Today, Stephanie Cadieux made the following statement, on her appointment for a second term as Canada's Chief Accessibility Officer:
"I'm pleased to be taking on a second term as Canada's Chief Accessibility Officer. There is still a lot of work to be done if we're going to reach the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) goal of a barrier-free Canada by 2040. It is an honour to be able to lead some of this work.
"We've made a lot of progress since the ACA came into effect. But there is still a big gap between the Canada we aspire to be and the lived experiences of people with disabilities. People still encounter systemic barriers every day, and society is still accepting of that.
"As the government invests in major infrastructure, new technologies, affordable housing, and the workforce of tomorrow, now is the time to make sure accessibility remains embedded in our national priorities. Planning for accessibility from the outset of any project maximizes the impact of spending and drives inclusive growth.
"In the past, during periods of economic hardship or instability, accessibility has been too easily dismissed as non-essential or 'nice-to-have.' This mindset has cost all of us, both economically and in terms of quality of life. We cannot afford to create inaccessible systems that exclude nearly a third of our population and will become subject to costly retrofits and fixes over time. Accessibility is not a discretionary cost. It's a smart investment, and one we must make now.
"Accessibility is essential to a thriving and sustainable Canadian economy that includes everyone. It's non-negotiable. I look forward to ongoing collaboration with leaders across Canada and internationally as we continue to raise the bar on accessibility."
Quick facts
The role of Chief Accessibility Officer (CAO) was created by the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), which came into force in 2019. Stephanie Cadieux was appointed to the role in 2022, becoming Canada's first CAO.
As an independent adviser to the Minister, the CAO provides advice on wide-ranging accessibility issues, monitors and report on progress made under the ACA, and provides annual reports detailing outcomes achieved under the ACA, as well as systemic and emerging accessibility issues
The Office of the CAO serves as a trusted source of information on accessibility, and supports the CAO in promoting a positive and productive dialogue between the federal government, disability stakeholders, national and international organizations.
