Barrier Free Manitoba

As part of the National AccessAbility Week, Minister Qualtrough has released the report on public feedback from the extensive consultation process held to discuss the proposed new national accessibility Act.

Here's a quick summary of key findings based on coverage by the Toronto Star:

"Public consultations on Canada’s first national law for disabled people have identified high unemployment rates, inaccessible buildings and barriers in transportation as some of the key issues that need to be addressed.

The priorities were laid out in a report, released by the federal government Monday, summarizing eight months of consultations held with Canadians from coast to coast.

It says participants wanted to see laws that would help lower stubbornly high unemployment rates for those with disabilities, reduce the number of buildings inaccessible to those with physical and intellectual disabilities, and remove accessibility barriers for the country’s air, rail, ferry and bus transportation systems.

Those consulted also named government program and service delivery, information and communications and procurement of goods and services as key areas of focus.

The report also says Canadians have voiced a strong preference for the government to set up an independent body to oversee compliance with the new laws, which are expected to come before the House of Commons in early 2018."

Read the paper's full coverage at: https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/05/29/canadas-new-accessibility-laws-should-focus-on-employment-inclusive-buildings-transport.html

The full report is posted at: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/planned-accessibility-legislation/reports/consultations-what-we-learned.html