CAN-ASC-5.2.1 Part 1: Design and Delivery of Accessible Programs and Services: Accessible Service Delivery - Accessibility for federally regulated entities as defined by the Accessible Canada Act

Designation Number:
CAN-ASC-5.2.1
Standard Type:
National Standard of Canada - Domestic
Standard Development Activity:
New Standard
ICS code(s):
03.060; 03.080; 03.100; 03.160; 03.200; 03.220; 03.240; 11.180; 35.020; 91.040
Status:
Proceeding to development
SDO Comment Period Start Date:
SDO Comment Period End Date:
Posted On:

Scope:

Note: The title of this Notice of Intent (originally published on May 14, 2024) was updated by the responsible SDO on July 16, 2024.

 

Note: The comment period for this NOI has been extended to July 11, 2024 to allow for a collaborative discussion to take place between SCC-accredited SDOs. 

 

The purpose of standard CAN-ASC-5.2.1 Part 1 is to ensure the technical requirements for service delivery are equity-based. This requires going beyond minimum technical specifications.

There are common areas where people with disabilities may experience barriers in service delivery. These areas include, but are not limited to:

  • a lack of accessibility policies that lead to accessible service delivery
  • inaccessible communication that:
    • does not convey key information on the service(s) being offered;
    • is not in plain language or is in an inaccessible format
    • does not notify customers when there is a service disruption; and,
    • is not in available in an alternate format that allows a person with a disability to use, obtain, and benefit from a service in an equitable manner
  • an inaccessible built environment to access service(s)
  • lack of access for support persons
  • lack of access for guide and service dogs
  • a lack of training for service providers on how to deliver equitable service delivery for all individuals.

To address these barriers, this standard will define the requirements related to providing equitable, accessible service delivery, including but not limited to:

  • developing, establishing, and maintaining accessibility policies that contribute to equitable service delivery
  • requirements for accessible communication including:
    • conveying key information
    • providing information in plain language
    • providing notifications for service disruptions
    • providing alternate formats
  • requirements for the built environment to access service(s)
  • requirements for support persons
  • requirements for guide and service dogs
  • training for service providers on how to deliver equitable customer service.

Project need:

Accessibility Standards Canada was created under the Accessible Canada Act. Its mandate is to prevent, identify, and remove barriers to accessibility for Canadians with disabilities. In pursuit of this mandate, Accessibility Standards Canada develops standards based on the needs of people with disabilities. These needs have been identified in consultations with Canadians with disabilities, including the Governor in Council appointed Board of Directors, who are primarily people with disabilities and have approved the development of this standard.

Accessibility Standards Canada’s standards apply to federally regulated entities, including the federally regulated private-sector, as defined within the Accessible Canada Act. Accessibility Standards Canada also works with Provincial and Territorial partners to identify additional stakeholder needs across Canada in order to increase harmonization.

In addition to these identified needs, Accessibility Standards Canada standards are developed following the principle of “nothing without us.” This means that Accessibility Standards Canada standards are developed with:

  • research that has been led by people with disabilities or lived experience
  • the participation of people with disabilities on our technical committees. These committees produce equity-based requirements that take into account the needs and perspectives of people with disabilities.

This also means that the public review process for this standard will be accessible, allowing even more people with disabilities to be part of the standards development process.

Note: The information provided above was obtained by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and is provided as part of a centralized, transparent notification system for new standards development. The system allows SCC-accredited Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), and members of the public, to be informed of new work in Canadian standards development, and allows SCC-accredited SDOs to identify and resolve potential duplication of standards and effort.

Individual SDOs are responsible for the content and accuracy of the information presented here. The text is presented in the language in which it was provided to SCC.