Accessibility Action Plan 2020-2023
About this publication
Publication author: Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
ISSN: 2817-0768
Catalogue: Iu90-1/23E-PDF
Publish date: December 19, 2022
- General
- Accessibility Statement
- Employment
- Built Environment
- Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
- Communication – other than ICT
- Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities
- Design and Delivery of Programs and Services
- Transportation
- Consultations
General
If you need information on this website in a different format, would like to provide feedback or have questions regarding barriers or the current Accessibility Action Plan, you can contact us by mail, email, or phone:
Team Lead, Diversity, Inclusion and Employment Equity
Diversity, Inclusion and Employment Equity Office
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
800 René Lévesque Blvd. West, Suite 500
Montréal, Quebec H3B 1X9
Email: diversite-diversity@dec-ced.gc.ca
Phone:
- 1-800-561-0633 (Toll free)
- 1-844-805-8727 (TTY line)
Accessibility Statement
Canadians expect the Government of Canada to lead by example when it comes to accessibility.
The Accessible Canada Act, the goal of which is the realization of a Canada without barriers, came into force on July 11, 2019. The Act aims to change the way we ensure accessibility in all areas of federal jurisdiction.
Further to consultations with persons with disabilities, the Prime Minister appointed a Deputy Minister of Public Service Accessibility and established the Office of Public Service Accessibility (OPSA), whose mandate is to create an accessibility strategy for the public service of Canada.
The following is one of the guiding principles of the Strategy: Nothing without us - persons with disabilities are involved in the design and implementation of the strategy
With a view to successfully setting up a barrier-free public service, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) must listen to persons with disabilities and their advice. This is an opportunity to rethink accessibility and nip discrimination in the bud. To do so, CED will need to pursue its efforts to maintain a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity and empowerment.
Incorporating accessibility into the way we work means having a better accommodation model for person with disabilities, along with a targeted recruitment approach aimed at increasing the representation of this group in CED’s workforce. We also need to ensure the accessibility of the technology we use and of our means of communicating with one another.
Employment
CED’s objective is to promote accessible and inclusive human resources practices so that all employees, including persons with disabilities, are supported and can contribute to the organization.
Actions
1. Increase the departmental representation of people with disabilities within CED
- Take part in job fairs, placing an emphasis on designated groups.
- With the launch of the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities, the PSC will be taking steps to foster diversity in the public service.
Lead(s): CED’s People, Culture and Workplace Branch (PCWB)
Timeline: Ongoing
2. Provide training and awareness activities for managers
Managers will be informed of available training aimed at helping them set up inclusive teams.
Lead(s): CED’s People, Culture and Workplace Branch (PCWB) and managers
Timeline: Ongoing
3. Inform employees about tools, training, and activities
- Promote the various mental and physical health resources available to employees and provide employees with relevant tools.
- Promote the Spotlight on Accessibility Series (Canada School of Public Service).
- Promote the LifeSpeak
Lead(s): CED’s People, Culture and Workplace Branch (PCWB) and the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and Accessibility Champions
Timeline: 2020–2023, ongoing
Built Environment
Barriers identified during consultations regarding the built environment centered mostly on accessibility of the premises as a workplace and included issues such as a lack of push buttons, for example.
Actions
1. Provide training
Provide office ergonomics training to ensure that employees are properly set up when working from home.
Lead(s): CED’s People, Culture and Workplace Branch (PCWB)
Timeline: Ongoing
2. Accommodate: Pursue our obligations relating to accommodation and provide employees with the necessary equipment
Lead(s): CED’s People, Culture and Workplace Branch (PCWB)
Timeline: Ongoing
3. Identify issues related to the work environment
- In co-operation with disabled persons, examine the built environment to determine how to improve its accessibility and inclusion.
- An assessment of the work environment in our offices must be conducted to identify any issues.
Lead(s): CED’s People, Culture and Workplace Branch (PCWB) and Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
Timeline: 2020–2023
4. Take invisible disabilities into consideration
Update the Guidelines on Allergies and Sensitivities in the Workplace.
Lead(s): CED’s People, Culture and Workplace Branch (PCWB)
Timeline: 2022
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
In today’s digital world, adaptive information, and communications technologies (ICT – data, tools, and systems) are key to ensuring full access and participation to all individuals.
Actions
1. Roll out of Office 365
Accessibility features are available and are installed by default.
Lead(s): CED’s Information and Technological Solutions Branch
Timeline: 2020–2021, ongoing
2. Make new corporate projects accessible (CORTEX, SAP, etc.)
In the case of CED’s priority files, the new systems will have accessibility features that make them easy to use by persons with disabilities.
Lead(s): CED’s Information and Technological Solutions Branch and SAP and CORTEX teams.
Timeline: 2020–2023
3. Provide training on accessibility, accommodation, and adaptive computer technology
Training is designed for everyone, including persons with disabilities, technicians, webmasters, application developers, and project managers.
Lead(s): CED’s Information and Technological Solutions Branch and People, Culture and Workplace Branch (PCWB), Shared Services Canada
Timeline: 2020–2023
Communication – other than ICT
Action
1. Post documents that everyone can access (intranet and Internet)
- Plain-language writing tools have been developed and offered to content creators.
- Consultations on the redesign of the intranet included people with disabilities.
Lead(s): CED’s Communications and Information and Technological Solutions Branches
Timeline: Ongoing
Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities
Action
1. Embed accessibility into IT procurement
Procurement officers will have access to tools for the purchase of adaptive technologies.
Lead(s): CED’s Procurement Branch, Shared Services Canada
Timeline: Ongoing
Design and Delivery of Programs and Services
CED has tools to design and deliver programs and services that are accessible to persons with disabilities.
Actions
1. Determine the level of satisfaction of clients with our services
Clients will be asked specific questions about the barriers to accessibility to CED programs and about any suggestions they might have for improvements.
Lead(s): Evaluation team
Timeline: 2021–2023, ongoing
2. Design of CED programs
CED develops its initiatives by considering the issues, challenges, and opportunities for people with disabilities through gender-based analysis plus (GBA+).
Lead(s): CED’s Policy, Economic Intelligence and Results Branch
Timeline: Ongoing
3. Develop adaptive tools and forms
Consult with employees with disabilities when developing adaptive tools.
Lead(s): All sectors within CED
Timeline: 2020–2023, ongoing
4. Make the call centre accessible to the hearing impaired
A call centre has been set up to assist businesses, and it includes a TTY line.
Lead(s): CED’s Information and Technological Solutions Branch
Timeline: 2020
Transportation
Not applicable
Consultations
A key element in the drafting of the Accessibility Action Plan was the participation of, and consultation with, persons with disabilities in the development and implementation of accessibility initiatives that directly affect their daily lives.
A consultation group made up of individuals with disabilities and GBA+ experts was set up, in collaboration with CED’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Champion and People, Culture and Workplace Branch (PCWB). Consultations were done in various ways, including virtual group meetings and written submissions. The group provided feedback and made recommendations regarding barriers faced by persons with disabilities as well as the proposed actions to address them.