Fun Fact: 🇨🇦 Has a chief Accessibility Officer
One delightful factoid I recently learned is Canada has a chief accessibility officer.
According to the country’s official website, the Office of the Chief Accessibility Officer exists to “support the efforts of the CAO to monitor and report on accessibility outcomes.” The site further explains the role of CAO was established by the Canadian federal government by way of the 2019 Accessible Canada Act; Stephanie Cadieux is the first-ever CAO, having taken office in May 2022 to serve a 4-year term. Her office is under the country’s Employment and Social Development Canada agency, with her purview identified as “[acting] as a special, independent advisor to the Minister.”
The CAO will report on progress made under the Act, as well as any challenges or impediments to success, and any emerging issues with regards to accessibility. Thousands of federal departments and federally-regulated industries share responsibility for implementing the Act. The CAO will work to bring cohesion and oversight to their efforts. She will also act as a convener, collaborator, challenger, and champion for accessibility,” the government writes. “The CAO and her office will be the focal point for monitoring and reporting on progress and outcomes achieved under the Act. The office will also report on issues as they emerge or grow in scope.”
It continues: “Importantly, the CAO will also work to raise public awareness about the importance of accessibility and to change public perceptions of disability. Attitudinal barriers and unconscious biases remain some of the greatest obstacles standing in the way of an accessible future. For this reason, the CAO will frequently speak publicly and candidly about the importance of accessibility throughout society.”
Meanwhile, the United States has a Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas.
Given the current administration, it makes sense accessibility would be a low priority.
Back to our northerly neighbors. Last month, Cadieux’s office released a statement regarding the country’s third report on greater accessibility for all Canadians. In particular, Cadieux said in part maintaining accessible transport is “critical” for the 27% of citizens who cope with disabilities. Without suitable accessible transit, she added, “they are excluded from participating fully in society.”
“Being able to get where you need and want to go is key to quality of life, but for too many people with disabilities, reliable, accessible transportation remains unavailable, resulting in continuous anxiety and uncertainty in their day-to-day lives,” Cadieux said in her fuller remarks. “If people can’t even get out the door, if just getting to work safely requires extreme effort and planning around factors and barriers beyond their control, then we are missing the mark.”
