ACCESSIBLE HEARING SOLUTIONS INC.
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accessibility Laws

Understanding and complying with accessibility laws is essential for all businesses, non-profits,public sector, municipalities, educational institutions, and community groups such as banks, pharmacies, libraries, airports, recreation centres, hospitals, nursing homes, health care clinics, and universities.
The Federal Government just passed Bill C-81, the
 Accessible Canada Act: An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada. Besides reducing barriers, creating a more inclusive society, and improving service delivery, compliance with accessibility laws is important due to possible enforcement consequences such as steep fines, public reporting of non-compliance, or criminal charges. Provincially, there are also three provinces with accessibility laws - Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Ontario. 
Federal Accessibility Laws
​According to their website, the Government of Canada is striving to create a more accessible Canada by creating new legislation which will allow people to more fully participate and contribute in our communities and workplaces without barriers. These barriers limit the social, political and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities across Canada. The legislation should apply to all areas under the control of the Government of Canada including:
  • buses, ferries or air travel across provincial and international borders
  • the broadcasting and telecommunication sectors
  • the banking and financial sectors
  • federal lands, including parks and First Nation reserves
  • the Government of Canada as an employer, service provider, builder and buyer
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/planned-accessibility-legislation/reports/consultations-what-we-learned.html#h2.2

​Senate Third Reading Bill C-81 Passed
The Accessible Canada Act: An Act to Ensure a Barrier-free Canada 


https://www.parl.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?billId=9990870&Language=E

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/accessible-people-disabilities/act-infographic.html#1
Spotlight on Invisible Disabilities: Community Consultations on Federal Accessibility Legislation 
Year 2 Report

https://www.chha.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/PAP_CHHA_Spotlight_ReportY2_EN_WEB_Final.pdf

​Provincial Accessibility Laws
Nova Scotia's government has recently moved forward with its promise to help make Nova Scotia a more accessible and inclusive place to live and work. Bill 59, which is now law, passed third reading on April 27, 2017 and received Royal Assent on April 28th. Its purpose is intended to:
a. achieve accessibility by preventing and removing barriers that disable people with respect to:
  • the delivery and receipt of goods and services
  • information and communication
  • public transportation and transportation infrastructure
  • employment and education
  • the built environment
  • a prescribed activity or undertaking
b. provide for the involvement of persons with disabilities, the public sector and other stakeholders in the development of accessibility standards
c. 
facilitate the timely implementation of accessibility standards with a goal of achieving an accessible Nova Scotia by 2030
d. monitor, review and enforce compliance with accessibility standards
e. establish an Accessibility Directorate that is responsible for supporting accessibility   initiatives and advancing broader disability-related issues.  
Nova Scotia
https://novascotia.ca/accessibility/

​https://www.nslegislature.ca/legc/bills/62nd_3rd/3rd_read/b059.htm
​
​
https://novascotia.ca/accessibility/access-by-design/access-by-design-2030.pdf
Bill_59.pdf
File Size: 221 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Accessibility_Act_Chapter_Two_-_Nova_Scotia.pdf
File Size: 251 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

access-by-design-2030.pdf
File Size: 1485 kb
File Type: pdf
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Manitoba
The Accessibility for Manitobans Act:
http://www.accessibilitymb.ca/
Accessibility for Manitobans Act.pdf
File Size: 118 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Ontario
https://www.ontario.ca/page/accessibility-laws
https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/05a11/v5
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act -2005.pdf
File Size: 373 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

​Accessibility Policies

Accessibility laws are an important component to removing barriers. Other policies have been written to reduce systemic barriers such as the Canadian Human Right’s act of 1977 which protects Canadians from discrimination when they are employed by or receive services from:
  • the federal government;
  • First Nations governments; and
  • private companies that are regulated by the federal government like banks, trucking companies, broadcasters and telecommunications companies.​
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/rights-people-disabilities.html

Canadian_Human_Rights_Act.pdf
File Size: 543 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

​In 1948, the United Nations created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which recognized the inherent dignity and equal and unalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world (UN, 2008). The Canadian Charter of Right and Freedom (1982) states it is unconstitutional for any government or law to discriminate based on a physical or mental disability. It states it is a discriminatory practice in the provision of goods, services, facilities or accommodation customarily available to the general public to “deny, or to deny access to, any such good, service, facility or accommodation to any individual.”
http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/CH37-4-3-2002E.pdf
The_Canadian_Charter_of_Rights_and_Freedoms.pdf
File Size: 112 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

National Building Code
Requirements for assistive listening compliance are also prepared under a National Building Code (2014). Provinces that use the National Building Code are Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and all three Territories. The National Building Code requires that assembly rooms, classrooms, auditoria, theatres, and meeting rooms greater than 100 square metres will have an assistive listening system. Signage is also required to identify the availability of assistive devices in both official languages.

Canada is in the process of creating new Federal Accessibility Laws.  Make sure you stay up to date on your rights.
​

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/planned-accessibility-legislation/consultation-legislation.html

"Society benefits when all Canadians can fully participate. The proposed accessible Canada act represents the most important federal legislative advancement of disability rights in Canada in over 30 years. Thank you to the many community leaders and advocates who have worked for years and decades to make this happen. With the proposed act now in Parliament, we are one step closer to our goal: to have a truly inclusive and accessible Canada.”

– The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities
​
Please note: Accessible Hearing Solutions Inc. has provided information on accessibility laws for general information purposes only and the information contained within this site may not be up to date or accurate despite our best attempts. Your use of any of the information on this site or in documents uploaded are at your own risk, and you should not use any of these documents without first seeking legal and other professional advice. 

Location:

Our home office is in Nova Scotia but we also service NB & PEI

feedback

We want to know about your experiences with accessibility in your community - what is working and what tips do you have on how it can be improved for people living with hearing loss. 

We are always looking to improve our services so please give us your feedback about your experience with the accessibility installations and training we have provided in your community. 

​Check out our Facebook or Twitter page for links to important resources, webinars, and handouts.

Contact Us
Info@accessyourhearing.com

  • Home
  • Services
    • Workplace Site Assessments
    • Phonak Soundfield Systems
    • Speech Transfer Systems
    • Loop System Installations
    • Communication Training
    • Other Accessible Solutions >
      • Infrared Systems
      • Tour Guide Systems
  • Resources
    • Accessibility Laws
    • Advantages to Improving Accessibility for your Business
    • GRANTS
    • LINKS
    • Video Library >
      • IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY
      • ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES
      • HEARING LOSS AND COMMUNICATION
      • Accessing Communication in a Classroom Setting
      • Deaf Culture and Sign Language
      • Universal Design
  • About
    • OUR TEAM
  • Contact