Getting There: Accessible Transportation in Canada – Report from the Chief Accessibility Officer, 2025

On this page

• Alternate formats
• Message from the Chief Accessibility Officer
• Report summary
• Introduction
• Progress under the Accessible Canada Act: Transportation
• What we're seeing in accessible transportation
• Transportation recommendations
• Progress under the Accessible Canada Act: other priority areas
• Progress under the Accessible Canada Act: standards and regulations
• General recommendations
• Conclusion
• Definitions

Alternate formats

Getting There: Accessible Transportation in Canada – Report from the Chief Accessibility Officer, 2025 [PDF - 11,79 KB]

Large print, braille, MP3 (audio), e-text and DAISY formats are available on demand by ordering online or calling 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232). If you use a teletypewriter (TTY), call 1-800-926-9105.

Message from the Chief Accessibility Officer

Travel can be stressful for everyone, even under the best circumstances. Even when everything goes right, arriving at one's destination always comes with a sense of relief. But for people with disabilities (PwDs), the question of whether they will be able to get where they need and want to go is often an additional and everyday source of anxiety.

It shouldn't be this way and it doesn't have to be this way. There's a lot of work being done on making transportation in Canada accessible for PwDs, be it air, land, or marine travel. But far too many barriers persist.

Last year, my annual report zeroed in on progress being made on accessible employment in Canada. One of the issues that became abundantly clear is that progress on this front, and on all fronts, will be stalled if reliable, accessible transportation remains out of reach for a large percentage of the population. If people can't even get out the door, if just getting to work safely requires extreme effort and planning around factors and barriers beyond their control, then we are missing the mark.

In preparing this report, I asked several PwDs about their daily experiences and why accessible transportation matters to them. Their responses are insightful, moving, and thought-provoking, and will be shared in the pages to follow. I also asked them about the questions, the added layer of complexity, they have to consider on a day-to-day basis, in terms of transportation. The number of extra questions PwDs have to ask just to go about their lives, because the systems we live with have not addressed these barriers, is much, much too long. As just a few examples:

• If I flag my accessibility needs, will that make it less likely I'm picked for travel by my employer?
• Can I travel off-peak to reduce crowding and sensory load?
• Are there clear routes, quiet attractions, and places to rest between activities?
• Will my wheelchair arrive in one piece, or arrive at all?
• Will it take 10 phone calls to explain my accessibility needs?
• Will the train or buses be running on time today?
• Will I be able to hear or see the announcements?
• Will my service dog be allowed to accompany me?
• Will the bus ramp work today?
• If I drive, will I find parking wide enough to deploy my ramp?
• Will I be able to get an accessible taxi or will I be left stranded for hours?
• Will I be excluded from opportunities because I rely on public transportation?

The human and emotional toll of inaccessible transportation is immense. It's impossible to put a price tag on the opportunities missed out on and the connections never made, but the cost to our economy and our ability to innovate and remain competitive is also steep.

Canada is a vast country, with a history of priding itself on being connected from coast to coast to coast. Our national motto is "from sea to sea," reflecting the many links, bridges, roads, railways, waterways, airports, and transportation systems that bring us together across long distances. We have been building this infrastructure for longer than we have been a country. But too many people have been excluded along the way, and the time to change that is now.

We're living through times of rapid, global change, and Canada faces numerous challenges that will require decisive and collaborative action. Federal leaders must work together to meet the moment, as we take on, among other things, updating, upgrading, and building a great deal of new, sustainable infrastructure at record speeds. As this unfolds, accessibility must be considered every step of the way. It is vital to Canada's productivity and embedding it from the outset will maximize the impact of public investments, whereas failing to do so will result in costly fixes down the road. We have a lot to do in a short time, and that means we have to get it right. If accessibility is not factored in, we will fail.

Though my role is specific to federally regulated industry and organizations, and though I've referenced federal leadership, I want to be clear that when it comes to accessible transportation, no one level of government will be able to resolve the challenges alone. Travel journeys cut across jurisdictions: municipal, provincial, territorial, federal, international, and others. If you cannot get a taxi to make it to the airport on time, the accessibility of the flight doesn't matter. If there's no way for you to get to work, inclusive hiring practices don't matter. Different regulators have unique roles to play depending on their areas of responsibility. It's complex, and I acknowledge this complexity, but it cannot be an excuse for failing to take action. Our ability to thrive, innovate, and increase our national productivity depends on it.

We have to collaborate across not only levels of government, but across sectors, and areas of expertise. Everyone deserves to be able to get to school, to work, to the doctor, out to meet friends, to community events, to parties, to the movies, and to visit family, whether that is across town, on the other side of a river, or on the other side of the country.

It's going to take a collective effort, and it's up to all of us to make sure we get there.

Report summary

The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) came into effect in 2019 and set an ambitious target for a barrier-free Canada by 2040. The ACA places the responsibility for identifying, preventing, and removing those barriers on federally regulated organizations. In other words, it is up to the system to make the necessary changes. As Chief Accessibility Officer, I report annually on the progress I'm seeing under the ACA. Last year, my report placed an emphasis on the priority area employment. Though all priority areas intersect, it quickly becomes clear that lack of accessible transportation hinders progress in all other areas and has a profound effect on quality of life for people with disabilities (PwDs). For those reasons, this year's report will take a close look at accessible transportation in Canada, while also providing a general review of other priority areas and progress overall.

Main observations

Transportation is critical for inclusion. Like everyone, PwDs in Canada need access to transportation for their health and quality of life, to access medical appointments, social activities, employment, and for business or leisure travel. They deserve the same level of service as anyone else.

Transportation is a shared responsibility and includes many steps. In Canada, transportation responsibilities fall under multiple government jurisdictions (including municipal, provincial, territorial, and federal). When thinking about accessible transportation, it's critical that the entire travel journey be considered, rather than isolated components like vehicles or railway systems. Organizations must also think about the process of booking trips on a website, announcements made in terminals, or navigating busy stations. On any given trip, a traveller can take a journey through several jurisdictions and encounter barriers related to many priority areas (for example, the built environment, communications, program and service delivery).

In general, it's unclear if transportation in Canada is more accessible since the ACA came into force. Part of the challenge in measuring progress is a lack of meaningful data about travellers with disabilities. The federal transportation sector is highly regulated in Canada, which has helped it be a leader in accessibility in some areas. But too many Canadians with disabilities are still reporting barriers in transportation. Canada can do better and will do better. We'll get there by:

• all jurisdictions working together to improve the accessible travel journey, including by building better data collection and sharing strategies
• transportation service providers making accessibility training a priority, for all staff including leadership
• making smart investments in accessible infrastructure, and
• taking ownership of improving accessible transportation, even when your organization doesn't work in the transportation service sector

To support barrier-removal accessibility must remain a national priority, even when there is temptation to shift focus away due to competing priorities or the urgency and uncertainty surrounding current events. To reach our 2040 target, we have to keep building on our momentum.

Introduction

“Transportation is the hinge between independence and isolation. It matters in daily life, it matters for work, and it matters for leisure. Accessible transportation is not about convenience. It's about participation. It's the difference between showing up at work or staying home, attending a wedding or sending regrets, living fully or living confined. When transportation works, it unlocks employment, healthcare, and community. When it doesn't, the world gets smaller fast. It costs all of us."

We all rely on transportation to go about our daily lives. Whether it's taking a bus, car, train, plane, or boat to go to work or school, visiting friends or family or taking a vacation. For many, it's second nature to hop on a bus or even a plane. For people with disabilities (PwDs), it's not that simple. They often struggle to find transportation that meets their needs. According to a 2021 Statistics Canada survey, almost two-thirds (63%) of PwDs encountered barriers when using federally regulated transportation (airplanes, trains, ferries, or buses). Think about that. These are people who had difficulty getting to their doctor's appointments, school, a grocery store, to see loved ones, or take a vacation.

Accessible transportation is critical for the more than 27% of the Canadian population who live with disabilities. Without it, they are excluded from participating fully in society. That is why transportation was identified as one of the 7 priority areas for action in the Accessible Canada Act (ACA).

The ACA has the following 7 priority areas for federally regulated organizations to focus their efforts to identify, remove and prevent barriers:

• employment
• built environment (buildings and public spaces)
• information and communication technologies (ICT)
• communication, other than ICT
• procurement of goods, services and facilities
• design and delivery of programs and services
• transportation (airlines, as well as rail, road and marine transportation that cross provincial or international borders)

Inclusion isn't just about meeting the objectives of the ACA. It's about building a society in which everyone can contribute to their fullest potential, where no one is excluded or prevented from taking part because of systemic barriers. Inclusion benefits all of us. There are many examples of accessibility features that were originally designed by and for PwDs that are now widely used by the general population. Curb cuts make it easier to get on and off sidewalks, whether you're someone using a mobility device, a traveller with wheeled luggage, a parent with a stroller, or making deliveries using dollies to move boxes. Closed captioning ensures hard of hearing viewers can enjoy visual entertainment in noisy environments like restaurants and airports. Visual and audible notifications on trains or city buses help all passengers identify when their stop is coming, particularly those who are d/Deaf, blind, or low vision.

Inclusion is also good business. Removing barriers helps Canada's economy. The Institute for Work and Health published a study in 2021 which found potential economic benefits to removing barriers for PwDs. The study estimated that a fully inclusive society could have contributed over $300 billion in additional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to Canada's economy in 2017 (the equivalent of about 18% of GDP that year). Removing barriers would have resulted in higher social engagement and quality of life for PwDs, through increases in productivity, and reductions in health care expenses.

Inaccessible transportation restricts PwDs from fully participating in our economy. Statistics Canada reported that nearly 25% of PwDs were unemployed in 2022 because they didn't have transportation to get to available jobs. The cost of this is immense.

As Chief Accessibility Officer, I monitor and annually report on progress made under the ACA, which only covers organizations that fall under federal responsibility. But our lives and our travel journeys are not easily split into federal, provincial, territorial, or municipal jurisdictions. For example, you can't take a train if there isn't accessible city transit (like bus or taxi) to get you to the station. So, although the primary focus of this report will be on federally regulated organizations, I will also talk about transportation managed by other levels of government.

This report will summarize my office's findings on Canada's progress since the ACA came into force in 2019 and make some recommendations. I have also published a separate, more detailed commentary on accessible air travel.

Although this report focuses on transportation, it's important to remember that the priority areas of the ACA are interconnected and not separate issues. There can't be accessible transportation without accessible buildings and websites. The report concludes with some comments on progress in some of these other priority areas, and general recommendations.

Progress under the Accessible Canada Act: Transportation

“My work often takes me across the country, but travel is still one of the hardest parts of my job. Every trip comes with uncertainty: whether my wheelchair will arrive safely, or if there will be accessible ground transport when I land. I even travel with a less comfortable backup wheelchair to minimize risk. With better accessible infrastructure and processes, professional travel could be far more empowering for people with disabilities. Beyond work, just planning a weekend getaway can feel like trying to solve a puzzle. It should not be so difficult. Accessible transportation is fundamental to equality, it's what allows everyone to move through the world on their own terms.”

Defining accessible transportation

Transportation is the movement of people and goods from one place to another, by air, land or water. A transportation system includes vast infrastructure like airports, seaports, railway stations, bridges, and vehicles like airplanes, trains, boats, and buses. Transportation in Canada is complex. It is an interconnected system that is a shared responsibility between different levels of government (such as federal, provincial, territorial, or municipal).

A travel journey goes beyond the transportation system composed of infrastructure and vehicles. It includes many steps like:

• booking trips on websites or by phone
• accessing digital or written promotional information
• seeing or hearing announcements, and
• interacting with staff at various points along a trip

Different barriers can be met at different points of the journey. These barriers can make travel complicated, limit a traveller's autonomy, affect their dignity and even threaten their safety. Travellers with disabilities bear the extra stress of planning for each of these potential barriers.

Federal responsibilities

The federal government has authority for transportation that crosses borders (international, provincial, territorial), by rail, bus or ferry. It also includes border services and all air travel within Canada.

The Canadian Transportation Act is the law in Canada for the transportation sector. Several organizations have responsibility under this act. Transport Canada is the federal department that has overall responsibility for air, land, and water transportation in the country. They are responsible for policies and programs to ensure safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally responsible transportation, including accessible transportation.

Although Transport Canada has a lead role, they work closely with and rely on partners across the country such as Port Authorities and Airport Authorities; Crown Corporations such as the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA); Marine Atlantic and VIA Rail Canada; and the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA).

Transport Canada carries out federal government policy objectives and advice on accessible transportation and coordinates with the CTA to enhance accessibility in the transportation network. The CTA is an independent regulator and quasi-judicial tribunal that administers Part V of the Canada Transportation Act and shares responsibility for the Accessible Canada Act (ACA). After consultation with the Minister of Transport, it develops and implements regulations on accessible transportation. It also resolves complaints. CTA's accessibility regulations only apply to federal transportation service providers that carry passengers.

Federally regulated organizations in the transportation sector are referred to as transportation service providers and are regulated by the CTA. They include:

• government organizations such as VIA Rail and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
• domestic and international airlines that operate in Canada (there are over 60), such as Air Canada, WestJet, British Airways, Air France, Ethiopian Airlines and Helijet
• air terminals like Pierre Elliott Trudeau International (Montreal), Robert L. Stanfield International (Halifax), and airports like London International Airport and Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat
• rail carriers such as Rocky Mountaineer and Tshiuetin Rail Transportation Inc.
• cruise ship ports like Vancouver Canada Place, Toronto International Marine Passenger Terminal, and
• marine carriers such as Northumberland Ferries Limited

Federally regulated organizations that are not providing passenger transportation services do not follow the CTA's transportation specific accessibility regulations. That said, all federally regulated organizations, must follow the Accessible Canada Regulations, under Employment and Social Development Canada. Currently, these regulations only require federally regulated organizations to write and publish accessibility plans and progress reports, with headings that cover the 7 priority areas in the ACA, including transportation.

Beyond the federal network

“As a woman who is blind and uses a guide dog, I have to plan extensively for any journey, be it local and short or international with long flights. Just to take a ride-share or taxi I have to make sure that I give myself enough time to be refused service at least once and still be able to get another ride to make my appointment or meeting on time. I also need to prepare myself for the emotional reaction that comes from being rejected and denied service simply because of my disability needs. I get especially stressed when I need to travel for work, because my livelihood depends on me being able to make it to meetings or flights. Once, when I had to wait more than 4 hours for a taxi, I missed a high-level meeting with a mayor. Delays like this put my job at risk.”

Transportation is a shared responsibility across multiple levels of government. The Accessible Canada Act (ACA), its regulations, and the Canadian Transportation Agency's regulations only apply to the federal network.

Canadians rely on many types of transportation that fall under the responsibility of different levels of government such as provincial, territorial (like ferries or buses) or municipal (like city buses, taxis, or ride-shares). For a traveller with disabilities, different legislation and rules in these jurisdictions can either make their travel journey smooth or impossible. For example, a person who uses a mobility device may find it easier to get around in a city that has prioritized investments in accessible infrastructure and vehicles, like metro stations and taxis. Accessibility legislation and rules are not the same in each province and territory. Not all provinces have accessibility legislation, and none of the territories do. Further, not all provinces have regulations specific to accessible transportation. For example, Ontario has had regulations for accessible transportation since 2011, while Manitoba won't have one in force until 2027.

The different legislation and rules can also make it confusing for travellers to know which level of government is responsible for which part of a travel journey. This in turn makes it difficult to know where to get additional information, provide feedback, or make a complaint.

Air, land, and marine transportation that go beyond Canada's borders are also subject to international and other countries' rules. For example, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is responsible for establishing standards and regulations to ensure the safety, efficiency, and regularity of global air travel. The ICAO defines the guidelines that govern civil aviation worldwide, coordinating with member states to maintain uniform standards and facilitate international cooperation. Canadian airlines generally adhere to these standards and must follow the rules of the destination country and the regulations here at home.

Likewise, ferry operators are required to comply with regulations established by various federal, provincial, and international bodies, including but not limited to Transport Canada, the Canadian Transportation Agency, and the International Maritime Organization. While these rules are sometimes complementary, they can have competing objectives, which can create extra challenges for federally regulated organizations when implementing the ACA.

Accessible transportation will only become reality when every step of the travel journey is barrier-free. A barrier at any step of a travel journey poses a risk for the safety, health, and exclusion of people with disabilities (PwDs). Given that the travel journey involves multiple jurisdictions and organizations, barrier-free transportation won't be achieved by one level of government or one organization alone. It will require the coordinated efforts of all. Transportation is a complex space and there is a lot of work to do to remove barriers and provide a seamless, accessible, travel journey for PwDs. There are good things happening too, in both federally and non-federally regulated areas. Both will be highlighted in this report.

“Due to my ADHD, I've made the personal decision to not pursue my driver's license, meaning I rely on public transportation. When public transit is unreliable due to infrequent stops, chronically late arrivals, and unexpected cancellations, it can significantly harm the professional reputation, career progression, and social life of those reliant on it. This situation is only worsened when some employers request proof of a driver's license to ensure applicants do not rely on public transit - a process that implicitly weeds out many disabled, neurodivergent, and low-income candidates. When we fail to ensure accessible transportation, we actively accept the exclusion of disabled and neurodivergent people from society.”

What we're seeing in accessible transportation

In some areas, Canada is a leader in accessible transportation. For example, it is the only country in the world to have a One Person, One Fare policy that provides travellers with disabilities an extra, adjacent seat on domestic flights at no extra cost, if needed to support their disability needs. Accessibility has also been built into some transportation regulations since before the Accessible Canada Act. The Canada Transportation Act (1996) identifies accessibility as one of its three core mandates and has regulations that include rules around services for passengers with disabilities like the Air Passenger Protection Regulations.

Yet barriers to accessible transportation remain. Research from Statistics Canada (2021) found that 63% of people with disabilities (PwDs) surveyed had faced a barrier while using a federally regulated means of transportation. Barriers were reported the most by people with hearing difficulties (78%), physical difficulties (74%), seeing difficulties (72%), cognitive difficulties (68%), mental health-related difficulties (61%), and other difficulties (70%). Examples of barriers reported included long wait lines, including lack of accessible seating and alternative service options, or line queues (35%), websites for reservations and travel information (30%), lighting or sound levels (30%), entrances or exits (26%) announcements or alarms (25%) and level of service or accommodations (20%).

Figure 1 text description:

This illustration is entitled "Barriers in Federal Transportation Organizations Reported by People with Disabilities." It is a graphic that shows how often a barrier was reported by people with disabilities relative to recent experiences with federal transportation. The graph shows reported transportation barriers as follows: 35% reported barriers related to wait lines; 30% reported barriers related to lighting and sound level; 26% reported barriers related to entrances and exits; 30% reported barriers in using websites; 25% reported barriers with announcements and alarms; 20% reported barriers to services and accommodations.

Source: Statistics Canada - Accessibility in Federal Sector Organizations in Canada, 2021

Statistics Canada (2025) surveyed PwDs aged 15 years or older about their travel experiences in the previous three years. They found that due to accessibility concerns, 24% of them were discouraged or prevented from taking an out-of-town trip that included travel by airplane, train, bus, or ferry. Fifty-two percent said they had taken a trip and of them, 47% encountered a barrier at a station, terminal, or onboard the vehicle. Among those who travelled and had unmet support needs, 43% said they didn't know how to request accommodations or services, 28% were unsure of what service they would need, and 8% had their accommodation request refused by a service provider. The numbers go up for people who live with more severe disabilities.

To take a closer look at whether there is progress being made in accessible transportation, my team and I reviewed publicly available research, met with federally and non-federally regulated organizations, and conducted our own research.

Accessible transportation in remote and rural areas

Canada is the second largest country in the world geographically, but its population is mostly concentrated in the south and urban centres. Transportation options to and within rural and remote areas are limited and accessible transportation is even less available. Improving accessible transportation in these areas will require innovative solutions, investments in infrastructure, and subsidized accessible transportation options. There has been federal investment funding available in the past for accessible transportation projects in remote and rural areas, like the Enabling Accessibility Fund for Small Projects, and the Airports Capital Assistance Program for small airports. However, at the time of publication, these funds are no longer receiving applications, and it's unclear if new funding will be available in the future.

What we don't know: The need for more data

There is a lack of meaningful data available on accessible transportation. This makes it difficult to pinpoint where the biggest issues are along the travel journey, how they are being addressed and if progress is happening. Data is essential for addressing and identifying areas related to accessibility that need attention and for measuring progress.

The federal government is collecting some data related to accessible transportation. Employment and Social Development Canada created the Performance Indicator Framework for Accessibility Data which includes a strategy for data collection in transportation. However, there are currently limited data and data sources identified in the framework. The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) collects data on compliance and accessibility related complaints related to transportation service providers.

This data is helpful, but as the Auditor General of Canada pointed out in the 2023 Report on Accessible Transportation, it doesn't paint the full picture. Not all accessibility complaints get captured in the appropriate categories and not all passengers complain to the CTA. The CTA is not informed of any complaints that passengers make directly to a provider, as the providers are not required by law to collect or publish their complaints data. In 2023, a Bill was introduced (Bill C-52), which would allow the government to create new regulations for the collection and sharing of data by service providers. The Bill did not pass its second reading before the close of last Parliament and has not been re-introduced, as of this report's publication time.

What the literature, surveys and reports tell us

“People with disabilities want to be active. They want it to be easy. They don't want to be spending hours and days booking transport. They want to be able to be spontaneous, to pick up the phone and if someone says let's go for a coffee, well, they don't have to plan it for three days ahead. They can just say yes, of course I have time, let's go. Everyone has a role to play, but we must always ensure that people with disabilities are at the center of decisions and at the heart of the work.”

There is limited public information available on accessible transportation in Canada, and even less available to effectively measure progress over time. The Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD), conducted by Statistics Canada every 5 years, has few indicators related to accessible transportation. The results of the most recent CSD show that slightly fewer job seekers with disabilities mentioned lack of accessible transportation as a barrier to accessing work in 2022 (24%) compared to 2017 (29%). It also reported an increase of students with disabilities who were unable to get the accessible transportation they needed for their education (from 21% in 2017 to 27% in 2022).

Statistics Canada's 2021 survey on Accessibility in Federal Sector Organizations looked at barriers in transportation and found that 63% of people with disabilities (PwDs) who travelled in the previous two years faced a barrier while using federally regulated transportation. In 2020, the Canada Core Public Infrastructure Survey (CCPI) found that the proportion of accessible public transit facilities varied from 75% for passenger stations/terminals and 72% for transit shelters to 43% for passenger drop-off facilities, and 22% for bicycle racks and shelters. The CCPI is conducted every 2 years by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada and Statistics Canada. So far, collection of data measuring accessible transportation has not been repeated, which hinders the assessment of progress over time.

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) collects and reports on complaint and fines data annually, for passenger transportation service providers. The number of accessibility complaints from passengers has been increasing since the Accessible Canada Act came into effect, from 67 complaints in 2019 to 2020 to 433 in 2024 to 2025.

Most complaints relate to "mobility aids and assistance," "training and communications," and to other issues with accessibility services in air travel. Fine penalties imposed by the CTA on transportation service providers who failed to meet their accessibility requirements have increased every year (except during the COVID-19 pandemic), from $780,000 in 2019 to 2020 to over $1.5 million in 2024 to 2025.

There are notable initiatives underway by the federal government to help improve accessibility in transportation. The CTA, for example, has published practical transportation tips for PwDs and best practice guidelines for federally regulated organizations on topics such as travelling with mobility aids, storage of mobility aids, travelling with service dogs and training for personnel. The CTA has started discussions to expand accessibility regulations to smaller transportation service providers, to help improve the availability and quality of accessible transportation in remote, rural, and northern communities. The CTA also collaborates with Canadian and international partners to advance accessible transportation. For example, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) adopted a few recommendations from the CTA's mobility aid studies in their own Guidance on the Transport of Mobility Aids. Canada has been an active supporter of the International Civil Aviation Organization's efforts to develop an accessibility strategy for international aviation, which has the potential to harmonize passengers' travel experience across borders in the future.

The National Research Council Canada (NRC) is collaborating with CTA, Transport Canada and international organizations to develop guidelines and tools to support the safe handling of mobility aids during transportation. For example, the NRC designed job aids to help baggage handlers quickly recall best practices for loading or unloading mobility aids in plane cargo holds. The job aids include a physical card with visual instructions and stickers with key information that can be applied to mobility aids to support proper handling and storage. The NRC also collaborated with CTA and IATA on proposals to improve the use of Special Service Request Codes, which can help identify and track specific aspects of the travel experience that affect PwDs.

Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) has supported research in accessible transportation conducted by organizations across Canada, through their grants and contributions program. As of October 2025, they had funded over a dozen transportation-related research projects on topics such as emergency alert systems for people who are D/deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing and the unique challenges and cultural perspectives in Inuit communities. This research helps inform the development of accessibility technical guides and standards. ASC had also published an accessible travel journey technical guide and is working on over a dozen transportation specific standards.

As mentioned, transportation is highly regulated in Canada, which in many ways has helped push accessibility in the sector. The above examples illustrate how much work is already being done.

What we found in our research projects

The accessibility plans and progress reports of federally regulated organizations can be an important source of information to assess progress towards making Canada barrier-free. By law, federal authorities monitor that federally regulated organizations publish their accessibility plans and reports on time, with headings about priority areas in the Accessible Canada Act, and consultations with people with disabilities. To our knowledge, there is no publication of a comprehensive analysis of the contents of these plans and reports. My team took on this challenge.

Among the 105 organizations we reviewed, the average number of barriers identified among passenger service providers was 18, and only 1 among the non-passenger service providers. The barriers referred to several stages of the travel journey, primarily the built environment (40%), followed by customer services (29%), the booking process (16%), and the securing of mobility aids (4%). Of the barriers identified, 87% were linked to an initiative to remove or prevent them. Among these initiatives, half had been completed or were routine practice.

We also explored if reported barriers affected customers/clients, or employees of the organization. We found that 84% of barriers described affected customers/clients the most. Only 16% of the reported barriers affected employees or both employees and customers/clients the most.

When the first round of accessibility plans was published in 2022, many organizations outside of the transportation sector did not report barriers or initiatives in transportation. However, these organizations often have customers, clients and/or staff with disabilities who need accessible parking, accessible shuttles, or updated policies for accessible work travel. In 2024, the Office of the Accessibility Commissioner published guidance encouraging federally regulated organizations to consider the transportation needs of employees, customers and clients. The Office of Public Service Accessibility reinforced the same within the federal public service. This year, we were curious to see if these organizations were reporting more frequently on accessibility in transportation.

We reviewed the transportation section of the accessibility plans and progress reports of a small sample of organizations (51) that are not providers of passenger transportation services. These included both public sector (federal public service) and private sector (banking, broadcasting, energy/mining, flour/seed/grain, interprovincial infrastructure and postal services). We found evidence of some progress over the past few years. While only 27% discussed transportation barriers in their accessibility plans, and only 27% did do in their first progress reports, this went up to 39% in second progress reports.

This is a trend in the right direction and one that I hope will continue in subsequent plans and reports. All regulated organizations have a duty to identify, remove, and prevent barriers that may affect transportation in their context. Their employees may need to use their facilities in-person, travel between different office locations, or travel for other business purposes. Their clients and collaborators may need to come to their facilities for meetings, products, or services. Such activities require transportation and need to be accessible.

What we heard during our meetings

From my meetings with organizations, it was clear to me that they are keen to make change, but they face challenges addressing barriers. This included financial and human resources, like funding for accessibility initiatives, the capacity to purchase adaptive vehicles or hire accessibility expertise, and the retention of trained staff. Federally regulated organizations may not own the buildings they operate in, which means they do not have control over what modifications can be made to improve accessibility features. I also heard that the pace and realities of changing competitive markets can impact an organization's ability to make accessibility a priority. Small organizations, especially, identified financial and human resources as a significant challenge, both in making change and to support reporting on the work that they are doing.

Organizations also expressed a desire for more and better access to clearer guidance and relevant resources including good accessibility training. Under the Canadian Transportation Agency's (CTA) regulations, transportation service providers must train their staff on best practices to assist customers with disabilities.

The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) conducted a 2023 Audit on Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities. They found that the organizations they audited had not fully met their accessibility training requirements and some managers and executives had not completed their training on time. Gaps also existed in the mandatory training developed including a lack of consultation with people with disabilities. We heard from other organizations that it is a challenge to find expertise to develop, deliver, and maintain meaningful accessibility training. It's also a challenge to make space for all important training and for staff to stay up to date in their training, particularly when trained staff leave and new staff joins, including third-party personnel like contractors.

Another challenge for organizations is navigating multiple jurisdictions. There is a lack of alignment between rules under different governmental authorities. Provinces, territories, and municipalities are responsible for types of transportation that do not fall under federal responsibility, like taxis, private transportation companies (like Uber), and local buses. They have different accessibility rules.

This is particularly problematic when passengers need to connect from a part of the transportation system that is under federal authority (like an airport) to another part that is under municipal authority (like a taxi). Similarly, different countries have different accessibility rules. During international travel a passenger may need to quarantine their service animal or provide medical prescriptions for medication in some countries, but not in others.

Ensuring a seamless journey

Statistics Canada's 2021 survey on accessible transportation highlighted that not all barriers in transportation are specific to the travelling itself. A travel journey can stop abruptly if a traveller encounters barriers at any step along the way. For example, things like inaccessible seating in waiting areas (built environment), inaccessible websites for reservations and travel information (information and communication technologies), inaccessible announcements (communications), and barriers related to service and accommodations (program and service delivery). To make a travel journey seamless for passengers with disabilities, organizations must consider and plan for accessibility in all priority areas.

From point A to point B: the whole travel journey

“Will the parking lot be plowed? Is there a parking spot that will be wide enough to open the car door all the way so I can assemble my wheelchair? Is there an elevator in the parkade? Will it be working? What if it's not? These are only some of the questions that I have to ask each time I go out. No matter the mode of transport, there are so many unknowns that weigh on my mind, that I need to prepare for.  It's added complexity that some call a 'disability tax'. The availability of truly, fully accessible transportation unlocks the world to the entire population. It creates an environment where someone with a disability feels that they can participate in work and play at the same level as anyone else. We aren't there yet. If we cannot solve the challenge of accessible transportation, people with disabilities will remain on the sidelines.”

Transportation in Canada doesn't just happen in federally regulated spaces. You can't get to a federally regulated airport, ferry terminal, or train station without first taking a mode of transportation that is under the responsibility of a different level of government. When a traveller with disabilities wants to get to their destination, they aren't typically thinking about which accessibility rules apply at which stage of their trip, or who is responsible for what. They just want to get from point A to point B, like anyone else.

People with disabilities have a right to expect safe, reliable, and seamless options along any travel journey they take. The goal of the Accessible Canada Act is a barrier-free Canada, and this cannot be achieved without coordination across all government levels and organizations operating across the country. Accessibility is everyone's business; all authorities must work on this together.

Active transportation and infrastructure

Walking, biking, and using a wheelchair are examples of active transportation, an important part of many people's travels, as well as an economic, environmentally-friendly, and practical way to get around. Infrastructure, or the built environment, is critical to support this type of travel. Accessible sidewalks, pathways, bike lanes, curb cuts, signage, and elevators are critical to reach a destination and connect to other means of transportation, like buses, metros, and train stations. According to a 2022 survey led by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities of Canada, only 40% of active transportation assets (pathways, bike lanes, trails and sidewalks) were accessible in Canadian municipalities. Users can run into barriers when the infrastructure isn't designed with accessibility in mind. For example, if a bike lane is installed next to a bus stop without a safe crossing for blind or low vision travellers, then access to that bus stop becomes cut off for them. It is critical to think of how all parts of the travel journey interconnect, and to apply principles of universal design in infrastructure projects.

Personal vehicles

In 2015, Statistics Canada reported that fewer people with disabilities (PwDs) rely on a personal vehicle for transportation (66%) than people without disabilities (72%). There are economic factors at play. PwDs report lower employment rates and lower income levels which can make purchasing a private vehicle difficult. And it's costly for drivers with disabilities to modify their vehicles. The 66% that do rely on personal vehicles still face challenges. There are persisting issues in the availability and variety of adapted vehicles and properly designed parking spaces, especially accessible van spaces. Manufacturers, city officials, employers, and building owners all have a role to play to support improved accessibility in this area.

Public transit, interprovincial and charter buses

“The sensory environment of public transit can be intense. Screeching brakes, flickering lights, diesel fumes, and the constant crowd noise all stack up. I can handle it for short bursts, but sustained exposure can be quite draining for me. Sometimes, by the time I arrive at work, I've already spent half my capacity for the day dealing with that overstimulation. A commute shouldn't require strategy, but it often does.”

Public transit includes the bus, subway, metro, and urban rail transit. These are popular and often affordable transportation options for people with disabilities. In 2022, the Canadian Urban Transit Association reported that most public transit systems in the country have been increasing accessibility features in their fleet, routes, and services. Examples of promising features include Translink's tap-free gates for hands-free entry and exit in Vancouver, and Toronto Transit Commission's same-day service for paratransit (which requires advanced booking elsewhere). But there is still work needed as many public transit systems rely heavily on these parallel transit services (like OC Transpo's Para-Transpo in Ottawa, TransLink's HandyDart in British Columbia, or TTC's Wheel-Trans in Toronto). These systems are overtaxed and often dependent on supplemental services contracted through taxi companies, which can strain already inadequate accessible taxi services.

Beyond local public transit, there is a network of buses that connect to other cities and travel across domestic borders, including charter buses that offer group trips and tours. Motor coaches and tour operators struggle to ensure their fleets are fully accessible. Things like high retrofitting costs for their aging bus fleets and limited financial support from governments create difficulties. Most operators are small businesses with limited resources, which makes it a challenge for them to fully comply with accessibility regulations and standards. Some bus operators also shared that even if they can invest in accessibility features in their fleet, there is a lack of accessible vehicle infrastructure (bus stations or stops), particularly in smaller and remote communities.

Given the above challenges, passengers with disabilities travelling on various types of buses and public transit options may not be able to consistently find an accessible option and may need to modify their travel journeys more frequently than passengers without disabilities.

Taxis and private transportation companies

“Every time I take a taxi or ride share service, I prepare myself to be denied service because of my guide dog. I require her to navigate my surroundings safely and there are laws that are supposed to protect against this discrimination. Despite this, ride refusals happen regularly, and drivers face no repercussions for breaking the law. Accessible transportation is a human right and benefits everyone. When people are excluded from moving freely and with dignity, it hurts our communities and our economy.”

The availability of accessible taxis remains extremely limited, even in major Canadian cities. One consequence is that people with disabilities (PwDs) may have to pay more for this service or contend with long wait times and frequent ride refusals. But the more problematic issue is that PwDs simply cannot rely on this service. Accessible taxi travel is viewed as optional, not a guarantee. There are real challenges in providing the service. Accessible vehicles are more costly to buy and cities often don't have designated street spaces for safe loading. Drivers who must leave their vehicle to assist a passenger to a curb cut or a building entrance risk being fined. But there is good work underway. For example, some cities are testing or moving to centralized dispatch systems, which is expected to reduce wait times. And some companies are continuing to build their service capacity. In Vancouver, Yellow Cabs has 63 accessible taxis (15% of their fleet).

Much more collaborative effort by governments and the private sector is needed to increase the consistency of accessible services Canada-wide.

Private transportation companies like Uber and Lyft provide services like taxis, but the rules that apply to them are less strict. Municipal and provincial authorities that regulate these companies do not require them to provide accessible service. In many cities, they pay an accessibility tax to the city in which they operate. On the positive side, Uber collaborates with disability advocates, including the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), for accessibility advice on policy and design, as well as inclusion events. In some select cities, programs like UberAssist and UberWAV are available, providing wheelchair-accessible vehicles and assistance to passengers needing extra support.

Trains

“As someone who is post-lingually deaf and wears two cochlear implants, I rely on both written cues and lip reading to fully understand speech. Cochlear implants are powerful tools, but they're not magic-I can follow most conversations, but loudspeakers in echoing, high-ceilinged stations are a losing battle. My last train trip was bittersweet. Starting out, the experience was smooth. The counter had hearing enhancement tech-Bluetooth Auracast, Loop, FM systems-that made communication easy. Announcements were clear, signage was excellent, and the trip to my destination was pleasant. But the return trip was a different story. There was no hearing tech at the counter. I was told to go to the First-Class lounge-but where was it? Poor signage meant asking several people before I found it. Boarding was just as confusing. The gate for my train was barely marked. After asking six employees, I boarded with two minutes to spare. My hearing tools failed me-not because they're inadequate, but because the station's wayfinding was. For people with disabilities, technology is essential. But without clear signage and thoughtful design, it's not enough.”

Rail transportation faces some unique accessibility challenges. Rail infrastructure is dated and many train stops and stations, especially in remote locations, have rough terrain, or very old buildings, which causes safety issues for passengers with disabilities. In addition, sometimes the accessibility regulations can't be fully applied. One example of this is the requirement, under current regulations, for an accessible path and washroom to be wider than the total width of a train car: compliance is physically impossible. Examples like this one illustrate the need for constant improvements, and early and fulsome consultations with all involved parties, including people with disabilities.

I did hear about many initiatives to remove barriers in rail travel, despite these challenges. For example, in 2019, Metrolinx published universal design standards to guide accessibility for future builds and has a dedicated team focused on accessibility. In 2020, VIA Rail adopted a universal accessibility policy, and the company committed to identifying and removing barriers in direct response to ongoing feedback from customers with disabilities. Meanwhile, Rocky Mountaineer developed a new mobility assistance training to support wheelchair transfer techniques.

Ferries

There are more than 180 ferry routes across all provinces and most territories in Canada, providing 60 million rides every year. Like trains, ferries rely on infrastructure that is aging, such as docks, ferry terminals, and vessels. I've heard from ferry service providers that this aging infrastructure creates a challenge to being fully accessible to passengers with disabilities. Smaller ferry companies also shared how they struggle to find and retain regular staff or hire experts to help address accessibility issues and improve overall accessibility. That said, the organizations I have met with, or had the opportunity to travel with, are invested in making their services more accessible, from booking websites to building new accessible ferries and services.

Air travel

“As a Deaf professional I fly quite often, and I require visual information. Any last-minute gate changes or general airport announcements over the PA system are not accessible to me. Going through security can be tricky as when I motion that I am Deaf, the agent will try to speak very loudly, which of course doesn't help. This is where more training is needed.  Things move quickly in airports, so it's important to be able to access information on the spot. Missing an announcement can mean missing a flight. Apps have been a big assistance to me when travelling. When the apps work, it means I don't have to rely on the kindness of strangers to help me get where I'm going. But apps aren't always reliable or up-to-date and it can vary from one airline to another. More investment and more consistency are needed there.”

According to Statistics Canada, air travel was used by 76% of people with disabilities (PwDs) who took out-of-town trips between 2022 and 2025. There have been a lot of serious failures reported about services provided to air travellers with disabilities. Sadly, the few that end up making the news are only a fraction of the incidents. But there is progress. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, responsible for the security screening in airports, recently introduced a guide booklet to make the screening process more accessible for travellers. They also have accessibility facilitators in 16 Canadian airports to assist travellers with disabilities.

Edmonton International Airport, in collaboration with Autism Edmonton, designed a sensory room to provide passengers with a calm setting for tactile, visual and auditory engagement, and getting familiar with aircraft seating before a flight.

Winnipeg International Airport, in collaboration with several partners, introduced self-driving wheelchairs to give passengers more independence and the ability to move freely throughout the terminals.

Air Inuit offers the option of booking trips via email, for travelers who cannot use website or phone alternatives, and in 2025, they launched a newly modified Dash 8-100 aircraft designed to improve medical evacuation capacity for communities along the Ungava Coast, in response to local needs. It has widened rear cargo doors and increased onboard capacity, which benefits wheelchair users and PwDs who require large pieces of equipment.

Meanwhile, the airline company Avianca has recently built a centralized database that contains information on the history of requests for assistance by passengers with disabilities. This helps Avianca personalize communication and services to meet the specific needs of travellers.

These are only a few examples of some of the progress we're seeing in accessible air travel. I recently published a commentary focusing exclusively on this issue. A more in-depth look at the progress, challenges, and complexities of accessible air travel can be found there.

Transportation recommendations

Considering the challenges that we are seeing in transportation in Canada, to get to a truly seamless travel journey for travellers with disabilities by 2040, I recommend:

1. All jurisdictions work together to create a fully accessible travel journey. Put accessible transportation on the agenda at federal-provincial-territorial-municipal tables. Talk to each other about how you can align your respective areas of responsibility to ensure one seamless experience for travellers. This includes policies around accessible transportation at provincial/territorial and municipal levels like taxis, private transit companies, buses, metros and trains.

Why this recommendation? For a truly seamless travel journey, all parts of that journey need to work together. A fully accessible plane won't serve many travellers with disabilities if there is limited or no accessible public transit or private transportation company to get to the airport. A fully accessible cross-provincial bus won't make any difference to travellers with disabilities if the sidewalk and bus stop aren't accessible.

2. Improve data collection and transparency in the transportation sector. Federally regulated transportation service providers should be collecting data specifically about passengers with disabilities and that data should be made public. Bringing back the proposed legislation for the collection and sharing of transportation data for passengers with disabilities (Bill C-52) would be an important start. Different levels of government must also work together to identify and collect accessibility data in transportation, to support a collective approach to improving accessible travel journeys.

Why this recommendation? We can't improve what we don't measure. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities noted in 2025 that Canada needs to do a better job collecting meaningful disability related data. That includes transportation. Accessible transportation needs all levels of government to work together to be realized, including coordinating data collection and sharing.

3. Keep reinforcing and implementing accessibility training, that has been built with and by people with disabilities (PwDs). Front-line staff, third-party personnel, and leaders of federally regulated transportation service providers should, at a minimum, all be taking accessibility awareness training, and more detailed training for those in key roles. That training should include PwDs, both in its development and in its delivery.

Why this recommendation? Culture change begins with awareness and is put into action with knowledge and skills. This is particularly true in the transportation sector. A well-trained baggage handler recognizes the importance of handling a mobility aid in the right way. A well-trained agent at the front desk will know that a traveller who is hard of hearing will need the hearing loop on and/or see their face to receive important information. A significant part of the experience for a traveller with disabilities is how they are treated by the staff they interact with along the way. Training helps make this interaction smoother and more dignified.

4. All federally regulated organizations should address transportation in their accessibility plans and progress reports, recognizing that it's not just vehicles that make transportation accessible. All federally regulated organizations have a role to play in removing barriers to accessible transportation, if not for passengers, then for their customers, clients and employees. This applies to their policies as well. Workplace policies that don't account for access to accessible parking and accessible work travel are missing the mark.

Why this recommendation? We saw in our research that most federally regulated organizations who weren't working specifically in the transportation sector didn't include any barriers or initiatives in their accessibility plans and progress reports. Accessible transportation includes accessible corporate vehicles and accessible options for bookings, hotel rooms, and transportation while on business trips, without requiring multiple extra steps and justifications. Accessible transportation also includes accessible parking lots, sidewalks, curb cuts, wayfinding, and public transit near offices. Though some of these examples may fall under another jurisdiction, there is a collective responsibility to identify the barriers and find solutions to prevent and remove them.

5. Invest in accessible infrastructure, particularly in remote and rural areas. Government, at all levels, should be investing in accessible infrastructure, always. Transportation will never be fully accessible in Canada if a sidewalk isn't wide enough for a wheelchair, if bike lanes impede access to bus stops for travellers who are low-vision or blind, or the accessible metro line doesn't run all the way to the bus, train, or air terminal.

Why this recommendation? We saw in our research a lack of accessibility in active transportation infrastructure (pathways, bike lanes, trails, sidewalks) and the unique challenges of accessible transportation in remote and rural areas. Improving accessible transportation in these areas will help improve quality of life for millions of Canadians with disabilities. Investing up front saves time and money by avoiding costly retrofits down the road.

Progress under the Accessible Canada Act: other priority areas

All the priority areas identified under the Accessible Canada Act are interconnected. People with disabilities may need accessible transportation to access employment, and the built environment around them needs to be accessible to access that transportation. This section briefly looks at progress in other priority areas and provides an update on accessibility standards and regulations.

Built environment

The built environment refers to our physical space, specifically structures and infrastructure like buildings, sidewalks or paths, and public spaces like parks. The 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability found that over half of people with disabilities in Canada (4.5 million) experienced barriers to accessibility in public spaces. Accessible buildings and public spaces facilitate access to all the activities we do in our daily lives, from leisure activities to accessing essential services, employment, and transportation.

There are signs of progress. For example, if you've been to Ottawa in the last few years, you may have noticed that the Parliament building and surrounding buildings are being modernized. Innovative accessibility solutions are being implemented like contrasting vision strips on glass walls and doors, and cane detectable guards around water fountains in key Parliamentary buildings. A transformable lift for stepped entrances is also being piloted. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has an online video that lets the public see the accessibility features being added as the renovations proceed.

The federal government, along with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, have a unique opportunity right now, as significant investments are being rolled out for the built environment, including housing. Canada's Housing Design Catalogue now includes accessible housing designs, which is an excellent start. But in the words of the Federal Housing Advocate, Marie-Josée Houle: "what's needed now is the political will to implement a more targeted, coordinated, and equitable approach - one that puts people at the centre and ensures no one is left behind."

Information and communication technologies

Information and communication technologies (ICT) include everything we use to communicate and do business online. Some examples include websites, virtual meeting platforms (like Zoom and Microsoft Teams), software (like Windows and QuickBooks), hardware (like smartphones, tablets, automated teller machines, computers, and printers) and assistive technology like screen readers and Braille displays. In an increasingly digital world, it is more critical than ever that these technologies be accessible for people with disabilities (PwDs).

Statistics Canada reports that 45% of PwDs encounter ICT barriers when interacting with federal sector organizations. As of this report's publication, a new ICT regulation for Canada is being developed. Organizations should be applying the ICT standards now, while waiting for the regulation. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it also gives companies a competitive edge, as ICT regulations come into effect for businesses in international markets, like the European Union.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an area that holds promise for more inclusion, if it is designed with and for PwDs. For example, AI can increase participation by providing real-time captioning for people who are hard of hearing; provide image descriptions for those with low vision; and enhance customized education tools for diverse learners. However, studies show that AI also excludes PwDs. AI systems are trained on pre-programmed patterns of behaviour and existing data. If those patterns and data don't include the lived experiences of PwDs, then they will be excluded. For instance, AI hiring tools disproportionately screen out job applicants who are disabled, and autonomous vehicles powered by AI cannot always recognize and adapt to a person using a mobility aid or service dog. The only way to truly include PwDs is to include them from the start of any AI development and throughout the AI lifecycle.

The federal government has made significant commitment and investment in AI. In summer 2025, the government adopted its 2025-27 AI strategy for the federal public service. In October 2025, it launched an AI Strategy Task Force to develop a revised national AI Strategy. Neither strategy explicitly mentions consultations with or considerations for PwDs. At the June 2025 United Nations Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Canada committed to ensuring that no one is left behind in technological progress. It is crucial that this commitment be reflected in our strategies and policies. Resources and expertise exist to support this work - a technical guide on Accessible and Artificial Intelligence Systems is available and a national standard is expected to be released by Accessibility Standards Canada in December 2025.

Procurement of goods, services, and facilities

Procurement relates to the processes used to buy or rent goods, services and facilities to support the activities of an organization, and to the goods, services and facilities themselves. If purchased goods and services lack accessible features, then barriers for users exist from the start. After-purchase fixes are costly.

The federal government does a significant amount of procurement spending in Canada, approximately $37 billion annually. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), which plays a central role in this, created the Accessible Procurement Resource Centre (APRC) that has an inventory of accessibility relevant commodities and provides guidance. In 2024, the APRC partnered with the Accessibility, Accommodation and Adaptive Computer Technology (AAACT) program to deliver learning sessions on accessible procurement to over 1400 public servants.

This past summer, the European Accessibility Act came into effect and now requires that all products and services (including electronics, audio-visual media, and passenger transport services) sold throughout the European Union meet accessibility criteria, from the start. Canada has followed the lead of the European Union and the United States by implementing a national Information and Communications Technology (ICT) accessibility standard, with an ICT regulation in development. Accessibility Standards Canada has recently published two technical guides to support organizations' efforts to be leaders in accessible procurement.

Still, there are barriers. For example, businesses owned by people with disabilities (PwDs) struggle to navigate complex government procurement systems and access procurement documents and digital platforms that don't have accessibility features. According to a Statistics Canada survey, as of 2024, more than 25,000 private sector businesses in Canada are majority-owned by PwDs, yet fewer than 50 of those businesses have been certified to participate in the very programs that have been set up to attract diverse suppliers. The Business and Higher Education Roundtable partnered with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind to look at accessible procurement in federally regulated organizations. They found that employers and procurement professionals need more help to understand how to embed accessibility in their procurement processes.

Other issues

In the spirit of "Nothing Without Us" accessibility regulations require federally regulated organizations to consult with people with disabilities (PwDs) when developing their accessibility plans and progress reports. This isn't just an exercise to be compliant with the regulations, but an important part of identifying and removing barriers.

I'm hearing about challenges related to consultations. The regulations do not provide details about how to identify, attract, support and/or compensate people for their time. Some federal and private organizations have developed guidance to help fill the gap, but many say it's not enough. Small-to-mid-sized organizations particularly struggle to find meaningful and effective ways to consult that also respect people's time and effort. PwDs have shared that accommodations are not always provided when they are asked to participate in consultations and do not always receive follow-up information about what was done with their input. Most importantly, they are not getting compensation for their time, even though they are asked to provide their views, which are specialized because they come from lived experiences.

I have also heard a lot about the challenge of reporting fatigue. Federally regulated organizations are required to write an accessibility plan or progress report every year. The intent is good - it pushes organizations to identify barriers and find solutions to remove and prevent them. That said, organizations have legislated requirements for planning and reporting in many areas, like employment equity and sustainable development. Small organizations especially are noting the strain of keeping up. My team saw evidence in their review of plans and reports that a lot of content was repeated from year to year. When factoring in the measured pace of change in many organizations and lengthy approval processes, it's not surprising that there isn't much notable to report on from one year to the next.

Progress under the Accessible Canada Act: standards and regulations

Accessibility standards and regulations help provide guidance and legislated requirements, respectively, to support organizations' implementation of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA). Under the ACA, Accessibility Standards Canada is responsible for the development of federal accessibility standards and Employment and Social Development Canada is responsible for the development of federal accessibility regulations. The table below shows progress in developing both as of October 2025.

Table 1. Accessible Canada Act - Standards and Regulations

Accessible Canada Act Priority Area	Published Standards	Published Regulations
Accessibility regulations for planning and reporting	Not applicable	3 published
Employment	1 published	0
Built Environment	4 published	0
Information and communication technologies	1 published and 1 expected to be published by December 2025	1 in progress (no publication date available)
Communication, other than information and communication technologies	1 published	0
Procurement of goods, services and facilities	0	0
Design and delivery of programs and services	0	0
Transportation (airlines, as well as rail, road and marine transportation, that crosses provincial or international borders)	0	0

As of October 2025, and as shown in the table, 7 standards have been published, covering 5 priority areas of the Accessible Canada Act, and 1 standard is expected to be published by December 2025. One regulation is in progress, with no expected publication date available as this report is being written.

Right now, the only regulations in place are ones that require federally regulated organizations to publish an accessibility plan, provide a feedback process, and publish progress reports, in consultation with people with disabilities (PwDs). Specifically, there is one regulation for all organizations in general, another for those in the transportation industry, and a third for those in the broadcasting and telecommunications industry.

Organizations don't have to wait for regulations to be in place to start taking action towards a barrier-free Canada. Accessibility standards are publicly available and free to use by any organization. The standards are also being incorporated in other national products. For example, the Accessible Ready Housing standard is referenced as part of Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation's Design Catalogue, and the Employment standard is referenced in the government's Employment Strategy for Canadians with Disabilities. For priority areas where standards and regulations don't exist, organizations can also access technical guides. All standards and technical guides can be found on ASC's website.

I hope to see more regulations developed, faster. In the meantime, there are excellent resources and tools available, covering all ACA priority areas, to help organizations identify, prevent and remove barriers for PwDs.

General recommendations

Below are my recommendations to help address issues that impact our ability to reach a barrier-free Canada by 2040.

1. Keep accessibility as a core part of current national priorities. It is critical in the current context of change that we don't lose the momentum we have been building since the Accessible Canada Act came into force. Accessibility is integral to Canada's productivity, innovation, infrastructure development, and shared economic opportunity. Investments being made in new public infrastructure, housing, and artificial intelligence are prime opportunities to build in accessibility from the ground up and avoid costly future retrofits, as well as facilitate more public participation in the economy.

Why this recommendation? During periods of economic hardship, accessibility can too easily be dismissed as costly and non-essential. Accessibility is not a discretionary cost. It's a smart investment. Embedding accessibility from the outset maximizes the impact of any spending and drives inclusive growth. Narrowing the disability employment gap and expanding the use of artificial intelligence and digital systems could unlock billions in gross domestic product (GDP) growth, untapped talent, and the economic potential of people with disabilities (PwDs). Accessibility is essential to building a Canada that includes everyone.

2. Consult PwDs meaningfully and compensate them fairly. Meaningful consultation should consist of a two-way exchange between those who are responsible for action on accessibility commitments and PwDs. This exchange must happen before decisions are made so that disability community members have a real chance to influence them. Telling those consulted what was done with their input is also part of meaningful consultation. Consulting before decision-making and providing feedback show basic value for the insights and lived experiences that PwDs are often called upon to share. So does paying for it.

Why this recommendation? By law, when preparing accessibility plans and progress reports all federally regulated organizations must consult PwDs and report how they consulted them. In the absence of guidance on how to consult, organizations are taking different approaches which can lead to varying representation or quality while some others are outright struggling. Consulting PwDs can easily turn into box-ticking exercises, if conscious efforts to make them meaningful are not taken. Offering proper compensation makes the practice fair. No organization would expect to get other expert help for free, be it on how to give training or how to comply with environmental regulations. What PwDs are asked to offer up to help organizations should not be treated any differently.

3. Issue more accessibility regulations, and faster, while keeping them realistic. I made this recommendation in my 2023 report, and I reiterate it now. I encourage the federal government to move quickly to put information and communications technology (ICT) regulations in place and bring employment regulations forward, as they already have a national standard. All future regulations should push organizations to make change, without draining resources needed to help make that change. In that spirit, it may be time to consider modifying the current planning and reporting regulations from annual reporting to a frequency that better aligns with the time and effort needed to make and show change.

Why this recommendation? Regulations are critical to direct federally regulated organizations on how to remove barriers. A quick glance at Table 1 in this report makes it clear there are not enough directives to drive meaningful change. We also heard from many organizations that yearly reporting is a burden, especially for smaller organizations with limited capacity. The effort it takes to complete annual reports can detract from getting the actual work done. Reducing reporting frequency can allow organizations to focus their freed-up resources and effort on creating real change.

Conclusion

Breaking down barriers for people with disabilities is as relevant and urgent as it ever was, and more action is needed across the board. Our goal is to create a Canada that includes everyone. Accessibility must be a foundational and non-negotiable cultural value. And everyone has a role to play, especially now, in making our communities inclusive, resilient, and prosperous.

The federal transportation sector is doing good work to help advance accessibility, and it can do better. Across the transportation system in Canada, we need to see accessibility training and accessible infrastructure, better data collection and transparency, and better coordination across multiple jurisdictions. Accessible travel will only be accomplished if all levels of government join forces.

The travel journey is a great example of how the Accessible Canada Act priorities cannot be considered in isolation from each other. Each step along the way, whether it's booking a ticket, reserving a taxi online, making your way to a train station, hearing announcements or interacting with staff when asking for accommodations, all these activities touch on different priorities, and all are crucial to a seamless trip. I'm pleased to see that many initiatives have been helping to remove and prevent barriers in all means of transportation, but overall progress is slow. Acting on the recommendations in this report will help to speed progress.

To create a truly inclusive, barrier-free society, accessibility must remain a national priority. We must collaborate and work together so that we can all reach our destinations.

Definitions

The following are definitions of important terms used in the report.

Assistive devices

Any medical device, mobility aid, communication aid, or other aid that is specifically designed to assist a person with a disability.

Barrier

The Accessible Canada Act defines a barrier as anything that hinders the full and equal participation in society of people with disabilities (physical, architectural, technological, attitudinal, that is based on information or communications, or that is the result of a policy or a practice).

Federally Regulated Organizations

Industries and workplaces in the private and public sectors that are regulated by the federal government. These include transportation industries like air transportation, railways and roads that cross borders. They also include non-transportation industries like banks, the federal public service, and Parliament.

Federally Regulated Transportation Service Providers

Organizations that fall under the responsibility of the federal government and operate planes, ferries, trains and buses that travel long distances, as well as terminals, like airports, ferry terminals, train and bus stations, and ports where cruise ships dock. They also include security and border screening.

Mobility aid

A term used to encompass the variety of assistive devices used by people with reduced mobility or physical disabilities, including manual and power wheelchairs, scooters, canes and crutches.

Service dog

A dog that has been individually trained by an organization or a person specialized in training a service dog to assist a person with a need related to their disability.

Support person

A person who accompanies a person with a disability to assist them with various needs such as communication, mobility, personal care, and more.