Accessibility Standards Canada: 2022 to 2023 Departmental Plan

From the Minister

Accessibility requires teamwork. That is why organizations across the Government of Canada are collaborating to increase accessibility to benefit all Canadians. This is the moment to stand up for diversity, equity and inclusion.

I am happy to share Accessibility Standards Canada’s 2022 to 2023 Departmental Plan. The plan shows how the organization is doing its part toward the goal of a barrier-free Canada.

Accessibility Standards Canada was created to contribute to a Canada without barriers. It does this by:

• developing and revising accessibility standards;
• providing information, products and services about new and revised standards;
• supporting and conducting research on accessibility barriers; and
• sharing best practices for removing and preventing accessibility barriers.

The organization works closely with multiple partners. This includes diverse disability communities, provinces and territories, federally regulated entities, other departments and agencies, and other standards development organizations. Together, we are supporting the implementation of the Accessible Canada Act (the Act).

Part of the Government’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan is to get more people with disabilities into good-quality jobs. To support this, one of Accessibility Standards Canada’s technical committees is currently developing an employment-related accessibility standard. This will produce results that will help all Canadians.

At the same time, Employment and Social Development Canada is preparing for the proposed Accessible Canada Regulations. These regulations will require federal departments and agencies to prepare and publish their first accessibility plans in the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year. A new Accessibility Commissioner will be responsible for compliance and enforcement of the regulations.

This year, our intent is to also appoint a Chief Accessibility Officer. They will report on systemic or emerging issues related to accessibility. This role is vital to the success of the Act.

“Nothing without us” is the principle that drives everything Accessibility Standards Canada does. To put this into practice, it works closely with diverse disability communities and other experts. The Board of Directors, which is majority led by people with disabilities, decides which priority areas to pursue based on this engagement. Many members of the organization’s technical committees are people with lived experience. Many of those who work in the organization have disabilities.

Yet, there is more work to do. The scope of the task is large, but the work being done is promising and exciting. Seeing what Accessibility Standards Canada plans to achieve this year shows me we are heading in the right direction. That makes me proud; the Act is coming to life. People with disabilities are being engaged from the beginning. Together, we are creating a disability-inclusive society, one that is being built by people with disabilities for people with disabilities.

From the Chairperson

As the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, it is my pleasure to present the 2022 to 2023 Departmental Plan. It highlights our key areas of focus. It also outlines our priorities for the year and the results we want to achieve. Our ultimate goal remains: contribute to making Canada accessible for everyone by 2040.

To succeed, we must learn from the lived experience and expertise of people with disabilities. That is why we are developing a long-term plan for engaging with people with disabilities and their communities. This plan will help us realize our mission and vision.

We will continue to engage and consult at every opportunity. We are developing new ways to engage with people who have lived experience in a way that is mutually beneficial. This includes our commitment to finding ways to engage with those who may not be connected to organizations.

We are developing standards that will directly contribute to a Canada without barriers. This includes the 4 standards the Board identified as priorities in 2019 to 2020: employment, plain language, emergency egress (exit), and outdoor spaces. We plan to engage in public consultations on these standards this year.

We are also making progress on the 5 standards the Board prioritized in 2020 to 2021:

• emergency measures
• wayfinding and signage
• procurement
• acoustics (sound quality)
• built environment

The Board has also discussed the direction for research funding for the current 2021 to 2022 fiscal year.

During the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year, the Board will determine the next priority areas for standards development.

We recently published the Roadmap to 2040 on our website. This roadmap sets out how we plan to meet the vision of an accessible Canada for all by 2040.

Accessibility Standards Canada is a strong leader, partner, and influencer for accessibility. We are proud to be part of the momentum to build a barrier-free Canada.

From the Chief Executive Officer

Accessibility Standards Canada is the first federal organization led by a majority of people with disabilities. The principle of “nothing without us” is at the heart of all we do. It is what defines us and unites us. It represents who we are.

Last year we received our accreditation from the Standards Council of Canada. This means we are a recognized standards development organization. It also means we are the first accredited national accessibility organization. As such, we will continue to provide leadership in developing standards. I am proud to lead the work that has been planned for the year ahead.

This spring, we will host the 2022 version of our Annual Public Meeting. This virtual event builds on last year’s success and allows us to welcome hundreds of people with disabilities from all walks of life to share and discuss the work that, together, we do to realize a Canada without barriers. I look forward to seeing you and welcoming you there.

Work continues with our partner organizations on accessibility research and standards development. We form partnerships to enhance our national impact. These partners develop standards and/or national codes. Currently, we are collaborating with CSA Group, the National Research Council, and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

We are continuing to negotiate agreements with several provinces. These agreements will formalize our working relationships and enhance our collective impact. Many provinces, territories, and municipalities have their own accessibility standards. By collaborating, we can share best practices. It helps us, and our provincial and territorial counterparts, consider where we can harmonize our efforts to promote a consistent, high level of accessibility across the country. We need our standards to reflect the expectations of people with disabilities no matter where they live.

I am pleased that Canadians will have the chance to review 6 accessibility standards in the coming year. An additional 4 standards are also under development. We are continuing to support this development work. This includes supporting 5 technical committees and recruiting members for 2 new ones. One of these new committees will work on a standard for emergency measures; the other will focus on wayfinding and signage.

Part of our work supports research in priority areas. This helps us identify accessibility gaps so we can remove them and prevent them from happening in the future. We will therefore continue to fund research projects that will inform the development and revision of standards. The goal of this latest call for research proposals is to fund projects in 2022 to 2023 and beyond. We will also have the opportunity to assess reports on the progress of currently funded projects.

Our employees are eager to start working in our new accessible office. Our office will be a model for accessibility in the workplace. Many of our employees have disabilities and it is important for them to have the supports they need when we return to in-person work.

As the first federal organization focused on developing accessibility standards we are leaders in this area. However, we recognize that we are only one of the players working to create a barrier-free society by 2040. We will achieve this vision by working together with diverse disability communities and other stakeholders. These include industry, the provinces and territories, federally regulated entities, and other government bodies. The work we have planned for this year will move us closer to our main goal: to develop standards that will help make Canada accessible to all by 2040.

Plans at a glance

The Accessible Canada Act (the Act) created Accessibility Standards Canada. The mandate of the organization is to help achieve a Canada without barriers by January 1, 2040. It does this by:

• developing and revising accessibility standards;
• providing information, products and services about new and revised standards;
• supporting and conducting research on accessibility barriers; and
• sharing best practices for removing and preventing accessibility barriers.

This departmental plan is for the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year, which begins on April 1, 2022 and ends on March 31, 2023.

Created in 2019, Accessibility Standards Canada is now well established. The Roadmap to 2040 shows how we will contribute to the vision of a Canada without barriers. We are eager to continue the work we began in 2021.

Below are some planned activities listed under 4 results categories.

1. Create model accessibility standards
   • We will advance the 10 standards under development. Six of these standards will be shared with the public for their review.
   • We will continue to support our 5 technical committees. We will also create and support 2 new committees.
2. Support research to inform standards and to help remove accessibility barriers
   • We will assess finished research projects. We will post the findings online.
   • We will put funding agreements in place with those awarded grants or contributions. In accordance with the Government of Canada's commitment to an open government, the funding information will be posted online.
   • We will identify research priorities for the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year.
3. Share information with the public
   • We will grow our online visibility and social media presence on 8 platforms.
   • We will take steps to improve the accessibility of our website.
   • We will promote our events and consultations. We will inform the public about reviews of standards.
   • We will promote reports about the research projects we have funded.
4. Collaborate with others to improve accessibility
   • We will build on our efforts to engage youth.
   • We will hold our second annual public meeting in 2022.
   • We will expand and strengthen our partnerships with other players and stakeholders.
   • We will continue to involve persons with disabilities and other experts to inform our work and priorities.

For more information on Accessibility Standards Canada’s plans, see the “Core responsibilities: planned results and resources” section of this plan.

Core responsibilities: Planned results and resources

This section contains detailed information on Accessibility Standards Canada’s planned results and resources for its core responsibility.

Accessibility Standards

Description

The following description is taken from the organization’s departmental results framework.

Accessibility Standards Canada:

• Develops and revises accessibility standards by:
  • establishing technical committees; and
  • providing support and research to them;
• Promotes, supports and conducts research to inform the development of standards;
• Shares information with organizations and the public about standards;
• Provides products and services about standards; and
• Provides best practices used to identify, remove and prevent accessibility barriers.

Technical committees reflect diversity and are made up of:

• People with disabilities;
• Indigenous people;
• Representatives from industries that would have to follow standards if they were made into regulations; and
• Other experts.

Planning highlights

We will work to achieve these 4 results that fall within our core responsibilities:

1. Standards in priority areas contribute to the removal of accessibility barriers;
2. Research informs the next generation of standards;
3. Organizations and the public access online information about:
   • accessibility standards;
   • products;
   • services; and
   • best practices to identify, remove and prevent accessibility barriers.
4. The organization’s work in standards increases opportunities for collaboration in advancing a Canada without barriers.

1. Standards in priority areas contribute to the removal of accessibility barriers

A key part of our mandate is to create model accessibility standards. We also revise current ones. The Board determines the priority areas for standards. Their decisions are based on input from staff, stakeholders, and the public.

Standards describe how organizations can identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility. When a standard is ready, it is recommended to the Minister. The Minister may then turn it into regulation. When that happens, all federally regulated organizations must follow the standard.

Creating a new standard can take 2 years or more and is an ongoing process. We created a long-term plan for this work called the Roadmap to 2040.

Between April 2022 and March 2023, we will continue supporting the 5 technical committees working to develop standards in employment, emergency egress (exit), plain language, the built environment, and outdoor spaces.

We will also finish recruiting members for 2 new technical committees. One will focus on emergency measures (particularly during a pandemic). The other will develop a standard on wayfinding and signage (finding out where you are and how to get to your destination).

We will continue to work with our partner, CSA Group, to co-brand the following standards:

• accessible design for the built environment
• accessible housing (in partnership with Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation)
• accessible design of interactive devices and electronic payment terminals

During the year, we will conduct public reviews for 6 standards:

• plain language
• emergency egress (exit)
• built environment
• accessible design for the built environment
• accessible housing
• accessible design of interactive devices and electronic payment terminals

In December 2021, we received our accreditation from the Standards Council of Canada. This means we are now a recognized standards development organization. It also means we are the first accredited national accessibility organization. As such, we will continue to provide leadership in standard development. For this fiscal year, we will maintain our focus on developing standards and identifying areas where new standards are needed.

2. Research informs the next generation of standards

Supporting research is also a key part of our mandate. We do this to gather information that we can use to inform our standards and remove barriers to accessibility. We will take important steps to achieve this result in the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year:

• We will continue to fund research projects for this fiscal year and future years.
• The Board of Directors will continue to decide on the areas of focus for research funding. These areas are based on input from the public and stakeholders.
• In the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year, work will begin on determining the research priorities for the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year and future years.
• We will put research funding agreements in place with organizations. These will cover the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year and future years.
• We will assess progress reports for projects that began between April 2020 and March 2022.
• We will assess the final reports for projects that were completed between April 2020 and March 2022.

3. Organizations and the public have access to online information

We started to expand our online presence last year. Now, we are working to increase our reach via social media. We have also started 2 new communication activities:

• We use a detailed social media calendar to share relevant information with the public.
• We participate in interdepartmental meetings and communities of practice to increase accessibility practices across the Government of Canada.

We think it is important for us to be consistent in the way we communicate and to grow our reach and impact.

In the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year, we will take these important steps to achieve this result:

• Share information through social media accounts, website, news releases and media outlets when applicable.
• Grow and improve our visibility online and on social media.
• We will improve our website’s accessibility by:
  • redesigning the website to improve the user’s experience through more accessibility features
  • revising our accessibility statement based on public feedback
  • adding new accessible communication formats for users
  • working with other organizations and portfolio partners to promote accessibility best practices and lessons learned
• We will promote guidelines on how to make online images and pictures accessible.
• We will promote our events and consultations.
• We will inform our audiences about public reviews of our standards.
• We will share information about the research projects we have funded.

4. The organization’s work in standards increases opportunities for collaboration in advancing a Canada without barriers

We continue to expand and strengthen our partnerships with organizations inside and outside of government. Together, we want to achieve an accessible Canada.

Working with our partners informs our development of accessibility standards. It also helps us influence and encourage others to adopt and use the accessibility standards we create.

We will take the following steps to achieve this result in the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year:

• We will ask Canadians and our stakeholders for their feedback on our programs and priorities.
• We will hold our second annual public meeting in 2022.
• We will implement our stakeholder engagement strategy. We will use this to engage other players and stakeholders. These include provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples and governments, youth, federal organizations, and industry.
• We will continue to involve persons with disabilities and other experts to inform our work and priorities.

Gender-based analysis plus

People with disabilities are diverse. Women, visible minorities, youth, Indigenous people, members of the LGBTQ2+ community, and seniors may experience disability differently because of other aspects of their identity. That is why we encourage people from diverse communities to apply to our standards development technical committees. The selection process promotes a balance between members and ensures a proper level of expertise so the work of the technical committees is a reflection of the needs of all Canadians.

We also encourage people from diverse communities to engage in the research projects we fund. We remain committed to producing inclusive outcomes for Canadians through our research funding program. Our work is guided by the principles and requirements of the Accessible Canada Act. The Act is expected to increase the inclusion and participation of all Canadians and to promote equality of opportunity for all.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

We will contribute to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

• We will encourage suppliers to reduce the impact of their goods, services, and supply chains on the environment.
• We will encourage employees to reduce the impact of their daily activities on the environment.

Experimentation

Our organization continues to adapt how we do things. We are always looking for new and more efficient ways to achieve our planned results. We have not developed a formal experiment (see definition of experimentation). In every way, we remain committed to finding new ways of doing business that is barrier-free.

Planned results for Accessibility Standards

The following table shows the planned 2022 to 2023 results for accessibility standards. The table includes result indicators, targets, and target dates. It also shows actual results for the 3 most recent fiscal years.

Departmental result	Departmental result indicator	Target*	Date to achieve target*	2018 to 2019 actual result**	2019 to 2020 actual result**	2020 to 2021 actual result
Standards in priority areas contribute to the removal of accessibility barriers.	The number of new or revised standards in priority areas. These are standards that the organization: developed; collaborated in; or funded.	1 to 3 suites (groups)	March 2025	Not applicable	Not applicable	0***
Research informs the next generation of standards.	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.	75% and 85%	March 2026	Not applicable	Not applicable	100%
Organizations and the public access online information about: accessibility standards; products; services; and best practices to identify, remove and prevent accessibility barriers.	The number of unique views online of this information. This information is generated from funded projects or other work by the organization and could include (for example): technical papers; reports; presentations; peer-reviewed articles; or guidelines.	7,000 to 12,000	March 2023	Not applicable	Not applicable	9,300
The organization’s work in standards increases opportunities for collaboration in advancing a Canada without barriers.	The number of collaborative activities with: people with disabilities; representatives of disability organizations; provincial/ territorial governments; national/ international bodies; other standard development organizations; or industry.	10 to 15	March 2025	Not applicable	Not applicable	3

* Accessibility Standards Canada based its targets on its first Departmental Results Framework. It developed that framework before the organization received funding from Parliament. The organization will review these targets and dates during the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year.

** The actual results for previous years are not available because Accessibility Standards Canada was not created until 2019.

*** A new standard can take 2 years or more to create. For details on progress against this result, please see our 2020 to 2021 Departmental Results Report.

Financial, human resources, and performance information for Accessibility Standards Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Planned budgetary spending for Accessibility Standards

The following table shows our budgetary spending for 2022 to 2023. This is the spending show in the Main Estimates. It also shows our planned spending for that year and for each of the next 2 fiscal years.

2022 to 2023 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)	2022 to 2023 planned spending	2023 to 2024 planned spending	2024 to 2025 planned spending
15,141,412	15,141,412	15,489,150	15,515,941

Financial, human resources, and performance information for Accessibility Standards Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase. 

Planned human resources for Accessibility Standards

The following table shows the number of employees we will need to fulfill our core responsibilities for 2022 to 2023 and for each of the next 2 fiscal years. Numbers are show as full-time equivalents (see definition).

2022 to 2023 planned full-time equivalents (employees)	2023 to 2024 planned full-time equivalents (employees)	2024 to 2025 planned full-time equivalents (employees)
38	38	38

Financial, human resources, and performance information for Accessibility Standards Canada’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.

Internal Services: Planned results

Description

Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

• management and oversight services
• communications services
• legal services
• human resources management services
• financial management services
• information management services
• information technology services
• real property management services
• material management services
• acquisition management services

Planning highlights

Communications

We will continue to communicate with the public, Board members, and staff. We will improve and grow our communication tools. This includes:

• our online presence
• our social media presence
• producing quarterly newsletters for staff, the Board, and all stakeholders
• collaborating with our Government of Canada portfolio partners

Real property

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will develop a plan for a gradual return to the office. This will be based on the following:

• care and safety of our workforce
• evidence-based decision-making
• flexibility and vigilance

Now that we have our new office space, a gradual return will allow us to test and improve its accessibility. We will also be a model of accessibility and inclusivity for Government of Canada offices.

Information technology and information management

We will continue collaborating with Employment and Social Development Canada to implement accessible business tools and hardware. This will improve the technology used by employees with disabilities. Our work on accessible file sharing and a collaboration platform continues. This will help provide more options for employees and improve communications and collaboration with our stakeholders.

Procurement

We plan to develop a procurement plan that will better support the research and development of standards. It will also meet Government of Canada procurement policies and directives.

Human resources

Our organization values the expertise of people with disabilities. We show this by ensuring their input is reflected in our human resource policies, plans, and practices.

In addition to our current human resources work, we plan to take the following steps in the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year:

• We will promote training on diversity and inclusion that goes beyond mandatory programs.
• We will establish clear targets to increase the representation of visible minorities, Indigenous people, and people with disabilities. This will be done through recruitment. It will be targeted at all levels of the organization.
• We will continue to participate in interdepartmental networks and working groups that focus on hiring people with disabilities.
• We will promote the Public Service Commission’s inventory of graduates with disabilities for filling vacancies. This tool is known as the Virtual Door to Talent with Disabilities.
• We will create tools that remove bias and barriers in the screening and selection process. For example, removing pre-selections and making sure jury board membership is diverse.
• We will share job opportunities with diversity groups within the federal network.

Planned budgetary spending for internal services

The following table shows, for internal services, budgetary spending for 2022 to 2023, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2022 to 2023 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)	2022 to 2023 planned spending	2023 to 2024 planned spending	2024 to 2025 planned spending
5,736,034	5,736,034	5,651,958	5,625,095

Planned human resources for internal services

The following table shows, in full time equivalents, the human resources the department will need to carry out its internal services for 2022 to 2023 and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2022 to 2023 planned full-time equivalents (employees)	2023 to 2024 planned full-time equivalents (employees)	2024 to 2025 planned full-time equivalents (employees)
18	18	18

Planned spending and human resources

This section provides an overview of the department’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years. It also compares planned spending for 2022 to 2023 with actual spending for the current year and the previous year.

Planned spending

Departmental spending from 2019 to 2020, to 2024 to 2025

The following graph presents planned spending (voted and statutory expenditures) over time.

The Act that created Accessibility Standards Canada became law on June 21, 2019. As a result, prorated funding was provided for the fiscal year 2019 to 2020. The ramp up of programs and operations began in the 2020 to 2021 fiscal year. Planned spending is increasing in 2021 to 2022 and then resources will reach a steady state. A significant increase in Grants and Contributions funding is included in the ramp up of programs.

Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

The following table shows information on spending for Accessibility Standards Canada’s core responsibility and for its internal services for 2022 to 2023 and other relevant fiscal years.

Core responsibility and Internal Services	2019 to 2020 actual expenditures (spending)	2020 to 2021 actual expenditures (spending)	2021 to 2022 forecast spending	2022 to 2023 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)	2022 to 2023 planned spending	2023 to 2024 planned spending	2024 to 2025 planned spending
Accessibility Standards	1,843,725	8,441,056	14,200,522	15,141,412	15,141,412	15,489,150	15,515,941
Subtotal	1,843,725	8,441,056	14,200,522	15,141,412	15,141,412	15,489,150	15,515,941
Internal Services	2,117,103	6,163,083	5,865,035	5,736,034	5,736,034	5,651,958	5,625,095
Total	3,960,825	14,604,139	20,065,557	20,877,446	20,877,446	21,141,108	21,141,036

The Act that created Accessibility Standards Canada became law on June 21, 2019. Since we did not receive our funding until December 2019, only a portion of that funding was spent by the end of the fiscal year (March 31, 2020). Our first full year of operations was from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. That year shows a major increase in spending because the organization was beginning to ramp up.

The significant increase in forecast spending from 2021 to 2022 is largely due to the increase in Grants and Contributions funding. That spending totaled $5,237,602 in the 2020 to 2021 fiscal year. For 2021 to 2022, we are forecasting expenditures of $8,500,000. This represents an increase of $3,262,398. The remainder of the expected increase is due to the ongoing ramping up of operations.

Planned human resources

The following table shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents (employees), for Accessibility Standards Canada’s core responsibility and for its internal services for 2022 to 2023 and the other relevant years.

Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Core Responsibility and Internal Services	2019 to 2020 actual full time equivalents (employees)	2020 to 2021 actual full time equivalents (employees)	2020 to 2021 forecast full time equivalents (employees)	2022 to 2023 planned full time equivalents (employees)	2023 to 2024 planned full time equivalents (employees)	2024 to 2025 planned full-time equivalents (employees)
Accessibility Standards	3	25	38	38	38	38
Subtotal	3	25	38	38	38	38
Internal Services	4	14	18	18	18	18
Total	7	39	56	56	56	56

The Act creating Accessibility Standards Canada received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019. Funding was received in December 2019. Therefore, the number of full-time equivalents (employees) for 2019 to 2020 is prorated based on the number of days worked by the employees. There were more than 25 employees on staff as of March 31, 2020. However, this represented only 7 full-time equivalents. The organization continued to add staff during the year. By March 2021, there were 39 full-time equivalents. Hiring is continuing and we are close to achieving the desired number of employees.

Estimates by vote

Information on Accessibility Standards Canada’s organizational appropriations is available in the 2022 to 2023 Main Estimates.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations

The future oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of Accessibility Standards Canada’s operations for 2021 to 2022 to 2022 to 2023.

The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

A more detailed future oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations to the requested authorities, are available on Accessibility Standards Canada’s website.

Future-oriented condensed statement of operations for the year ending March 31, 2023 (dollars).

Financial information	2021 to 2022 forecast results	2022 to 2023 planned results	Difference (2022 to 2023 planned results minus 2021 to 2022 forecast results)
Total expenses	19,867,127	20,953,725	1,086,598
Total revenues	0	0	0
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers	19,867,127	20,953,725	1,086,598

The variance between the forecast results for 2021 to 2022 and the planned results for 2022 to 2023 is due to the ramp-up of the organization’s operations.

Corporate information

Organizational profile

Appropriate minister: Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

Institutional head: Mr. Philip Rizcallah, Chief Executive Officer

Chairperson: Mr. Paul-Claude Bérubé

Ministerial portfolio: Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion

Enabling instrument: The Accessible Canada Act

Year of incorporation / commencement: 2019

Other:

Accessibility Standards Canada is supervised by a nine-member Board of Directors, including a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson.

The organization's Board of Directors, who are part-time Governor in Council appointees:

• sets its strategic direction;
• oversees its activities; and
• provides advice to its Chief Executive Officer, is a full-time Governor in Council appointee.

A majority of the Directors are people with disabilities and reflect the diversity of disabilities experienced by Canadians.

The CEO holds the rank and powers of a deputy head of a department. He is responsible for:

• the day-to-day operations of the organization;
• managing the interface with the Minister responsible for Accessibility;
• establishing relationships and partnerships within all levels of government;
• leading the research and development program;
• leading the technical codes development; and
• directing the human, financial, and material resources.

Raison d’être, mandate, and role: Who we are and what we do

“Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do” is available on Accessibility Standards Canada’s website.

For more information, see the Chairperson of the Board’s mandate letter and for the department’s organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister’s Mandate Letter.

The Board has set vision, mission, and values statements to guide the organization’s work. These statements build on the organization’s mandate in the Accessible Canada Act.

Mandate

The following is the organization’s mandate as set out in the Accessible Canada Act.

The Standards Organization’s mandate is to contribute to the realization of a Canada without barriers, on or before January 1, 2040, through, among other things:

1. the development and revision of accessibility standards;
2. the recommendation of accessibility standards to the Minister;
3. the provision of information, products and services in relation to the accessibility standards that it has developed or revised;
4. the promotion, support and conduct of research into the identification and removal of barriers and the prevention of new barriers; and
5. the dissemination of information, including information about best practices, in relation to the identification and removal of barriers and the prevention of new barriers.

Operating context

Information on the operating context is available on Accessibility Standards Canada’s website.

Reporting framework

Shown below are Accessibility Standards Canada’s:

• departmental results framework; and
• program inventory.

These are approved for the 2022 to 2023 year. Internal services support the accessibility standards core responsibility and departmental results.

Departmental Results Framework

Core Responsibility: Accessibility Standards

Departmental Result: Standards in priority areas contribute to the removal of accessibility barriers.

• Indicator: The number of new or revised standards in priority areas. These are standards that the organization:
  • developed;
  • collaborated in; or
  • funded.

Departmental 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.

Departmental Result: Organizations and the public access online information about:

• accessibility standards;
• products;
• services; and
• best practices to identify, remove and prevent accessibility barriers.

• Indicator: The number of unique views online of this information. This information is generated from funded projects or other work by the organization and could include (for example):
  • technical papers;
  • reports;
  • presentations;
  • peer-reviewed articles; or
  • guidelines.

Departmental Result: The organization’s work in standards increases opportunities for collaboration in advancing a Canada without barriers.

• Indicator: The number of collaborative activities with:
  • people with disabilities;
  • representatives of disability organizations;
  • provincial/territorial governments;
  • national/international bodies;
  • other standard development organizations; or
  • industry.

Program Inventory

Program: Standards Development

Program: Outreach and Knowledge Application

Supporting information on the program inventory

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to Accessibility Standards Canada’s program inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on Accessibility Standards Canada’s website:

• Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy
• Details on transfer payment programs
• Gender-based analysis plus

Federal tax expenditures

Accessibility Standards Canada’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures that relate to its planned results for 2022 to 2023.

Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government-wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis plus.

Organizational contact information

Mailing address

Accessibility Standards Canada

320, St-Joseph Boulevard, Suite 246

Gatineau, QC K1A 0H3

Telephone: 1-833-854-7628

Email: ASC-NAC@canada.gc.ca

Website: Accessibility Standards Canada

Appendix: Definitions

appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A document that sets out a department’s priorities, programs, expected results and associated resource requirements, covering a three year period beginning with the year indicated in the title of the report. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A change that a department seeks to influence. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that consists of the department’s core responsibilities, departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on a department’s actual performance in a fiscal year against its plans, priorities and expected results set out in its Departmental Plan for that year. Departmental Results Reports are usually tabled in Parliament each fall.

experimentation (expérimentation)

The conducting of activities that explore, test and compare the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform decision-making and improve outcomes for Canadians. Experimentation is related to, but distinct from, innovation. Innovation is the trying of something new; experimentation involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, introducing a new mobile application to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new application and comparing it against an existing website or other tools to see which one reaches more people, is experimentation.

full time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person year charge against a departmental budget. Full time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])

An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2022 to 2023 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2021 Speech from the Throne: protecting Canadians from COVID-19; helping Canadians through the pandemic; building back better—a resiliency agenda for the middle class; the Canada we’re fighting for.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative in which two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

non budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

performance (rendement)

What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in the Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

program (programme)

Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within a department and that focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

An inventory of a department’s programs that describes how resources are organized to carry out the department’s core responsibilities and achieve its planned results.

result (résultat)

An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead, they are within the area of the organization’s influence. 

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.