Canada Border Services Agency Annual Accessibility Progress Report 2024

Senior leadership message

Building on Our Commitment

At the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) we are committed to an “Accessibility First” approach in the development and design of programs and services. Our work is inspired by the values of equity and inclusion which are at the heart of the Accessible Canada Act. In this second year of our accessibility journey, we are proud of the progress we have made while recognizing there is still much more to do.

We are working hard to ensure that accessibility is meaningful and is a central part of how we do business. Throughout 2024, we have focused on identifying and addressing barriers and continue to learn from the lived experiences of persons with disabilities. The feedback provided by the disability community has been invaluable in guiding us in the development of new workshops and awareness activities to increase accessibility confidence at the CBSA. This has helped us increase our representation of employees with disabilities at the agency to 7.3%. More than 50% of employees in the Accessibility Office and Adaptive Technology programs at the CBSA identify as having a disability. These areas are responsible for developing and supporting programs and initiatives that support persons with disabilities.

Having a more representative workforce allows us to better understand the experiences of communities throughout their interactions with us. In 2024, this has enabled us to better improve physical accessibility at our ports of entries, improve the client experience of our trade chain partners, enhance digital resources for accessible travel information, and train frontline officers to understand and respond to diverse accessibility needs.

As we reflect on the progress we have made in 2024, we know the path to becoming a fully accessible organization is a long-term journey. We are committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, has equal access to our programs and services and an equitable experience within our organization.

Together, we continue to build a barrier-free CBSA that serves all Canadians.

Sincerely,

General

This report shows how we are doing, at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), in the second year of our 2023 to 2025 Accessibility Plan. The plan helps us remove barriers for persons with disabilities so everyone can take part in society equally.

Our plan and our progress reports focus on 7 main areas that are included in the Accessible Canada Act and regulations.

These areas are:

1. Employment
2. The built environment
3. The procurement of goods, services and facilities
4. Communications, other than information communications technologies
5. Information and communication technology
6. The design and delivery of programs and services
7. Transportation

As a transportation service provider, we also follow rules from the Accessible Transportation Planning and Reporting Regulations and the Accessible Transportation for People with Disabilities Regulations. This includes:

• Provisions to meet the Canadian Transportation Agency’s regulations
• Consultations
• Feedback

By covering all these areas in one report, we give a full picture of how we’re improving accessibility and meeting our goals.

Contact information and feedback process

At the CBSA, we want to hear from our employees and the public. You can give feedback on the 2023 to 2025 CBSA Accessibility Plan, our Annual Accessibility Progress Reports, or any barriers you face when interacting with us.

Please use our accessibility feedback form, or alternatively please provide feedback by:

Mail:

Assistant Director, Accessibility Office
Human Resources Branch
Canada Border Services Agency
191 Laurier Ave West, 15 floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0L8

Email:

cbsa.barrier_free-sans_barriere.asfc@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Phone:

1-800-461-9999, select preferred language, then press 0

Teletypewriter:

1-866-335-3237

In person:

Accessibility feedback can be provided directly with an employee at a physical service location.

Social media:

You can send us a private message with your feedback. You can also request an alternative format of this report, our feedback process or the Accessibility Plan.

• X (Twitter)
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

All feedback related to accessibility will be acknowledged in the same way that it is received.

Submit anonymous feedback

Feedback can be provided anonymously. To ensure feedback is anonymous, please do not include any identifying information such as an email address, phone number or retrun address.

What happens to the feedback

All feedback is shared with the appropriate area within the CBSA for resolution. It is also analyzed for trends and is used to inform future priorities and plans.

Annual progress reports are published in December of year 1 and 2 of each Accessibility Plan. The annual reports outline the nature of the feedback received and share how the feedback is taken into consideration.

Alternate formats

Documents can be requested in the following alternative formats:

• print
• large print
• braille
• audio format
• an electronic format that is compatible with adaptive technology that is intended to assist persons with disabilities

Timeframes to receive alternate formats:

• Braille and audio format: 45 days after the day that the request is received
• Any other format: within 15 days after the day that the request is received

You can request alternative formats by mail, email, phone, teletypewriter, social media or in person. Ways to make a request for alternative formats can be found under the Contact information and feedback process section above.

Executive summary

In 2024, we continued our work towards achieving the commitments outlined in our first Canada Border Services Agency 3-year Accessibility Plan. Throughout our second year, we have focused on accessibility and inclusion in employment, made physical and digital accessibility enhancements, and increased accessibility education and training. Our vision is to be an accessible border management organization that is barrier free for its clients and employees.

In 2024, we held 40 personal and small-group consultation sessions, along with more than 15 agency-wide accessibility events. We used the lived experiences of persons with disabilities to develop and promote training and awareness sessions which were delivered during National AccessAbility Week. Additionally, managers awareness sessions were launched in fall 2024. These sessions helped clarify the difference between accessibility and the formal duty to accommodate process. It also provides supports for managers to better understand what they can do to help their employees who need accessible solutions. We requested advice and guidance from other leaders in the accessibility field and continued to consult with other government departments and agencies at all levels.

We have made progress in all priority areas, namely internally through increasing accessibility confidence in our employees and managers. This has had a positive impact on employees who now have access to more adaptive technologies and face fewer barriers in recruitment processes. Our workforce is also more representative of the population we serve, with 7.3% of our employees identifying as a person with disability. Overall, this will have a positive impact on programs and services for those we serve, including the traveling public.

As we continue to enhance how we do business through new tools and technologies, we have ensured that persons with disabilities are included in the development process and user testing. This has allowed us to identify barriers earlier on. New systems such as the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management system will make doing business in Canada more accessible for trade chain partners. The use of biometrics will simplify processes at the border, making the travel experience more positive. We recognize that new technologies can result in unintended consequences, which is why we have consulted with diverse community groups in the design of our applications and business processes.

Receiving feedback is important to us and we have valued the feedback received. While our progress report covers the January to December 2024 period, the report on feedback in this report covers September 2023 to August 2024 which is recommended by the Canadian Transportation Agency as a best practice. During this timeframe, we received 47 pieces of feedback through various channels. The majority of the feedback highlights concerns related to attitudinal barriers experienced by employees as well as members of the public. You can find more details under the Accessibility feedback information section of this report.

Employment

In 2024, we continued to focus on improving accessibility confidence by educating management on how to create an inclusive workplace. We emphasized education, awareness, and active allyship. The Human Resources Branch worked with the Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee to develop tools and resources to understand the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and developed a specific workshop for managers to demystify the accommodation process, which was one of the largest reported barriers from employees.

We are exploring the implementation of the Government of Canada’s Workplace Accessibility Passport, and will be able to launch it once it is available digitally. Additionally, we improved supports for employees with disabilities by creating a lending library so that adaptive technologies could be more accessible.

Progress towards removing barriers in employment

Our 2023 to 2025 Accessibility Plan committed to the following 3 employment elements:

• Increasing employee representation of persons with disability
• Reducing stigma through increased organizational trust
• Building education and awareness towards being inclusive by design

To make progress, we committed to 15 action items. So far, we have completed 80% of these committed actions. These actions focus on engagement, training, development and analysis of systemic barriers. We plan to finish the remaining 3 items in 2025.

Representation

The CBSA workforce is more inclusive of persons with disabilities. In 2024, the percentage of employees with disabilities increased from 5.0% to 7.3%. This improvement came from better recruitment practices, removing barriers in the hiring process, and raising awareness about self-identification. Our remaining gap for persons with disabilities at the CBSA is -346, which we hope to close by the end of 2025.

We aim to continue supporting the Government of Canada’s goal to hire 5,000 persons with disabilities. In 2023, we hired 103 employees with disabilities, and as of October 2024 we have hired 90 to date. Revised numbers will be provided in 2025 to capture the delay in self-identification reporting.

More people are comfortable identifying as having a disability during the hiring process. In 2024, we hired 90 new employees, 10 new students and rehired 22 former students who identified as living with disabilities. We also created a pool of 45 qualified candidates with disabilities for future hiring by the CBSA or other federal employers.

Reducing stigma

In 2024, we saw a large growth in the number of self-identified employees. Our partnership with the Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee and the used of the modernized self-identification form has helped us reduce stigma around disabilities and fosters more open dialogue and conversations around this topic.

In the 2022 Public Service Employee Survey results, over 12% of participants identified as a person with disability, which is greater than the 9.4% workforce availability. This result gives us hope that more people will come forward to self–identify in the future. The modernized self-identification form is more inclusive of a variety of disabilities and has made it easier to encourage employees to self–identify.

Being inclusive by design

We are dedicated to improving our employees’ experience at every stage of their career. Human resource practices are regularly being reviewed to eliminate obstacles.

For example, it was found that the letters of offer given to new employees were not accessible. These documents are currently sent as a PDF file, which can be difficult for some people to read. To address this, the agency will provide the letters of offer in both accessible Microsoft Word format and PDF. This change will give employees the option to choose the format that works best for them, helping to reduce any barriers.

We are also reviewing our office spaces to be more accessible for neurodivergent people. We are piloting quiet and low-sensory environments so that it can be more accessible for those who need these types of environment to be successful.

The built environment

At the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), we are responsible for the management and delivery of infrastructure initiatives and real property accommodations across the country. This includes offices and operational locations including air, land, rail, marine and postal sites. Our agency operates in a complex and changing environment, responding to new threats and global trends while always keeping Canada's safety top of mind.

The built environment consists of physical spaces where CBSA staff work and where the public is served. Creating inclusive spaces is a vital part of ensuring that employees and members of the public have full and equal access to their work environment and to CBSA services. When we construct new spaces or make improvements to existing ones, we make sure that these spaces either meet or exceed the current accessibility standards set by the Government of Canada, ensuring that spaces are “inclusive by design, accessible by default”.

Our first step as part of the CBSA’s 3-year Accessibility Plan was to coordinate audits of infrastructure we own to find areas where infrastructure could be improved to promote accessibility and inclusivity.

Progress towards removing barriers in the built environment

Our 2023 to 2025 Accessibility Plan committed to the following 3 elements of work:

• Collecting data on accessible infrastructure
• Making spaces more accessible
• Building an inclusive and barrier-free agency

Given the complexity of the agency’s infrastructure and operational needs, work in these areas is expected to extend beyond the current multi-year action plan. The following progress has been made:

Collecting data on accessible infrastructure: The CBSA coordinated accessibility audits of infrastructure we own to find areas where infrastructure could be improved to promote accessibility and inclusivity. We are in the process of completing 16 more audits this year, for a total of 37 audits completed over the last 2 years. All of the major land border crossings we own have been, or are in the process of being audited. We also began coordinating audits on the medium to low volume border crossings. The results will be used to guide future investments.

Making spaces more accessible: We completed work on several office spaces across the country to meet the latest accessibility standards. For example, in preparation for the increase of employees returning to the office, we advanced the inclusion of features such as:

• height adjustable workstations
• ergonomic furniture
• a quiet zone pilot in the national capital region that may include adjustable lighting and higher walls around workspaces to adjust for noise, supporting neurodivergent staff

A multi-phase 30-year project is currently underway to replace numerous border crossings across Canada. Once updated, these ports of entry will meet the latest Government of Canada accessibility standards. There are 3 ports of entry that are set to be finished by 2025.

In some ports of entry, we have installed tactile signage. While some improvements are still needed throughout our locations, we have increased our special signage nationally by 10%.

Building an inclusive and barrier-free agency: The plan for the Built Environment is focused on a strong foundation of planning, collaboration and clear targets.

In 2024, we continued to review the plans for future office projects and aligning where possible with the Government of Canada’s office design standards (GCworkplace). The standards provide employees with more choice and control over the work setting that best suits their needs. These standards include elements for a barrier-free design and support for mental health. Examples of this include:

• using accessible push bars instead of push-button
• rooms with adjustable lighting
• larger doorway clearances and aisles
• lowered counters in the kitchen and washrooms

We continued to update our facilities in-line with current standards and guidance for accessibility and inclusivity, in consultation with Public Services and Procurement Canada’s center of expertise on accessibility and inclusivity. Guidance was based on consultation with various stakeholder groups led by PSPC. The designs for new and refreshed border services facilities include features like:

• automatic doors operated by push buttons in public spaces
• widened doors to accommodate mobility devices and ramps to make access easier
• larger turning radius to accommodate mobility devices

We upgraded washrooms and signage across the country to make washrooms more inclusive and accessible for employees and travellers.

The agency also worked diligently with its partners to align with the Canada Labour Code amendment regarding the free provision of menstrual products to employees in federally regulated workplaces. We have provided menstrual products where required at CBSA workplaces including ports of entry across the country in partnership with Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Accessibility awareness and training

In collaboration with the CBSA Accessibility Office, the built environment team is continuing to provide support for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility training along with awareness sessions. This work helped to identify and eliminate barriers in the workplace. Employees were encouraged to ask questions and provide feedback on barriers encountered in the workplace via the established Accessibility Feedback Process.

The procurement of goods, services and facilities

Accessibility considerations are being integrated in all dimensions of procurement activities. While this work is primarily being led by Public Service and Procurement Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is making sure its own procurement processes are accessible and usable for everyone.

With increased training and awareness, we continued to build procurement specialists’ and business owners’ understanding of how to include accessibility in the procurement process.

Progress towards removing barriers in procurement

Our 2023 to 2025 Accessibility Plan committed to the following 3 procurement goals:

• Ensuring all procurement officers take accessible procurement training
• Ensuring that procurement practices are accessible and compliant with standards and guidelines
• Business owners are informed and understand their obligations to consider accessibility

We have been working to make our procurement processes more accessible. Here's what we have done to remove barriers, specific to the Procurement Action Plan:

Better timing and planning: The 2024 to 2025 procurement planning process requested that each item on the plan identify whether accessibility was considered. Early consideration of accessibility requirements ensures that they can be considered and addressed in a meaningful manner as the contract is established, rather than after the fact. Our objective moving forward is to ensure that accessibility is considered and addressed at the planning stage for all procurement requests.

Awareness and knowledge: Business owners play an important role in including accessibility requirements when defining their needs. To help educate business owners, the agency’s newsletter promotes training sessions held by Shared Services Canada and Public Services and Procurement Canada specific to integrating accessibility in procurement. Additionally, many procurement officers have taken part in communities of practice and training offered by other organizations to learn and share best practices across our agency. Our Agency-specific Introduction to Procurement training program has been updated to highlight roles and responsibilities for considering accessibility in the procurement process.

Accessible procurement systems: The CBSA has limited control over the procurement systems that are used and interacted with internally and externally. As such, our focus has been on the many processes within our control that make accessibility a systematic part of our approach. In addition to the inclusion of accessibility in the procurement planning process, we have included the Public Services and Procurement Canada’s justification form as a mandatory attachment when initiating a procurement request. Finally, our quality assurance team has included the reminder to challenge the justification provided by the business owners if accessibility has not been properly addressed. Our objective moving forward is to continue to adopt the procurement documents and tools that Public Service and Procurement Canada creates to support a positive experience for interactions with all individuals.

Market availability: The number of suppliers able to deliver accessible goods and services is outside of the CBSA’s control. However, we are hopeful that by increasing our requests for accessible goods and services, the market will grow to meet the needs.

Information and communication technologies

The Information, Science and Technology Branch (ISTB) aims to support CBSA in becoming an accessible and inclusive agency by identifying and eliminating barriers that exist in our information technology applications and tools.

Last year, we continued to build our internal capacity, raise awareness on accessibility requirements, and begin to assess our IT applications and systems for accessibility issues. We also continued to invest in our adaptive technology program in support of our employees and promote the services that are being provided to all agency employees by the branch’s Accessibility and Adaptive Technology Program.

Progress towards removing barriers in information technology

The following progress has been made in removing information technology related accessibility barriers, specific to the 2023 to 2025 Accessibility Plan:

Accessibility compliance in applications and services

• Developed a multi-year roadmap to support Information, Science and Technology Branch in meeting their strategic accessibility objectives
• Facilitated the agency-wide adoption of Calibri 12 as the default font for MS Outlook to support the accessibility and readability of emails across the agency
• Conducted over 30 assessments of agency information and communications technology which includes webpages, documents, user and training guides, web-based applications, hardware, and peripherals against the Government of Canada national standard, the “EN 301 549”
• Developed a robust, and repeatable testing methodology that includes testing with adaptive technologies
• Conducted over 20 information sessions on IT accessibility, offering practical guidance on how to design and test for accessibility and to consider accessibility from the start
• Equipped 39 of 59 boardrooms with enhanced video conferencing equipment complete with several features to accommodate users with disabilities
• Started planning for the replacement of older low-resolution televisions with Ultra High Definition televisions to improve image quality for individuals with visual impairments
• Completed an extensive review of all Electronic Data Interchange application forms available to the public to ensure compliance with the Accessible Canada Act
• Successful completion of a second proof of concept for the agency-wide upgrade and deployment of M365, with its numerous built-in accessibility features and applications
• Ensured that all agency deployed smart phones have accessibility and screen reader functionality enabled by default
• Continued to work on identifying a long-term and sustainable source of funds for IT accessibility investments

Ensuring adaptive technology for employees with disabilities

• Tested, certified, and made available 25 new adaptive technologies for employees with disabilities or injuries
• Implemented a virtual and on-site dedicated adaptive technology lending library with over 75 adaptive technologies, to allow employees to borrow and test equipment so that they may make a more informed decision as to whether the product and its features will meet their accessibility needs
• Conducted over 12 sessions on the Adaptive Technology Program, offering practical information and guidance for managers and employees on the differing types of adaptive technology products that support a variety of disabilities, and how to obtain adaptive technology products, training, and support
• Maintained a dedicated adaptive technology inbox for employees that averages a minimum of 30 requests each month for products, information, and/or support
• Reduced the time required for onboarding new employees with IT, from months to less than 2 weeks in 90% of cases and conducted follow-up with employees within 2 weeks to ensure satisfaction
• Provided employees with satisfaction questionnaires bi-annually to collect employee feedback for program and process improvement: current client satisfaction rating is 100%
• Promoted awareness of the adaptive technology program to employees by maintaining a public informative site on the agency’s GCDocs Wiki, which includes a list of approved devices such as Ergonomic Keyboards, Mice and Headsets that can be acquired directly by management

Improving information technology accessibility governance

• Continued to work with key stakeholders to educate and create awareness on accessibility standards and guidelines and to incorporate accessibility in governance processes
• Included accessibility into a number of new projects and releases

Equipping staff

• Provided dedicated accessibilty testing services and guidance to developers, testers and digital technology owners, to work towards ensuring that internal and external facing applications are accessible and usable for all
• Developed and made continuously available, in-house Information and Communication Technology Accessibility 101 training videos
• Maintained and promoted a public informative site on the agency’s GCDocs Wiki, which provides employees with IT accessiblity legislation and training information, processes to request accessibility compliance assessments, and access to checkilists and tools made available to enable independent accessibility testing
• Provided specialized information sessions to agency developers on IT accessibility standards and processes

Consulting persons with disabilities

• Consulted and contracted The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) to perform accessibility testing with blind participants for CBSA mobile applications
• Collaborated with the Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee to improve user testing capabilities by identifying accessibility opportunities and barriers from the lived experience of persons with disabilities
• Collaborated with the Gender Based Analysis plus Centre of Expertise in the ongoing review of all Electronic Data Interchange application forms and standard operating procedures as well as outgoing CBSA communications to external clients to ensure inclusivity in CBSA’s engagement with clients, stakeholders and Canadians

Increasing program knowledge on accessibility issues

• Continued to improve internal capacity by enrolling Accessibility and Adaptive Technology Program employees in training and professional certification programs so they can conduct adaptive technology assessments: this will allow us to offer expertise in-house, reducing wait times compared to using external service providers
• Hosted bilingual information sessions on IT Accessibility and Adaptive during the 2024 National AccessAbility Week
• Participated actively in the Government of Canada’s ICT Accessibility communities of practice

Communication, other than information and communications technologies

The Communications Directorate works with policy, programs, operations, and internal services partners across the agency, in headquarters and in the regions, to develop communication products and strategies for both internal and external audiences.

Accessibility considerations are at the core of this work using best practices to ensure that products and messages are accessible to all.

Our communication specialists are trained and understand the accessibility standards. They create products that meet current Government of Canada policies on communications. These include the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's Standard on Web Accessibility.

Progress towards removing barriers in communications

Our priority, as laid out in our 3-year Accessibility Plan, is to ensure compliance of our products and tools with existing accessibility standards and guidelines.

The following progress has been made towards removing accessibility barriers related to communications, specific to the Communications Action Plan:

E-Communications

E-Communications manages and maintains the external website www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca and the agency’s intranet site. Progress towards migrating the intranet over to a content management system that uses the more up-to-date and accessible Web Experience Templates continues.

This year, we updated some webpages in response to questions about providing accessibility feedback via social media. This method of providing feedback has been added to our Accessibility page on the external website.

We also continued to build awareness across the agency of the need to ensure the accessibility of our websites and social media channels, especially in terms of using plain language.

In 2025, we plan to complete a full external website review to identify other accessibility deficiencies so we can put in place a plan to fix them.

Creative services

All digital products, such as graphics produced for the web and social media, are developed using an accessibility lens to ensure compliance (i.e. colour contrast and font sizes are verified during the design process). Efforts are made to ensure that imagery used in digital products are representative of individuals with disabilities.

Internal communications

An annual communications plan to increase awareness of accessibility has been developed. The plan includes monthly messages on tools, resources and considerations on how to enhance accessibility in the workplace. Information about the Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee was added to the intranet site and work took place to normalize conversations around accessibility. We continue to expand our living library that features our employees with disabilities, and added 2 more profiles during National AccessAbility Week 2024.

There is no better way to put a face on an issue then to have people tell their stories

The design and delivery of programs and services

The Canada Border Services Agency is responsible for the management and delivery of 18 programs. We have embarked on numerous transformation and modernization initiatives where accessibility is being embedded as a key principle so that programs and services are accessible by default.

We have advanced CBSA’s implementation of Gender Based Analysis Plus framework. The process requires that all program areas have a data collection plan to measure how different demographic groups, including persons with disabilities, experience policies, programs and initiatives. To further advance this work, we are developing and strengthening capacity in Gender Based Analysis Plus throughout our organization. This will be key in helping us have objective ways to measure the progress that we make in reducing barriers for those who use the CBSA’s programs and services.

Progress towards removing barriers in the design and delivery of programs and services

Our action plan laid out the steps we would take to begin removing and preventing barriers in design and delivery of policies, programs and services that have implications both for our employees of the CBSA and for our clients across all 3 business lines: Intelligence and Enforcement, Travellers, and Commercial and Trade.

During this past year, we have had the opportunity to review and update our performance measures for the 2023 to 2025 Accessibility plan which has been published on our website. As we look to our next Accessibility Plan, we will adapt the measures so they are relevant to our clients and factor in the availability of accessibility standards as well as the maturity of our data collection methods.

The following progress has been made towards removing design and delivery related accessibility barriers. We had 10 distinct commitments and have started making progress across all areas as described below:

Accessibility awareness and training

• Collaborated with employees who self-identified as a person with a disability to publish an accessibility toolkit and checklist to ensure existing policies and documents are inclusive by design and accessible by default
• Delivered the accessibility toolkit workshop during National AccessAbility Week to showcase how to ensure policies and documents are inclusive by design and accessible by default
• Created a guide and checklist for employees who are responsible for designing new policies and programs
• Regularly updated internal accessibility-related employee hubs with the latest accessibility-related information, tools, events and communities, such as National AccessAbility Week, International Awareness Day for Chronic Immunologic Disorders, the Purple Ribbon Campaign, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard Program and The Infinity Network for Neurodivergent Public Servants
• Appointed Accessibility Ambassadors in some regions and branches to increase accessibility awareness amongst employees
• Participated in the review of accessibility standards, guidelines and resources
• Increased overall communication to agency employees about the importance of inclusivity and self-identification to promote a broader awareness of the wide range of non-visible and visible disabilities and recognizing the strengths that these employees bring to their work
• Reviewed the Accessible Transportation Obligations mandatory training offered to frontline officers interacting with the public to ensure updates are being made in meeting the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations:
  • from April to August 2024, 484 frontline officers completed the training
  • since the launch of the training in 2021, 57% of frontline officers have completed this training and a plan will be put in place in 2025 to increase the participation rate
• Continued to offer training to regional employees interacting with members of the public within the GBA Plus community:
  • as of August 2024: 1,662 employees completed the training, which accounts for 15.6% of the total regional employee count

Policy and program inventory and analysis

• Established an inventory of our policies, programs and services and identified which should be prioritized for review
• Completed a Gender Based Analysis Plus data collection plan for most of our programs so that we have the right data to understand equity gaps in our programs and services
• Provided a checklist and guide to help employees create/review policies, programs and services and ensure that accessibility standards are addressed
• Started reviewing our programs and policies, such as the Uniform Policy, by consulting persons with disabilities groups to ensure that an accessible lens was included

Over the next year, we will continue to work on:

• Embedding accessibility into business planning so that persons with disabilities are engaged and consulted from the start
• Collaborating with other federal departments and agencies to learn initiatives that have been adopted and apply shared best practices, ensuring our policies and programs are accessible by default
• Reviewing and updating policies, programs and services that have been identified as a priority
• Updating the Accessible Transportation Obligations training to ensure it remains current

Service delivery improvements

• Continued to participate in the Inclusive Airports research project with Université Laval; in which this research project provided scientific evidence, identified barriers and solutions to assist in the review of the agency’s policies and programs and implementation of actions and tools using an accessibility lens
• Engaged Transport Canada and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority to explore creating an external Accessibility Advisory Committee that will include individuals representing a wide range of disabilities and industry partners to collaborate in identifying and addressing travel related policy and program barriers
• Our port of entry signage is currently undergoing a review exercise to meet the Canadian Standards Association standards, i.e. raised lettering, Braille. Smaller mandatory declaration messages have already been deployed in CBSA’s areas ensuring passengers have border processing information:
  • We are currently developing an alternative to signage product to meet the our obligations under the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations
• Conducted consultations with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority and the Canadian Standards Association to seek alternative solutions for larger mandatory messages
• Identified accessibility related research opportunities and are exploring funding source opportunities
• Promoted the CBSA accessibility related feedback mechanisms with frontline personnel, ensuring complaints are properly investigated and barriers are addressed
• Engaged in 3 virtual discussions with 25 stakeholders representing 17 different organizations regarding our Traveller Modernization Initiative and current and future use of biometric; participants were able to pose questions, raise concerns and/or propose recommendations
• Information on border crossing is available to the public through our Border Information Service telephone lines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via pre-recorded prompts and 5 days a week via Border Information Service officers (The Border Information Service can assist travellers in planning their travel, including specific port of entry information):
  • We have a toll-free phone number 1 (800) 461-9999 and a teletypewriter line 1 (866) 335-3237
• Within the air mode, we have wheelchair accessible Primary Inspection Kiosk machines and booths
• Our kiosks are also available in multiple languages and the ArriveCan application is available in advance which can help travellers plan their border crossing; the agency has continued to address and deliver accessibility accessible updates to the ArriveCAN application
• Implemented the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management digital initiative, which has made our operations much more accessible as importers now have self-service access
• Through the implementation of the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management initiative, the solution was tested and assessed against accessibility and user-centric guidelines
• Continued developing the e-Commerce Low Value Inspection System for courier companies and conducted digital accessibility testing for this system
• Released ReportIn, a new smartphone application, was released to allow individuals subject to immigration enforcement conditions to report to the CBSA remotely
• Our Southern Ontario Region developed a Strategy for a Cohesive Workplace to provide employees with guidance on accessibility and accommodations to remove communication barriers when servicing clients
• Our Pacific Region launched the Travel Rehearsal Program as a result of feedback received from the travelling public and employees in collaboration with partners and stakeholders including the Pacific Autism Family Network, which was launched to provide additional support for advanced care of travellers with autism and other neurodiverse travellers
• The voluntary Sunflower Lanyard program was also promoted across the agency so that frontline employees could be aware of this initiative which visually identifies persons using the lanyard as having a hidden disability and may require assistance
  • the lanyard is recognized by the Canadian Transportation Agency in their guide on “Best Practices for Interacting with Persons with Disabilities”

Transportation

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) manages 117 land-border crossings and operate at 13 international airports. Our officers carry out marine operations at major ports, marinas, and reporting stations and they operate at 27 rail sites.

We facilitate the safe and legitimate travel of individuals to and from Canada. We work closely with other Transportation Service Providers including airlines, railways, airports and security screening authorities to improve service delivery, while preserving the safety and security of Canadians and those who live here.

We own our fleet of vehicles and continue to monitor and address any emerging transportation barriers related to our fleet.

Progress towards removing transportation barriers

The following progress has been made towards removing transportation related accessibility barriers, specific to the Action Plan:

Accessible transportation training for employees

As a transportation service provider (per section 15), we must ensure that employees receive the training that is required under sections 16 to 19 of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities. To do this, we offer mandatory training to our frontline employees that cover important topics related to providing services to persons with disabilities, such as:

• understanding a person’s disability (especially if they can not see, hear or communicate easily)
• how to recognize if the person uses special devices to help them hear, see, or communicate
• making communication methods available that work for the person, like sign language or using clear and simple language

We continue to ensure our employees receive accessibility training on how to help persons with disabilities access our services. Frontline employees are required to take this training, and have it refreshed every 3 years. From January to August 2024, there were an additional 484 frontline employees who completed this training.

Provisions to meet the Canadian Transportation Agency regulations

As a Class 1 Transportation Service Provider under the Accessible Canada Act and Regulations, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) also follows the Canadian Transportation Agency’s 2 regulations:

• Accessible Transportation Planning and Reporting Regulations
• Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations

Part 1: Requirements applicable to transportation service providers

This section of the progress report requires us to explain how we meet the obligations laid out in the Canadian Transportation Agency’s Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations:

Sections: 3(1), 4(1), 4(2), 5(1), 5(2), 6, 7, 8, 9, 10(1), 10(2), 11(1), 11(2) 12, 13, 14(1), 14(2), 15, 16(1), 16(2), 17,18, 19(1), 19(2), 20(1), 20(2), 21, 22, 23(1), 23(2), 23(3)

Communication of Information to Persons with Disabilities

General information – alternative formats: As per section 4.1, we continue to share information with persons who have disabilities in a way that works with tools they use. The agency has developed a list of businesses who offer braille, large print, audio and other alternate formats which can be ordered as needed to support communication efforts.

Timing: We continue to provide a person with a disability assistance without delay, as per section 4.2, if an alternative format is requested.

Information to be published: As per section 5, we share specific information on our website including:

• that we follow both the Accessible Canada Act and the Canadian Transportation Agency’s rules
• services offered for people with disabilities
• details about how individuals can submit their accessibility feedback

Communication: As per section 6, we take in account communications needs through our interactions with a person with a disability. We also provide assistance through special services:

• We share information in a way that works with tools for people with disabilities
• We provide information in large print, Braille, or electronic format if it is in paper form
• We offer visual information if it is in audio format and vice versa
• We respond quickly if someone asks for information in a different format considering:
  1. the nature of a person’s disability
  2. whether the person uses an assistive device
  3. whether there are other methods of communication

Phone systems: As per section 7, we have a toll-free phone number 1 (800) 461-9999 and a teletypewriter line that people can call to obtain information about:

1. Services for people with disabilities
2. Details on how to use these services with the phone number

Website access: As per section 8, we continue to update our website, which includes making sure the website follows accessibility guidelines, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. We:

1. Offer options for people with disabilities that do not rely on the website
2. Continue to share contact information for those services along with the website address and make sure the website follows accessibility guidelines.

Website – requirements: As per section 9, we continue to provide and improve website, mobile website and applications made available to persons with disabilities for a Level AA conformance set out in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Currently our external website meets at least 90% conformity, with ongoing updates being implemented. Our internal website is currently renewing it priority content to ensure it meets Level AA.

Public announcements inside terminals: As per section 10(1), we have existing site-specific plans for managing emergencies, including ensuring the safety and security of the public. These plans are adapted to the infrastructure and logistics of that particular site. At larger sites, including those involving an owner-operator, the infrastructure may allow for an announcement to be made in audio or video format (for example intercoms, video screens). In smaller sites, announcements may be made in-person.

Public announcement – safety or security: As per section 10(2), any public announcement relating to safety or security inside a terminal will be made by an announcement in an audio and visual format. In smaller sites, announcements may be made in-person.

Automated self-service kiosks: As per sections 11(1) and 11(2), the automated kiosks used by CBSA to process travellers are owned by owner-operators, which include airport authorities. We are responsible for maintaining the software and ensuring that the software meets digital accessibility standards.

Temporary application: As per section 12, the automated kiosks used by the CBSA to process travellers, are owned by owner operators which include airport authorities.

Assistance with use of self-service kiosks: As per section 13, if a person with a disability asks for help using a kiosk at a CBSA site, the owner-operator has dedicated client service ambassadors who are able to assist. CBSA employees are also able to respond to questions and provide support as required.

Accessible self-service kiosk: As per section 14(1), kiosk software must be in good working order and properly maintained. Our software goes through a life-cycle maintenance process.

As per section 14(2), if the automated self-service kiosk is not in good working order, we will continue to process and provide service to all travellers entering or re-entering Canada while also promptly resolving any issues in partnership with others including on-site and off-site technical support. We also have a fail-safe mechanism to ensure alternatives are provided to clients, such as paper forms, where required:

1. we will direct the person to the nearest working automated self-service kiosk that offers the same service as that provided by the kiosk that is not in good working order, and, on the request of the person, identify a dedicated client service ambassador or provide an employee to assist the person using that kiosk
2. we will permit the person to advance to the front of the line and direct them to the counter where they will be provided with the same service as that provided by the automated self-service kiosk that is not in good working order

Part 5: Requirements applicable to the CBSA

The Canadian Transportation Agency has identified specific requirements for the CBSA under Part 5 of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations. Our actions towards meeting these regulations include:

Sections: 234, 235(1), 235(2)

Security screening for air travellers

Security screening, as referred to in sections 232 and 233 of the Canadian Transportation Agency's regulations for transportation service providers for air travellers, is conducted by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority. The CBSA does not carry out security screening for air travellers.

The CBSA has an immigration security screening program. This program is different than the security screening mentioned in the regulations. Immigration security screening is part of the process for foreign nationals who apply for a temporary resident visa, student visa, permanent residency status, or refugee status. Any foreign nationals with a disability and support persons travelling with them will be offered an expedited border clearance process.

Anyone with a disability and support persons travelling with them will be offered an expedited border clearance process.

Border clearance

At the CBSA, we are committed to providing services to persons with disabilities without delay during the border clearance process, as determined in section 234. This includes:

• Expedited processing by directing the person, and any support person, to the front of any line
• Assisting the person through the steps of the border clearance process, including providing verbal or visual cues or additional instructions
• Aiding in the completion of a declaration card or collecting a verbal declaration, and assistance with the placement of personal items on a counter for inspection, including their retrieval if required

Signage

To meet the signage requirements set out in clauses 4.5.3 to 4.5.7 under the Canadian Standards Association B651-18, we have taken several steps to ensure compliance with the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations’ sections 235(1) and 235(2):

Compliance with the Federal Identity Program: We maintain our signage program by ensuring that all signage complies with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Federal Identity Program. This involves making sure that signage products and materials are non-glare and have appropriate colour contrast. These signs are installed in well-lit areas, and room or area entrance signs are placed next to or at the entry of all spaces, including washrooms and exits.

National Master Standing Offer: We are primarily using the National Master Standing Offer vendor for all signage needs across our facilities. This vendor holds the templates and specifications for the Federal Identity Program’s signage throughout the duration of its over 20 year contract. This ensures consistent, high-quality signage, maintaining a government-wide "common look and feel" and is compliant with the Federal Identity Program standards.

Electronic message signage: For maintenance facilities, we fully adhere to the requirements outlined in Canadian Standards Association B651-18 (as specified in clauses 4.5.3 to 4.5.5) for electronic message signage. However, at Customs facilities where we are the occupant (for example airports and other terminals), ownership and responsibility for electronic message signage compliance belong with the facility owner.

Mandatory declaration signage: Smaller mandatory declaration messages adhering to the Canadian Standards Association requirements have been installed in CBSA’s customs controlled queuing areas. This provides travellers with advance information to assist them in understanding the processing requirements. Active consultations with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority and the Canadian Standards Association have been conducted to seek alternative solutions for larger mandatory messages.

We have requested an exemption to have larger sign messages produced. A prototype of a compact and durable tactile booklet is currently in development to provide to travellers upon arrival to Canada in lieu of tactile signage for mandatory messages. The Canadian Transportation Agency has looked favorably on this alternative, which was also shared with the Canadian Standards Association. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority is also adopting CBSA’s approach at departure points from Canada, to ensure that the traveller experience while entering or leaving Canada is similar and more seamless for passengers.

In tandem with Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, we will share the tactile booklet prototype with the Canadian Transportation Agency once finalized. The Canadian National Institute for the Blind has tested the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority’s prototype and are satisfied with the product. The CBSA is awaiting confirmation from the Canadian Transportation Agency on whether a different product may be used to communicate required messages. If accepted, we will pick a new approved signage option for mandatory messages.

Consultations

At the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment for all. We are working together with the persons with disabilities community and experts in the field to ensure that our programs and services are inclusive and accessible.

Internal consultations

Throughout 2024, we continued our internal consultations and engagement with persons with disabilities in the development of our progress report and completion of action plan items. These activities included:

• Accessibility Working Group: Our CBSA Accessibility Working Group has representatives from each of the Accessible Canada Act priority areas and members of the Persons with Disability Advisory Committee:
  • It meets every 6 to 8 weeks and is responsible for reviewing the action plan, discussing issues and learning best practices
  • It proactively addresses issues that have an impact on the persons with disabilities community
  • The Office of Public Service Accessibility, Economic and Social Development Canada, Accessible Standards Canada, and the Canadian Transportation Agency attended and shared their expertise with our Accessibility Working Group through formal presentations and question and answer sessions.
• Employee engagement sessions: We held 13 national employee engagement sessions on accessibility with a total of 800+ participants:
  • Most participants were CBSA employees and managers
  • The sessions provided opportunities for persons with disabilities to share their lived experiences, along with learning about the ways we are advancing on disability inclusion
  • The sessions also were used to seek feedback from the community
• Consultation with crown corporations, federal departments and agencies: The Accessibility Office consulted with a number of government departments to examine various external consultation options:
  • Consultations were held with Canadian Institute of Health Research, Canada Post, Social Sciences and Humanities Research, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Transport Canada, Correctional Service Canada, Economic and Social Development Canada, and the Canadian Transportation Agency 
  • The agency is collaborating with the Canadian Transportation Agency and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority to consult and engage with the persons with disabilities community
• Accessibility community engagement: Participated in accessibility networks, interdepartmental groups and communities of practice to learn about consultations, projects and programs supporting persons with disabilities and removing barriers
• Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee: Our Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee is involved in all meetings, focus groups, engagement session development and facilitation, and in drafting and reviewing this annual progress report

In January 2024, we interviewed our Senior Trusted Trader Officers to gather data for the Trusted Trader Program. The interviews showed that the program requirements and application are hard to understand. To fix this, we will create simple, plain language guides for members and applicants. These guides will be easy to read, even for people whose first language is not English or French.

Employment systems review

An employment systems review was conducted by an external consulting firm between June 2023 and March 2024. The objective of this employment systems review was to assess the employment practices and policies within CBSA to identify any systemic or attitudinal barriers that may be hindering the equal employment opportunities of designated employment equity group members (Women, Indigenous Peoples, Persons with Disabilities, Visible Minorities).

Findings

Key findings from the review, specific to persons with disabilities, included:

• During the review timeframe, overall representation of persons with disabilities increased rapidly, reporting a year-to-date growth of 41.8% overall relative to the agency’s growing workforce in the same period
• The results of the Workforce Analysis displayed a disproportionately low representation trend of persons with disabilities in comparison to their overall workforce availability
• Persons with disabilities were best represented in the national headquarters region

While the results of the employment systems review identified areas for improvement in employment equity practices, they also highlighted positive trends noted across the agency, such as consistent promotion paths and improvement in the hiring of diverse candidates. The employment systems review also found that the agency has a well-rounded framework of policies, procedures, and controls within its employment system, highlighting their commitment to employment equity, inclusivity, and objectivity.

Results

Moving forward, CBSA is encouraged to focus on strengthening 3 key areas:

1. Further enhance communication and transparency related to employment equity
2. Reinforce the use of personal learning plans and performance management tools to support employees in professional development activities
3. Reinforce clear lines of accountability and reporting on employment equity based processes and systems

By implementing these recommendations, we can bridge the gap between theoretical design and practical execution of our diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives. This approach can aid in making clear and comprehensive data available, which may reduce misunderstanding and change perceptions for the better.

External consultations

In alignment with the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations, several external consultations were conducted throughout the year that highlighted accessibility considerations. Multiple consultation methods were used:

• Digital survey using GC Forms or an accessible Word version
• Virtual individual session (phone)
• Virtual group sessions

In April 2024, the Accessibility Office sent an email survey to 11 disability organizations which represented mobility, auditory, visual and mental health to developmental and learning disabilities. We received feedback from 7 of them. The survey asked about barriers, service improvements, the agency’s Accessibility Plan, and best practices for community engagement.

In July 2024, we held 3 online meetings with 25 people from 17 disability organizations. Presentations were shared on CBSA’s Traveller Modernization Initiative as well as on biometrics. Participants asked questions and shared their thoughts on several key topics.

Key points from these consultations

Compliments were received from several organizations:

• CBSA's plan is well written
• CBSA's commitment to improving the representation and experience of persons with disabilities in its workforce is commendable
• The plan's focus on training front-line officers and managers on inclusion and accessibility is a positive step

Suggestions and feedback were provided on the following aspects:

Employment barriers

Improve hiring initiatives and support for employees with disabilities

Communication barriers

Use simple language for new tools meant for the public

Information and communication technology barriers

Improve communication and technology access for a range of disabilities, particularly for those with hearing and visual impairments

Design and delivery of programs and services barriers

• Continue to train border services officers to help people with invisible disabilities such as autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder etc.
• Consider the growing number of older people with disabilities who may have trouble using technology
• Add voice commands and feedback to apps and kiosks to help visually impaired travellers take photos and complete tasks
• Ensure equally rigorous testing of applications in French as well as English
• Include persons with disabilities in developing solutions to address concerns about border procedures and technology issues
• Ensure fair treatment and consistent border experiences
• Include people with disabilities in testing new technologies

Engagement Strategies

Suggested best practices for engaging with disability communities included:

• Persons with disabilities need to be paid for their time and consultation services
• Facilitate ongoing dialogue through relationship building with disability management organizations and representatives
• Use advisory committees or panels that have disability representation in consultations
• Ensure consideration for wide representation of disabilities, including invisible disabilities and also consider intersectional identities (e.g. women with disabilities)
• Offer multiple consultation methods and ensure sufficient time is provided to so that feedback can be meaningful

Results

The consultations gave valuable insights to improve our future accessibility plans and initiatives. These insights informed our accessibility work. We plan to keep engaging with disability communities to refine and implement effective accessibility strategies across our policies, programs, and services. Consultation results have been shared across program areas in the agency.

Additional accessibility consultations

We are a member of the consultation advisory committee that is organized by the Canadian Transportation Authority. Participating in these consultations allowed information and feedback provided by experts and persons with disabilities to be proactively incorporated into our processes.

We also engaged Transport Canada and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority to explore creating an external Accessibility Advisory Committee that will include individuals representing a wide range of disabilities and industry partners to collaborate in identifying and addressing travel related policy and program barriers. Additionally, our major airport ports of entry continue to engage the local airport authorities as well as the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority to take a localized approach to supporting the persons with disabilities community.

Feedback information

For the 2024 Annual Accessibility Progress Report, we are including feedback statistics received from September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2024 due to the timing in the development of this report. Feedback received after August 31, 2024 will be included in next year’s progress report as per guidance in the Accessible Transportation Planning and Reporting Regulations.

Accessibility feedback received was investigated and analyzed to help inform the implementation of our Accessibility Plan and this year’s Progress Report.

Feedback statistics

• During the identified period, 58 pieces of feedback were received from external and internal sources. This was down from 72 pieces of feedback received in our first year (2023). Of the 58 pieces this year, 11 were requests outside of the accessibility feedback scope to which we provided contact information for the correct channels. Of the approved 47 accessibility feedback pieces, we received:
  • 3 positive, 10 neutral and 34 negative feedback pieces
  • 9 were anonymous and 38 were identified feedback pieces
• The priority area with the highest number of submissions was related to the Employment priority area
• The priority areas that received the fewest number of submissions were Procurement, Communications and Transportation
• Feedback was primarily submitted through 3 channels: our internal accessibility feedback form, through email, and from external feedback form submissions
• The breakdown of feedback by priority area was:
  • Employment – 18 submissions were received (see below)
  • Built Environment – 13 submissions were received
  • Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities – 1 submission was received
  • Communication, Other than Information and Communication Technologies – 1 submission was received
  • Information and Communication Technologies – 3 submissions were received
  • The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services – 11 submissions were received (see below)
  • Transportation – no submission

The most common barriers reported were: employment, physical and architectural. Employment barriers included attitudinal plus the need for manager awareness trainings. In particular, there was an ongoing need to clarify the difference between accessibility and the formal Duty to Accommodate process. For physical and architectural, the themes were signage in public spaces and different physical barriers in the workplace. The agency worked hard to address this feedback on a case-by-case basis due to the unique nature of each feedback submission.

There were 3 cases where someone travelled across a Canadian border and reported that they had encountered an accessibility barrier through our service delivery. All 3 were related to the need for an alternative format, specifically a paper process. Solutions were provided for each need identified.

We attended the National Aviation Accessibility Summit on May 9, 2024 and we continue to collaborate with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority and Transport Canada afterwards on addressing accessibility barriers that exist at airport terminals.

Additionally, CBSA participated in the Inclusive Airports research through a federal grant awarded to the Université of Laval located in Québec City. The final report of this research project will provide scientific evidence to help identify barriers and solutions. The conclusions of the research will provide guidance in the review of the Agency’s policies and programs and will support the implementation of actions and tools using an accessibility lens. This final report will be shared with the CBSA in the fall of 2025.

Finally, the Canadian Transportation Agency provided additional feedback on the revised Accessibility Plan (2023 to 2025) following an initial compliance verification review that took place in June of 2023. In response to the additional feedback received, the agency has implemented the recommended changes which make the plan and progress report more accessible and compliant to the Accessible Transportation Planning and Reporting Regulations and the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations.

Conclusion

As a class 1 transportation service provider, we are committed to supporting the Accessible Canada Act and the Canadian Transportation Agency’s accessible transportation regulations. We will continue to identify, prevent and remove accessibility barriers to ensure that our employees, travelers and clients are able access the agency’s products, programs, services and facilities.

Our Annual Accessibility Progress Report outlines how the agency is working towards achieving the inclusive, equitable and engaging principles of the Accessible Canada Act, maintaining compliance with the legislative requirements, but most importantly in the progress made towards making everyone’s interactions with us accessible and inclusive by design.

Annexes

Annex A: What we have learned

We are committed to accessibility and inclusion across all areas of our operations. Through our work over the past year to ensure that services, processes and physical environments are more accessible to everyone, many insights have emerged.

Addressing systemic issues: Some changes to improve accessibility will be noticeable quickly, while others will take longer due to gradual rollouts. Senior-level sponsorship is crucial to prioritize investments and efforts in all priority areas. The agency is focussing on accessibility, equity and inclusion initiatives, to create and maintain an inclusive workplace that respects the diversity of our workforce.

Specialized training: Specialized training is needed to integrate accessibility principles into our core business. We are looking into available training and certification programs to share with our workforce.

Many want to be accessible but don’t know how: We found that our employees are more eager to learn and adapt to accessibility needs than we expected. We recognize the importance of starting with management to build awareness so they can support their employees and embrace their differences and abilities. Our workforce requires the tools and resources to help them consider accessibility.

Nothing about us, without us: Ensuring persons with disabilities are a part of the development and design of products, programs and services is key. While our Persons with Disability Advisory Committee has appreciated being consulted on numerous things, they are also experiencing fatigue. We can partially address this through ensuring that our workforce is truly representative of the population in Canada and leveraging the experience that all individuals bring.

Annex B: New identified barriers

New and surprising challenges have emerged as we began promoting and implementing accessibility within the agency. Actions taken to implement the CBSA’s Accessibility Plan have highlighted new accessibility barriers:

Prescribed presence in the workplace: The latest Prescribed Presence in the Workplace directive, imposed by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, has a significant impact on employees: particularly those with disabilities. Over 500 requests for Duty to Accommodate were received in response to this directive, including requests based on the grounds of family status, which created another significant backlog. This has resulted in delays in processing requests for accommodations.

Resources constraints: Removing barriers, such as those in our physical environment, can be costly due the large and complex infrastructure footprint. Limited resources means that we are not able to quickly advance our accessibility goals and that we have to prioritize and plan.

Technology vendors: The agency is reliant on third party vendors to provide our goods, services and tools. Industry needs to adapt to new accessibility measures and make their products accessible. The current products and information technology tools we have are not fully accessible. For example, our procurement system lacks bilingual, hearing and visual accessible capabilities. This is being addressed through procurement discussions so that our vendors are informed and ready to provide new accessible options.

Stakeholder capacity: Stakeholder capacity is limited with the volume of large information technology initiatives currently underway across the Government of Canada, and at present there is a lack of digital accessibility expertise within our current workforce. While some are internal, many of our existing information technology applications and tools are provided by private technology vendors which has created a dependency on them and their commitment to accessibility for our own progress towards our objectives.

Annex C: Glossary

From Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat unless otherwise indicated.

2SLGBTQI+

Represents Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and additional people who identify as part of sexual and gender diverse communities. (Source: 2SLGBTQI+).

Accessibility

The degree to which a product, service, program or environment is available to be accessed or used by all (Source: Accessible Canada Act).

Adaptive technology

Include assistive devices, technical aids, telephony equipment, hardware and software tools that make a work environment more accessible for people with different needs. Our managers are responsible for acquiring all non-adaptive Technology products, even if they are part of an ergonomic assessment or doctor's recommendations.

Barrier

The act defines a barrier as “anything physical, architectural, technological or attitudinal, anything that is based on information or communications or anything that is the result of a policy or a practice that hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment or functional limitation.” (Source: Accessible Canada Act).

Disability

The act defines disability as "any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment, or a functional limitation, whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, or evident or not, that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person's full and equal participation in society." (Source: Accessible Canada Act).

Diversity

The inclusion of different types of people. A diverse workforce in the public service is made up of individuals who have an array of identities, abilities, backgrounds, cultures, skills, perspectives and experiences that are representative of Canada’s current and evolving population (Source: Building a Diverse and Inclusive Public Service: Final Report of the Joint Union/Management Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion).

Employee

A person employed in the public service.

Self-identification

Employees providing employment equity information for statistical purposes in analyzing and monitoring the progress of employment equity groups in the federal public service and for reporting on workforce representation (Source: Employment Equity in the Public Service of Canada for Fiscal Year 2021 to 2022).

Workforce availability

For the core public administration, refers to the estimated availability of people in designated groups as a percentage of the workforce population. For the core public administration, workforce availability is based on the population of Canadian citizens who:

• are active in the workforce
• work in those occupations that correspond to the occupations in the core public administration

Availability is estimated from 2011 Census data. Estimates for persons with disabilities are derived from data, also collected by Statistics Canada, in the 2012 Canadian Survey on Disability(Source:  Employment Equity in the Public Service of Canada for Fiscal Year 2017 to 2018).

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