Independent Review of Accessibility Act Released
Press Release
May 17, 2023
The report on the first independent review of the Accessibility Act was released today, May 17.
The report notes that the Province is making progress on making Nova Scotia more accessible, but there is room for improvement in various areas including accessibility standards, communications, and engagement.
Katie Aubrecht, a disability scholar and associate professor at St. Francis Xavier University, led the independent review.
“The Province is committed to creating a more equitable and accessible province by 2030,” said Justice Minister Brad Johns, the Minister responsible for the Accessibility Act. “It was important to review the act to make sure it continues to be responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities. I want to thank Dr. Aubrecht for the report and her recommendations. This will help guide us to achieving our accessibility goals into the future.”
The review included Access by Design 2030 – the framework for achieving an accessible province by 2030 – and the standard development process.
The Department of Justice is reviewing the report and its 48 recommendations and will provide a formal response and advise on next steps later this year.
Quick Facts:
- the Accessibility Act was passed in April 2017 and requires an external review of the act within four years of its coming into force and every five years thereafter
- significant progress has been made since passing the Accessibility Act, including the launch of the Access Includes Everyone campaign and the development of accessibility standards in education, employment, goods and services, the built environment and public transportation
- almost 800 people with disabilities, community organizations, municipalities and other stakeholders affected by the legislation were consulted during the review
- the Minister is required to make the report publicly available within 30 days of receiving it
Additional Resources:
Dr. Katie Aubrecht’s report: https://novascotia.ca/accessibility/act-review/
ASL release: https://vimeo.com/826277191/2a98660b64
News release – First Independent Review of Accessibility Act: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20211006004
Access by Design 2030: https://novascotia.ca/accessibility/access-by-design/
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