Barrier-Free Canada logo.

Barrier-Free Canada/Canada Sans Barrieres (BFC/CSB) advocates for the Canadian Parliament to enact a strong and effective Canadians with Disabilities Act (CDA) to achieve a barrier-free Canada for all persons with disabilities.

To this end, BFC/CSB is seeking endorsements from national disability organizations to build a non-partisan community coalition. BFC/CSB would also like to identify point persons from these organizations to act as key contacts.

The steering committee of BFC/CSB has drafted a set of principles concerning a CDA that are drawn from the principles that underpin the provincial disability legislation in Ontario and Manitoba. A CDA is not meant to replace provincial disability legislation. It will complement such legislation and benefit Canadians living in provinces with and without provincial disability legislation. At this point in time, CNIB, March of Dimes Canada, Canadian Hearing Society and MS Society of Canada have endorsed the BFC/CSB principles and confirmed their support for the movement to enact a CDA. There is no individual or organizational charge for membership in BFC/CSB. Please contact Donna Jodhan, Chair of Barrier-Free Canada (donna@barrierfreecanada.org) with any questions or to express your organization’s support and identify a key contact.

News

Illustration of a set of hands on a keyboard with an eye and an ear acting as outputs.

Opinion: Blocking the Disabled on the Web Means Blocking Innovation

Disabled folks like Vint Cerf and Joybubbles helped birth today’s digital world. But a lack of ADA compliance thwarts the ...
Read More
/ / accessibility, ada, americans with disabilities act, barrier free canada, canada sans barrieres, News, persons with disabilities, wired magazine
Barrier-Free Canada logo.

The Barrier Free Canada – Canada Sans Barriers October 2019 Newsletter

Dear Friends, Barrier Free Canada is again grateful to all of you for staying connected with us. We are very ...
Read More
/ / accessibility, barrier free canada, canada sans barrieres, News, newsletter
Image. Close up of a white keyboard showing 3 blue accessibility buttons. Mobility, sound and sight.

Toronto Looks Into Cost Of Disability Accommodation

City has avoided hiring people with restrictions because of budget constraints, analyst said. Laurie Monsebraaten The Toronto Star October 1, ...
Read More
/ / accessibility, accomodation, barrier free canada, canada sans barrieres, city, council, disability, donna jodhan, News, social affairs, technology, toronto

Open Letter to the Attorney General. Advocates Call for Disability-Rights Based Appeal of the Quebec Superior Court’s Decision in Truchon & Gladu

To: Hon. David Lametti, MP. Attorney General Cc: Right Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister, Leader of the Liberal Party of ...
Read More
/ / accessibility, attorney general, barrier free canada, canada sans barrieres, donna jodhan, legislation, medical assistance, News, open letter
Image. In the upper left corner a photo of a Domino's Pizza Restaurant. In the bottom right corner a photo of fingers on a Braille keyboard.

Why The Fate Of Online Accessibility May Rest With A Domino’s Pizza Lawsuit

The pizza chain asked the Supreme Court to review a case that could push business websites to better serve people ...
Read More
/ / accessibility, barrier free canada, canada sans barrieres, dominos, donna jodhan, legislation, News, persons with disabilities, pizza, technology
Image. Inside of a large airliner. Empty. Rows and rows of seats placed tightly together as far as the eye can see.

Airlines Putting The Squeeze On Safety

In An Era Of Cramped Flights, Officials Time How Long It Takes To Deplane Hannah Sampson, The Washington Post The ...
Read More
/ / accessibility, accessible transportation, advocacy, airlines, barrier free canada, canada sans barrieres, donna jodhan, FAA, News, persons with disabilities
Image. Francisca Ramirez lives in an RV, shown in June on Shoreline Boulevard in Mountain View, Calif. She and her husband tried to find an apartment to rent in the California town, which is home to Google's headquarters, but they settled on the RV after landlords asked for a large security deposit and the last month's rent up front.

Silicon Valley’s Motor City: As Big Tech Adds Fuel To A Housing Crisis, Poorer Residents Live In RVs

In a quiet residential neighbourhood near Google’s headquarters, Francisca Ramirez has finished the dishes and is sweeping the kitchen floor ...
Read More
/ / accessibility, housing crisis, motor city, News, silicon valley
Image. Jennifer Gold, vice-president of the Women’s Law Association of Ontario, says that while there is now greater diversity at the lower levels of the profession, firms have much work to do to improve diversity at the leadership level.

Diversity At Law Firms A Work In Progress, Analysis Finds Women Remain Underrepresented At Partnership Level, Data Shows

Women represented 30 per cent or less of partners at the majority of Canada's biggest law firms with offices in ...
Read More
/ / accessibility, barrier free canada, canada sans barrieres, diversity, law firms, News, women