2024 Progress Report on the CSIS Accessibility Plan

General

This document is available on request in alternate formats (print, large print, braille, audio format, and electronic format compatible with adaptive technology intended to assist persons with disabilities.), by contacting the CSIS public line at 613-993-9620.
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
P.O. Box 9732 STN T
Ottawa, ON K1G 4G4
Telephone: 613-993-9620
Facsimile: 613-231-0612
TTY and or TDD: 613-991-9228
Email: accessibility-accessibilité@smtp.gc.ca
Contact: Advisor – Accessibility, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Introduction

The 3-year CSIS Accessibility Plan (published in 2023) has an ambitious 102 activities related to the priority areas under the Accessible Canada Act. As of the end of the second year of implementation, 95 of 102 activities have progressed in some way, and 42 activities are completed.

Through implementation efforts, we have learned that some activities will take longer to achieve than originally expected, and that some activities were more complex than originally thought. This is due to a variety of factors such as capacity to implement within original timelines, workload, institutional learning, and the unique mandate and high security environment in which CSIS operates. A number of activities have had their planned timeline extended and 5 activities have been postponed. On the other hand, we are happy to report that some activities were completed earlier than planned.

An accessible scorecard was also developed and published internally to share progress against each of the 102 activities in our Accessibility Plan. Furthermore, the scorecard and results were presented to and discussed with senior leaders and Accessibility Committee representatives.   

Throughout, consultations and engagement have remained constant with our Accessibility Committee, other stakeholders and diverse employees with disabilities.

Priority 1: Culture, Education, and Awareness

Throughout the year, we reinforced the importance of accessibility, including how to achieve accessibility, through internal organization-wide messaging, events, and training. We highlighted the connection between accessibility and employee health during our Health and Wellness Fair and we live-streamed the May National AccessAbility Week public service event across our organization for all employees. These opportunities were great ways to raise awareness about accessibility and to share advances and improved processes, such as our streamlined process for requesting ergonomic desktop equipment. As policies and procedures continue to be revised as part of our duty to accommodate, they will be posted. 

Completed – 6 activities (up from 3 last year)

• Develop an Accessibility site as a single source for tools and information.
• Enhance current programming for National AccessAbility Awareness Week.
• Prepare, promote, and disseminate guidelines on how to hold accessible in-person and virtual events/meetings.  
• Communicate quarterly on accessibility matters.  
• Communicate new accessibility initiatives to employees/managers.  
• Provide a “library” of tools that are vetted by the organization. (Example: microphone for speech to text, software, tips & tricks, such as how to make your phone screen brighter, ring tone louder, etc.). 

In Progress – 2 activities

• Post all policies and procedures related to duty to accommodate and accessibility, as they become available. 
• Provide clear guidelines and practical tools for managers on their roles and responsibilities in supporting employees with disabilities.

Initiated – 1 activity

• Assist in launch of an employee-led Persons with Disabilities Network and/or Neurodiversity Network to create a safe space for employees with disabilities to connect, build community and raise issues related to accessibility. 

Ongoing – 4 activities

• Continue to expand resources and tools in the existing managers’ tool kit. 
• Educate managers and employees about invisible disabilities. 
• Disseminate information and articles on accessibility-related topics.
• Provide progress updates on Accessibility Plan. 

Not Initiated – 3 activities

• Increase communication throughout the organization about the Ability portion of cognitive disabilities. 
• Assess and develop options for accessibility ambassadors, especially in the broader context of diversity and inclusion, and implement as appropriate to provide expertise and a voice on accessibility issues. 
• Measure impact of accessibility ambassadors on branch and regional accessibility. 

Priority 2: Employment

This year we provided more training to our HR professionals, leveraging Accessibility, Accommodation, and Adaptive Computer Technology (AAACT) workshops through Shared Services Canada; and additional training related to accommodating candidates and employees with disabilities throughout the selection processes continues to be supported. Accessibility has been incorporated more concretely in Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) training and technical guidance. Supporting continuous learning focused on accessibility, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion, is empowering our recruitment professionals to become more accessibility confident. Improvements have been made to the talent management process so that persons with disabilities have prioritized access to training and development opportunities.

Employee equity data is disseminated internally as well as externally. For example, the CSIS Public Report 2023 and the 2022 CSIS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy included employee demographic data.

One of the activities for which we have had to extend the implementation timeline is the inclusion of a segment on the duty to accommodate during the onboarding process. Our onboarding program is undergoing a comprehensive refresh and this segment will be incorporated during that process rather than as a stand-alone initiative. It will include improved communication on the accommodation process and provide better guidance on how new employees can join the Accessibility Committee.

Completed – 5 activities (up from 3 last year)

• Expand the dissemination of employment equity data information to hiring managers and all employees. 
• Clarify staffing options to allow managers to address underrepresentation of persons with disabilities. 
• Include disability representation in marketing material, mention of Public Service Healthcare Plan, accessibility accommodations and health and disability benefits in recruitment and hiring materials to recruit persons with disabilities.  
• Hold managers accountable for discussing performance criteria at the beginning of the performance assessment period, mid-term and at the end of the performance assessment period and to integrate, appropriately, duty to accommodate in all discussions. This accountability will be considered in performance assessment of executives. 
• Continue quarterly analysis of employment equity data of our workforce to identify underrepresented occupational groups. 

In Progress – 2 activities

• Establish a recruiter role with a dedicated responsibility for the persons with disabilities portfolio.
• Continue annual self-identification campaigns and other initiatives to improve information about diverse groups, including employees with disabilities.             

Initiated – 2 activities

• Include a segment on duty to accommodate and the accommodation process (rights and obligations) during onboarding for new employees. 
• Provide training to all HR professionals about approaches to accommodate candidates and employees with disabilities throughout selection processes (e.g., provide additional time, read questions aloud during written exams, and have an option to provide answers to a written exam orally). 

Ongoing – 4 activities

• Continue student recruitment campaigns using the Public Service Commission’s Students with Disabilities Inventories and requesting information from candidates who self-identify as a person with a disability in the Federal Student Work Employment Program. 
• Continue to hold targeted events to recruit persons with disabilities in order to help deliver on the commitment of the broader public service to recruit 5,000 people with disabilities by 2025-2026.
• Continue collaborating with post-secondary institutions, communities and employment placement agencies/organizations, for persons with disabilities, such as Live Work Play, to recruit qualified candidates. 
• Continue asking candidates/employees to identify required accommodations at various stages throughout the competitive hiring process. 

Not Initiated – 1 activity

• Establish a process to reach out to new employees who have self-identified as having a disability at 1-month, 3-months and 6-months post-hire to ensure the workplace has been adapted to suit their needs and they have the tools they require. Should the employee not have the tools they require, managers will be contacted. 

Priority 3: Built Environment

We continue to prioritize our duty to accommodate and consultations with the Accessibility Committee, as well as employees with disabilities to inform decisions related to facility improvements. For example, in 2023 we designated multi-purpose rooms for a range of uses by employees, such as a quiet room for decompression, for multi-faith prayer, and for pumping breast milk. After receiving valuable feedback and undertaking further consultation, in 2024 we updated these rooms to address different needs. Specifically, we identified and fitted up separate rooms for prayer and lactation. Given the complexities and resource implications of some of the commitments in the Built Environment priority area, several activities planned to have been completed by December 2024 are not yet complete, though work is in progress on all of these. 

Completed – 15 activities (up from 9 last year)

• Add automatic door to the theatre. 
• Confirm/inquire if any locations have concerns that may fall under immediate duty to accommodate needs, and add automatic doors to washrooms, if required. 
• Create additional accessible parking spaces at NHQ to meet the demand.
  • Explore assigning standard size parking spaces as accessible spaces (for example not requiring wide/wheelchair accessible spaces). 
• Review procedure to manage accessible parking requests on a case-by-case basis. 
• Add ramps to ensure raised platforms are wheelchair accessible. 
• Create or identify small break rooms where employees can be alone, decompress/disconnect from work-related stress. These spaces can also be used as prayer rooms, to pump breast milk, make personal phone calls, etc. (NHQ).
• Educate and promote the importance of being scent-free. 
• Explore removing the carpet, which can muffle the sound of someone speaking, in one boardroom at each CSIS building (NHQ). 
  • Advertise this new accommodating feature to the entire workforce.
  • List the feature (“Accessible for hearing disabilities”) in the room description in the CSIS calendar.   
• Add indoor seating for employees with mobility issues. 
• Add seating near elevators for employees with mobility issues (NHQ).  
• Add seating near elevators for employees with mobility issues (Regions).  
• Conduct an accessibility study for door size for larger wheelchairs at NHQ and in Regions.
• Obtain building standards direction from Public Services and Procurement Canada in accordance with Bill C-81, and add automatic doors to washrooms in regional locations, where required.
• Ensure that fleet parking spaces have ample space for individuals to enter and exit their fleet cars, and complies with regulations. 
• Examine adding automatic doors, or removing all doors to lunchrooms.

In Progress – 9 activities

• Complete plan-based review to identify existing conditions where automatic doors would be beneficial and configurable with existing washroom layouts.      
• Add automatic doors to all washrooms, to the extent possible. 
• Allow for adjustable lighting for employees whose illness or disability is affected or mitigated by lighting levels. 
• Conduct accessibility signage study and installations throughout this building.   
• Review parking policies and protocols to ensure we meet obligations for employees and visitors. 
• Explore removing the carpet, which can muffle the sound of someone speaking, in one boardroom at each CSIS building (Regions). 
  • Advertise this new accommodating feature to the entire workforce.
  • List the feature (“Accessible for hearing disabilities”) in the room description in the CSIS calendar.   
• Run a feasibility study on long-term solutions for a room dedicated to accessing personal electronic devices. 
• Make sit-stand workstations available to all employees requesting one, without requiring medical certificates. 
• Create a “calm”, furnished, internet and phone equipped space to work – low traffic, low level lights, little sound, soothing paint colours for employees requiring calm and consistency.          

Initiated – 2 activities

• Create or identify small break rooms where employees can be alone, decompress/disconnect from work-related stress. These spaces can also be used as prayer rooms, to pump breast milk, make personal phone calls, etc.(Regions).  
• Explore options to have automatic doors installed on the heavy security doors in NHQ and Regional buildings. 

Ongoing – 2 activities

• Review and identify areas in need of improvement, in consultation with persons with disabilities, where building areas are not accessible (e.g., curbs, change in elevation, accessible parking options, etc.). 
• Engage and consult employees with disabilities on new installations and any retrofits to ensure they are barrier-free. Ensure design consultants adhere to accessibility requirements. 

Priority 4: Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

The priority area of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has 16 activities varying in degree of specificity. Some of the previously committed to activities in this area were to develop new standards, in part due to the unique security requirements of our organization. We have since adapted our approach to focus on adopting existing industry standards and ensuring we invest in software that is already accessible, and meets our security requirements.

Completed – 5 activities (up from 2 last year) 

• Make accessible fonts the defaults in all applications widely used in the work environment. 
• Add the OpenDyslexic font to applications widely used in the work environment. 
• Make the Desktop “Ease of Access” features part of on-going upgrades to desktops. Update desktops to the highest capacity possible and ensure that users who require these features can opt-in without requiring a request. 
• Assess the option of having speech to text available at every desk. 
• Explore options to help employees with dexterity and cognitive disabilities to have the tools needed to take notes effectively during meetings and presentations. Purchase a number of shared tools so that they are available upon request. 

In Progress –1 activity

• Explore solutions to ensure meetings, corporate messaging and interviews conducted by video teleconference are equipped with higher quality audio capabilities and closed-caption.        

Initiated – 1 activity

• Ensure that the organization’s intranet tools, web platforms and content management systems platforms generate content that is Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG2.0) compliant by default. 

Ongoing – 9 activities

• Ensure purchased or developed software is always compliant with WCAG 2.0 and works with assistive technologies. 
• Review existing stock of user-facing technologies for accessibility gaps and take into consideration lack of accessibility features when prioritising updating or replacing software. 
• Conduct a review of user interfaces (UI) using standardized scoring of functional accessibility features, and identify commonly found issues and priority systems in need of remediation. 
• Continue to have technicians, webmasters, application developers and project managers attend the following training at the AAACT Program of Shared Services Canada:
  • Sessions that provide information on accessibility, job accommodations and adaptive computer technology accessibility testing, such as product evaluations application accessibility evaluations website and web content accessibility evaluations;
  • Training courses, such as hands-on training for technicians on supporting adaptive computer technology; and
  • Accessibility boot camps for application developers.
• Incorporate modern software development practices, which place researching user requirements, ergonomics and accessibility – using empirical practices – at the beginning of an initiative. 
• Hire more user interface / user experience (UI/UX) professionals and empower them to direct design and development of accessible systems. 
• Establish enterprise-wide UI/UX design standards and design systems which empower developers to incorporate accessibility by default.
• Formally incorporate accessible UI/UX design and capabilities into design, software procurement/deployment and architecture reviews when determining best ICT solutions. 
• Continue to identify best practices, re-use and incorporate accessible design systems and standards from other partner organizations in the intelligence community. 

Priority 5: Communication, other than ICT

Notwithstanding important positive advancements noted below, a key barrier we have encountered is related to outdated technology. Our current intranet has reached its technical limits, preventing us from implementing two planned accessibility improvements. Once a comprehensive enterprise-wide update is completed, these activities will proceed. Given that we will continue to face certain challenges in facilitating digital accessibility of our communications initiatives, we are using work-around adaptations wherever possible. We are also leveraging innovative ways to make information more accessible, such as by publishing products using additional file types, including editable versions. This allows users to apply changes as needed to make the product most accessible to them, such as changing the font. 

Completed – 5 activities (up from 1 last year)

• Improve templates to ensure accessible briefing notes, presentations, meeting agendas and other documents as required. 
• Advertise initiatives and tools in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Newsletter on a bi-annual basis. 
• Communicate with stakeholders responsible for the implementation and maintenance of the Business Continuity Planning Program and emergency management exercises that physical accessibility considerations are included. 
• Provide current employees with training, tools, checklists, and guidance required to create accessible internal and external documents. 
• Make letters of offer and other documents related to staffing accessible. 

In Progress –1 activity

• Ensure all information posted to CSIS intranet and internet sites are accessible.    

Initiated – 1 activity

• Create a segment during onboarding on accessible documents, highlighting every employee’s responsibility to ensure the documents produced are accessible. 

Ongoing – 2 activities

• Launch an awareness campaign about the use of plain-language. 
• Promote accessible and inclusive internal and external communications practices in compliance with the latest WCAG 2.0 and provide training and support on the creation of accessible content, documents, and communications. 

Priority 6: Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities

The tools used by the Procurement and Acquisition Team have been updated to be more accessible and in-line with our internal Accessible Documents campaign. Accessible procurement, Indigenous procurement, and green procurement are prioritized in the selection and purchase of goods and services; and we continue to consult with persons with disabilities, and specifically with those employees that require accommodations, during the product selection process.

A pilot project for improved on-demand accessible transportation services is currently in development. This will enable employee work-related local transportation to meetings and events in the Ottawa area. 

Completed – 2 activities (up from 0 last year)

• Establish mandatory training for procurement officers to ensure accessibility is considered at the early stages of the procurement process.
• Promote awareness and understanding about the requirements for accessible procurement and ensure access to resources and tools available to support procurement officers, for example, the identification of requirements, related provisions and accepted goods and services to meet contract requirements. 

Ongoing – 1 activity

• Assess furniture available through procurement options to ensure the selection is accessible for common spaces and consult with persons with disabilities prior to product selection.

Priority 7: Design and Delivery of Programs and Services

CSIS continues to use GBA Plus to inform policies, programs, processes and decision-making to ensure accessibility and other intersectional identity factors are considered. Accessibility has been better integrated into GBA Plus training and tools. The procedures and processes related to routine requests for job supports for employees with disabilities are increasingly streamlined. A simplified flow chart is being developed to assist employees in requesting accommodations.

As a separate employer and having a requirement to protect the identity of our employees, CSIS is not integrated into the TBS Applications Portal and any Accessibility Passport updates will not be automatically applied. Given that the need for a CSIS-tailored version of the Accessibility Passport requires further consultations before moving forward, this activity has been postponed.

Completed – 4 activities (up from 3 last year)

• Extend the mentoring program to include employees with disabilities.
• Review existing processes related to more routine requests for job supports for all employees with disabilities, streamline processes and related requirements (e.g., medical notes and other documentation) to promptly handle more routine requests.
  • Continue to move away from requiring medical notes for accommodations and move to a “yes by default” approach with a focus on removing the barrier. 
• Monitor and assess newly implemented process for medical exclusions for official language requirements and adjust accordingly. 
• Commit to the use of the Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) tool when considering the specific needs and circumstances of persons with disabilities who may be impacted by CSIS policies, programs and decisions. 

In Progress – 2 activities

• Update the Accommodation Workplace Policy to reflect all grounds in the Canadian Human Rights Act and the definition of disability in the Accessible Canada Act.
• Develop and communicate a clear, simple procedure for requesting accommodations:
  • Publish on the Accessibility site; and
  • Publish on the intranet.         

Initiated – 1 activity

• Establish a centralized fund for all accommodation requests. 

Ongoing – 3 activities

• Consult persons with disabilities through the Accessibility Committee prior to developing programs and services, when required. 
• Implement the Government of Canada Accessibility Passport as a communications tool for employees and managers to exchange accommodations-related information with managers when they change jobs. 
• Explore the possibility of subsidizing accessible parking in the regions. 

Not Initiated – 1 activity

• Explore possibility of paying for additional medical equipment employees need to purchase due to our secure environment (e.g., hearing aids without blue tooth, diabetic receivers). 

Priority 8: Training

Mandatory learning activities regarding accessibility, unconscious bias, barriers, and overall inclusion have been approved for all employees, including executives. We continue to deliver related training offerings on a non-mandatory basis and integrate accessibility considerations into GBA Plus training. With the support of members from the Accessibility Committee, we continue to share resources and tools with, provide ad hoc training to, and consult with various stakeholders and interested parties. 

Completed – 1 activity

• Provide access to information, resources and training to build managers’ knowledge, skills and confidence on accessibility issues (e.g., invisible disabilities, soft skills such as building trust, the value that employees with disabilities bring to their teams and how to build inclusive teams). 

Initiated – 2 activities

• Continue to educate and provide support to managers on employees’ performance evaluations (how to avoid confusing work objectives and performance issues). 
• Provide education, awareness and training to managers to assist in their understanding of neurodiversity. 

Ongoing – 1 activity

• Provide mandatory training to all team leaders, supervisors, managers, executives, members of selection boards and human resources professionals at all levels on unconscious bias training, accessibility, barriers and inclusion. 

Not Initiated – 1 activity

• Pilot sign language training (American Sign Languages, or ASL, and langue des signes québécoise, or LSQ) for employees. 

Priority 9: Transportation

Given the nature of our organization’s mandate, this priority area under the Accessible Canada Act is not applicable to CSIS. 

Consultations

Consultations continue to offer an important opportunity to listen, learn, discuss and adapt. The CSIS Accessibility Committee is our focal point for consultations. It is comprised of key stakeholders, employees with disabilities and disability allies. Consultations take place in a hybrid environment (in-person and virtual) to accommodate engagement from participants at both our national headquarters and our regional offices. Our consultation process is guided by the principle of Nothing Without Us and by our commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. Consultations occur year-round and range from general accessibility matters to those that are issue- or initiative-specific. 

Issue- or initiative-specific consultations undertaken in 2024:

• Neurodiversity Network creation
• TTY phones usage
• Audiobooks availability
• Accessible transportation services and travel (like taxis, air travel, out of town accommodations)
• Creation of the Ombuds’ Office
• Accessibility Standards Canada Plain Language Standards public review
• Accessibility of newly implemented sports field at NHQ
• Modernization of the Employment Equity Act
• Adding an automatic door operator for exterior pedestrian gates at NHQ
• Accessibility of zoom rooms at NHQ
• Accessible software access

Feedback

Diverse employees with disabilities are increasingly open about the challenges they face and we are grateful when they share their concerns, feedback and suggestions. Several communication channels are open to receive feedback, including the Accessibility Committee, our dedicated Accessibility mailbox, and in person, such as by reaching out to a member of the Accessibility team, a service provider (e.g., Corporate Services or IT), to management, or to our active and engaged executive Champion for Accessibility.

Diverse employees with disabilities and their colleagues continue to share valuable feedback on accessibility barriers they encounter. For example, because of feedback received, we prioritized and made progress in removing a barrier found regarding work-related transportation services. While this was not a specific commitment within our Accessibility Plan, it became a priority to address and resolve.

Employee feedback on progressing activities has been positive as well. For example, the implementation of Accessibility resources including the OpenDyslexic font and a colour contrast application has been greatly appreciated by employees. Participation in the Accessibility Committee has grown and was energized.

Employees continue to be encouraged to self-identify and to ask for the accommodations and support they need.

Feedback on our commitment to create an accessible boardroom, where the carpet has been removed, raised a valid point that such changes do not necessarily improve access for all groups, like the deaf community. This highlights the importance of balancing diverse needs when creating accessible spaces, and continuing to solicit feedback. With this specific commitment, we will continue to have varied boardroom spaces available, including some with carpeting and others without.

This progress report will be shared with all employees and updated results shared in a scorecard. 

We will continue to invite and count on the feedback of our diverse employees with disabilities. Guided by, and committed to, the principle of Nothing Without Us, we commit to normalize accessibility and become barrier-free.

Glossary

Ableism

Ableism is a belief system, analogous to racism, sexism, or ageism, that sees persons with disabilities as being less worthy of respect and consideration, less able to contribute and participate, and of less inherent value than others. Ableism may be conscious or unconscious and may be embedded in institutions, systems or the broader culture of a society.

Accessibility

Accessibility is the combination of aspects that influence a person's ability to function within an environment.

Accessible

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

Accommodation

Accommodation is the personalized adaptation of a workplace to overcome the barriers faced by persons with disabilities. For example, an accommodation could be providing an employee with an assistive item, such as an ergonomic keyboard or mouse, or adjusting an employee's weekly targets to align with their abilities.

Barrier

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.

Disability

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.

Seeing disabilities affect vision, including total blindness, partial sight and visual distortion.

Hearing disabilities affect ability to hear, including being hard of hearing, deafness or acoustic distortion.

Mobility issues affect ability to move your body, including the required use of a wheelchair or a cane, or other issues impacting your mobility. Issues with flexibility or dexterity affects ability to move joints or perform motor tasks, especially with your hands.

Mental health issues affect psychology or behaviour, such as anxiety, depression or social/compulsive disorder or phobia or psychiatric illness.

Sensory/environmental disabilities affect sensitivity to light, sounds or other distractions, as well as allergens and other environmental sensitivities.

Cognitive disabilities affect ability to carry out tasks involving executive functioning, such as planning and organization, learning information, communication and memory, including autism attention deficit disorder, and learning disabilities.

Intellectual disabilities affect your ability to learn and to adapt behaviour to different situations.

Chronic health conditions or pain affect ability to function on a regular or episodic basis due to migraines, Crohn's disease, colitis, and other disabilities or health conditions.

Discrimination

Discrimination means treating someone differently or unfairly because of a personal characteristic or distinction, which, whether intentional or not, has an effect that imposes disadvantages not imposed on others or that withholds or limits access that is given to others.

Inclusion

Inclusion is 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

Nothing Without Us is 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.

Systemic barrier

A systemic barrier is a pattern of behaviour inherent in the policies and practices of an organization, which creates or perpetuates disadvantage for persons with disabilities.