Release date: December 23, 2022
The Executive Summary of Statistics Canada: Road to Accessibility, 2023-2025 is currently available in the following alternative formats:
The Executive Summary can be provided in any accessible or alternate format upon request.
- Mail: Accessibility Secretariat, Statistic Canada, 150 Tunney's Pasture Driveway, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T6
- Phone: 1-800-263-1136
- Email: StatCan.AccessibilitySecretariat-SecretariatAccess.StatCan@StatCan.gc.ca
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Executive Summary of Statistics Canada: Road to Accessibility, 2023-2025
"StatCan: Road to Accessibility (Plan)" is an accessibility framework, to ensure that employees and the public we serve have the best experience possible in our services, products and facilities. The Plan will guide Statistics Canada (StatCan) in removing barriers and in building an accessibility confident culture.
To implement the Plan, StatCan will:
- Work with persons with disabilities and partners to prioritise our commitments;
- Gather feedback on the plan to ensure that future editions continue to answer the needs of Canadians;
- Update the Plan to reflect lessons learned, ongoing research and best practices; and
- Submit a yearly progress report on the implementation of the Plan and publish updates on Canada.ca.
Consultation
We conducted consultations with persons with disabilities and other experts in the field. These consultations defined the current barriers in StatCan, and where we should be, relating to all areas in the Accessible Canada Act.
Specifically, we:
- Conducted an accessibility assessment with an external consulting firm; and
- Gathered data from the:
- StatCan's Employment and Accessibility Survey;
- StatCan's Employee Wellness Survey; and
- the Public Service Employee Survey.
Road to Accessibility Priority Areas – from the Accessible Canada Act
StatCan: Road to Accessibility is structured around priority areas, as described below.
Each area is defined in more detail in the Plan, along with the:
- Desired state – where we should be;
- Key priorities from 2023 to 2025;
- Specific barriers identified for that particular area;
- Actions and commitments to address the barriers identified;
- Measurement indicators; and
- A StatCan team responsible for that area's specific work.
Priority area 1. Employment:
The "employment" area ensures that candidates and employees with disabilities and those who experience barriers are supported throughout their employment journey.
The key priorities are to:
- Improve the recruitment of persons with disabilities;
- Make accommodations quicker; and
- Offer more career development opportunities.
Priority area 2. Built environment:
The "built environment" area ensures that workspaces and the work environment are accessible for all.
The key priorities are to:
- Assess the accessibility status of StatCan spaces; and
- Coordinate renovations in the National Capital Region to maximize accessibility.
Priority area 3. Information and communication technologies (ICT):
The "information and communication technologies (ICT)" area ensures all products and services provided to employees are accessible.
The key priorities are to:
- Improve knowledge on accessibility;
- Integrate accessibility considerations in every stage of development; and
- Achieve accessibility compliance.
Priority area 4. Communications (other than ICT):
The "communications (other than ICT)" area ensures that all information is clear, direct, and easy for all to understand.
The key priorities are to:
- Remove accessibility barriers;
- Develop an accessibility awareness communication plan; and
- Promote the use of accessible communication.
Priority area 5. Procuring (buying) goods, services and facilities:
The "procuring (buying) goods, services and facilities" area ensures that accessibility is considered at the start of the buying process.
The key priorities are to:
- Require accessibility checks throughout the procurement (buying) process;
- Increase accessibility awareness; and
- Consider accessibility needs when buying.
Priority area 6. Designing and delivering programs and services
The "designing and delivering programs and services" area ensures that surveys, programs, and services are inclusive and accessible by design and at the start.
The key priorities are to:
- Remove and prevent accessibility barriers; and
- Develop standardized accessibility services.
StatCan additional priority areas
The priority areas above are based on priority areas defined in the Accessible Canada Act.
StatCan has added two additional priority areas not mentioned in the Accessible Canada Act, to emphasize the importance of workplace accommodation and culture change.
Priority area 7. Culture
The "workplace culture" area ensures that our organization is disability-confident and inclusive to all.
The key priorities are to:
- Build awareness and education for all employees; and
- Establish accessibility accountability at StatCan.
Priority area 8. Workplace accommodation
The "workplace accommodation" area ensures accommodation is made on a confidential, case-by-case basis.
The key priorities are to:
- Increase the accommodation capacity;
- Communicate accommodation opportunities and procedures; and
- Track accommodation requests.
StatCan accessibility commitment
StatCan is committed to prevent, identify and remove accessibility barriers. In the coming years StatCan will:
- Refine its accessibility measurement framework to track results;
- Implement a planning and reporting structure; and
- Report on the feedback received and action taken.
Our departmental accessibility efforts will advance through a steady stream of design, planning, implementation, reflection and adjustment that we hope will lead to a barrier-free StatCan by 2040.
Accessibility is everyone's responsibility, and everyone can help shape StatCan's accessibility commitment. We all must take part in ensuring the future state of accessibility at StatCan. We invite your comments and suggestions as we travel the road to accessibility together.