Public Services and Procurement Canada
Our commitment to accessibility
Public services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities are considered in its policies and practices. The Canadian public, PSPC employees, and its client departments should equally benefit from the delivery of PSPC’s mandate.
On this page
How we improve accessibility
The Accessible Canada Act came into effect in 2019. The Act identifies seven priorities to move towards a fully accessible Canada by 2040.
In response to the Accessible Canada Act, and in support of the Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada, PSPC published its first Interim Accessibility Plan in September 2020. The department is now joining other federal departments and agencies in publishing its first regulated, multi-year Accessibility Plan for the years from 2023 to 2025.
Accessibility on the Web
PSPC follows the Government of Canada’s Standard on Web Accessibility for all public-facing websites. This standard is based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. These guidelines, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), help to ensure that web content is accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities.
Accessibility in the workplace
Management of the PSPC real property portfolio must account for the safety and accessibility of all employees and visitors.
Making our buildings accessible
As the Government of Canada's real estate expert, PSPC manages a large and diverse real estate portfolio across the country. PSPC oversees operation, maintenance and management services for all mechanical and electrical systems and architectural components of its buildings.
PSPC must meet certain accessibility requirements in providing access to and use of its buildings. These requirements include building components such as entrances, passenger elevators, public areas and federal work areas.
What does an accessible workplace look like
An accessible workplace has:
- main entrances that are equipped with a power door
- passenger elevators with visual and auditory signals and tactile identification
- public areas, such as cafeterias and walkways, that are accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities
- federal work areas, such as offices and meeting rooms, that are accessible to all users
- interior doors and corridors that are wide enough for people in manual wheelchairs and with light levels that are high enough and colour choices that are sufficiently contrasting to accommodate people with visual impairments
- washrooms that are properly equipped for people in wheelchairs
- at least one public telephone that is accessible to people in wheelchairs
- at least one drinking fountain that is accessible to people in wheelchairs
- tactile signage for individuals with visual impairments to indicate washrooms, emergency exits, elevators, stairwells, etc.
- visitor parking with the required number of accessible parking spaces
- large assembly areas equipped with assistive listening systems
Please note that these requirements are considered as a minimum. Federal departments and agencies may apply other requirements that are beyond Treasury Board Secretariat’s Directive on the management of Real property.
Accessibility in providing service
The PSPC Accessibility office promotes the removal of barriers to accessibility and supports the department’s service delivery to Government of Canada departments and agencies.
Public Services and Procurement Canada Accessibility office
The PSPC Accessibility office was created in 2018 to oversee the department's efforts to strengthen accessibility and inclusion. The office aims to remove barriers to full participation in the way our department works, including the services PSPC provides to Government of Canada departments and agencies.
Translation Bureau
Through its translation, interpretation and terminology services, the Translation Bureau, a federal institution within the PSPC portfolio, supports the Government of Canada’s efforts to communicate with, and provide services for, Canadians in the official language of their choice, in Indigenous languages, foreign languages and in American Sign Language and Langue des signes québécoise.
Disability management
PSPC’s Human resources Accessibility service centre in the national Capital Region, and its Disability Management Program across Canada offer a central point of contact for employees, potential employees, and managers to obtain the information they need related to accessibility, disability management, and workplace accommodations and adjustments.
Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Persons with Disabilities network
The Persons with Disabilities network provides a voice for employees with disabilities by helping to advance lived experiences, expertise and knowledge regarding accessibility, inclusion and barriers to full participation in society and the workplace. Members of the network contribute to and inform the department's policies, programs, processes, plans, and by providing relevant recommendations and feedback.
Eliminating technology barriers
The Accessibility, Accommodation and Adaptive Computer Technology Program at Shared Services Canada assists in accommodating employees with disabilities, injuries and ergonomic requirements with respect to systems, programs, information, computers and computer resources.
Additional information
The Policy on the Planning and Management of Investments ensures that the Government of Canada has the necessary assets and services in place to support program delivery to Canadians.
The Canadian Human Rights Act describes the government’s obligation to provide equal opportunity to all individuals.
The Employment Equity Act describes the government’s obligation to ensure equality in the workplace.
Contact us
For more information about how PSPC accommodates people with disabilities, contact the Accessibility office.
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