Bill C-81 · 42th Parliament · Justin Trudeau
Accessible Canada Act
An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada
Government bill. Became law.
- IntroducedJune 20, 2018
- Debated in principleSept. 26, 2018
- Studied by a committeeDone
- Passed its first chamberNov. 27, 2018
- Passed the second chamberMay 12, 2019
- Became lawJune 20, 2019
Leading supporters
Ranked by the part each played: who is responsible for the bill, who carried it, and who spoke for it most.
- Justin TrudeauPrime Minister
Who carries this bill
Arrows run from the person responsible to those who answer to them on this bill. The critic leads the Senate’s scrutiny and answers to no one on it.
What it set out to do
The pre-release version of this Legislative Summary is now available. Parliamentarians and their staff can obtain a copy by submitting a request or contacting the Library of Parliament. Members of the public can obtain a copy by contacting the Information Service at the Library of Parliament at [email protected]. On 20 June 2018, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility introduced Bill C-81, An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada (Accessible Canada Act), in the House of Commons and it was given first reading. Bill C-81 enacts the Accessible Canada Act in order to enhance the full and equal participation of all persons, especially persons with disabilities, in society. This is to be achieved through the progressive realization, within the purview of matters coming within the legislative authority of Parliament, of a Canada without barriers, particularly by the identification, removal and prevention of barriers. Part 1 of the Act establishes the Minister’s mandate, powers, duties and functions. Part 2 of the Act establishes the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization and provides for its mandate and structure and its powers, duties and functio…
Summary by the Library of Parliament.
Where members stand
Votes and debate for this bill have not been read yet.
How it changed on the way
24% of the text as introduced was changed or removed by the time it became law (34,680 words introduced, 33,793 passed). A committee amended it.
moderate changeintent mostly kept
The core purpose statement lost the word 'progressive' before 'realization' of a barrier-free Canada, and the bill year shifted from 2018 to 2019. New sections 5.1, 5.2 and 121.1 were inserted, with minor renumbering in the related-amendments schedule.
- Removed 'progressive' from the purpose clause.
Before: “This is to be achieved through the progressive realization, within the purview of matters coming within the legislative authority of Parliament, of a Canada without barriers, particularly by the identification, removal and prevention of barriers.”
After: “This is to be achieved through the realization, within the purview of matters coming within the legislative authority of Parliament, of a Canada without barriers, particularly by the identification, removal and prevention of barriers.”
- Added new clarification and interpretation sections after section 5.
After: “5.1 Clarification 5.2 Interpretation”
How precisely it is written
vagueChallenging the law: ModerateDisputing a charge: Moderate
The Act relies heavily on subjective phrases such as 'considers necessary' and 'reasonable grounds to believe' that leave key decisions to officials. Broad exemption powers and inspection rules create wide discretion rather than clear black-and-white rules.
Open to argument
“on any terms that the Minister considers necessary”
This phrase appears in multiple exemption sections and turns the scope of obligations into a subjective ministerial judgment.“all reasonable assistance in the individual’s power and provide the Accessibility Commissioner or delegate with any information that the Accessibility Commissioner or delegate may reasonably require”
The duty to assist uses open-ended reasonableness standards that depend on the official's view of what is required.
Clear-cut
“should be construed as requiring or authorizing any delay in the removal of barriers or the implementation of measures to prevent new barriers as soon as is reasonably possible”
This clause supplies a clear interpretive direction against delay.
Discretion. Ministers, the Accessibility Commissioner, CRTC and CTA may exempt entire classes of entities, set their own terms, decide inspection scope, and fix penalties through regulations, leaving most operational boundaries to administrative choice.
Challenging the law itself. The repeated use of 'considers necessary' and 'reasonable grounds' creates vagueness and overbreadth risks under s. 7 of the Charter by failing to give fair notice of prohibited conduct.
Disputing a charge under it. A regulated entity can readily argue that an exemption term, inspection demand or compliance order exceeded what was 'necessary' or based on insufficient 'reasonable grounds', turning enforcement into fact-specific litigation.
Read by a language model from the royal assent text; every quoted phrase appears in the bill. A reading of the drafting, not legal advice.
Did it work?
partly effective
The Accessible Canada Act (2019) has driven compliance with accessibility planning and reporting requirements among federally regulated entities, alongside measurable gains in disability representation in the public service, but independent assessments highlight slow and uneven overall progress toward a barrier-free Canada by 2040. A statutory five-year parliamentary review and official reports note high public-sector compliance yet criticize weak enforcement, limited standards development, and persistent barriers in employment and other areas.
- Auditor General of Canada Report: Accessibility in the Public Service (2026)auditThe 7 audited organizations fostered accessible workplaces with representation goals met or exceeded and aligned promotion rates, but important work remains to increase engagement with persons with disabilities and improve accommodation processes.
- Chief Accessibility Officer Annual Report: Getting to Work (2024)reviewEmployment for persons with disabilities is not more accessible since the Act came into force; overall ACA progress is slow and uneven, with high compliance among public-sector entities but low among private ones.
- Accessibility Commissioner of Canada Annual Report (2025–2026)evaluationCompliance with initial accessibility plans and progress reports reached 79–88% among federal public service organizations, with inspections identifying and addressing non-compliance in over 95 cases.
- Evaluation of the Grants and Contributions Program of Accessibility Standards Canada (2025)evaluationASC is on track and has made significant progress, funding 91 research projects engaging over 22,000 persons with disabilities in support of the Act’s priority areas.
Who lobbied on it
No lobbying registration naming this bill is loaded.
Stages and dates from LEGISinfo.