Historic appointment of Canada’s first Accessibility Commissioner

April 25, 2022, Gatineau, Quebec      

Employment and Social Improvement Canada

The objective of a barrier-free Canada, one that's inclusive from the beginning, is on the coronary heart of the Accessible Canada Act (Act). That's the reason the Authorities of Canada continues to implement the Act and is introducing robust measures to make sure this objective turns into actuality.

Right now, Minister of Employment, Workforce Improvement and Incapacity Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, introduced the appointment of Michael Gottheil as Canada’s first Accessibility Commissioner to the Canadian Human Rights Fee (CHRC), efficient Might 9, 2022, for a time period of 5 years.

Paired with the latest announcement on April 4, 2022, naming Stephanie Cadieux as Canada’s first Chief Accessibility Officer, these two historic appointments help the Authorities’s continued dedication to growing the accessibility and inclusion of Canadians with disabilities.

The Accessibility Commissioner is a full-time Governor in Council (GIC) appointment, beneath the Canadian Human Rights Act on the advice of the Minister of Justice. Reporting to the Chief Commissioner of the CHRC, the Accessibility Commissioner will present govt management and route inside their jurisdiction for the administration and enforcement of the Accessible Canada Act and its laws. This contains:

• selling compliance with the Act;
• guaranteeing that federally regulated organizations meet their accessibility obligations; and,
• receiving, investigating and ruling on complaints filed beneath the Act.

The Accessibility Commissioner may also advise and inform the Minister of Employment, Workforce Improvement and Incapacity Inclusion and submit an annual report back to the Minister, for tabling in Parliament, on their actions beneath the Act.