In the last two years, Accessibility Standards Canada emerged as an important player for accessibility to Canadians with disabilities. Recently, the organization signed the accreditation agreement from the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), which recognizes Accessibility Standards Canada as a standards development organization. The standards they develop will become National Standards of Canada and are expected to benefit all Canadians.
It marks a major milestone for Accessibility Standards Canada as it strives to make Canada a place without barriers. Prior to receiving its accreditation, Accessibility Standards Canada took on several steps and processes, notably:
- creating and adhering to systematic protocols and procedures in operating technical committees;
- implementing in-house quality assurance practices; and,
- ensuring all staff involved in the development of standards are properly trained
Accreditation carries many benefits for Accessibility Standards Canada and its stakeholders:
- It validates that Accessibility Standards Canada's standards development process is credible and reliable.
- It means the organization is setting a new best practice in how to involve people with disabilities, those with lived experience and other subject matter experts in the development of accessibility standards.
- It increases the chance that the standards the organization creates will be adopted by other entities, such as Provinces and Territories. This in turn means a superior impact, greater barrier removal, and a more consistent experience of accessibility across Canada.
