Supporting educational and employment opportunities for Canadians with print disabilities

News Release

Government introduces new legislation that will make more Braille and audiobooks available in Canada

June 8, 2015 – Ottawa – Industry Canada

Canada has one of the top literacy rates in the developed world, but for some Canadians, this privilege also comes with certain limitations. Today, nearly one million Canadians live with a print disability such as blindness or partial sight, and some Canadians have mobility issues that prevent them from turning a page or pointing a cursor. For these Canadians, it can be especially difficult to obtain material such as textbooks or online resources in a format that is both accessible and easy to use. Canadians should not be denied opportunities to read and educate themselves simply because they are print disabled.

Today, Industry Minister James Moore introduced new legislation in Parliament that will expand access to print materials in formats vital to those living with a print disability. The Support for Canadians with Print Disabilities Act will enable Canada to join the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled.

With this legislation, Canada will become one of the first G7 countries to be able to implement the Marrakesh Treaty. This important treaty will ensure greater access to accessible reading material from around the world in a variety of languages, while also helping schools, libraries and charitable organizations that work with the visually impaired to reduce their costs.

The Support for Canadians with Print Disabilities Act was first promised in Economic Action Plan 2015. It will make the necessary amendments to the Copyright Act to allow for the making and distribution of accessible-format copies of print materials. It will bring Canadian law in line with the Marrakesh Treaty, while also maintaining specific safeguards to protect the rights of copyright owners.

Quick facts

On April 27, 2015, Minister Moore, joined by representatives from the CNIB and the World Blind Union, announced that the Government of Canada would introduce new measures to expand access to materials in adapted formats for those living with a print disability.
The Government tabled the Marrakesh Treaty in the House of Commons on April 29, 2015.
When the Marrakesh Treaty comes into force, Canadians with print disabilities will have access to 285,000 adapted works from 13 countries in more than 55 languages.
Only 7 percent of published books are ever made available in an accessible format such as an audiobook or a Braille conversion.
According to Statistics Canada, 35 percent of visually impaired students discontinue their education because of their condition, and approximately one third of Canadians who are visually impaired are not in the labour force.

Quotes

"Canadians should not be denied access to critical educational, employment or social opportunities simply because of a print disability. Our government has made it a priority to support Canadians with disabilities. It is with this important legislation that Canada will soon be able to implement the Marrakesh Treaty, an international framework that will help Canadians with print disabilities access the content they desire—both personally and to develop their careers. The Support for Canadians with Print Disabilities Act will allow Canada to be among the first G7 countries to implement the Treaty, which is vital to the well-being of persons with print disabilities worldwide. The Government strongly believes that Canadians fully support the important objectives of the Marrakesh Treaty, and I expect that all federal parties will support Canadian leadership in acceding to the Marrakesh Treaty and helping bring it into force globally."
– James Moore, Minister of Industry

"Literacy is a fundamental human right, as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Canada has signed and agreed to uphold. On behalf of the CNIB community, I would like to congratulate the Government of Canada for the commitment to its 3 million print-disabled citizens through the Support for Canadians with Print Disabilities Act. This is an important day and an exciting step for CNIB to work together with our government partners to make alternate-format printed materials accessible to all in Canada who need them."
– Diane Bergeron, Executive Director, Strategic Relations and Engagement, CNIB

Contacts

Jake Enwright
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Industry
343-291-2500

Media Relations
Industry Canada
343-291-1777
media-relations@ic.gc.ca

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Date modified:: 2015-06-08

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Supporting educational and employment opportunities for Canadians with print disabilities

News Release

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