Bottom Line
The federal government's Accessible Canada Act (the
"ACA"), which came into effect on July 11, 2019,
creates a new regulatory regime for establishing and enforcing
accessibility standards for federally regulated organizations.
Purpose of the New Act
Similar to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities
Act and other provincial accessibility standards legislation,
the ACA's purpose is to eliminate barriers to
accessibility and inclusion experienced by persons with
disabilities. Under the ACA, the federal government is
empowered to enact regulations that establish accessibility
standards, and set out how federally regulated organizations must
identify, remove and prevent barriers to inclusion in the areas
of: