Executive Summary

Accessibility Standards Canada aims to ensure that people with disabilities can access communities, workplaces, and services without barriers. Over the years, various provinces and cities have adopted or created their own standards. Ontario was a pioneer, enacting the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) in 2005, followed by Manitoba and Nova Scotia. Recently, the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) was passed to foster fully inclusive communities.

With many different accessibility standards across Canada, it’s important to identify gaps and prioritize areas that need improvement. This report aims to create a “Roadmap for Accessibility Standards” by pinpointing where new or improved standards are needed. To achieve this, we did:

1. An overview of existing accessibility laws and standards.
2. A review of current accessibility barriers faced by Canadians.
3. An analysis to find key areas for future standards development.

Three major opportunities for new standards were identified:

• Emergency services and response
• Recreational and green spaces
• Wayfinding and navigation systems

This analysis is important in aligning existing standards with the barriers Canadians face. If current standards can address these barriers, we need to assess their effectiveness and make necessary updates. The identified opportunities highlight areas where new standards could greatly enhance accessibility.

Relevance to All Standards Project

This report provides context on Accessibility Standards Canada and introduces the Accessible Canada Act, highlighting the variety of current standards. It also outlines next steps and recommendations:

• Evaluate existing standards to ensure they address barriers effectively.
• Update inadequate standards to improve inclusivity.
• Develop new standards in priority areas to enhance accessibility across Canada.