Premiers Sign Agreement to Advance Accessibility and Reduce Barriers Across Canada

Premiers from across Canada have signed a new memorandum of understanding aimed at improving accessibility and creating a more barrier-free country for people with disabilities.

The agreement was signed by the premiers of Newfoundland and Labrador, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) commits provinces and territories to working together to advance accessibility initiatives and reduce physical barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in society.

Under the agreement, jurisdictions will work toward more consistent accessibility standards, including technical and administrative requirements for barrier-free design in new building construction through the National Building Code.

The MOU also calls on the federal government to establish a National Accessibility Retrofit Fund to help streamline funding and support efforts to make communities more accessible.