Measuring progress: Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada
Measuring progress
Read the progress report How we measure results
| Goal | Performance indicator | Baseline | Target | Date to achieve target | Data source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Improve recruitment, retention and promotion of persons with disabilities | Percentage of public servants who identify as persons with disabilities | 5.3% | 7% | 2025 | Annual Employment Equity Report |
| Annual promotion rate of persons with disabilities (%) | 4.1% | 6% | 2025 | Annual Employment Equity Report | |
| Percentage of employees with disabilities who state that accessibility or accommodation issues cause stress at work to a large or very large extent | 20% | 10% | 2025 | Annual Public Service Employee Survey | |
| 2. Enhance the accessibility of the built environment | Difference between the percentage of employees with disabilities and the percentage of employees without disabilities who rate the physical work environment as a source of stress | 10 percentage points | 5 percentage points | 2025 | Annual Public Service Employee Survey |
| Percentage of buildings assessed against new accessibility obligations (CSA Group 2018 and beyond) | n/a | n/a | n/a | To be developed | |
| Percentage of buildings that meet or exceed new accessibility obligations | n/a | n/a | n/a | To be developed | |
| 3. Make information and communications technology usable by all | Percentage of clients and employees with disabilities who are satisfied with the accessibility of workplace information and communications technology | n/a | n/a | n/a | To be developed |
| Percentage of internal solutions that meet accessibility standards | n/a | 60% | 2021 | To be developed | |
| 4. Equip public servants to design and deliver accessible programs and services | Difference between the percentage of clients with disabilities and the percentage of clients without disabilities who report being satisfied with the quality of Government of Canada service | n/a | n/a | n/a | To be developed |
| 5. Build an accessibility-confident public service | Difference between the percentage of employees with disabilities and the percentage of employees without disabilities reporting being harassed in the last year | 18 percentage points | 9 percentage points | 2025 | Annual Public Service Employee Survey |
| Percentage of employees with disabilities who agree that they can initiate a formal recourse process without fear of reprisal | 35% | 60% | 2025 | Annual Public Service Employee Survey | |
| Difference between the percentage of clients with disabilities and the percentage of clients without disabilities who disagree with the statement, “I feel I would be supported by my department or agency if I proposed a new idea” | 16 percentage points | 8 percentage points | 2025 | Annual Public Service Employee Survey |
Who is responsible
Roles and responsibilities for government-wide actions
| Key actions | Lead | Supports |
|---|---|---|
Through the Centralized Enabling Workplace Fund, develop a government-wide approach to address workplace adjustments by supporting initiatives such as an employee passport that:
|
TBS (OPSA) | SSC, HC, CSPS, other departments |
| Launch the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities | PSC | n/a |
| Hire 5,000 persons with disabilities by 2025 | PSC | TBS (OCHRO) |
| Review the representation of persons with disabilities within occupational groups to identify gaps | TBS (OCHRO) | PSC |
| Hold targeted recruitment processes to fill identified gaps | PSC | TBS (OCHRO) |
| Develop tools and training for supervisors to enable them to create inclusive teams | CSPS | TBS (OCHRO), PSC |
| Review existing development programs to ensure that persons with disabilities are properly represented and supported at each stage, from entry to exit | PSC and TBS (OCHRO) | CSPS |
| Develop long-term employment targets for persons with disabilities that account for work potential as defined in the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability | TBS (OCHRO) | ESDC (Labour) |
| Key actions | Lead | Supports |
|---|---|---|
| Conduct an accessibility assessment of a portion of government buildings and establish a process to determine the feasibility of accessible built environment adaptations, the cost implications and a mechanism for prioritizing actions | PSPC | n/a |
| Pilot initiatives in consultation with persons with disabilities to improve accessibility | PSPC | n/a |
| Update policies, directives and guidance relative to the built environment | TBS (OCG (Office of the Comptroller General)) | NRC (National Research Council)/PSPC |
| Based on the findings of the accessibility assessment, develop an action plan to address accessibility in the existing federal portfolio | PSPC | n/a |
| Ensure that future service contracts for managing large facilities include high standards for accessibility | PSPC | n/a |
| Improve the accessibility of the leased portfolio by developing new lease clauses that ensure compliance with the latest standards, and continue to work with the landlord community | PSPC | n/a |
| Ensure that the Government of Canada’s workplace fit-up meets or exceeds accessibility requirements, in consultation with persons with disabilities | PSPC | n/a |
| Launch a procurement tool to seek services from third-party stakeholders to conduct technical assessments of buildings’ accessibility | PSPC | n/a |
| Key actions | Lead | Supports |
|---|---|---|
| Promote and improve existing services for accessibility, accommodations and adaptive computer technology | SSC | n/a |
| Build accessibility into government-wide policy and standards | TBS (OCIO (Office of the Chief Information Officer)) | n/a |
| Embed accessibility into the procurement of information and communications technology | SSC | PSPC, TBS (OCG and OCIO), all departments |
| Provide public servants with a new suite of accessible digital communication and collaboration tools | SSC | TBS (OCIO) |
| Adopt a Government of Canada standard for accessibility to information and communications technology that incorporates all the elements of the European Union EN 301-549 2018 standard, and provide guidance to departments on its application (for example, beginning with new systems and content) | TBS (OCIO) | n/a |
| Enable accessibility features on all devices provided by SSC | SSC | All departments |
| Lead the development of a more streamlined and efficient process to procure and deploy adaptive technology and ensure that users have access to ongoing technical support | SSC | TBS (OPSA) and PSPC |
| Develop a government-wide plan and governance to address accessibility in enterprise systems, workplace devices, adaptive technologies and legacy systems | TBS (OCIO) | n/a |
| Develop a scorecard for accessibility of all IT systems against an established Government of Canada accessibility standard for information and communications technology | TBS (OCIO) | SSC |
| Provide resources for employees to generate accessible content with common tools (for example, Microsoft Office) | SSC | TBS (OCIO and OPSA) |
| Augment the capacity to assess and test the accessibility of enterprise-wide systems | SSC | TBS (OCIO and OPSA) and CSPS |
| Key actions | Lead | Supports |
|---|---|---|
| Continue to improve accessibility of client services at Employment and Social Development Canada | ESDC (Service Canada) | n/a |
| Provide guidance on how to apply an accessibility lens to the design and delivery of programs and services | ESDC (ODI) | WAGE, CSPS, TBS (OPSA) |
| Pilot engagement and feedback processes from clients with disabilities | ESDC (Service Canada) | n/a |
| Publish accessibility-related data as part of the TBS service inventory | TBS (OCIO) | n/a |
| Develop an accessible platform for consulting with Canadians | TBS (OCIO) | n/a |
| Provide guidance to departments on how to review their programs and services for accessibility | TBS (OPSA) | ESDC (Service Canada) |
| Key actions | Lead | Supports |
|---|---|---|
| Develop an accessibility hub | TBS (OPSA) | n/a |
| Embed accessibility into training | CSPS | n/a |
| Continue to embed accessibility into the design and delivery of the curriculum of the Canada School of Public Service and in all training and tools for all functional communities | CSPS | TBS (OPSA) |
| Review existing Treasury Board policies with an accessibility lens and embed accessibility into guidance provided by TBS policy centres | TBS (policy centres) | TBS (OPSA) |
| Develop tools and training to focus on developing inclusive and accessible environments from the start rather than seeking accommodations after the fact | TBS (OPSA) | n/a |
| Develop training and awareness-raising events through the Canada School of Public Service and the Federal Speakers’ Bureau on Healthy Workplaces, among other venues, to combat myths and remove stigma regarding disability | CSPS | TBS (OCHRO, OPSA) |
| Promote self-identification and self-declaration of employees with disabilities in order to reduce the stigma regarding disability and to improve reporting on the state of persons with disabilities in the public service | TBS (OCHRO) | PSC |
| Help small departments and agencies establish a common advisory committee of persons with disabilities | TBS (OPSA) | n/a |
| Strengthen networks of employees with disabilities | TBS (OCHRO) | n/a |
Lived Experiences
Case study: LiveWorkPlay
LiveWorkPlay is an Ottawa-based organization that promotes programs to overcome barriers to employment for persons with intellectual disabilities that has partnered with a number of federal departments and agencies.
As of March 2019, there were 76 people hired in 25 departments and agencies. Departments and agencies have found that persons with intellectual disabilities are an asset to their organization. For persons with intellectual disabilities, employment has provided them with income and a sense of social inclusion.
Case study: From roadblocks to opportunities, the path to meaningful employment in the public service
“As a person with a physical disability, I did not consider the Government of Canada as an option to pursue full-time, permanent employment. In fact, several employment counsellors framed the idea as impossible. I was advised to make use of my graduate degree in the non-profit sector instead, where I would be best suited to part-time employment.
“I had been warned that full-time employment would result in the loss of my disability support pension. I had also been warned of the challenges of the hiring process and of the barriers to meaningful employment. The advice did not focus on opportunities, only roadblocks.
“I remained unemployed for several months. I struggled with anxiety, depression, and feelings of vulnerability while living below the poverty line. I was losing hope.
“I finally found the courage to write to all of my connections from graduate school, and one of my contacts acted as a direct link to a hiring manager within the public service. I viewed the meeting as an opportunity to connect. I discussed my academic and professional credentials in an articulate format, [but] I did not view the hiring manager as a gatekeeper to potential opportunities. I received an offer on a casual basis and eventually, this may lead to a full-time position with the public service. I am glad that I did not limit myself to the possibilities as outlined by the ‘experts.’
“Even with a supportive manager and team, the roadblocks in terms of accessing adjustments in the public service were significant.
“I needed to order adaptive software to read and write. Once approved, early installations of the software failed because information technology (IT) security blocked both programs. It took a solid month before my reading software was functional and three months to access my writing program, both essential tools for the job.
“Imagine not having the tools needed to read and write at a new job? That summarizes my first month of professional experience with the public service. Even with the support of my manager and my team, the ordeal was extraordinarily stressful. Now that I have the tools required for my job, I am thriving in my workplace and happy to contribute my knowledge and expertise while making a difference.
“I am impressed with the flexible working environment. My manager understands that my wheelchair is not able to drive through severe weather conditions. Usually there is a significant amount of self-advocacy that comes with being an employee with a disability. Presently, this is not the case. Such an attitudinal shift allows me to focus on my job. I have found a place of belonging, free from discrimination and harassment due to my disability, and where I have a manager who never underestimates my abilities. Words cannot express the gratitude that I experience within my current position every single day.”
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