewed in their respective roles, which reinforces CSC's commitment to supporting and promoting the Employees with Disabilities Network (EwDN) in fostering inclusion. This was coupled with a call for interest to re-engage in the employee network to create a safe space where employees can share various constructive and empowering news items and activities to improve their collective experience. In 2024, new standardized terms of reference were developed to support grassroots networks and assist employees who wish to set up employee networks. This includes providing administrative, project, and financial support with the employment equity and diversity committee resources for all employee networks.

In Winter 2023, CSC also held a series of consultation sessions on the 2020 PSES and the Clerk of the Privy Council’s Call to Action forward direction message to deputies. The consultations included members from the 4 designated groups under the Employment Equity Act (persons with disabilities, racialized groups, Indigenous peoples, and women), as well as other equity seeking groups. A summary of these consultations was circulated across the organization as a source of qualitative data for regions and sectors to consider in their future initiatives and planning to advance anti-racism, equity, diversity, and inclusion work.

Built environment

CSC continues to make progress towards improving the accessibility of the built environment, while remaining focused on reviewing and updating accessibility standards, and developing an accessibility assessment strategy for all CSC facilities. This is a significant undertaking, as CSC's facilities extend beyond employees to include secure environments for offenders at institutions and in the community. The combination of security needs and the age of many institutions adds to the complexity of the renovations.

CSC has made progress in developing new accessibility design guidelines and evaluation material, which will be used to complete accessibility assessments at all sites. This progress includes the engagement of a consultant for completing the initial round of accessibility assessments. CSC is close to finalizing a contract for additional accessibility assessments, along with the creation of design guidelines and evaluation materials, all of which are expected to be completed in the next fiscal year. Due to the extensive work required and to comply with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) policies, 3 separate contracts are required. To date, the first of the 3 contracts has been finalized, with the remaining 2 to be awarded in the next fiscal year.

In parallel, CSC is actively working to enhance accessibility across its facilities and operations. Key achievements and ongoing efforts include:

• regions are already undertaking major renovations and new builds with accessibility as a core focus. Accessibility considerations for major renovations include, but are not limited to installing ramps, wider doorways, barrier-free washrooms, and automatic doors at entrances. New builds are also being constructed to the National Building Code of Canada and CSA standards
• master plans underway in all regions are incorporating accessibility requirements, ranging from new accessible living units to accessible programs areas
• preliminary planning for major renovations and new builds is similarly underway in the regions, the implementation of these projects will be informed by the accessibility design guidelines. A formal consultation process has been developed to ensure accessibility is being consistently considered in all major renovations and new builds
• persons with disabilities that access the various CSC facilities will be consulted in developing the accessibility design guidelines; and
• evacuation plans have been reviewed to ensure they consider the needs of persons with disabilities
• annual communications are being distributed nationwide to reinforce awareness and compliance with accessibility standards

On a national level, in relation to the provision of health services, CSC continues to focus on the needs of the aging offender population and those with significant mental health needs. As such, CSC is conducting reviews of both the consistent management of the older person in custody (OPIC) population as well as the Regional Treatment Centres/Regional Hospitals that will focus on effective and adapted services and interventions. Performance measures to track and monitor reporting requirements will be developed.

To better address the health needs of aging offenders and those with mental health concerns, CSC is reviewing its management of these populations. This includes examining the care of older offenders and evaluating the effectiveness of services provided at Regional Treatment Centres/Regional Hospitals. CSC will also develop performance measures to track and monitor these initiatives.

As part of this review, CSC will:

• work with sites to enhance population-specific data collection to inform service delivery and quality improvement activities, including those for populations with specific needs
• develop Regional Treatment Centre-specific guidelines that promote the integration of physical and mental health services that align as appropriate with all levels of care and with consideration to individual unique needs; and
• continue working with sites to identify gaps in service delivery and potential barriers for older persons in custody, including accessibility issues, with a goal of implementing this model across all sites in fiscal year 2025 to 2026

Information and communication technologies (ICT)

Information and communication technology remains a priority for CSC. The “yes-by-default” approach remains the guiding principle when providing assistive technology accommodations. This stance ensures that employees with disabilities have the tools and support they need to perform their duties effectively and participate fully in the workplace.

To further support employees, the intranet page for adaptive computer technology (ACT) services has been updated, and a simplified procedure for accessing ACT services will be published on CSC's website in the winter of 2024. The Accommodations and ACT Lending Library Service pilot project continues to provide specialized equipment.

CSC remains focused on making its web applications accessible, meeting the standards set out by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This year, CSC exceeded its accessibility goals, using the CSC Accessibility Compliance Tool to test 38 web-based applications, surpassing the target of 20. Furthermore, CSC remediated 9 applications to meet the WCAG 2.0 AA standard, exceeding the initial target of 4.

In addition to this, CSC updated the Project Management Framework and the Software Development Lifecycle to ensure that all new web applications will meet accessibility standards. Also, through the Application Modernization Project, specific investments have been made to address current application gaps. CSC is committed to ensuring that applications do not cause any additional barriers.

Communication, other than Information and communication technologies (ICT)

CSC engages with a diverse range of stakeholders, including offenders, employees, victims, partners, and the public, through various communication methods including e-mail, mail, communication products (such as pamphlets and fact sheets), and our website. This past year, CSC has continued to prioritize accessibility in all communication efforts, using methods such as descriptive texts and plain language to ensure that all stakeholders, including those with disabilities, can access information.

Training

Specific training and resources were shared to inform staff of the importance of accessibility considerations, including:

• accessibility awareness workshops were delivered quarterly and trained over 100 employees on the importance of accessibility in communication, using real-world examples and case studies; and
• resources from the CSPS (such as the Accessibility Learning Series) were used and shared, ensuring staff are well-informed about best practices in accessibility

Intranet and Internet accessibility

This year, CSC prioritized improving existing content, on The Hub to advance accessibility. Key Hub pages were reviewed and updated, and ongoing efforts are underway to ensure linked documents also meet accessibility standards. To maintain consistency and facilitate compliance, CSC streamlined editor access and provides ongoing guidance and support to those users. With the migration to SharePoint Online, CSC is working to address potential accessibility challenges and maintain compliance with WCAG standards.

CSC has also made significant strides in improving the accessibility of its external website. In January 2024, the external website was published on Canada.ca on a new content management platform. This is a significant step forward as the platform enforces accessibility and provides an improved experience for all visitors. CSC continues to conduct quality-control reviews of webpages to ensure they meet WCAG standards.

Reports with accessibility issues published on Open Canada are being identified and will be remediated in the future.

Documents and forms

CSC has prioritized document and form accessibility this year, taking steps to ensure inclusivity for all users. Initiatives included the development of updated guidance documents on creating accessible content in various formats, such as PDF, PowerPoint, Excel, images, and Word. Other guidelines also included instruction on accessible digital forms and the proper use of electronic signatures.

To further support staff in creating accessible materials, online training sessions were delivered. The organization focused on accessibility considerations from the initial stages of document creation and provided guidance on existing documents that may not meet current standards.

In addition to these measures, the Forms Accessibility Conversion Project, aimed at converting older forms to a more accessible format achieved 99% completion.

Procurement of goods, services, and facilities

Through continued consultation in the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year, no barriers were identified in procurement of goods, services, and facilities. In alignment with the 2022 to 2025 Accessibility Plan, CSC remains committed to monitoring this area and actively receiving and reviewing feedback related to accessibility should barriers arise.

Design and delivery of programs and services

Throughout 2023 to 2024, CSC continued to concentrate on improving the planning and execution of services and programs so that they are easily available and tailored to all offenders’ needs. Our goal is to establish an inclusive environment that accommodates the different requirements of our offender population while eliminating accessibility barriers by implementing new strategies and considering feedback.

Standardization of medical equipment and supplies

To improve access to necessary tools and equipment across CSC, a national standard for medical equipment and supplies has been established. This initiative offers consistency between health centres and aims to meet the diverse needs of offenders, as identified through national and facility specific assessments.

New initiatives and programs for offenders

There have been numerous revisions and changes to programming available to offenders that have led to greater accessibility considerations.

Education programs

The Digital Education Project which began as a pilot in the Ontario Region, has grown significantly and is now active across all regions. With this development, the expansion provides offenders with the opportunity to access foundational computer skills and access to digital education. To promote a more inclusive educational experience, the digital learning platform has been designed to accommodate the needs of offenders with disabilities and learning challenges, while offering a more inclusive educational experience.

Correctional programs

Significant strides have been made to ensure accessibility with correctional programs. Program materials have been updated to meet accessibility requirements, including participant handouts and manuals, to address accessibility needs. Changes include simplified language and content, improved adaptive assistance, and adjustments to visuals to ensure clarity. Additionally, feedback systems have been implemented, allowing offenders opportunities to provide input on accessibility needs and how programs can better address their needs.

Social programs

Social programs have seen significant updates and enhancements to improve accessibility and effectiveness. While there have always been opportunities for offenders to provide input on programs, the addition of new feedback forms tailored to the Community Integration Program (CIP) and the Structured Intervention Unit Social Program (SIU-SP) marks a significant improvement. This enhancement ensures that accessibility-related needs are systematically collected and addressed, thereby strengthening the existing feedback mechanisms. To properly meet the requirements of offenders, facilitators are also trained to modify the program's delivery in response to official and informal feedback.

Notably, the CIP and the SIU-SP have undergone substantial revisions. The CIP focuses on facilitating community integration for offenders, so that their social needs are addressed through accessible and adaptive services. Similarly, the SIU-SP has been revised to include new activities and changes focused on accessibility such as clearer instructions, gender-neutral language, the use of headings and graphics, accommodation strategies, and content tailored to diverse inmate needs, including those of Indigenous and ethnocultural backgrounds. These updates reflect a commitment to enhancing the inclusivity and responsiveness of social programs within the correctional system.

Across the Pacific Region, efforts to enhance accessibility have been made through various social programs and healthcare services. Initiatives like the Peer Assisted Living Caregiver Program support inmates with physical disabilities, helping them with daily living activities. Additionally, the region continues to address accessibility needs by providing on-site medical equipment and caregiver services, so that inmates across multiple facilities receive the support they need.

All programs

To support accessibility across all programs, the Special Needs Resource Kit has been thoroughly revised and made available on The Hub. This kit equips program facilitators with the tools necessary to effectively work with offenders with special needs. Furthermore, regional efforts such as those in Québec and Ontario continue to integrate accessibility statements, providing clear information about how individuals with disabilities can access services, and contact options, so that all individuals have the means to request accommodations or assistance in correspondence and program documentation.

Transportation

Through continued consultation in 2023 to 2024, no barriers were identified in transportation. In alignment with the ACA and the 2022 to 2025 Accessibility Plan, CSC continues to monitor and actively receive and review feedback related to accessibility should barriers arise.

Consultations

This year’s consultations engaged a wide range of participants, including individuals with disabilities within CSC, the National Working Group for Persons with Disabilities, Inmate Committees, and various Advisory committees, such as the Citizen Advisory Committees and Regional Ethnocultural Advisory Committees. This approach ensured that the perspectives of both employees and offenders were considered.

Consultation questions for employees with disabilities

Through a call-out on CSC’s weekly newsletter, participants from the National Working Group for Persons with Disabilities and CSC employees with disabilities were invited to share their feedback in writing. Participants were also given the opportunity to connect with the Champion, Chair, and Working Group to discuss the questions and draft report.

To guide their feedback, participants were asked to consider the following questions:

• what is your overall opinion of the progress report? Please provide any specific feedback or observations
• is the report simple, clear, and concise? If not, please identify areas where the report lacks clarity or conciseness
• were all items in the report relevant to the goals of the 2022 to 2025 Accessibility Plan? Please indicate if there were any items you felt were missing or not adequately addressed
• in your opinion, what are some of the key areas where CSC has made significant progress? Highlight any achievements or improvements you believe are noteworthy
• are there any new topics or questions that should be included in future consultations? Share any suggestions for new areas of focus or questions
• do you have any other comments or feedback not covered by the questions above? Feel free to provide any additional thoughts or concerns
• were the consultation sessions and materials provided in accessible formats? If not, please suggest improvements
• was the process for providing feedback clear and effective? How can we improve the feedback process to ensure that all voices are heard and considered
• did you feel that the consultation process adequately engaged a diverse range of individuals with disabilities? If not, what could be done to improve outreach and inclusivity

Respondent comments highlighted areas of strength and those for improvement regarding accessibility initiatives.

While positive examples of progress were noted regarding the built environment, related to accessibility of office spaces and surroundings, concerns were raised about physical spaces in certain areas within institutions. There were suggestions for more immediate actions, including installations of electric doors, ramps, and wider hallways.

The consultations also emphasized the importance of incorporating employee feedback, showing that there is a general sense of commitment to involving individuals in the process of enhancing accessibility. Participants felt they were being heard and appreciated for their contributions to the consultation process. However, more needed to be done on communicating how feedback is being applied.

While some initiatives like the GC Workplace Accessibility Passport were mentioned, there was a call for more clarity on how they are being implemented, particularly regarding whether employees can use them, and where progress is happening.

Some participants suggested that more could be done to educate, train and support managers and staff on accessibility, accommodations, and disability awareness. For example, mandatory accessibility awareness training could be given to all staff to help them recognize barriers, understand available accommodations, and better support colleagues with disabilities.

National Advisory Committees

Questions

A consultation guide was shared with all Citizen Advisory Committees and Regional Ethnocultural Advirsory Committees and included the following questions, which addressed several key areas:

2023 to 2024 Progress Report: Achievements, activities, and indicators

• since the CSC Accessibility Plan was created, what changes have you seen that make things easier for people with disabilities
• how have these changes improved daily activities and operations for people with disabilities
• how are the achievements and activities in the progress report helping to remove barriers for people with disabilities
• are we addressing the right issues to improve facility accessibility as outlined in the 2022 to 2025 Accessibility Plan
• can you provide examples of progress in areas not mentioned in the 2022 to 2023 Progress Report
• how can CSC further enhance accessibility for people with disabilities
• what feedback have you received from partners, stakeholders, community groups, offenders, and offenders supervised in the community regarding the accessibility of our programs and services

2023 to 2024 Progress Report: Feedback mechanism

• is it easy for you to provide feedback about accessibility issues? What makes it easy or hard
• were you aware of CSC’s feedback process published with the Accessibility Plan? How can we improve the promotion of this process
• when you provide feedback, do you feel it is heard and addressed effectively
• does the feedback process cover all necessary aspects? What additional elements should be included
• how can we enhance the feedback process for everyone
• have you identified any barriers that might prevent community members and offenders from providing feedback on accessibility

2023 to 2024 Progress Report: Other

• is the progress report clear and concise? If not, which parts are confusing
• how effectively does CSC communicate its efforts to improve accessibility? What could be improved
• how can CSC improve engagement with offenders with disabilities to better understand and meet their needs
• how effective is CSC in raising awareness about accessibility issues within the community and among stakeholders
• have any accessibility issues been observed in daily operations that were not addressed in the Progress Report
• how can CSC better engage with community groups to support accessibility initiatives
• do you have any additional comments or thoughts about the progress report not covered in the questions above

Responses

Several key areas for improvement have been identified.

Engagement with community organizations

The need for stronger partnerships with community groups was emphasized, advocating for regular outreach and engagement initiatives to enhance accessibility efforts. This included hosting informal sessions and participating in community events to enhance collaboration.

Accessibility in programs

Participants highlighted the importance of ensuring that program materials are consistently updated to meet accessibility standards. Suggestions included using simpler language, clearer visuals, and adaptive assistance in all materials to accommodate diverse needs.

Concerns were raised regarding ongoing barriers in accessing various programs and services, emphasizing the need for continuous assessments and feedback systems that allow offenders to voice their accessibility needs.

Feedback mechanisms

The necessity for more robust feedback systems was noted, with calls for CSC to employ both traditional and digital platforms for soliciting input, thereby ensuring all voices are considered in future decision-making processes.

Intersectional considerations

The discussion brought forth the importance of incorporating Gender-based Analysis Plus into accessibility planning, focusing on how different identities may impact accessibility experiences and outcomes.

Other perspectives need to be considered, particularly the challenges faced by aging offenders within the women’s offender population, who also encounter barriers in accessing health care resources, specifically, hospital beds and appropriate care.

Inmate Committees

CSC also engaged Inmate Committees to gain an additional perspective on accessibility, specifically from those who are incarcerated. Inmate Committees provide a forum through which inmates can provide input on institutional operations.

Questions

To guide their feedback, Inmate Committees were asked to provide their perspectives using the following questions:

2023 to 2024 Progress Report: Achievements, activities, and indicators

• since the 2022 to 2025 CSC Accessibility Plan was created, have you seen any changes that make things easier for people with disabilities? What are they
• are the achievements and activities in the 2022 to 2023 Progress Report helping to remove barriers for people with disabilities? How
• do you think we are taking the right steps to make facilities (institutions, parole offices, etc.) more accessible, under the Built Environment heading and in Annex A, Goal 2: Enhance the accessibility of the built environment
• is there any progress happening in other areas that is not mentioned in the 2022 to 2023 Progress Report? Please provide examples
• are there other ways CSC can improve accessibility

2023 to 2024 Progress Report: Feedback mechanism

• is it easy for you to give feedback about accessibility issues? What makes it easy or hard
• when you give feedback, do you feel like it is heard and responded to
• how can the feedback process be improved

2023 to 2024 Progress Report: Other

• is the progress report easy to read and understand? Please explain
• do you have any other thoughts or comments about the progress report that haven't been covered in the questions above
• how can CSC do a better job of talking to offenders with disabilities to understand and meet their accessibility needs
• how well do you think CSC shares information about what they are doing to improve accessibility? What could be better

Responses

The consultations provided a mix of positive comments and notable concerns regarding the implementation of accessibility initiatives.

Achievements and activities

It was acknowledged that there was some progress made in enhancing facility accessibility and removing barriers as outlined in the 2022 to 2025 Accessibility Plan. However, there were calls for more comprehensive updates on various aspects of the plan, with suggestions for further consultation with offenders to improve accessibility measures for them.

Feedback mechanism

The offender specific feedback processes were generally regarded as accessible. However, there was a common opinion that responses to feedback were not consistently acknowledged or acted upon. Recommendations included improving communication strategies and proactive engagement with offenders with disabilities regarding their needs.

Feedback

CSC received 7 feedback submissions through the accessibility feedback form and directly via email in 2023 to 2024. These submissions are related to the following priority areas of the ACA:

• design and delivery of accessible programs and services
• built environment

Design and delivery of accessible programs and services

Feedback received associated to the design and delivery of accessible programs and services varied.

One of the submissions received discussed security challenges at the institutional levels and its impact on accessibility due to health requirements. More specifically, it outlined conflict between existing policy and directives. For example, Commissioner's Directive 566-12: Personal Property of Offenders prohibits Bluetooth technology. The current medical device market mainly includes Bluetooth devices, creating challenges for Health Services to provide devices recommended by specialists without Bluetooth.

Feedback mentioned health care staff are limited to their prescriptions due to security concerns; however, CSC’s National Essential Health Care Framework states that the determination of health care requirements for inmates relies on the judgement of the healthcare professionals, based on clinical assessment guided by professionally accepted standards.

Feedback was provided on the Harassment Prevention Process and how it may be better aligned with the ACA. The feedback discussed how the onus is on the principal party to provide an in-depth rationale for why, or how, their experience may be categorized as offensive, problematic, and/or discriminatory. The harassment process may also cause more distress on an employee who is already in a vulnerable state.

CSC received a submission on the design and delivery of programs and services that was categorized as a complaint. As the Accessibility Feedback inbox is not a formal complaint mechanism, the submission was directed to the appropriate office. The office responsible reported that they collaborated with other areas to provide information and recommendations to address the concerns.

In addition to obtaining feedback on accessibility at CSC, the Accessibility Team received submissions from employees seeking resources to reduce barriers. For example, a submission was received where the employee wanted information on how to make documents more accessible. Another submission was seeking resources to support a deaf inmate. Appropriate offices were notified, and resources were provided.

Built environment

Feedback was provided on the built environment, and more specifically on the inaccessible designs at an institution. The feedback provided discussed reducing accessibility barriers for future new builds/units builds. For example, the existing doors are narrow, require a lot of force to open, lack power-assisted door opening, have doorknobs that cannot be opened with closed fists, and close too fast. The recommendation provided was for CSC to consult occupational therapists for future designs.

Another feedback submission discussed cell size at the Regional Hospital and how accessible beds may only fit in a cell in 1 formation. This leaves health care staff and the patient to access the bed from 1 side only, which poses issues for staff when tending to the patient, including during emergency situations, and has led to staff and offender injury. Furthermore, the size of the cell limits the number of people who can be present, once more limiting care to the patient when they require medical attention. The feedback also noted a lack of elevators at 1 site, preventing offenders who have a physical limitation from seeking medical support on a different floor. This feedback also listed limitations with public spaces (including doorways), housing units, and barriers for the visually impaired.

As indicated in the 2022 to 2025 Accessibility Plan, plans and actions are underway to create accessibility guidelines and standards for CSC’s institutions to address these built environment barriers. These guidelines will be shared across the regions to support any future projects once available.

Feedback and specific trends will be used to guide the development of the next iteration of CSC’s Accessibility Plan as well as address any immediate barriers to employees within the organization. More specifically, this will be done in collaboration with the Persons with Disabilities Working Group, where it will be collectively assessed on how it can be applied to address accessibility barriers. Key stakeholders will also be engaged through consultations where necessary.

Annex A: Action plan

CSC’s Accessibility Plan addresses 5 departmental goals, which are outlined in the Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service (2019). Each goal captures the actions that CSC will undertake to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility. A summary of the goals and objectives are as follows:

Goal 1: Improve recruitment, retention, and promotion of persons with disabilities by:

1. planning strategically to hire a diverse workforce
2. removing and preventing barriers during recruitment and staffing processes
3. developing and promoting persons with disabilities employed at CSC; and
4. supporting a culture of inclusion

Goal 2: Enhance the accessibility of the built environment by:

1. reviewing accessibility standards in consultation with persons with disabilities
2. developing an accessibility assessment strategy and facility assessments
3. providing the necessary resources to address gaps identified by facility accessibility assessments; and
4. reviewing the accessibility of emergency evacuation plans

Goal 3: Make information and communications technology usable by all through:

1. a review of technology systems
2. the promotion and awareness of digital accessibility standards; and
3. the application of accessibility standards in all documents

Goal 4: Equip public servants to design and deliver accessible programs and services by:

1. providing tools to employees and managers
2. identifying and removing accessibility barriers for offenders; and
3. preventing accessibility barriers in the workplace

Goal 5: Build an accessibility-confident public service by:

1. providing resources and leadership to employees and managers on accessibility
2. normalizing individual accountability for accessibility; and
3. improving CSC’s accessibility culture, learning, and innovation

The following outlines the status of each activity in the fiscal year 2023 to 2024.