Accessibility Legislation
The Meiorin decision and the duty to accommodate: 25 years of missed opportunities to remove barriers
September 9th, 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada’s landmark decision in British Columbia (Public Service Employee Relations Commission) v. BCGSEU commonly known as the Meiorin decision. The Meiorin decision is about a human rights complaint dealing with workplace discrimination and accommodation. This decision had important… Read More about “The Meiorin decision and the duty to accommodate: 25 years of missed opportunities to remove barriers”
5 ways public sector organizations can use the writ period to improve accessibility
In BC, September will throw an interesting challenge to some public sector organizations in the form of the writ period. September 21st is Writ Day, which begins the provincial election campaign period, also known as the writ period. For many public sector organizations and public servants, it also brings… Read More about “5 ways public sector organizations can use the writ period to improve accessibility”
Webinar Summary: What BC’s Draft Accessibility Standards Mean For You
With BC’s first two draft Accessibility Standards now open for feedback, Untapped Accessibility hosted an expert panel on June 26th, 2024 to explore what this means for BC organizations in the public, non-profit, and private sectors. Moderated by Robbie McDonald, panelists Anu Pala, Leanna Manning, Nora Loyst, and Trish Kelly… Read More about “Webinar Summary: What BC’s Draft Accessibility Standards Mean For You”
Operationalizing Accessibility: Insights from Our Year with the Accessible BC Act
In the past year, Untapped Accessibility has supported nearly 120 organizations to address the requirements in the Accessible BC Act. Reflecting on the past year of these partnerships, it becomes clear that the journey towards accessibility isn’t just about compliance. It requires a cultural shift in how organizations perceive and… Read More about “Operationalizing Accessibility: Insights from Our Year with the Accessible BC Act”
The Accessible Canada Act: Navigating Consultations with Disability Communities
“Nothing about us without us.” The common adage captures the need to include the voices of disabled folks in policies that directly affect them. When it comes to accessibility planning, there’s no better expert on the subject than those who experience disability barriers on a daily basis. This is why… Read More about “The Accessible Canada Act: Navigating Consultations with Disability Communities”
Inclusive Language and the Accessible BC Act: The Dangers of Euphemisms
Clients often ask me if it’s better to use terms like “differently abled” or “diverse-ability,” instead of the word disability itself. As an accessibility consulting agency, we’ve supported over 120 organizations to comply with the Accessible BC Act. As we dig into the work of developing accessibility plans and committees,… Read More about “Inclusive Language and the Accessible BC Act: The Dangers of Euphemisms”
Accessibility Committees: Creating spaces of meaningful engagement
As we approach the compliance deadline for the Accessible BC Act, and municipalities and other prescribed organizations move toward developing their accessibility committees, accessibility plan, and feedback mechanism, one thing to keep in mind is to focus on ensuring the meaningful engagement process and non-tokenistic approach to complying with the… Read More about “Accessibility Committees: Creating spaces of meaningful engagement”
5 Tips for Post-Secondary Institutions Starting an Accessibility Committee
Under the new Accessible British Columbia Act (2021) post-secondary institutions in British Columbia are required to establish an accessibility plan, public feedback mechanism, and an accessibility committee by September 1, 2023. Given how institutions tend to slow down in the spring/summer months, your organization will need to make this a… Read More about “5 Tips for Post-Secondary Institutions Starting an Accessibility Committee”
What Libraries need to know about the Accessible BC Act from a Librarian
As a librarian with a disability, I’m excited to see how the Accessible BC Act opens the door for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in our sector. After attending Untapped Accessibility’s recent webinar, Accessibility in 2023: Trends and Legislation You Need to Know, I reflected on the various types of libraries… Read More about “What Libraries need to know about the Accessible BC Act from a Librarian”
Accessibility in 2023: Trends and Legislation – Webinar Summary
On January 26th, 2023, Untapped Accessibility and the Surrey Board of Trade co-presented a successful webinar on accessibility trends and legislation. The 300 plus registrants gained timely and robust insights from a panel moderated by Anu Pala and featuring Anita Huberman, Christine Buchanan, and Sheri Byrne-Haber. Here are a few… Read More about “Accessibility in 2023: Trends and Legislation – Webinar Summary”