Canada – Accessibility Standards Canada and the International Code Council sign agreement to increase accessibility in Canadian and American public buildings

May 19, 2022 | International

Accessibility Standards Canada and the International Code Council signed an agreement today that will facilitate the sharing of best practices and information related to building accessibility. This collaboration aims to improve and coordinate accessibility requirements in building codes and standards between Canada and the United States.

Accessibility Standards Canada and the International Code Council signed an agreement today that will facilitate the sharing of best practices and information related to building accessibility. This collaboration aims to improve and coordinate accessibility requirements in building codes and standards between Canada and the United States.

This is the first international agreement for Accessibility Standards Canada. It is the beginning of harmonizing accessibility standards across North America and the world. Accessibility Standards Canada will ensure that the standards it develops better address the barriers faced by all Canadians by:

reviewing existing international standards; and
developing new Canadian accessibility standards.

The International Code Council is a global organization. It facilitates an open, transparent and democratic process for developing building safety codes and standards. These help ensure that buildings in communities around the world are:

safe;
resilient;
affordable;
accessible; and
sustainable.

The agreement between the Code Council and Accessibility Standards Canada will do two things:

Allow Accessibility Standards Canada to reference the Code Council’s standard for accessible and usable buildings and facilities; and,
Provide the Code Council with access to Accessibility Standards Canada’s model standard for the built environment, when available.

“I am proud of our collaboration with the Code Council. I look forward to what we will achieve together to benefit our respective countries. Our hope is that the standards we create will become regulation in Canada. By collaborating with a proven standard organization, we are developing world-class standards and increasing the odds that they are adopted nationally and internationally. It also shows Canadians that the processes we follow to create standards align with the best practices around the world. Collaborative approaches to accessible solutions like this one help us make progress towards an accessible and inclusive Canada.”

– Philip Rizcallah, Chief Executive Officer, Accessibility Standards Canada

“Building international relationships and connections is a high priority for the Code Council and it is essential that the global building community continues to find innovative ways to work together to improve building safety and accessibility. It is encouraging to see the passion that Accessibility Standards Canada has dedicated to creating an accessibility standard that will improve the lives of Canadians and we look forward to the ideas and innovations our collaboration will add to the building community.”

– Dominic Sims, CBO, Chief Executive Officer, International Code Council

Canada – Accessibility Standards Canada 2020-2021 annual report: Keeping our focus on an accessible Canada

Jun 22, 2021 | International

Accessibility Standards Canada is proud to release its second annual report, which recounts a year that saw real progress in advancing their mandate. The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, tabled the report in Parliament on June 18, 2021.

Accessibility Standards Canada is proud to release its second annual report, which recounts a year that saw real progress in advancing their mandate. The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, tabled the report in Parliament on June 18, 2021.

The annual report provides a detailed account of the department’s accomplishments, engagement with Canadians and future goals.

Highlights
Accessibility Standards Canada’s mandate is to develop and revise accessibility standards that apply to the federal government and federally regulated organizations.

In fiscal year 2020 to 2021, Accessibility Standards Canada focused on achieving concrete results. Highlights of the report include:

The creation of four technical committees in the areas of plain language, outdoor spaces, emergency egress, and employment.
Providing funding for 18 accessibility standards research projects.
Successfully completing their first public consultation with over 500 participants.
The identification of standards development and research funding priorities for 2021-22.

The annual report reflects Accessibility Standards Canada’s commitment to accountability and transparency.

“Our work has begun. Technical committees have already started to develop our first four standards. We have identified another five priorities for standard development. Clearly, our focus was to achieve concrete results. We are committed to developing effective standards that remove and prevent barriers. We are committed to doing this by working with persons with disabilities throughout the country. These are our commitments.”

– Paul-Claude Bérubé, Chairperson, Accessibility Standards Canada

“Despite the challenges, we gathered momentum and achieved more than anticipated. Still, if 2020 showed us anything, it’s that we still have a lot of work to do. We already look forward to creating new technical committees, and are partnering with other standard development organizations, provinces, and territories to develop quality standards. After all, collaborating with persons with disabilities is the only way to build a truly accessible Canada.”

– Philip Rizcallah, Chief Executive Officer, Accessibility Standards Canada