Elections Canada's Accessibility Plan

Table of contents

• General
• Feedback
• Accessibility at Elections Canada
• Consultations
  • Accessibility Barriers
  • Legislative Barriers
• Our Accessibility Commitments
  • Promoting Literacy on Accessibility and Enabling Delivery of Accessible Products and Services
  • Employment
  • The Built Environment
  • Information and Communication Technologies
  • Communication, other than information and communication technologies
  • The Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities
  • The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services
  • Voter Registration
  • Voting Tools and Services
  • Services to Political Entities
  • Civic Education Program
  • Stakeholder Mobilization Program
  • Election Delivery through Field Operations in Electoral Districts
  • Transportation
• Reporting
• Glossary

General

To request a copy of Elections Canada's Accessibility Plan–in print, large print, braille, audio format or another accessible format, to request a copy of the feedback process description in an alternate format or to send us feedback to improve our services, please contact:

Juan Melara-Pineda, Manager, Accessibility and Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) at:

Mailing Address:

Elections Canada
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, Guebec
Canada, K1A 0M6

Email:
accessibilité-accessibility@elections.ca

You can also send us suggestions, questions and complaints, request help and report incidents using our Contact Us form. Other ways to contact us are listed below.

Telephone

Toll-free in Canada and the United States: 1-800-463-6868

Toll-free in Mexico: 001-800-514-6868

From anywhere in the world: 1-613-993-2975

For people who are deaf or hard of hearing: TTY, toll-free in Canada and the United States: 1-800-361-8935

Fax

Local: 1-613-954-8584

Toll-free in Canada and the United States: 1-888-524-1444

Feedback

You can use our feedback process to provide your feedback on:

• barriers encountered when dealing with Elections Canada; and
• the manner in which we are implementing our accessibility plan.

You can also provide feedback on:

• how we can remove the barriers that have been identified;
• our accessibility plan; and
• our feedback process.

Please send your feedback to our Manager, Accessibility and Gender-Based Analysis Plus (see email below)

You can send your feedback using Elections Canada's Contact Us online form (select "Send Accessibility Feedback" from the Why are you contacting Elections Canada pull-down menu).

You also can send us your feedback by email, phone, fax or mail using the contact information listed below. You can send your feedback anonymously. We will acknowledge receipt of your feedback in the same way you sent us your feedback, unless the feedback was provided anonymously. If you sent feedback using the online Contact Us form, replies will be provided using the contact information you provided.

You can also contact us to ask for a copy of our Accessibility Plan and our feedback process description in these alternate formats: print, large print, braille, audio or an electronic format that is compatible with adaptive technology intended to assist persons with disabilities. We will provide the format you ask for as soon as possible. Braille and audio formats may take up to 45 days. Print, large print and electronic formats may take up to 15 days.

Online Form

Contact Us

Email

Manager, Accessibility and Gender-Based Analysis Plus

accessibilité-accessibility@elections.ca

Telephone

Toll-free in Canada and the United States: 1-800-463-6868

Toll-free in Mexico: 001-800-514-6868

From anywhere in the world: 1-613-993-2975

Fax

Local: 1-613-954-8584

Toll-free in Canada and the United States: 1-888-524-1444

Mailing Address

Elections Canada
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, Quebec
Canada, K1A 0M6

Teletypewriter (TTY)

For people who are deaf or hard of hearing: TTY, toll-free in Canada and the United States: 1-800-361-8935

Video Relay Service (VRS)

Elections Canada welcomes VRS calls. Visit VRS Canada to learn more.

Feedback received through these channels is triaged by a Public Enquiries Unit agent, who escalates the feedback or contacts the appropriate team at Elections Canada for resolution. The Accessibility Office is also informed of feedback to ensure that it is tracked and reported on annually in our progress reports.

Accessibility at elections canada

As an independent, non-partisan agency that reports directly to the Parliament of Canada, Elections Canada's mandate is to deliver federal elections, by-elections and referendums and to administer the financial provisions of the Canada Elections Act (CEA). We work to make sure that all eligible Canadians can exercise their democratic rights to vote and to be a candidate. We are committed to making sure that our services are inclusive of, and accessible to, all Canadians, including employees of Elections Canada and members of the public with disabilities.

We are also committed to the full and equal participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of the electoral process, which is to be achieved through the removal of barriers by 2040, as required by the ACA. We are, therefore, pleased to present our roadmap on the steps that we will be taking toward greater inclusion of people with disabilities.

Elections Canada is made up of close to 500 core employees working mostly in the National Capital Region under a flexible hybrid work model. During a general election or referendum, returning officers recruit more than 235,000 election worker positions filled across the country. A returning officer is appointed to administer the election in each electoral district. The CEA distinguishes between the role and powers of Elections Canada and those of returning officers. The latter are not employees of Elections Canada or the public service. Under the CEA, they find and lease buildings for local offices and polls and appoint and train local office staff and poll workers. While Elections Canada provides general oversight and can set policies, we do not control all aspects of how an election is delivered, and the CEA may limit our ability to address or remove certain barriers.

The commitments outlined in this first Accessibility Plan fall under four themes:

• Creating an organization that is literate when it comes to accessibility
• Developing services and processes that are accessible to, and inclusive of, employees with disabilities
• Making sure that new products and services are user-friendly and accessible
• Improving the accessibility of our programs and services for Canadians

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Consultations

Following the principle of Nothing Without Us, we developed this Accessibility Plan in consultation with the Advisory Group for Disability Issues (AGDI), which has been Elections Canada's main consultation body on accessibility matters since 2014. In March and September 2022, we held online meetings with the AGDI where we discussed the Accessibility Plan. We focused on validating barriers that were touched on in the Plan and the strategies we would use to address them in each of the priority areas set out in the ACA. On top of engaging the AGDI on the scope of the Accessibility Plan, we also had several in-depth consultations on specific projects and initiatives that are included in it, such as:

• the project on the technology used to help blind and partially sighted electors to vote;
• our civic education program;
• the initiative on the Future of Work and Workplace Transformation;
• the recruitment of returning officers;
• voting and registration services.

We also formed a user group to advise the agency on the needs in voting technology of blind and partially sighted electors. We will continue to engage the AGDI and other stakeholders as we implement the plan and prepare our progress reports.

Along with the AGDI, we consulted employee representatives from various employment equity-seeking groups, among them, those whose members self-identify as persons with a disability. Key decision-making groups that were involved in developing the Accessibility Plan included representatives of people with disabilities. Also, our internal initiative on employment equity, diversity and inclusion held a speaker series where persons with disabilities shared their experience and expertise on creating an inclusive culture. These sessions provided key information on ableism, micro-aggressions, accommodations and intersectionality, which influenced the direction of this plan.

To identify barriers, we also consulted with people within the agency, using assessment tools from the Office of Public Service Accessibility; feedback and complaints from members of the public; as well as some of our post-election reports and studies on the voting experience of people with disabilities. We also used reports by Statistics Canada from the Canadian Survey on Disability to further understand barriers faced by employees of the federal government and members of the public.

To make sure that, when developing this Accessibility Plan, we considered the perspectives of local field staff who deliver elections, we convened a group of election administrators (returning officers and field liaison officers) from across the country to advise Elections Canada on barriers faced at the local level. The group included three election administrators from Quebec, two from Alberta, and one each from Newfoundland, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia and Ontario, some of whom identified as having a disability or who said they were interested in, or had previous experience with, accessibility. Election administrators gave insight on accessibility, based on their experience in delivering elections locally, in different geographic settings (urban and rural) as well as in contexts that were diverse in terms of language and culture.

Moving forward, Elections Canada will continue to engage on this plan with the AGDI, employees and stakeholders to make sure that it evolves with changing accessibility needs. This plan also outlines how, when enhancing accessibility, we will more consistently consider user testing as feedback in order to meet the needs of end-users.

Accessibility Barriers

Legislative Barriers

Elections Canada also analyzed the CEA to identify accessibility barriers resulting from legislation. The agency is a statutory body, meaning that it is created by the CEA and can only exercise the powers and fulfill the roles given to it by that Act. Barriers that result from the CEA itself can only be removed by Parliament and not by Elections Canada. Some legislative barriers have been highlighted in past recommendations reports of the Chief Electoral Officer to Parliament and specific recommendations have been made to Parliament to remove or reduce certain barriers to voting. However, while the Chief Electoral Officer can make recommendations, only Parliament can decide whether or how to act on these recommendations. We have identified the following barriers and potential barriers:

• Sections 26 and 29 together mean that there must always be an assistant returning officer in each electoral district. An assistant returning officer who cannot fulfill their duties must be discharged and replaced, even if the inability to work is related to a disability and is temporary. The lack of authority to appoint a temporary or acting assistant returning officer means that the assistant returning officer cannot take disability leave.
• During an election, the person in control of a building with many dwellings can deny entry to election officers if they think that the residents' physical or emotional well-being may be harmed by letting the election activities go on, even if the person is basing that decision on stereotypes, thereby limiting the electors' right to vote (section 43.1(2)).
• Sections 115 and 116 together create a requirement for paper ballots, which limits the accommodation measures that Elections Canada can offer for voting.
• Sections 121(4) and 151(1) require that the ballot be marked by hand, which limits the accommodation measures Elections Canada can offer for voting.
• Section 127 limits the ways to vote to voting in person or by special ballot, which limits the accommodation measures Elections Canada can offer for voting.
• A number of provisions require that someone voting by special ballot write the first and last name of their preferred candidate, which may create a barrier for people who are blind, those with limited use of their hands, and those with intellectual or learning disabilities (sections 213(2), 227(2) and (3), and 258(2)).
• Some sections that allow for someone to help an elector mark their special ballot include specific requirements for the person who is helping to mark the ballot, even if the elector is able and wants to mark the ballot themselves (sections 216(1), 243(1), 243.1(1), and 259(1)).
• Forms 3 and 4 of Schedule 1 are images that show how the ballot and special ballot must look, and Elections Canada has very limited discretion to make changes.

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Our accessibility commitments

Promoting Literacy on Accessibility and Enabling Delivery of Accessible Products and Services

A top priority for Elections Canada is to promote literacy on accessibility across the organization. This is to make sure that staff have the knowledge and tools they need to effectively identify, remove and prevent barriers to the full and equal participation of employees and members of the public with disabilities. To this end, we will:

By 2024:

• Include learning objectives into plans on employee performance and learning and create an inventory of upcoming training opportunities on accessibility;
• Create an accessibility office to support the implementation of the Accessibility Plan by:
  • Offering guidance and expertise on accessibility standards and regulations, beginning with digital accessibility standards for web products and forms;
  • Supporting the design of accessible and user-centric products and services through accessibility and usability testing;
  • Regularly sharing with staff information and resources on accessibility to educate them on the needs of persons with disabilities and to help in the design of products, programs and services that respond to accessibility needs;
  • Streamlining the process to receive and track feedback, complaints and accommodation requests from members of the public and employees of Elections Canada;
  • Viewing through an accessibility lens the drafting and review of corporate policies, guidelines and directives;
  • Reviewing and/or updating key policy instruments with links to accessibility, including but not limited to Elections Canada's regulatory policy instruments on the selection of suitable polling places and the accessibility policy and service offering;
  • Reviewing internal and external forms based on accessibility standards and user testing and develop guidance on creating new forms;
  • Building relationships with other departments and electoral management bodies to keep best practices for digital accessibility up to date;

Performance indicator:

• Staff have access to the training, expertise, resources and tools they need to integrate accessibility into their processes.

Employment

To address the gaps in representation at all levels of the agency and promote the hiring, retention and development of people with disabilities, Elections Canada will implement a strategy for Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI). This strategy will aim to reduce barriers in attitudes by creating an environment where employees feel welcome, included and safe.

Identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Although we know that the barriers in the area of employment are systemic in nature, we are currently unable to identify such barriers. For example, as of September 2023, there is a gap of –3 for members of visible minority groups, and a gap of –2 for persons with disabilities at Elections Canada's executive levels (not including the Commissioner of Canada Elections). However, we have not yet identified the barriers causing these gaps. We do know that there is a need to first complete a review of our current policies, programs, practices and services to help us better understand and identify the barriers in the area of employment.

Steps to identify barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

By 2025:

A third-party consultant is currently conducting a full systems review of Elections Canada's employment policies, programs, practices and services. This review will identify systemic and attitudinal barriers to employment opportunities for designated group members, such as unnecessary job requirements and inappropriate screening and selection criteria. The review's findings and results will be available in November 2024.

Steps to remove identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

By 2025:

Elections Canada will develop an action plan to remove barriers in policies, programs, practices and services in the area of employment that will be identified in the Employment System Review mentioned above. This plan will include specific steps to remove the barriers once we identify them and develop an action plan. These specific steps will relate and be linked to the applicable identified barriers.

By 2024:

In the meantime, although the barriers have not yet been identified, we will address recruitment and development employment gaps through the newly launched EEDI recruitment strategy. This strategy focuses on increasing the number of people from all employment equity-seeking groups working at all levels of the agency.

• There are three key EEDI recruitment priorities:
  • Increase awareness and engagement at all levels.
  • Improve planning processes in recruitment and tools; and
  • Focus our recruitment based on workforce data.
• When recruiting for Elections Canada headquarters staff, we will need to use the newly developed EEDI recruitment matrix to implement the appropriate steps, based on each team's individual gaps.
• Once the new self-identification form is in place, we will conduct a blitz to update our data on employment equity-seeking groups.
• We will broaden our communication channels to reach communities that would otherwise not know about our recruitment efforts.
• Based on the employment systems review, we may need to refine our recruitment efforts.
• We will implement a middle management leadership development program that gives priority to people from equity-seeking groups.
• We will continue to share the perspectives of people with disabilities in the workplace via the EEDI speaker series. This series focuses on creating a more inclusive culture.

Steps to prevent new barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Moving forward, Elections Canada will:

• Consider the employment system review's findings and recommendations,
• Engage proactively with employees with disabilities, and
• Consult with the Advisory Group for Disability Issues (AGDI).

Performance indicators:

• More employees with disabilities are working at all levels of Elections Canada, and there is an increase in self-identification rates.
• Staff have the accessible tools and accommodations they need to conduct their work.

The Built Environment

Elections Canada buildings can be grouped into two general categories: the buildings and facilities that Elections Canada headquarters is occupying in the long term, and those leased for short periods during an election (including polls and local Elections Canada offices across Canada). These two categories involve different accessibility considerations. This section deals specifically with the buildings and facilities of Elections Canada headquarters.

Through the strategy called the Future of Work and Workplace Transformation, Elections Canada will address access barriers at workplaces and facilities of Elections Canada headquarters by adapting them based on up-to-date accessibility standards. We will also aim to improve the accessibility of Elections Canada workplaces and the on-site experience of people with disabilities by gathering evidence to make informed decisions. Facilities, through daily operations in collaboration with Occupational Health and Safety, Security Services, the property manager and the owner, will monitor accessibility standards and continue to implement improvements. To this end, we will:

By 2024:

• Ask for feedback on accessibility to assess employee satisfaction with the accessibility of our workplaces;
• Inform employees and managers about how to report through the National Service Call Centre accessibility issues faced at facilities of Elections Canada headquarters;
• Review the evacuation plan of the agency against the latest accessibility standards in order to improve the on-site experience for people with disabilities;
• Consult people with disabilities on future workplace enhancements and develop a plan to address accessibility issues with the built environment that cannot be easily fixed.

Performance indicator:

• Employees with disabilities are satisfied with our workplaces, based on employee surveys and complaints.

Information and Communication Technologies

Elections Canada will cast a lens that is based on accessibility by design and new digital products and services, and, where doable, will implement accessibility enhancements for existing digital products.

We will continue to:

• Enable, where possible, approved accessibility features that are aligned with the accessibility standards currently available on IT systems and solutions;
• Continually assess and test our IT services and solutions to meet accessibility standards;
• Make available assistive technology to employees with disabilities who request accommodation;
• Leverage the process of procurement and contracting to deliver the most accessible IT solutions possible.

Performance indicators:

• Employees with disabilities have access to accessible IT equipment, software and tools to do their job.
• More IT products meet or exceed accessibility standards.

Communication, other than information and communication technologies

During federal elections, the fully accessible website of Elections Canada informs electors of when, where and the ways to register and vote. We provide information in plain language in various accessible formats such as large print, braille, audio and ASL/LSQ video.

Moving forward, Elections Canada will make sure that communications with employees, members of the public and political participants meet the current accessibility and plain language standards, and it will develop products that are accessible and easy to use. To this end, we will:

By 2024:

• Have contracts with key service providers and suppliers to make information available in accessible formats and begin to offer more products in alternate formats outside the election period for all information campaigns (videos with ASL/LSQ, large print or braille);
• Continue to assess the agency's websites in order to meet the most up-to-date accessibility standards and develop a plan to make content more/fully accessible, where necessary;
• Follow Government of Canada guidelines for accessible communications;
• Review internal communications and their respective channels and develop a plan to make content accessible or more accessible, where applicable;
• Make sure that employees are informed of the communication tools and services available to make their products and content accessible by design.

By 2028:

• Develop a corporate service to provide quality assurance for products developed in accessible formats across the agency;
• Make sure that Elections Canada is staffed to apply accessible design and plain language standards that result from the introduction of new accessibility standards;
• Develop a website and app design system.

Performance indicators:

• Communication products, services and channels meet or exceed communication standards for accessibility.
• Information in alternative formats is available to electors who need it.

The Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities

Elections Canada will engage people with disabilities about barriers in the procurement process. It will advise internal business owners and external suppliers on how to integrate accessibility considerations and standards into the procurement of goods and services.

Identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Although we know that that the barriers in the area of procurement of goods, services and facilities are systemic in nature, we are currently unable to identify such barriers. We need to review our current policies, programs, practices and services in this area to better understand and identify these barriers.

Steps to identify barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

More specifically, to better understand and identify the barriers in the area of procurement of goods, services and facilities, we will:

By 2024:

• Complete an accessibility assessment when making new procurement requests.
• Consult impacted parties about whether the procurement process is accessible.
• Maintain relationships with other departments to share process improvements, tools and training.
• Develop the requirements and methodology for a third-party accessibility review of our current policies, programs, practices and services to identify barriers.

By 2025:

• Begin a third-party accessibility review of current policies, programs, practices and services to identify barriers and recommend best practices.
• Create a management action plan based on the third-party review, consultations, recommendations, and any relevant audit results.
• Analyze data about how to include accessibility considerations for all procurement and develop a plan to implement enhancements.

Steps to remove barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Here are some general steps that we will take to remove the barriers in the area of procurement of goods, services and facilities once we identify them:

By 2028:

• Implement a management action plan based on the third-party review, consultations, recommendations and any relevant audit results.
• Develop strategies and tools for procurement that include socio-economic considerations and provisions for underrepresented or disadvantaged groups when determining proposals' best value.
• Work with the Accessibility Office to implement internal governance in order to develop mitigation strategies for procurements that cannot meet accessibility standards.

This plan will include more specific steps to remove barriers once we identify them.

Steps to prevent new barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada will take the following steps to prevent new barriers in the area of procurement of goods, services and facilities:

• To avoid creating new barriers, we will consult with the Advisory Group on Disability Issues (AGDI).
• Review any new or updated relevant policies, programs, practices and services for accessibility best practices before implementing them.
• Maintain the Procurement at Elections Canada website to ensure that it meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) requirements and make changes when required.

Performance indicator:

An accessibility management action plan is completed and implemented and new procurement requests comply with accessibility standards.

The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services

Voter Registration

Identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada has identified the following barriers in the area of voter registration:

• Barrier 1: The text at the end of the Online Voter Registration Service registration process and some text throughout the registration process are unclear or not in plain language.
• Barrier 2: Some users with certain assistive devices have difficulty using the Online Voter Registration Service.
• Barrier 3: Some users have identified the font size in the Online Voter Registration Service as a barrier.
• Barrier 4: Non-sighted and low-vision users have said that the CAPTCHA feature (which is used to verify that a real person, not a machine, is accessing the Online Voter Registration Service) is difficult for them to use.
• Barrier 5: Some users with vision impairments cannot upload the required identification documents to register or register to vote by mail.
• Barrier 6: Electors who live at non-standard addresses (for example, those with no street name or house number) cannot use the point-on-map feature to fill out their address when applying to vote by mail.
• Barrier 7: The voter information card is easily mistaken for junk mail.

Steps to remove identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada has taken the steps described below to remove barriers in the area of voter registration. The steps relate respectively to the corresponding numbered barrier described above.

• Barrier 1: We completed a plain-language evaluation of the Online Voter Registration Service. We updated the text on several screens in the registration process and added a green checkmark or red X to the result messages to make them clearer.
• Barrier 2: We tested the Online Voter Registration Service with various assistive devices and made changes to the application code to accommodate all assistive device types.
• Barrier 3: The font size is adjustable in the user's web browser.
• Barrier 4: The CAPTCHA feature offers an option for the user to receive an audio code.
• Barrier 5: The Canada Elections Act requires potential electors to provide identification documents when registering to vote or applying to vote by mail. We continue to explore whether and how we can offer other ways for people to submit the required identification to register to vote or apply to vote by mail.

Elections Canada will also take the steps described below to remove barriers in the area of voter registration. The steps relate respectively to the corresponding numbered barrier described above.

To begin after 2025, with a target completion of 2027 at the latest:

• Barrier 6: We are looking for other ways electors can enter their address to make the process easier for electors who do not have a standard address. This will be a long-term item and will not be in place before the next general election.

By 2028:

• Barrier 7: We consulted the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) about how to make the paper voter information card more accessible. The CNIB's suggestion to clip the top right corner of the voter information card is not possible for Elections Canada at this time. However, we may revisit this solution when our current production contracts expire. We are investigating how to deliver an electronic voter information card, but this project will not begin before 2025.

Steps to prevent new barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada takes the following steps to prevent new barriers in the area of voter registration:

• We regularly review the website code to ensure that it meets WCAG requirements and make changes as required.
• We regularly review comments received in the optional survey at the end of the online registration process and complaints received from the public, and make related changes to the online service throughout the year when possible.
• To avoid creating new barriers when we update the Online Voter Registration Service, we will continue to consult with the Advisory Group on Disability Issues (AGDI) and conduct user testing with people who have disabilities.

Performance indicators:

• Electors are satisfied that registration services are accessible.

Voting Tools and Services

Identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada has identified the following barriers in the area of voting tools and services:

• Barrier 1: In the current voting process, there is no way for electors with visual impairments to independently verify that their ballots are marked properly. Although the Canada Elections Act allows someone to help an elector who needs assistance to vote, this creates barriers in both voting autonomy and secrecy.
• Barrier 2: Members of the AGDI told us that providing ASL/LSQ services for electors at polling locations was identified as a potential way to improve accessibility.
• Barrier 3: Electors who cannot vote in person for various reasons often face barriers in voting accessibility. Many of these electors do not meet the legislated requirements for a home visit or find that the current service offerings are not fully accessible and do not meet their needs. Elections Canada does not offer a service that allows electors with certain types of disabilities to vote independently and in secret.
• Barrier 4: Electors with low literacy or learning disabilities often face voting accessibility issues. Stakeholders in the AGDI also raised this as a possible area for improvement.

Steps to remove identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada has taken or will take the steps described below to remove barriers in the area of voting tools and services. The steps relate respectively to the corresponding numbered barrier described above.

By 2025:

• Barrier 1: Elections Canada has launched a formal procurement process with the intention of hiring a contractor to develop an assistive technology tool that will allow a person who is blind or who has a visual impairment to mark their ballot independently and in secrecy while complying with the Canada Elections Act. The timeline will depend on the success of the tendering process.

By 2024:

• Barrier 2: Elections Canada is consulting with communities that are impacted by this barrier to find potential solutions.

By 2026:

• Barrier 3: Elections Canada has done a preliminary analysis to look at various ways to remove these accessibility barriers. The next steps will include revisiting that analysis and implementing a solution. However, any solution and proposed timeline may depend on Parliament approving any required amendments to the Canada Elections Act. As indicated in the section that relates to legislative barriers, while the Chief Electoral Officer can make recommendations for future legislative amendments, only Parliament can decide whether or how to act on these recommendations. We will likely review this step after the next general election.

By 2026:

• Barrier 4: Elections Canada will conduct a preliminary analysis to determine the best way to remove this barrier. This may include adding political party logos or colours, either on the ballot or on posters in polling places. Once again, the chosen solution and proposed timeline could depend on Parliament approving any required amendments to the Canada Elections Act. As indicated in the section that relates to legislative barriers, while the Chief Electoral Officer can make recommendations for future legislative amendments, only Parliament can decide whether or how to act on these recommendations.

Steps to prevent new barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada takes the following steps to prevent new barriers in the area of voting tools and services:

• To help us continually identify barriers to accessibility, we review comments received at polling places as well as complaints received after an election.
• To avoid creating new barriers in our service offering, we will continue to consult with the AGDI and conduct user testing with people who have disabilities.
• We stay current with accessibility trends and best practices.

Performance indicators:

• Electors are satisfied that voting services are accessible.

Services to Political Entities

Elections Canada will make information about campaign expenses for accessibility and disability more easily available to political participants. We will also try to reduce barriers to information that prevent people with disabilities from participating in the electoral process as candidates. While political entities are responsible for making political campaigns accessible, Elections Canada will continue to encourage them to run accessible campaigns.

Identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Although we know that the barriers in the area of services to political entities, including the use of campaign expenses for accessibility and disability, are systemic in nature, we are currently unable to identify such barriers. We have determined that there is a need to review our current policies, programs, practices and services in this area so we can better understand and identify these barriers.

Steps to identify barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

To better understand and identify the barriers in the area of campaign expenses for accessibility and disability, we will:

By 2024:

• Review the Survey of Official Agents results to identify areas where we can improve our policies, programs, practices and services.

By 2025:

• Conduct a program evaluation to find out why political entities, such as parties and candidates, are not claiming accessibility and disability expenses. The program evaluation will include a survey of candidates and political parties.

Steps to remove identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Here are some general steps that we will take to remove the barriers in the area of campaign expenses for accessibility and disability once we identify them:

• Through the Advisory Committee of Political Parties, we will continue to provide information to political entities about accessible campaigns and accessibility-related campaign expenses.
• We will explore more opportunities to make information about accessibility and disability expenses more available to political entities.
• We will develop a management action plan following the program evaluation and consult on how to implement its recommendations.

This plan will include more specific steps to remove the barriers in the area of services to political entities once we identify them. These specific steps will relate and be linked to the applicable identified barriers.

Steps to prevent new barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada continuously reviews its program materials and communications to provide clear and cohesive information that support political entities in complying with their obligations.

Performance indicators:

• Political entities are satisfied that political financing products and services are accessible.
• Political entities are aware of the tools that Elections Canada is using to make campaigns more accessible.

Civic Education Program

Identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada has identified the following barriers in the area of civic education:

• Barrier 1: The text used for teacher-facing and student-facing products might be difficult for some users to read because of literacy levels, dyslexia and low vision or blindness. This might include text in teacher guides, classroom materials like group work cards and posters, PowerPoint presentations and videos used in the classroom programs and teacher workshops, and the Elections and Democracy website, which houses all of these materials.
• Barrier 2: Teachers and students who are deaf or hard of hearing might face barriers to accessing the civic education materials and programs including oral instructions and workshop delivery, educational videos and oral instructions given by teachers using resources with their students.
• Barrier 3: Users with cognitive and learning disabilities and varying fine motor skills or physical mobility disabilities might experience barriers to participation with civic education products and programs. Barriers could include the tactile nature of some activities (such as placing cards on placemats and timelines) and the blended-learning online versions of some classroom resources (such as using a mouse to move cards to different areas on the screen).
• Barrier 4: Users who do not have reliable access to high-speed internet might experience barriers to accessing civic education resources such as accompanying educational videos or downloadable worksheets.

Because the barriers to using civic education resources and programs for accessibility and disability are systemic in nature, we will conduct a full accessibility audit of both the Elections and Democracy website and all our civic education offerings, including Student Vote Canada. We will complete this by 2028, and it will help us better understand and identify the barriers to participation that users might face.

Steps to remove identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada continuously takes the steps described below to remove barriers in the area of civic education. The steps relate to the corresponding numbered barrier described above.

• Barrier 1: All of the civic education classroom resources are available in print or online in various formats to allow for use of screen readers, and as downloadable files. Three of the ten classroom resources have language learner versions that use the same case studies but lower the reading and comprehension levels on the cards. The videos used in classroom resources include closed captions and descriptive transcripts. The website is WCAG version 2, level AA-compliant. Images include alt text, and tables or graphics on the website are also available in a plain-text HTML version for screen readers. Student Vote Canada (parallel student voting program) materials are available in braille upon request.
• Barrier 2: Educational videos include closed captions for those who cannot hear the audio. All learning materials are available in print and online to read on a screen (or to download and print).
• Barrier 3: Classroom activities are available in various formats to help remove barriers to access where possible. Learning activities are available in print, PDF and HTML formats. Virtual classrooms can use the Google slide files so users can participate online.
• Barrier 4: Educators can order free copies of all civic education materials and have them delivered to their chosen address across Canada. They can also request digital copies of the resources and videos. These can be ordered and will be shipped on a USB key for teachers to use in their classrooms, if required.

This plan could include additional steps to remove barriers in the area of civic education if new barriers are identified following the accessibility audit of both the Elections and Democracy website and the civic education offerings described above.

Steps to prevent new barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada takes or will take the following steps to prevent new barriers in the area of civic education:

• We regularly review the Elections and Democracy website to ensure that it meets WCAG requirements, and make changes when required.
• To help us continually identify barriers to accessibility, we review comments received in the optional end-of-semester surveys (January and June) sent to educators who ordered classroom resources. We also monitor complaints and feedback received through the civic education inbox and the Elections Canada Public Enquiries Unit and social media accounts. We adjust resources as necessary and follow up with users to meet their needs.

By 2024:

• When we update or add new resources, we will continue to consult with the Advisory Group on Disability Issues (AGDI) and our Advisory Circle of Educators and conduct user testing with people who have disabilities. This will be done with the update of Digital Skills for Democracy in 2024.

Performance indicators:

• Civic education resources meet accessibility standards.
• Students and educators are satisfied that products and services are accessible.

Stakeholder Mobilization Program

Elections Canada will make sure that the Inspire Democracy resources and services, that try to address barriers to electoral participation among Indigenous electors, people with disabilities, youth and new Canadians, follow universal and inclusive design principles based on users' needs.

Identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada has identified the following barriers in the area of stakeholder mobilization:

• Barrier 1: Text in products used for outreach workshops with stakeholders might be difficult for some users to read because of cognitive, reading or processing disabilities, low vision or blindness. This might include text in Inspire Democracy toolkits and supporting Elections Canada materials, PowerPoint presentations, videos, and the Inspire Democracy website.
• Barrier 2: Participants who are deaf or hard of hearing might face barriers to accessing materials and programs, including workshops, videos and presentations.
• Barrier 3: People with cognitive and learning disabilities, low vision, blindness and auditory disabilities and who take part in virtual workshops might face barriers to participation due to the technology used, such as background and text colours and sizes, or the use of PDFs, video vignettes and PowerPoint presentations.

By 2028:

Realizing that the accessibility barriers of Inspire Democracy outreach resources and programs are systemic in nature, we will conduct a full accessibility audit of both the Inspire Democracy website and the toolkits and workshops. This will help us better understand and identify any barriers users might face.

Steps to remove identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada continuously takes the steps described below to remove barriers in the area of stakeholder mobilization. The steps relate to the corresponding numbered barrier described above.

• Barrier 1: All of the stakeholder mobilization resources are available in print or online in various formats that work with screen readers, and as downloadable files. The videos used in Inspire Democracy toolkits and workshops include closed captions and descriptive transcripts. Key print resources are available in braille and digital audio formats. The website is WCAG version 2, level AA-compliant. Images include alt text, and tables or graphics on the website are also available in plain-text HTML versions that screen readers can read.
• Barrier 2: Virtual workshops and presentations include ASL/LSQ and closed captioning. Videos include closed captions for those who cannot hear the audio. All resource materials are available online to read on a screen, or to download and print.
• Barrier 3: Resource materials and activities are available in various formats, such as print and HTML, to remove barriers to access where possible. Virtual participants are informed about ways that virtual workshops and presentations can be adapted for them using technology, where available.

This plan could provide for additional steps to remove barriers in the area of stakeholder mobilization if new barriers are identified following the accessibility audit of both the Inspire Democracy website and the toolkits and workshops.

Steps to prevent new barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada takes the following steps to prevent new barriers in the area of stakeholder mobilization:

• We regularly review the Inspire Democracy website to ensure that it meets WCAG requirements and make changes when required.
• To help us continually identify barriers to accessibility, we review feedback received through consultations with stakeholders and year-end reports. We also monitor feedback received through the Inspire Democracy and Consultations inboxes, and the Elections Canada Public Enquiries Unit and social media accounts. We then make changes to meet users' needs.
• When we update resources or create new resources, we will continue to consult with the Advisory Group of Disabled Individuals and our stakeholders and conduct user testing with people who have disabilities.

Performance indicators:

• Stakeholder mobilization and Inspire Democracy materials meet accessibility standards.
• Stakeholders are satisfied that products and services are accessible.

Election Delivery through Field Operations in Electoral Districts

One key priority for Elections Canada is to improve the accessibility of federal elections for election administrators, including returning officers, assistant returning officers, field liaison officers and additional assistant returning officers and other local election workers (people working in local Elections Canada offices and poll workers during an election). Unlike employees at Elections Canada headquarters, they are not members of the public service and are hired for the duration of an election or, in the case of poll workers, for one or a few days. We have a long-term vision to identify and remove barriers so that we can recruit, hire and train persons with disabilities at the local level.

We are also committed to making sure that local election workers can meet the needs of electors and employees with disabilities.

Identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Although we know that barriers in the area of election delivery through field operations are systemic in nature, we are currently unable to identify such barriers. We need to review our current policies, programs, practices and services in this area to better understand and identify these barriers.

Steps to identify barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

More specifically, to better understand and identify the barriers in the area of election delivery through field operations, we will:

By 2028:

• Review our policies, programs, practices and services to identify systematic and attitudinal barriers for Elections Canada field staff. The goal is to identify gaps in representation and begin addressing barriers.
• Develop tools that allow election administrators, local staff and poll workers to self-identify, and begin collecting data on equity-seeking groups.

By 2026:

• Share business requirements to ensure that new systems for recruitment and pay of election workers can capture self-identification data.

Steps to remove identified barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

In the meantime, although the barriers have not yet been identified, we will take the following general steps to remove barriers to election delivery through field operations:

By 2024:

• Expand field recruitment policy guidance to promote employing people with disabilities.
• Develop direction and available options for field staff to promote using diverse training methods, so they can meet individual learners' needs.

Here are some general steps that we will take to remove the barriers in the area of election delivery through field operations once we identify them:

By 2028:

• Develop a plan to address barriers to recruiting and hiring persons with disabilities and reduce the representation gap, using findings from the systems review.
• Make sure election workers know about available accommodations, products and services and how to request them, and track accommodation requests to better serve their needs.
• Determine whether the training portal, content and delivery methods used to train election administrators are accessible.

By 2029:

• Explore alternate training methods and formats that may better meet the needs of people with disabilities who want to access the training material.
• Publish information on accommodations that can be made for poll workers and office staff positions.

This plan will provide for more specific steps to remove the barriers once we identify them. These specific steps will relate and be linked to the applicable identified barriers.

Steps to prevent new barriers in policies, programs, practices and services

Elections Canada will take the following steps to prevent new barriers in the area of election delivery through field operations:

• Consult with field candidates with disabilities to increase their trust in sharing self-identification data from field staff with disabilities and proactively offer accommodations that can make field offices more accessible.
• After the 45th general election, convene a working group of field office workers and election administrators with disabilities to get their feedback about whether and how field positions have become more accessible and how well the new approaches to promoting accessibility worked.

Performance indicators:

• Elections Canada collects the data needed to understand and close representation gaps for field staff with disabilities and implements systems to allow for self-identification and accommodation requests across field positions.
• Field staff have access to accessible tools to provide feedback about the accessibility of field office work and the accommodations they need to do their work.
• Election administrators and field office workers are aware of and use available accommodations to make their workplaces more accessible to them.

Transportation

Elections Canada does not generally provide transportation for electors when they go to vote. However, we do and will continue to work with organizations that represent people with disabilities in order to engage with public transit authorities, with the aim of reducing barriers to voting in person by providing accessible and reliable transportation on voting days. To this end, we will:

By 2024:

• Expand the network of public transit authorities to increase awareness of barriers to voting and engage them in serving people with disabilities on voting days.

Performance Indicators:

• There is an increase in the number of engaged transit authorities that are reducing transportation barriers to voting

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Reporting

Every year, Elections Canada will report on the progress made toward meeting corporate accessibility targets. The first progress report will be published in December 2023. As per the ACA, the report will outline: the steps taken toward meeting the commitments of the Accessibility Plan, the feedback received on accessibility and how it is being taken into consideration, and how people with disabilities were consulted when preparing the reports.

Elections Canada will expand on the performance indicators included with each priority area and validate the evaluation approach with members of the disability community before publishing the report.

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Glossary

Barrier

A barrier is anything that hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment or a functional limitation.

By-Election

Election held in an electoral district to fill an empty seat in the House of Commons at any time other than during a general election.

Canada Elections Act

The law that outlines the rules for holding and participating in federal elections in Canada.

Candidate

Person who wants to be elected as a member of Parliament for a specific electoral district.

Chief Electoral Officer

Person who reports to Parliament and is responsible for the administration of elections, referendums, and important aspects of the electoral system. This person is appointed for a 10-year non-renewable term by the House of Commons.

General election

An election held simultaneously in every electoral district in Canada.

Election worker

Someone who works for Elections Canada during a federal election.

Electoral district

A place or territorial area that is represented by a member in the House of Commons.

Employment Systems Review

An in-depth analysis of employment practices, policies and processes to identify systemic and attitudinal barriers faced by members of designated groups.

Expense

Money that candidates spend. See the Political Financing Handbook for Candidates and Official Agents for more information.

Official agent

The official agent is responsible for administering the campaign's financial transactions and reporting those transactions to Elections Canada as required by the Canada Elections Act. The candidate may have only one official agent at a time.

Political entities

A person or organization whose election-related activities are regulated under the CEA. There are six political entities that are covered by the political financing regime of the CEA: parties, associations, candidates, nomination contestants, leadership contestants and registered third parties.

Political financing

The rules for raising and spending money and using resources for an election campaign.

Political party

A group that supports particular candidates in an election. They usually share similar values, priorities and a vision for Canada.

Polling station

A public building where people go to vote in a federal election. It's often a school or a community centre.

Poll worker

Poll workers work primarily at polling places, that is, where electors go to vote. During an election, poll workers are on the front line and make it possible for electors to vote in an orderly fashion.

Referendum

A vote when a group of voters are invited to vote on a proposal or question.

Returning officer

The person responsible for the delivery and control of federal elections, by elections and referendums in their electoral district.

Voter information card

A card that Elections Canada sends during an election campaign to every elector whose name appears on the preliminary lists of electors. It tells electors when and where they can cast their ballots.

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Footnotes

^{Return to footnote 1} Currently there are 338 electoral districts.