Accessibility plan at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)

Summary

The federal government is committed to removing barriers to accessibility and inclusion to ensure greater opportunities for success for all Canadians. This is particularly important for more than 6 million Canadians over 15 years old who have a disability.

The overarching goal of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) is to realize a barrier-free Canada by 2040 with every federal department identifying the actions they will take to remove and prevent barriers. The legislation benefits all Canadians, especially persons with disabilities, through the proactive identification, removal, and prevention of barriers to accessibility in 8 priority areas:

• Employment
• Built Environment
• Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
• Communication, other than Information and Communication Technologies
• Design and delivery of programs and services
• Procurement of Goods, Services, and Facilities
• Transportation
• Requirements under the Broadcasting Act

To achieve this, ECCC developed its first Accessibility Plan, consistent with the ACA and the Accessible Canada Regulations, to be published in December 2022. This plan will be updated every 3 years, and between formal updates there will be progress reports to describe the results of our actions.

In developing the plan for our Department, we have added a ninth priority area, culture, to honour our standing promise to create a culture of care and a workplace that is inclusive, accessible, and safe for all. In such a culture, we must be attentive to the well-being of others and discuss issues in a respectful manner to resolve them collaboratively.

General

This Accessibility Plan is created for: Environment and Climate Change Canada
Designated Person for the purpose of receiving feedback on barriers and on the ECCC Accessibility Plan: Kate Beauchamp, Director, Wellness Programs

Persons in Canada dealing with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) can formulate feedback on the way ECCC is implementing its Accessibility Plan and reporting on its progress. They can also report barriers encountered when dealing with ECCC. Persons in Canada can request a copy of the Accessibility Plan, Progress Report and Feedback Process documents in an alternate format from the Designated Person.

The Designated Person for the purpose of receiving feedback on barriers and on the ECCC Accessibility Plan and Progress Report and of providing these documents in an alternate format is the Director, Wellness Programs.

Persons can provide feedback in the following ways:
By mail: 351 Saint-Joseph Blvd., Gatineau, QC, K1A 0H3
Designated Person to receive feedback on barriers and on the ECCC Accessibility Plan: Director, Wellness Programs, Human Resources Branch
By Phone: 1-844-690-8366
By Email: RetroactionAccessibilite-FeedbackAccessibility@ec.gc.ca
By electronic online form: Accessibility feedback form
Anonymously: by mail, by phone, by electronic form

An acknowledgement of receipt of feedback on accessibility will be provided in the same manner as it was communicated, except for anonymous feedback.

The feedback will be shared and coordinated by the Designated Person for the purpose of receiving feedback.

Accessibility Statement

As of the date of publication, this document has been verified for accessibility.

If you have any issues with this document, please contact us at RetroactionAccessibilite-FeedbackAccessibility@ec.gc.ca.

Message from the Deputy Ministers

We are pleased to introduce the first ECCC Accessibility Plan, as mandated by the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) and the Accessible Canada Regulations (ACR). The ACA aims to create a Canada without barriers on or before January 1, 2040. This work calls on federally regulated entities to identify and remove all existing barriers to accessibility and prevent new ones through the development of accessibility plans and progress reports, which will be published in cycles.

In 2019, the ACA and the Public Service of Canada strategy “Nothing without us” inspired ECCC to create its own Accessibility Strategy. The strategy enabled ECCC to support a culture of care, improve awareness about disabilities, visible or not, open the conversation to create employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, and much more; it is the foundation for this first Accessibility Plan.

Developed in collaboration with ECCC’s branches and employees with disabilities, our first Accessibility Plan organizes the activities under 9 priority areas, including the pillar of culture, as we recognize that a culture of care is fundamental to creating an inclusive, diversified, accessible, and safe environment.

In March 2021, ECCC employees with and without disabilities completed the ECCC Accessibility Survey to provide direct feedback on accessibility and barriers in the workplace. Through that survey, we learned that close to half of all respondents felt that ECCC’s efforts to remove and prevent barriers are improving. We also heard that just over one in three respondents reported that people with disabilities at ECCC have difficulty changing jobs or advancing within the Department. This feedback is what we need to further improve our organization for all employees and will continue to be critical as the Accessibility Plan evolves and we report on our progress.

As part of the implementation, we will work to improve the accessibility of ECCC’s programs and services for all Canadians. We will also begin to consult with people across Canada on their accessibility experiences and needs, and better address those needs in the next Plan. We are confident that ECCC will be fully accessible before 2040, thanks to the collaboration of all branches and the valuable contributions of people with disabilities.
We give our wholehearted appreciation to everyone who worked to create this first ECCC Accessibility Plan, which sets the foundation for an inclusive and accessible ECCC, for now and into the future.

T. Christine Hogan
Deputy Minister

Paul Halucha
Associate Deputy Minister

Lawrence Hanson
Associate Deputy Minister

Message from the Disability and Accessibility Co-champions and the Employee Accessibility Network

Since the adoption of the Accessible Canada Act by the Parliament, ECCC has been hard at work to develop and implement its Accessibility Strategy. Over the past 3 years, the Department has demonstrated its ongoing commitment to changing mindsets and behaviors in order to provide an accessible workplace for all employees by promoting new initiatives and sharing tools and resources, as well as training and learning opportunities. We have been listening to our employee network to focus our attention on the issues and concerns that affect people the most. Responses from employees to the ECCC Accessibility Survey provided us with essential information that helped us to determine what we need to do to further raise awareness and improve accessibility in the workplace. All these efforts support ECCC’s objective of proactively identifying and removing existing barriers, preventing the creation of new ones, and facilitating the full participation of persons with disabilities. We were able to target areas of importance and guide the next steps in the implementation of the ECCC Accessibility Plan.

ECCC is mindful that the work has just begun, and we must maintain the momentum to bring about meaningful change to accessibility in the workplace. Culture change does not happen overnight and this work is founded on conversations, sharing of information and providing the tools needed for everyone. As champions we hold a strong commitment to making ECCC accessible and inclusive for all.

Accessibility is everyone’s business! Together, we can create a culture of care that is inclusive and accessible for both employees and Canadians.

Nicole Cote and Daniel Desfossés, Disability and Accessibility Champions

And

The Employee Accessibility Network

Introduction

The Accessible Canada Act

The Accessible Canada Act is part of Canada’s vision to be a diverse and inclusive world leader. The new legislation builds upon the strength of existing legislation such as the:

• Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• Canadian Human Rights Act
• Employment Equity Act
• Pay Equity Act
• Canadian Multiculturalism Act
• Official Languages Act

In 2016, the Government of Canada began consultations with Canadians with the purpose of developing new federal accessibility legislation as part of Canada’s commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) was legislated by Parliament in July 11, 2019 with the purpose of “realiz[ing] a Canada without barriers” by 2040, “particularly by the identification and removal of barriers, and the prevention of new barriers” in specific areas.

This legislation not only acknowledges publicly the value of persons with disabilities, but even more importantly, requires the establishment of standards in order to measure the progress when it comes to providing accessible services, removing existing barriers and preventing new barriers.

The following definitions are included in the ACA and apply to this Plan:

• Barrier means anything — including anything physical, architectural, technological or attitudinal, anything that is based on information or communications or anything that is the result of a policy or a practice — that hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment or a functional limitation. (obstacle)
• Disability means any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment — or a functional limitation — whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, or evident or not, that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society. (handicap)

The purpose of the ACA is to benefit all persons, especially persons with disabilities, through the realization, within the purview of matters coming within the legislative authority of Parliament, of a Canada without barriers, on or before January 1, 2040, particularly by the identification and removal of barriers, and the prevention of new barriers, in the following areas:

• Employment
• Built environment
• Information and communication technologies (ICT)
• Communication, other than information and communication technologies
• Procurement of goods, services and facilities
• Design and delivery of programs and services
• Transportation
• Requirements under the Broadcasting Act

In the Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) Accessibility Plan and subsequent progress reports, actions are identified and progress will be reported under each priority area (or pillar). In the spirit of the culture of care which is a foundational component to the ECCC organization, this has been added as a distinct pillar within the Departmental Accessibility Plan. This reinforces the need for ongoing awareness of accessibility to support the realization of our collective plan and actions within the remaining pillars.

The ACA establishes a schedule of reporting on the priority areas following a three-calendar year cycle method, starting at the time an organization has first published their Accessibility Plan, as follows:

• Cycle 1
  • First Accessibility Plan required by December 31, 2022
  • First progress report required by December 31, 2023
  • Second progress report required by December 31, 2024
• Cycle 2
  • (Updated) Accessibility Plan required by December 31, 2025
  • First progress report required by December 31, 2026
  • Second progress report required by December 31, 2027
• Etc.
• ECCC Fully Accessible in 2040

Accessibility development and governance

ECCC will contribute to and participate in the broader governance structure developed under the ACA.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) provides advice and makes recommendations to the Treasury Board committee of ministers on how the government spends money on programs and services, how it regulates and how it is managed. The Office of Public Service Accessibility (OPSA), an organization of TBS, supports the Government of Canada in meeting the requirements of the Accessible Canada Act. The intent is to design a strategy and implementation plan to establish the public service of Canada as the gold standard of an accessible and inclusive workplace.

OPSA sets a new standard for the public service, with the guiding principle “Nothing without us”, so that persons with disabilities are involved in the design and implementation of all accessibility strategies. This principle is reflected in a variety of actions across Public Service departments, such as governance through the Accessibility Champions (persons with disabilities or allies) and the creation of an active community of practice.

Accessibility structure at ECCC

• Disability and Accessibility Co-Champions representing ECCC’s senior management
• Accessibility Advisory Committee representing all branches and regions at a director or senior manager level
• Accessibility Secretariat, part of Workforce Development and Wellness Services Directorate, within the HR Branch, coordinates communications, meetings and events to raise awareness on accessibility 
• Employee Accessibility Network representing persons with disabilities at ECCC. The network represents members, by focusing on connecting, informing, exchanging communications and bringing suggestions forward to the Department, including the bodies noted above

Accountability

• Deputy Minister has the accountability of the Departmental Accessibility Plan
• Branch heads have the accountability for the implementation of the planned actions under their responsibility in the Accessibility Plan

As a department, we embarked, over the past few years, on a transformational journey by adopting a “Culture of Care” model. A culture that is based on the principles of empathy, inclusivity, and respectfulness in order to support the creation and implementation of a barrier-free workplace.

Even before developing the first departmental Accessibility Plan, we developed and promoted an internal Accessibility Strategy. We recognize there are common working areas within existing internal programs such as: Diversity, Inclusion and Employment Equity, the Respect Bureau, and the Wellness Centre (Mental Health). It is through the adoption of a culture of care that everyone can develop the empathy and compassion to analyse their work through different lenses, including the lens of persons with disabilities, and make a positive difference.

To become an inclusive workplace requires both the collective and personal responsibilities of each employee and manager. We will succeed and meet our goal through everyone’s commitment to continuous learning, open conversations, supportive processes, and communication.

Guiding principles of the ECCC Accessibility Strategy

• Nothing without us: Involving persons with disabilities in all stages of the design and implementation of the Accessibility Strategy
• Enablement: Creating an enabling workplace that supports employees with functional limitations (evident or not) to realize their full potential
• Collaboration: Working with employees, groups, unions and partners in the public and private sectors in order to achieve results
• Sustainability: Creating a strategy built to last, prioritizing actions that will have an enduring impact
• Transparency: Demonstrating transparency in the design and implementation of the strategy and in reporting on efforts to remove barriers

Our priority areas (for example “key pillars”), based on the Accessible Canada Act, are:

• Culture^{Footnote 1}  – Build a culture of care using an empathic, inclusive and respectful approach to create a barrier-free environment.
• Employment – Enhance the accessibility of the built environment at ECCC.
• Built environment – Enhance the accessibility of the built environment at ECCC.
• Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) – Make information and communications technology usable by all employees.
• Communication, other than Information and Communication Technologies – Make information and communications accessible to all.
• Procurement of goods, services, and facilities – Ensure goods, services and facilities are accessible by default.
• Design and Delivery of Programs and Services – Equip employees to design and deliver accessible programs and services.
• Transportation – Make ECCC transportation used for ECCC services accessible.
• Broadcasting – Provide programming accessible by disabled persons within the Canadian broadcasting system as resources become available for the purpose.

The implementation of the specific actions within the ECCC Accessibility Plan will be led by each branch, as the Department offers a variety of services that require specific approaches and may be needed to meet other regulations.

Building on our strengths

ECCC informs Canadians about protecting and conserving our natural heritage, and ensures a clean, safe, and sustainable environment for present and future generations.

At ECCC, we recognize that the environment is vital to the identity and well-being of Canadians. We value the contribution of the natural and social sciences in making responsible decisions about the environment. We are committed to demonstrating integrity, trust and mutual respect in our working relationships. We value the dedication and teamwork of our people and strive to provide high-quality service to the public. We act on these values by:

• leading by example, showing environmental responsibility in our own operations
• encouraging innovation and initiative in our people, and fostering a culture of learning in our department
• operating in a way that is consistent with public service values
• working collaboratively and respectfully with others, enhancing the efforts of all partners and stakeholders
• Environment and Climate Change Canada Values

The workplace in the Public Service has changed considerably over the past several years. Due to legislation like the ACA, gaps in resourcing have been identified in areas such as Diversity, Inclusion and Employment Equity (DIEE). In addition, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nuances and complexities of our personal and work lives have changed dramatically, presenting great opportunities of the learning and development for the future Public Service. In the context of the ACA, the accessibility, accommodations and support to persons with disabilities accelerated change at ECCC in various ways.

ECCC Retrospective of 2019 to 2022

In 2019, prior to the development of an ECCC Accessibility Plan, the Human Resources Branch (HRB), put in place an Accessibility Secretariat and launched an internal Accessibility Strategy. These supported ECCC’s commitment to implement the Accessible Canada Act. The Accessibility Secretariat oversees the corporate program on accessibility and works with partners and stakeholders to develop and implement a multi-year departmental Accessibility Plan that meets or surpasses the legislative requirements. HRB fosters an environment of learning, collaboration and development between the Co‑Champions, branch heads, and employee networks in order to achieve a barrier-free workplace.

The Accessibility Strategy builds upon a broader departmental goal to create an organization with a Culture of Care using an empathetic, inclusive, and respectful approach. Here is a list of achievements that have resulted from this initial Strategy:

• Promote events for all employees to bring awareness and provide tools on how to approach and best integrate accessibility topics in daily work as tips to create accessible documents
• Publish internal communications related to accommodation, accessibility and disability management
• Collaborate with other departments and participate as a member of the Government of Canada Workplace Accessibility Passport Adopter Community of Practice, including as an early adopter of the Passport
• Create a single window of service on accessibility at work for employees and supervisors for any accommodation requests
• Reiterate the self-identification awareness campaign for employment equity groups
• Support the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities
• Create a specific form for consideration of accessibility within ECCC’s procurement process
• Develop a disability awareness tool for managers, including communications tips and tools
• Promote events and initiatives regarding accessibility, accommodation, and disability management, including activities during the National Accessibility Week
• Conduct a departmental accessibility survey to assess employee awareness of accessibility practices and initiatives within the Department
• Acquire 2 accessible electric minibuses to replace the shuttles that run between the PVM and Fontaine buildings in Gatineau
• Reformat all intranet pages to ensure accessibility, including the development of web guidelines
• Maintain dissemination channels such as weather.gc.ca, following the W3C WCAG 2.1 standard while continuing other voice technology dissemination channels to ensure there are multiple ways for the public to access up-to-date weather alerts and information. In addition, Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) Prediction Services has increased accessibility by gradually adding alternative text to graphics disseminated through social media
• Develop, in collaboration with the corporate staffing working group, a strategy for hiring persons with disabilities
• Improve, in collaboration with the Science and Technology Branch, accessibility for audiences, partners and people doing business with ECCC through an online engagement platform. This provides a more accessible consultation engagement

Priority areas and expected results

Looking toward our journey to achieving a fully accessible Canada by 2040, ECCC is committed to providing accessible services by default to all of ECCC’s employees and the Canadians we serve.

ECCC will achieve these goals by planning and consulting with all stakeholders and implementing the Accessible Canada Regulations 3-year cycles comprising one Accessible Plan and 2 progress reports.

The first ECCC Accessibility Plan’s goal is to establish formal accessibility mechanisms, including but not limited to: responsibilities, processes, data collection sources, work plan and priorities for each branch, including interconnections with other programs, using as a framework the ACA priority areas and tools available through the OPSA.

For this first 3-year cycle, 2022 to 2024, ECCC will develop plans to focus on the overall Department as well as branch specific actions. At an overall ECCC level, the focus will be to align the departmental approaches to the Public Service standards, as they become available.

In addition to the above-noted elements, we will use the feedback and data from the annual Public Service Employee Survey, the Employment Equity Gap Reports and the internal periodic ECCC Accessibility Survey. This information will help us adapt plans, include new areas for focus as needed, and validate priority actions.

All these elements will help us measure progress against our goals, meet standards, identify new objectives, and deliver meaningful yearly progress reports (in 2023 and 2024) as per the ACA.

The Accessibility Secretariat will be responsible for preparing, consulting, receiving feedback and publishing both the ECCC accessibility plans and progress reports. ECCC branches will be responsible to consult persons with disabilities on the following priority areas:

Culture

ECCC’s Culture of Care is an approach to creating empathic, compassionate and respectful conversations between managers and employees. ECCC will show accessibility leadership through our actions, planning, caring and support for our employees, clients and partners.

We identified the following barriers:

• Employees with disabilities fear disclosing their disability and asking for support
• Lack of understanding of disability
• Lack of awareness on accessibility

ECCC will address these barriers and will be taking steps to remove and prevent new barriers by:

• Engaging employees in creating a culture of care, through committees and networks
• Raising awareness by promoting accessibility through various communication products, such as messages, articles, events, lived experiences
• Encouraging employees to follow accessibility related training, such as training on accessible documents, disability management, unconscious bias, and inclusive hiring practices

Employment

Improve recruitment, retention, and promotion of persons with disabilities (evident or not).

We identified the following barriers:

• Employment documents, tools and resources are not always in an accessible format
• Managers lack general knowledge on disabilities, accommodations, and accessibility
• Reduced opportunities for people with disabilities

ECCC will address these barriers and will be taking steps to remove and prevent new barriers by:

• Establishing job advertisement to solicit persons with disabilities to apply for positions at ECCC for which they are potentially qualified.
• Creating job advertisement (posting) with plain language that describes the requirements of the position including the work environment.
• Ensuring that managers have the proper tools and resources to assess and hire persons with disabilities.
• Ensuring that the organization’s environment is accessible and accommodation measures are in place to remove barriers to retain persons with disabilities.
• Developing employees with disabilities by offering various opportunities to develop their talents and achieve their career goal.
• Monitoring human resources data regarding employment equity gaps for representation of persons with disabilities.
• Maintaining the working group to continue to promote the hiring strategy of persons with disabilities.

Built environment

Enhance the accessibility of the built environment within ECCC facilities.

We identified the following barriers:

• Some buildings are not fully accessible
• Building code standards does not always ensure workplace accessibility
• Unassigned workspace do not provide flexibility to meet in individual accommodation needs

ECCC will address these barriers and will be taking steps to remove and prevent new barriers by:

• Improving accessibility to ECCC office buildings (owned or leased) and sites open to the public, in collaboration with partners and central agencies, such as Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
• Assessing the accessibility of specific sites, planning, and undertaking corrective measures
• Ensuring that facilities are made accessible according to current building codes and good inclusion practices when relocating or remodeling
• Identifying space in the workplace that can be used, assigned, or reserved for employees or candidates with disabilities with duty to accommodate requirements, such as air filters, dimmed lighting, soundproof, wider screen, etc.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

Continue to make information and communication technologies usable by all.

We identified the following barriers:

• Audio captioning is not available
• Issues to obtain Assistive Technology
• Not all Intranet content is accessible

ECCC will address these barriers and will be taking steps to remove and prevent new barriers by:

• Ensuring that any developed and acquired information and communication technologies will be accessible by design
• Ensuring that Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are applied, including digital applications and websites
• Conducting the inventory of websites, mobile applications and other technologies developed for the branches and available to the public. Assessing the accessibility and identification of corrective measures to be included in the updates to the Departmental Accessibility Plan
• Ensuring that software chosen and used to meet business needs is accessible, including information management systems, by collecting and incorporating feedback from users in processes
• Assessing the accessibility of publicly available technologies and planning required corrective measures
• Identifying information and communication technologies that can test and improve the accessibility of communications

Communication, other than Information and Communication Technologies

Make information and communication accessible to all.

We identified the following barriers:

• Documents are not all in plain language
• Format of documents are not always accessible
• Advanced notice and materials are not always provided for meetings and presentations
• Meetings and events are not fully accessible

ECCC will address these barriers and will be taking steps to remove and prevent new barriers by:

• Using plain and simple language to make communications accessible, in both official languages
• Ensuring communication formats are accessible; once reviewed, an Accessibility Statement will be added at the beginning of documents
• Ensuring that large departmental meetings are accessible by all and that tools are provided to managers and employees to create accessible meetings where possible

Procurement of goods, services, and facilities

Ensuring goods, services and facilities are accessible by design and by default. Improving the accessibility of tendering and procurement procedures.

We identified the following barriers:

• Accessibility is not always considered when buying goods and services
• Delays when purchasing adaptive technology

ECCC will address these barriers and will be taking steps to remove and prevent new barriers by:

• Implementing Accessibility verification for procurement of goods, services and facilities
• Assessing, identifying and improving processes to facilitate an effective and rapid procurement for accommodation-related tools

Design and Delivery of Programs and Services

Equip employees to design and deliver accessible programs and services, including policies.

We identified the following barriers:

• Persons with disabilities feel they are not included in the development of services
• Lack of information regarding the accessibility of services and programs

ECCC will address these barriers and will be taking steps to remove and prevent new barriers by:

• Including consideration of disability and accessibility to eliminate negative impact of policies and programs on persons with disabilities when designing, developing and updating policies and programs
• Assessing the accessibility of services, programs, and policies
• Identifying corrective measures to be included in the updates to the Departmental Accessibility Plan
• Applying identified corrective measures to remove barriers and prevent the creation of new barriers

Transportation

While ECCC does not offer transportation services to Canadians, various transportation vehicles are utilized at various sites, and public transportation is used by employees for business purposes.

We identified the following barriers:

• Lack of accessible transportation on or between worksites
• Government vehicles are not accessible for employees with disabilities

ECCC will address these barriers and will be taking steps to remove and prevent new barriers by:

• Acquire accessible electric vans such as Envirobus shuttle vans that will circulate between the 2 largest ECCC buildings in the National Capital Region
• Assessing and identifying the processes that could identify accessibility needs when it comes to transportation matters, such as those relating to fleet vehicles
• Ensuring that employees with disabilities have appropriate accommodation measures in place to remove barriers when travelling for business

Broadcasting

The Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) leads the development of weather and related environmental programs, prediction models and information dissemination to meet the needs of Canadians, economic sectors, other federal departments, and external clients. This includes the provision of weather, ice and other environmental prediction information to support Canadian aviation, navigation and military operations. It manages the delivery of our information using a variety of mechanisms (web, radio, etc.) and improves the delivery of our services through systematic collection of customer feedback, assessment of client needs and strategic partnerships.

ECCC is the Authoritative Source of Weather Alerts 24/7.

No barriers were identified. ECCC will be taking steps to prevent new barriers by:

• Broadcasting weather information to equip Canadians, regardless of their disabilities, to make informed decisions according to the weather.
• Continuing to comply with the Accessible Canada Act, with the Broadcasting Act and with the Treasury Board Secretariat standards for web accessibility.
• Providing programming accessible by disabled persons should be provided within the Canadian broadcasting system as resources become available for the purpose.
• Monitoring and maintaining the broadcasting network and responding to public feedback about all of MSC’s dissemination channels, including temporary accessibility issues on the weather.gc.ca website.
• Continuing to implement additional tables and descriptions to increase the accessibility of elements that are currently exempted from web accessibility standards.

Consultations

Under the ACA, the regulated entity must consult persons with disabilities in the preparation of its accessibility plan, and every updated version of its accessibility plan, as well as its progress reports. The accessibility plan must set out the manner in which the regulated entity consulted persons with disabilities in the preparation of the plan.

Consultations results

Barriers to accessibility – What we heard

As we welcomed in the Accessible Canada Act, ECCC consulted persons with disabilities by launching the Accessibility Survey in 2021. We delved deeper into the 2020 Public Service Employee Survey, into the exit questionnaires and into different surveys conducted throughout the pandemic (check-in surveys), where respondents were able to self-identify as a person with a disability.

ECCC Accessibility survey 2021

On March 30, 2021, a message from the Disability and Accessibility Co-Champions was sent to all ECCC staff inviting them to complete ECCC’s Accessibility Survey. A total of 748 employees completed the survey between March 30 and April 21 resulting in a response rate of 10% based on 7 539 active employees. More than 1 in 3 (35%) respondents consider themselves as having a disability based on the definition provided. Some of the highlights from the survey include:

• It was recognized that ECCC invests resources and efforts to improve accessibility and accommodation management, however, there remains additional work to be done
• Invisible disabilities rank as the highest disability characteristic, with 62% of respondents identifying their disability as ‘invisible’
• 40% of the respondents had not informed their supervisor of their disability
• Supervisors mentioned the need for more information on how to better support employees with disabilities, as 34% of them would like to learn more about communication tools, 40% on recruitment, retention, and promotion resources, and 24% on the lending library for accessibility-related hardware
• 57% of supervisors noted they agreed with the statement that they are equipped to support employees in their work unit who have accessibility issues
• There was a general acknowledgement that awareness sessions on disabilities, accommodation and accessibility are needed for supervisors to engage in open and safe conversations with their employees
• Nearly 4 in 10 employees with disabilities (38%) feel the Department does a very good job of ensuring that the workplace is accessible for persons with disabilities. This proportion is higher compared to those employees without a disability (24%)

Public Service Employee Survey (PSES)

(2020 PSES results, compared with 2018 PSES and 2019 PSES results.)

In the 2020 Public Service Employee Survey, ECCC results comparing persons with a disability and persons without a disability reveal the following:

• (Question (Q)84) Since 2019, there has been an increase of 20 percentage point (pp) of persons with a disability indicating they are equipped to support employees in their work unit who are experiencing mental health issues
• In 2020, results for persons with a disability (67%) were lower than results for persons without a disability by 7 pp
• (Q72) In 2020, 32% of persons with a disability indicated overall, their level of work-related stress is high or very high
• These results were higher than results for persons without a disability by 17 pp
• Since 2018, the results for persons with a disability have decreased by 1 pp
• (Q42) In 2020, 40% of persons with a disability believe they have opportunities for promotion within ECCC, given their education, skills and experience
• These results were lower than results for persons without a disability by 17 pp
• Since 2018, the results for persons with a disability have increased by 3 pp
• (Q11) In 2020, 67% of persons with a disability indicated that overall, they feel valued at work
• These results were lower than results for persons without a disability by 13 pp
• Since 2018, the results for persons with a disability have increased by 3 pp
• (Q78) In 2020, 62% of persons with a disability would describe their workplace as being psychologically healthy
• These results were lower than results for persons without a disability by 13 pp
• Since 2018, the results for persons with a disability have increased by 6 pp
• (Q87) In 2020, 15% of persons with a disability had workplace accommodation measures in place before the COVID-19 pandemic which are no longer being met
• These results were higher than results for persons without a disability by 9 pp
• These results were lower than results for persons with a disability across the Federal Public Service by 4 pp
• (Q75) In 2020, 67% of persons with a disability believe senior managers in ECCC take adequate steps to support the mental health of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic
• These results were lower than results for persons without a disability by 7 pp
• These results were higher than results for persons with a disability across the Federal Public Service by 8 pp
• (Q80) In 2020, 85% of persons with a disability indicated ECCC has effectively communicated the mental health services and resources that are available to them during the COVID-19 pandemic
• These results were lower than results for persons without a disability by 6 pp
• These results were higher than results for persons with a disability across the Federal Public Service by 7 pp
• (Q82) In 2020, 81% of persons with a disability are satisfied with the measures ECCC is taking to protect their physical health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic
• These results were lower than results for persons without a disability by 6 pp
• These results were higher than results for persons with a disability across the Federal Public Service by 6 pp

Exit questionnaires

Between April 1, 2020 and July 5, 2022, 517 employees completed the exit questionnaire when they left the Department. Out of those, 58 respondents self-identified as a person with a disability.

• Seven out of ten (71%) responded they felt comfortable using formal and informal mechanisms in confidence and without fear of reprisal if they wanted to report a workplace concern (that is harassment, staffing complaint, grievance, disclosure or wrongdoing)
• 74% considered that the staffing processes were fair and equitable
• Three-quarters (75%) felt that they were adequately involved in decision-making

Employee check-in surveys

Surveys with employees about the departmental response to the pandemic, regarding the evolution of the way we work and reintegration to the workplace, included the following:

• Round 1 from April 22 to 29, 2020 – 2,207 ECCC employees
• Round 2 from July 16 to 31, 2020 – 3 689 ECCC employees, including 129 employees identifying as persons with a disability
• Round 3 from November 10 to 24, 2020 – 3 286 ECCC employees, including 197 employees identifying as persons with a disability
• Round 4 from June 7 to 21, 2021 – 3 749 ECCC employees, including 300 employees identifying as persons with a disability
• Round 5 from May 16 to 30, 2022 – 4 975 ECCC employees, including 402 employees identifying as persons with a disability

The following findings were from employees who self-identified as having a disability who responded to the check-in surveys:

• Nine out of ten respondents with a disability (90%) believe that it is important for ECCC to continue building a culture of care that supports psychological health and safety, self‑care, compassion, and kindness in the Department (Check-in Survey: Round 5, May 2022).
• Nearly 6 out of 10 respondents with a disability (59%) are personally coping well, this proportion is significantly lower than the Department average (73%) (Check-in Survey: Round 5, May 2022).
• 6 out of 10 respondents with a disability (62%) said that they are able to openly discuss with their supervisor/manager about how they are coping. However, this proportion is significantly lower than the Department average (71%) (Check-in Survey: Round 5, May 2022)
• 6 out of 10 respondents with a disability (62%) feel that their suggestions and ideas are respected in the workplace. This proportion is lower than the Department average (73%) (Check-in Survey: Round 5, May 2022).
• 16% of respondents with a disability see the benefit of working from home because their home workspace is better suited for their ergonomic needs (Check-in Survey: Round 5, May 2022).
• Three-quarters of respondents with a disability (77%) believe it is important that health and wellness measures continue to be offered at ECCC (Check-in Survey: Round 5, May 2022).
• Nearly two-thirds of respondents with a disability (64%) believe it is important for ECCC to continue to show respect in the workplace activities, workshops, and initiatives (Check-in Survey: Round 5, May 2022).
• 9 out of 10 respondents with a disability said they have had reliable access to the virtual private network (VPN) when needed (Check-in Survey: Round 4, June 2021).
• 8 out of 10 respondents with a disability (86%) stated they have been able to access IT support (e.g., Service Desk, Digital Lounge) to resolve their technology issues (Check-in Survey: Round 4, June 2021).
• 42% of respondents with a disability were provided with special ergonomic office equipment by the Department (Check-in Survey: Round 2, July 2020).
• 9 out of 10 respondents with a disability (96%) mentioned that they have an adequate home workspace (quiet, with proper desk, chair, etc.) that can meet their needs for several more months (Check-in Survey: Round 4, June 2021).

Summary of the consultations results

Considering the above consultations results, ECCC has identified the actions described in the “Priority Areas and Expected Results” section.

Consultations plan

ECCC’s consultations on the first Departmental Accessibility Plan 2022 to 2024:

• Accessibility Advisory Committee members were invited to collaborate and comment on the first draft of the Accessibility Plan during the summer of 2022.
• ECCC Employee Accessibility Network members were consulted and had the opportunity to comment.
• The first edition of ECCC Accessibility Survey with employees was completed in April 2021.
• The second edition of ECCC Accessibility Survey with employees will be launched around April 2023.
• Reach out for feedback and validate its plans and progress reports to external stakeholders.
• Contract in 2022 to review accessibility at Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area, including several virtual meetings and 2 site visits with on-site assessments.
• The content of the Branch Reporting Template will be added to this section.
• Consultations on the New Substances Notification Regulations (Organisms) and on the Regulations Amending the New Substances Notification Regulations (Chemicals and Polymers) done on an online interface that meets WCAG 2.0 and Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) criteria for accessibility to have broad reach and allow stakeholders to participate at a time suitable to them.

The information collected from the consultations on accessibility, including information to identify, eliminate and prevent barriers, will be shared, and coordinated through ECCC branches.

Feedback process

Persons in Canada dealing with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) can formulate feedback on the way ECCC is implementing its Accessibility Plan and reporting on its progress. They can also report barriers encountered when dealing with ECCC. Persons in Canada can request the Accessibility Plan, Progress Report and Feedback Progress documents in an alternate format to the Designated Person.

The Designated Person for the purpose of receiving feedback on barriers and on the ECCC Accessibility Plan and Progress Report and of providing these documents in an alternate format is the Director, Wellness Programs.

Persons can provide feedback in the following ways:
By mail: 351 Saint-Joseph Blvd., Gatineau, QC, K1A 0H3
By Phone: 1-844-690-8366
By Email: RetroactionAccessibilite-FeedbackAccessibility@ec.gc.ca
By electronic online form: Accessibility feedback form
Anonymously: by mail, by phone, by electronic form
To the Person Designated to receive feedback on barriers and on the ECCC Accessibility Plan: Director, Wellness Programs

An acknowledgement of receipt of feedback on accessibility will be provided in the same manner as it was communicated, except for anonymous feedback.

The feedback will be shared and coordinated by the Designated Person for the purpose of receiving feedback. 

Glossary

Accessibility: The combination of aspects that influence a person’s ability to function within an environment.

Accessible: Referring to a place that is easily reached, an environment that is easily navigated or a program or service that can easily be obtained.

Accommodation: The personalized adaptation of a workplace to overcome the barriers faced by persons with disabilities.

Barrier: A physical, architectural, technological, or attitudinal obstacle, based on information or communications or resulting from a policy or a practice, that hinders the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in society.

Disability: A physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment, or a functional limitation, whether permanent, temporary, or episodic in nature, or evident or not, that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society.

Inclusion: The act of recognizing, valuing, and building on differences in identity, abilities, backgrounds, cultures, skills, experiences, and perspectives while respecting human rights.

Nothing without us: A guiding principle used across the Government of Canada to communicate the message that no policy should be decided by a representative without the full and direct participation of the members of the group affected by that policy.