2025–2028 Accessibility Plan for the Office of the Information Commissioner: Moving Toward a More Accessible OIC
Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, QC K1A 1H3
Tel. (toll free): 1-800-267-0441
Email: general@oic-ci.gc.ca
Website: www.oic-ci.gc.ca/en
© Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, 2025
Cat. No.: IP1-11E-PDF
ISSN: 2817-0571
Contents
- Executive summary
- General background
- The Accessible Canada Act
- The Government of Canada Context
- The Office of the Information Commissioner Context
- Moving Toward a More Accessible OIC
- Principles
- Areas Covered by Section 5 of the Accessible Canada Act
- Consultations
- Conclusion
Executive summary
The Information Commissioner of Canada is an Agent of Parliament whose mandate is to investigate complaints submitted under the Access to Information Act about diverse types of allegations, many of which are associated with an access request an individual submitted to an institution covered by this Act.
The Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) supports a culture that embraces diversity and inclusion to enable the full participation of its employees, clients and other stakeholders in the delivery of its activities and its mandate. The Canadian legislative framework that supports diversity and inclusion was strengthened by the addition of An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada, also known as the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), which came into force on July 11, 2019.
This document sets out the OIC’s plan for eliminating barriers and preventing the introduction of new barriers over the next three-year period by identifying four organizational goals:
Goal 1
- Ensure that OIC employees are sufficiently equipped to deliver accessible programs and services (this includes a complaint process in which Canadians can participate fully and equally) and that they have the tools and platforms they need to perform their work.
Goal 2
- Create a safe, respectful, inclusive and barrier-free work environment so that all OIC employees have the means and support necessary to reach their full potential.
Goal 3
- Eliminate barriers from OIC’s communication products by implementing an “accessibility by design” culture, where staff members are familiar with the accessibility requirements and have a variety of tools as well as best practices to help them fulfill them.
Goal 4
- Implement a culture of accessibility and accessible practices to eliminate and prevent barriers to the recruitment, retention and promotion of persons with disabilities.
General background
The Government of Canada (GC) aspires to have a public service that is accessible by default to the Canadian public, government institutions and their workforce. This aspiration is rooted in the belief that an inclusive public service is more innovative, efficient and productive. The goal is to make Canada’s public service barrier-free.
The government has placed significant emphasis on improving the participation of persons with disabilities in the federal public service and in the Canadian workforce. The results of the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability suggest that 8 million Canadians aged 15 and over (27% of the population) have a disability, though the actual numbers are likely higher. As a result of the physical, administrative, institutional, technological and attitudinal barriers that exist in the workplace, persons with disabilities are underrepresented in the Canadian labour force. Only 62% of Canadians with disabilities aged 25 to 64 are employed, compared to 78% of Canadians without disabilities.
According to the 2018 Canadian Survey on Disability, the number of persons with a physical disability is expected to rise to 3.6 million by 2030. Eliminating barriers that prevent them from purchasing goods and services or from having access to services and employment in the public and private sectors is critical to improving their quality of life and ensuring that Canadian society benefits from their valuable participation.
Accessibility Feedback Process
This Plan is the result of a collaborative effort on the part of all OIC sectors in consultation with the Accessibility Working Group, the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee, as well as persons with disabilities and agents of change. This Plan is a living document and will be updated regularly as new developments take place.
The OIC seeks the views of persons with disabilities, whether they are colleagues, clients, or other stakeholders. It welcomes any feedback on accessibility within the organization as well as on this Plan. The OIC will review the feedback carefully and work to address the barriers identified and prevent future barriers where possible.
The Senior Director, Human Resources, ATIP and Corporate Governance is designated to receive feedback on accessibility and coordinate with internal subject matter experts responsible for each of the priority areas to meet new obligations described under the ACA, as required.
External or Internal Feedback
Whether you are an employee, a client, or any other stakeholder, please send any comments or feedback on accessibility to the Senior Director, Human Resources, ATIP and Corporate Governance using one of the methods listed below.
Once received/processed by the Senior Director, Human Resources, ATIP and Corporate Governance and her team, comments, feedback or requests are reported to senior management and forwarded to the relevant management team for action or improvement, as appropriate.
Accessibility Inquiries
By mail:
Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, QC K1A 1H3
Telephone: 1-800-267-0441 (toll free)
Email: accessible@oic-ci.gc.ca
Accessibility Feedback Form: https://www.oic-ci.gc.ca/en/form/accessibility
Website: www.oic-ci.gc.ca/en/accessibility
Alternative formats
Alternative formats of this Plan are available upon request.
The Accessible Canada Act
The GC held consultations with persons with disabilities and the disability community and heard from more than 6,000 Canadians about what an accessible Canada means to them. This consultation informed the creation of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA).
The ACA, which came into force on July 11, 2019, takes a proactive and inclusive approach to identifying and eliminating barriers in federal jurisdiction by 2040. It includes seven priority areas for action:
- employment
- built environment
- information and communication technologies
- communication, other than information and communication technologies
- procurement of goods, services and facilities
- design and delivery of programs and services
- transportation
Under the ACA, federally regulated entities must report to the public on their policies and practices in relation to the identification and elimination of barriers by publishing their accessibility plans, feedback processes and progress reports.
Each department, agency and federally regulated employer is also required to develop an accessibility plan and report on progress made against this plan annually, starting in December 2022.
The Government of Canada Context
The ACA will guide government departments, agencies and federally regulated organizations in eliminating barriers to achieve full accessibility and in their reporting obligations to demonstrate progress.
A federal workforce that is reflective of the Canadian population is viewed as essential to the design and implementation of programs and services that are bias- and barrier-free and address the needs of all Canadians.
It is important to note that the federal government has introduced many initiatives over the years to increase the representation, promotion and retention of employment equity group members, and to systematically eliminate any barriers. Federally regulated organizations, including all federal government departments and agencies, undertake these actions consistent with the Employment Equity Act (EEA), which covers visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and women.
As a country, Canada is recognized globally for its support of diversity. Along with the ACA and the EEA, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, the Pay Equity Act, the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and the Official Languages Act are also part of the legislative framework supporting diversity and inclusion in Canada.
The Office of the Information Commissioner Context
The OIC was established in 1983 to support the work of the Information Commissioner of Canada, who ensures that federal government institutions respect the rights that the Access to Information Act confers to information requesters. Protecting and advancing the right of access to these institutions’ information enhances the transparency and accountability of the federal government.
The Information Commissioner’s primary responsibility is to conduct investigations into complaints submitted under the Access to Information Act about diverse types of allegations, many of which are associated with an access request an individual submitted to an institution covered by this Act. The Commissioner strives to maximize compliance with the Act while fostering the disclosure of the federal government institution’s information using the full range of tools, activities and powers at her disposal.
The OIC also supports the Information Commissioner in her advisory role to Parliament and parliamentary committees on all access to information matters. It actively makes the case for greater freedom of information in Canada through targeted initiatives such as Right to Know Week, and ongoing dialogue with Canadians, Parliament and federal institutions.
With a workforce of approximately 125, the OIC employs investigators, lawyers, access to information and privacy analysts, public affairs experts, human resources and finance specialists and security and information management/information technology (IM/IT) professionals.
The OIC’s aim with this Accessibility Plan is twofold: 1) identify, eliminate and prevent accessibility barriers in the delivery of services to the public, and 2) continue to address the accessibility needs of its employees.
Moving Toward a More Accessible OIC
Activities that the OIC Already Does to Support Accessibility
The OIC’s Accessibility Plan is supported by other relevant initiatives, including the Strategic Plan that includes organizational values (and addresses employment equity) as well as the 2023–2025 EDI Integrity Plan; the designation of an EDI Champion and Wellness Action Champion; and the establishment of several joint employee-management committees that advance accessibility and inclusion in the workplace, including the EDI Advisory Committee and its Accessibility Working Group, the Workplace Health, Safety and Wellness Committee.
In addition, the OIC follows the GC Standard on Web Accessibility for all public-facing websites. This standard is based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0), which were developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These guidelines help to ensure that web content is accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities.
In 2019, the OIC launched a new external website, based on a Drupal Web Content Management System adhering to all WCAG 2.0-based accessibility standards and incorporating up-to-date safeguards to ensure ongoing compliance. These standards were also applied to the intranet when it was relaunched on the same platform several months later. Periodic updates ensure that both external and intranet sites continue to adhere to all requirements in accessibility.
Previously, as part of the 2022–2025 Plan, the OIC provided hiring managers with staffing tools from the Public Service Commission. It also created the “GUIDE – Identifying Biases and Barriers in Assessments” to ensure that hiring managers identify and eliminate barriers throughout the staffing process. Central agency inventories, pools and student placement programs for persons with disabilities are discussed and considered by hiring managers to meet their staffing needs.
As part of its regular communications activities, the OIC’s intranet features information bulletins and news items related to accessibility and inclusion training and awareness events such as those offered by the Canada School of Public Service.
The OIC recognizes its duty to ensure that individuals with needs related to one of the prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act receive the accommodation they require to participate fully in processes related to the delivery of OIC services. To this effect, it has implemented the Policy: accommodation when receiving services from the Office of the Information Commissioner.
The OIC also provides employees with specialized accessibility equipment, as required, based on the results of ergonomic assessments (e.g., curved screens, screen readers and screen magnification software) or requests for accommodation measures. The OIC is constantly seeking out new technologies that could help persons with physical limitations integrate more easily into the workplace.
Principles
In keeping with the “nothing about us without us” guiding principle, this Plan was developed in consultation with persons with disabilities and change agents within the OIC.
The sections below set out the planned activities that the OIC has identified to achieve its accessibility goals over the next three years, including activities that the OIC already performs to support accessibility for Canadians and its employees.
As mentioned above, the Plan is based on four organizational goals identified by the OIC. Each of these goals includes measures that should enable the OIC to eliminate barriers within the organization.
Areas Covered by Section 5 of the Accessible Canada Act
Each of the following measures, grouped by area, will help achieve one of the four goals previously mentioned (listed in the last column). This goal-based approach enables the OIC to ensure the consistency of its actions and adopt a comprehensive view of the measures implemented.
Employment
The OIC strives to create a workplace that includes, empowers and supports everyone. Measures relating to this area affect all aspects of work: recruitment/onboarding, career development, promotion and departure.
We have identified the following barriers:
- Lack of knowledge among managers or colleagues in assisting employees with accommodation requests.
- Tight deadlines for certain stages of the hiring process, especially when combined with different time zones.
We will take the following measures to eliminate or prevent these barriers:
| Actions | Details | Indicators | Lead | Timeline | OIC’s Goal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Participating in internal and interdepartmental accessibility committees to acquire tools and develop accessibility expertise in staffing. | Stay abreast of current issues in terms of accessibility and discuss them with key stakeholders within the organization. | The Human Resources team is a member of the Interdepartmental Accessibility Community of Practice. The Human Resources team promotes training for hiring managers. | Hiring managers Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services Accessibility Working Group | Ongoing | 4 |
| 2 | Review available workforce data to gain insight into gaps for persons with disabilities. This includes analyzing employee representation rates and implementing initiatives to address the situation. | Reporting is done via the dashboard. Talent management programs that facilitate the participation of persons with disabilities; the OIC’s talent management program includes a component aimed at the participation of persons with disabilities. The talent management program is included in the Integrated HR Plan. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services | 2025–2026 | 4 | |
| 3 | Facilitate and streamline conversations between persons with disabilities and managers or various stakeholders about the tools, support mechanisms and accommodation measures they require to succeed in the workplace. | Review and improve, if necessary, the OIC’s accommodation request process, by relying on the Better Accommodation Project (BAP) toolkits as well as lessons learned from this project. Use the tools developed by the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), such as the Workplace Accessibility Passport. | The accommodation request process is up to date; an information sheet has been created and is made available to employees and managers (intranet). The GC’s Workplace Accessibility Passport is available and used by employees and managers. Time zones are considered when planning the staffing process schedule. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services | 2025–2026
Ongoing
Ongoing | 4 |
| 4 | Implement and promote the new self-identification questionnaire. | A link to the new form is included in all letters of offer. The new form is accessible to employees. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services Communications | 2027–2028 | 4 | |
| 5 | Conduct an Employment Systems Review of internal policies and practices to identify barriers that are limiting employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. | The cyclical evaluation is completed and submitted to the Public Service Commission by May 1, 2026. Internal practices are analyzed and compared with those of other organizations to improve them as needed. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services | 2026–2027 | 4 |
Built environment
The built environment can have a material impact on health and wellbeing and, if optimized, can ensure that all employees and clients have equal and fair access to and use of internal infrastructure.
We have identified the following barriers:
- The use of a universal solution for choosing office equipment rather than a customized solution.
- The lack of knowledge among managers or colleagues to guide a person with a disability during their onboarding or while on the job.
We will take the following measures to eliminate or prevent these barriers:
| Actions | Details | Indicators | Lead | Timeline | OIC’s Goal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ensure that the OIC’s workspaces comply with accessibility principles. | Smoke detectors, fire alarms and other emergency warning signals trigger audible alarms. Any renovations or changes to workspaces will comply with accessibility principles, which include adapting to individual needs wherever possible. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services | Ongoing | 2 | |
| 2 | Take accessibility into consideration when onboarding new employees and ensure that physical barriers are addressed and incorporated into the Occupational Health and Safety Committee’s Plan. | The organization welcomes its new employees by ensuring that the environment is safe and suited to their needs. | All employees with disabilities are aware of the evacuation plan and have designated a coworker to assist them in evacuating the building during the workday. Accessibility is considered in investigations into occupational health and safety issues. Workstations for persons with a mobility disability are identified and equipped accordingly. Provide employees with an ergonomic assessment and the necessary equipment based on the recommendations made. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services Workplace Health and Safety Committee | Ongoing | 2 |
Information and communication technologies
Central agencies and common service providers such as Shared Services Canada and PSPC set government standards for the acquisition of software and hardware for many products and services. Their leadership is essential in moving toward more accessible infrastructure.
Information and communication technology is defined in the European Union Standard as technology, equipment, or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment for which the principal function is the creation, conversion, duplication, automatic acquisition, storage, analysis, evaluation, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, reception, or broadcast of data or information.
We have identified the following barriers:
- Employees who create or approve documents, or who use internal resources, have trouble using assistive devices such as screen readers.
- Issues identified regarding having to meet deadlines or provide written representations during investigation.
- Lack of employee knowledge about available technologies
We will take the following measures to eliminate or prevent these barriers:
| Actions | Details | Indicators | Lead | Timeline | OIC’s Goal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Create and update accessible templates for investigators and Registry employees. | Review and update older templates that may not incorporate accessibility features and ensure all new templates do. | Templates for notices, reports and other communications (internal and for parties to complaints) incorporate accessibility features (e.g., font type and size, heading levels, simple tables). | Investigation Governance and Strategic Guidance | Ongoing | 1 |
| 2 | Update, as required, resources for Investigations/Registry on the intranet to enhance accessibility as needed. Create all novel resources to be accessible. | Review and update resources that may not incorporate accessibility features and ensure all novel resources do. | Intranet resources incorporate accessibility features (e.g., alt-text, heading levels, limited boxes, simple tables). | Investigation Governance and Strategic Guidance | Ongoing | 1 |
| 3 | Provide training or guidance to employees on using and creating accessible documents (address “accessibility by design,” as per goal 3). | Add to the list of mandatory training courses. Develop and deliver training (in-person and/or tutorial on intranet) for all employees in Investigations/Registry as a baseline; offer it to all new employees and upon request. | All employees receive training/have access to guidance. All employees in Investigations/Registry know how to work with accessible templates and create accessible documents, are familiar with the accessibility features of the software they use and have access to online guidance on accessibility. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services Investigation Governance and Strategic Guidance | 2026
2026 | 1 |
| 4 | Monitor to ensure that identified solutions have the desired effect, or whether more accessibility features can be incorporated. | Conduct annual employee surveys to obtain feedback on accessibility at the OIC. | A questionnaire is sent to employees once a year. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services Accessibility Working Group | Ongoing | 1 |
| 5 | Update, as required, resources on the website, including the complaint forms, to enhance accessibility. Create all novel resources to be accessible, capitalizing on new features and software. | Ensure resources are still accessible when base software changes (e.g., PDF version of complaint form). | All external resources incorporate accessibility features or are presented to facilitate the use of assistive devices such as screen readers. | Investigation Governance and Strategic Guidance Communications | Ongoing | 1 |
| 6 | Acquire technology with accessibility in mind. | The OIC takes accessibility standards into account when acquiring new technologies. | Accessibility criteria are considered for all new software purchases. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services | Ongoing | 2 |
| 7 | Install new systems or adapt existing ones to make them accessible. | Identify settings/accessibility features in the MS Office Suite tools and other software employees use regularly and set accessible defaults (e.g., font type, size and spacing); communicate changes to employees. | All software employees use regularly has accessibility features activated when possible. Migration from Windows 10 to Windows 11 (including “Windows Hello for Business”) is completed for all employees. Migration to OneDrive is completed for all employees. An evaluation of the use of the “Teams Softphone” solution for all employees is done. An evaluation of simultaneous translation tools is done. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services | 2025
2025
2025
2025
2026 | 2 |
| 8 | Existing features designed to facilitate accessibility in software or applications that are used by the OIC on these external platforms are being evaluated and made available wherever possible. | Assess whether auto-save, or other solutions, can be incorporated into the complaint form. | The Auto-save feature is analyzed (and incorporated, if possible, into the online complaint form) or an alternative solution is introduced. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services Support from Investigation Governance and Strategic Guidance | 2027 | 2 |
Communication, other than information and communication technologies
The GC community of practice indicates that communication is a system for transmitting or exchanging information, and that performance indicators are under development for accessible communications.
Government accessibility guidance suggests web material should be written to a grade 6 to 8 level. Consideration could be given to a plain language review of the current content for individuals requiring assistance in understanding and acting upon their access to information rights.
We have identified the following barriers:
- Employees’ lack of knowledge about creating accessible documents from the outset or using plain language.
- Employees’ lack of knowledge about the feedback mechanism.
We will take the following measures to eliminate or prevent these barriers:
| Actions | Details | Indicators | Lead | Timeline | OIC’s Goal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Encourage staff to include plain language in their communications, such as emails, reports. | Tools and tips are available to staff members. | Tools and tips are available on the intranet. Specialized software is available (e.g., Antidote). Some AI tools are available online. | All sectors | Ongoing | 3 |
| 2 | Promote the GC’s guidelines, tools, resources, training and events related to accessibility. | Share details through quarterly communications with employees on tools and resources. Solicit input on new tools/resources from other sectors. | Information on current training or resources related to accessibility is available to all employees (intranet), including investigators and members of the Registry team. | All sectors Champions and Accessibility Working Group | Ongoing | 3 |
| 3 | Provide accessibility learning opportunities to employees, managers and functional specialists, for example through mandatory and recommended training. | Ensure that all employees, including key stakeholders, are well equipped. | The list of mandatory and recommended training courses is up to date and includes training on accessibility. The completion rate for mandatory training courses is shared regularly with managers for monitoring purposes. Training on accommodation measures or accessibility in general is offered to managers and employees. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services | Ongoing
2025–2026 | 3 |
| 4 | Promote mechanisms for employees with disabilities to share experiences and raise concerns. | The feedback mechanism outlined in the Accessibility Plan is published on the intranet. Employees are aware of this mechanism. Employees can provide feedback through an annual survey. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services Communications Accessibility Working Group | Ongoing | 3 |
Procurement of goods, services and facilities
The OIC has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) for the OIC’s procurement-related activities. As the contracting authority for the OIC, the CHRC will ensure that procurement-related activities conducted on behalf of the OIC comply with all legal and policy requirements, including the ACA. Accessibility requirements will be part of the procurement process from the outset. More information on the OIC’s procurement-related activities and how these activities meet the requirements of the ACA can be found on the CHRC’s accessibility website.
Although no barriers regarding procurement were identified during the consultation process, the OIC is committed to regularly reviewing its policies to ensure that they are barrier-free.
We will take the following measures to prevent potential potential barriers:
| Actions | Details | Indicators | Lead | Timeline | OIC’s Goal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taking accessibility into account in procurement activities. | When establishing contracts, new templates are used to include accessibility clauses based on requirements. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services | Ongoing | 1 |
Design and delivery of programs and services
The OIC administers a program and internal services that support government transparency. More specifically, the OIC’s program provides a way for Canadians to get their complaints about how a government institution handled their access to information request resolved quickly.
We have identified the following barriers:
- Complainants mentioned issues with having to meet deadlines to provide representations and requesting accommodations in general.
- Employees lack the necessary tools to provide appropriate services.
We will take the following measures to eliminate or prevent these barriers:
| Actions | Details | Indicators | Lead | Timeline | OIC’s Goal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monitor requests for accommodation when receiving services from the OIC to identify and respond to system barriers. | Review accommodation requests to identify systemic barriers, determine the success of accommodation measures, and inform solutions; consider surveying external parties. | Systemic barriers to receiving services from the OIC are identified and responses/solutions are implemented. | Investigation Governance and Strategic Guidance Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services Accessibility Working Group | 2026 and ongoing | 1 |
| 2 | Review accommodation policy/process and materials on website and adjust, as needed. | Based on results of monitoring, experience administering the accommodation process and any changes in legislation, amend policy/process and support materials, as needed. | Policy/process and support materials are up to date and reflect user needs. | Investigation Governance and Strategic Guidance Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services Accessibility Working Group | 2028 and ongoing | 1 |
| 3 | Offer training on handling difficult situations. | Update training, as required, and then offer it to new investigators/Registry team members and as a refresher course. | All investigators, including employees working with the public and members of the Registry team receive training on handling difficult situations. | Investigation Governance and Strategic Guidance Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services | 2027 and every year after thereafter | 1 |
Transportation
The OIC does not coordinate a transportation network or vehicle fleet as defined in the Accessible Canada Act, which means that transportation standards are not covered by this Plan.
However, the OIC would provide accommodation measures, if necessary, to employees and external partners who travel as part of its activities, participate in its events, or require assistance in transporting their work equipment.
Although no barriers regarding travel and procurement were identified during the consultation process, the OIC is committed to regularly reviewing its policies to ensure that they are barrier-free.
We will take the following measures to prevent barriers:
| Actions | Details | Indicators | Lead | Timeline | OIC’s Goal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transport equipment to enable employees to perform their duties at their telework location. | Office equipment is delivered to the telework location (home) for employees who request it as an accommodation measure. | Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services | Ongoing | 1 |
Consultations
In preparing this Accessibility Plan, the OIC held consultations with all of its employees, including those with disabilities, and gained valuable input on areas for improvement, leading to the identification of concrete actions to be prioritized.
These consultations, which took place between July 2024 and February 2025, were carried out in two phases. The first phase consisted of an online questionnaire sent throughout the organization, with some questions intended for all employees and others only for employees with disabilities. Sending the initial questionnaire to everyone was a key step as it ensured that all those concerned had the opportunity to express their views and contribute to improving the workplace. It included 33 questions, 16 of which were targeted as persons with disabilities.
The following are examples of questions that were asked:
- Can you tell us about the barriers you experience in your day-to-day work?
- Have you experienced any barriers during a staffing process at the OIC?
- Have you experienced any barriers during your onboarding at the OIC?
- Do you consider that you have full access to virtual meetings and events?
- How satisfied are you with the way the OIC deals with accessibility and accommodation requests for employees living with a disability?
- What is your level of satisfaction with the accessibility of communications and documents are at the OIC?
Overall, 43% of staff members completed the questionnaire, of whom 22% identified themselves as having a disability. The reported disabilities included sensory/environmental disabilities, hearing disability, cognitive disability, chronic health conditions or pain, flexibility or dexterity issues, mobility issues and mental health issues.
This first phase therefore made it possible to outline the main disabilities affecting some staff members and identify the barriers present in our workplace.
The second phase consisted of individual meetings with persons with disabilities who volunteered to be part of this process after completing the online questionnaire. These confidential meetings, lasting approximately one hour, were led by an external facilitator in English or French, depending on the participants’ preference, and were conducted virtually (via Teams) or by telephone. They were meant to give persons with disabilities another chance to voice their opinions and give more context about the barriers they have encountered, as well as pinpoint measures that should be prioritized in the next 2025–2028 Accessibility Plan.
Thus, the interviews were structured around five main questions and a few sub-questions designed to encourage discussion. The following are examples of questions that were asked during these interviews:
- In your opinion, what works well in the organization in terms of accessibility and accommodation?
- What obstacles have you or your colleagues encountered in your day-to-day work?
- What could be improved?
- What could help eliminate or prevent these barriers?
- Are you familiar with the Workplace Accessibility Passport?
The interviews helped clarify some of the barriers that had been identified through the questionnaire.
In short, the consultations helped the OIC gather valuable information about the state of accessibility within the organization and gain a better understanding of the various barriers encountered by employees with disabilities. Recommendations and comments received were then incorporated into this new Plan.
Conclusion
The OIC recognizes that there are opportunities to improve accessibility within the organization. It will continue to listen to persons with disabilities to become more accessible. This Accessibility Plan will guide and keep it accountable, as it works toward becoming an organization that is barrier free.