Accessibility Directorate of Ontario, Ontario Newsroom, February 7, 2018 Ontario has appointed the Honourable David C. Onley to conduct the third review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The reviewer will consult with the public and will analyze accessibility progress made in other jurisdictions. The review will be completed by the end…
Desmond Brown, Toronto CBC News, February 6, 2018 An Uber Assist driver who refused to pick up a blind Paralympian last year because of her service dog has been fined $250. Victoria Nolan, who captured bronze at the 2016 Rio Games in four-mixed rowing, had finished training at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre when…
By Monique Scotti, National Online Journalist, Global News, February 5, 2018 The federal Conservatives have tabled a bill in the House of Commons that they say will help get more Canadians with disabilities into the workforce, arguing that right now, it can be more affordable for them to stay out of it. The private member’s…
Accessibility News International, Ottawa, January 30, 2018 CNIB is calling on the Senate of Canada to make amendments to strengthen requirements to accommodate Canadians with sight loss. As the Senate resumes sitting at the end of January, they will continue their study of Bill C-49, the Transportation Modernization Act. CNIB supports the passage of this…
Fredrick Kunkle, December 21, 2017 The new feature for Nearby Explorer — which was developed by the American Printing House for the Blind and officially launched this week — has been in road-testing since October at Louisville International Airport. But the app’s developers hope to see it replicated elsewhere so that visually impaired travelers can navigate…
The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, December 6, 2017 The new Accessible Technology Program will co-fund innovative projects led by the private sector, not-for-profit organizations and research institutes to develop new assistive and adaptive digital devices and technologies. It will invest $22.3 million over 5 years, starting in 2017-18 to…
Employment and Social Development Canada, November 30, 2017 Today, the Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, on behalf of the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, is proud to announce that the Government of Canada tabled in the House of Commons the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on…
John Moore, Site Editor, November 27, 2017 An assistive technology program at Bosma Enterprises now includes an indoor navigation system that uses Bluetooth beacons and iOS’ native VoiceOver feature. When Bosma Enterprises, a nonprofit organization that employs blind and visually impaired people, opened a new headquarters earlier this year, it introduced assistive technologies to help…
John Power, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of National Revenue, November 23, 2017 The Government understands that living with a disability can have significant impacts on individuals and their families. The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue, announced that the Disability Advisory Committee, originally formed in 2004 and disbanded in 2006, is being…
Zack Quaintance, Staff writer for Government Technology, November 20, 2017 People with hearing and sight disabilities using screen readers and other assistive tech must be able to access content on government websites, but getting and staying compliant is a challenge. Updates for Section 508 accessibility legislation go into effect in January, creating new specifications for…
