Guidance on the Accessible Canada Regulations: Alternate formats
From: Employment and Social Development Canada
Overview
These guidance documents will help federally regulated entities (organizations) understand the planning and reporting requirements set by the Accessible Canada Regulations. They also contain additional tips, best practices, and resources that may inspire entities to go farther in eliminating barriers to accessibility.
This specific guidance focuses on how organizations must make their accessibility plans, progress reports and descriptions of their feedback processes available in alternate formats upon request. The guidance also includes an annex that address how to make documents accessible.
You can also read our guidance on:
- accessibility plans
- sample accessibility plan template
- consulting persons with disabilities
- feedback process descriptions
- simple, clear and concise language
- progress reports
Important notice
The regulations set different deadlines by which different organizations must publish their first accessibility plans. These deadlines depend on the organizations’ function and size. Organizations should keep these deadlines in mind as they plan their consultations.
- Government entities – including departments, agencies, Crown corporations, or government-related entities such as the Canadian Forces or Parliamentary entities – must publish their first accessibility plans by December 31, 2022
- Large federally regulated private sector entities with an average of 100 or more employees must publish their first accessibility plans by June 1, 2023
- Small federally regulated private sector entities with an average of between 10 and 99 employees must publish their first accessibility plans by June 1, 2024
Read sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Accessible Canada Regulations to learn which organizations may be exempt from these requirements.
Who this guide is for
These guidance documents are intended for entities and persons mentioned in paragraph 7(1) of the Act, including:
- Government of Canada entities, including departments and agencies
- Crown corporations
- every portion of the federal public administration designated under subsection 7(3) of the ACA
- the Canadian Forces
- parliamentary entities
- federally regulated private sector entities
In this guide
- Introduction
- Key concepts
- What the regulations say
- Types of alternate formats
- Manner of request
- Deadlines
- Recommendations and best practices
- Acknowledging a request
- Publicizing alternate formats
- Making a request online
- Hiring service providers
- Making alternate formats available
- Alternate formats for consultations
- Content
- Annex: making documents more accessible
Alternate formats
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.
Details and history
Published: September 2022
Updated: December 2022
For assistance
If you have questions or comments about these guidance documents, please contact the Accessible Canada Directorate at accessible.canada.directorate-direction.canada.accessible@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
If you have questions or comments about the Accessible Canada Regulations, including about how they will be enforced, please contact the office of the Accessibility Commissioner. The Commissioner’s office is open Monday to Friday, 8 am to 8 pm (Eastern Time). You can contact the Commissioner’s office by the following means:
- telephone
- Toll free: 1-888-214-1090
- TTY: 1-888-643-3304
- Canada Video Relay Service (VRS)
- fax
- 1-613-996-9661
Page details
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