Guidance on the Accessible Canada Regulations – Consulting persons with disabilities
From: Employment and Social Development Canada
Overview
This guidance will help federally regulated entities 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 guidance addresses how entities must consult persons with disabilities in preparing their accessibility plans and progress reports. The guidance also includes annexes that address:
- understanding disabilities
- intersectional and cultural considerations
- inclusive language considerations
Additional guidance and resources include:
Important notice
The regulations set different deadlines by which different federally regulated entities must publish their first accessibility plans. These deadlines depend on the entities’ function and size. Entities 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 entities may be exempt from these requirements.
Who this guide is for
This guidance is intended for those to whom the Accessible Canada Act applies, 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
- Section 1. Introduction
- Section 2. Background
- “Nothing without us”
- What consultation means
- What the ACA and its regulations say about consultation
- Being inclusive while consulting
- Section 3. Before you begin: key concepts to keep in mind
- Introduction
- Understanding and engaging with different types of disabilities
- Understanding cultural and intersectional factors
- Understanding inclusive language and communication
- Respecting privacy and confidentiality
- Avoiding “consultation fatigue”
- Section 4. Planning your consultation: setting objectives
- Introduction
- Developing objectives and questions related to the planning an reporting requirements of the Accessible Canada Act
- Consulting for accessibility plans
- Consulting for progress reports
- Consulting on the areas described in section 5 of the ACA
- Consulting to identify, remove, and prevent barriers
- Section 5. Planning your consultation: choosing an approach
- Consulting persons with disabilities – general
- Consulting persons with disabilities – clients and the public
- Consulting persons with disabilities – employees
- How to approach potential consultees
- Consulting with respect to planning and reporting deadlines
- Determining your format
- Planning for developing and disseminating accessible information
- Section 6. Processing and following up on your consultation
- Introduction
- Evaluating and processing information received
- Evaluating the consultation process
- Annex: Understanding disabilities
- Annex: Intersectional and cultural considerations
- Annex: Inclusive language considerations
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.
A summary of the Guidance on the Accessible Canada Regulations: Consulting persons with disabilities is also available.
Details and history
Published: July 2022
For assistance
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, 8:00AM to 8:00PM (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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