Accessibility Standards Canada: 2021 to 2022 Departmental Plan - Details on transfer payment programs

Accessibility Standards Canada Grants and Contributions Program: Advancing Accessibility Standards Research (the Program)

Start date

2019 to 2020

End date

Ongoing

Type of transfer payment

Grants and Contributions

Type of appropriation

Each year through Main Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2018 to 2019

Link to departmental result

Core Responsibility: Accessibility Standards

Result: Research informs the next generation of standards.

Indicator: The percentage of funding invested by the organization in research and development (R&D) projects. These are projects that influence accessibility standards. These are also projects that influence standards development priority setting.

Link to the department’s Program Inventory

Standards Development

Purpose and objectives of transfer payment program

The Program provides funding for research projects. The purpose of these projects is to try to find, take away and stop obstacles to accessibility. This research will help inform accessibility standards in the future.

The Program allows the organization to work with different stakeholders across Canada. The goal of this work is to advance accessibility standards research. The organization will identify the research priority areas for each call for proposals.

Previous Program priorities have included:

• employment;
• emergency measures;
• built environment including parks and outdoor recreation facilities;
• information and communication technologies;
• Indigenous accessibility; and
• accessible communications.

Program priorities for 2021 to 2022 are:

• design and delivery of programs and services;
• built environment with a focus on Heritage buildings;
• accessibility in Indigenous communities;
• information and communication technology; 
• communication (other than plain language); and 
• procurement.

The Program uses funding from these transfer payments:

• Grants under the Advancing Accessibility Standards Research Program; and
• Contributions under the Advancing Accessibility Standards Research Program.

Expected results

The Program terms and conditions set out expected results and performance measures.

The expected results from 2021 to 2022 to 2023 to 2024 include:

• 2021 to 2022
  • Priority areas of accessibility standards research are supported; and
  • Knowledge and expertise about new standards are increased.
• 2022 to 2024
  • Research informs the next generation of standards; and
  • Research and information about standards is:
    • generated;
    • promoted; and
    • shared.

The Program will track performance measures. It will do this to support monitoring and reporting. Some of the key measures include:

• Percentage of funding invested in research projects in priority areas;
• Percentage of projects undertaken by funded partners;
• Percentage of projects that produce publications such as:
  • reports;
  • technical papers;
  • presentations;
  • speeches; or
  • peer-reviewed articles;
• Percentage of research and other publications that are quoted during the processes to create standards;
• Level of satisfaction among technical committees about the increase of knowledge and expertise;
• Percentage of materials which communicate or synthesize:
  • research results;
  • new knowledge and expertise; or
  • best practices;
• Percentage of research or materials about accessibility that are available online; and
• Percentage of research results shared through peer-reviewed and published journals.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation

Not applicable, new program.

Decision following the results of last evaluation

Not applicable.

Fiscal year of next planned evaluation

2023 to 2024

General targeted recipient groups

• Not-for-profit organizations;
• Research and educational institutions;
• Indigenous organizations including:
  • band councils;
  • tribal councils; and
  • self-government entities;
• For-profit organizations as long as the activity is:
  • non-commercial;
  • not meant to make a profit; and
  • the activity supports the Program priorities and objectives;
• Other:
  • Municipal entities;
  • Provincial and territorial entities (excluding governments).

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients

The Program’s ongoing activities include:

• adding Program information and call for proposals on the website;
• providing an online application process to make it more accessible; and
• helping applicants by email.

As part of the launch for the call, the Program sends:

• an invitation email to those who may be interested in applying based on:
  • the organization’s stakeholder and communications list; and
  • past applicants;
• notifications via social media sites, including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

The organization works with Program stakeholders throughout the year by:

• attending related conferences; and
• organizing meetings.

The organization also plans to consult stakeholders to help with setting Program priorities.

Financial information

Type of transfer payment	2020 to 2021 forecast spending	2021 to 2022 planned spending	2022 to 2023 planned spending	2023 to 2024 planned spending
Total grants	2,750,000	4,250,000	4,250,000	4,250,000
Total contributions	2,750,000	4,250,000	4,250,000	4,250,000
Total other types of transfer payments	0	0	0	0
Total Program	5,500,000	8,500,000	8,500,000	8,500,000