Creating new national accessibility legislation: What we learned

Creating new national accessibility legislation: What we learned
Following eight months of consultations held with Canadians from coast to coast, the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, released a report on May 29 entitled, Creating new national accessibility legislation: What we learned from Canadians.
Through the consultations, Canadians from across the country shared their personal stories, their challenges, successes, hopes and aspirations. This consultation process was a very important step forward towards inclusion, but it is only the beginning of a journey to reach our goal of a truly inclusive Canada. Thank you to all who participated. Moving forward, we’re going to take what we learned through this historic consultation process to develop new federal accessibility legislation that will provide all Canadians a better chance to succeed in their local communities and workplaces. As Canadians, we all benefit from accessibility when we and our family members, friends, neighbours, classmates and co-workers are able to fully participate and contribute in our communities and workplaces without barriers. Currently, one in seven Canadians has a disability, and that number is expected to grow with an aging population. It is clear that these barriers to accessibility can no longer be ignored. This is why the Government of Canada is working towards new legislation to help address these barriers and strive towards a more accessible Canada.