The government of Saskatchewan introduced legislation that aims to remove accessibility barriers across the province.
The Accessible Saskatchewan Act came into force on Sunday, creating a framework that will get other public sector bodies to create accessibility plans, and an accessibility advisory committee will be created to advise the province’s social services minister and monitor plans.
“Nearly one-quarter of Saskatchewan residents experience disabilities, and this number is expected to rise as the population ages. This is why it is important to identify barriers to accessibility and plan for ways to overcome those barriers,” Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky said.
Public sector bodies will need to create accessibility plans and make them public by Dec. 3, 2025.
“We recognize the government of Saskatchewan has made huge efforts to create a more inclusive province by passing accessibility legislation and recognizing American Sign Language as the language of the Deaf in Saskatchewan,” Saskatchewan Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services executive director Narin Gillies said.
“We know the best way to reduce or eliminate the impact of disability is to provide access to full rich language.”
Makowsky said the province will be engaging the public on what current accessibility barriers people may be facing when accessing government buildings and services.
The province said it received more than 150 applications for the first accessibility advisory committee, adding that the committee will have at least half of its members be someone with a disability or from an organization that represents and supports people with disabilities.
More to come.