Office of the Auditor General of Canada Accessibility Plan 2022–25
19 December 2022
Table of Contents
General
Message from the Auditor General of Canada
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second‑best time is now.”
Auditor General of Canada
This proverb resonates as we publish our first accessibility plan at a pivotal time for our organization.
There is no question that the past few years have been challenging and that we have had to adapt and make changes, including becoming a hybrid workforce. The future became “now”. We had to take a good look at ourselves and to talk about what we do well and what we need to do better.
As we look to the future, this plan is integral to our vision for an office that is inclusive, welcomes diversity, and is committed to the welfare of our people and those we serve.
We are building an accessibility mindset into the future course we have set for ourselves and our shared goal of one office, one team, one vision.
This means incorporating accessibility into our annual operational plans and establishing a permanent accessibility coordination role in our office. It means continued open communications and consultations with our employees to further our understanding of the accessibility barriers we need to fix and prevent. It also means creating safe spaces for employees to share their experiences as persons living with disabilities and as disability allies.
To inform this plan’s development, we asked our employees to share insights about their work realities through a survey. More than 60% responded, and many provided powerful personal comments. The participation rate and input are inspiring and highlight the professionalism, caring, and openness of our people.
Diversity and inclusion in our workplace must and will include accessibility for all.
About the Office of the Auditor General of Canada
The Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG) is an independent office that reports directly to Parliament. The head of the OAG, the Auditor General of Canada, is an officer of Parliament.
The OAG conducts independent performance and financial audits and provides objective information, advice, and assurance to Parliament, territorial legislatures, boards of Crown corporations, governments, and Canadians. We bring an evidence‑based, non‑partisan, and fair approach to our work.
The OAG’s primary legislative responsibilities include
- financial audits of the consolidated financial statements of the Government of Canada and the governments of the 3 territories (Nunavut, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories) and of the financial statements of federal Crown corporations, territorial corporations, and other organizations
- performance audits of federal and territorial organizations and programs
- special examinations of federal Crown corporations
- environmental and sustainable development audits and monitoring activities (which are undertaken by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development on behalf of the Auditor General of Canada)
The OAG employs over 800 people across Canada. We are headquartered in Ottawa with regional offices in Vancouver, Edmonton, Montréal, and Halifax.
Our teams are composed of dedicated and accomplished professionals who bring a diverse mix of education, experience, and expertise to their work. Together, we are committed to fostering a caring and collaborative workplace where everyone feels valued and supported and everyone is treated with dignity and respect. With this plan, we are working to ensure that accessibility becomes a cornerstone of that commitment.
Executive summary
The Office of the Auditor General of Canada Accessibility Plan 2022–25 provides an overview of our mandate, our accessibility initiatives to date, and our commitments for the coming 3 years.
This plan reflects the accessibility barriers identified through employee input, ongoing monitoring of new and emerging government‑wide accessibility policies, and information sharing with colleagues and communities of practice across the federal public service. It also underscores our acknowledgement that we have more to learn and that “accessible by default” is possible only if we apply an accessibility lens to everything we do without exception.
In this plan, we have focused on the following 5 priority areas for action and associated goals:
Employment
Goal: Promote the development of human resource practices that are accessible and inclusive so that all employees, including persons with disabilities, are supported and able to contribute to the OAG.
Built environment
Goal: Ensure barrier‑free access and use of the physical environment for OAG employees and visitors.
Information and communication technologies (ICT)
Goal: Ensure that the tools, software, and documents used by employees to fulfill their responsibilities are accessible by default.
Communications (other than ICT)
Goal: Produce accessible communication products and activities.
Procurement of goods, services, and facilities
Goal: Ensure that accessibility requirements are considered by both business owners and contracting authorities when purchasing goods and services, and that, where applicable, accessibility requirements inform the technical specifications incorporated in procurement documents.
Accessibility statement
The OAG Accessibility Plan 2022–25 marks an important step in our journey alongside Government of Canada organizations, Crown corporations, Parliament, and federally regulated private industry toward a barrier‑free Canada by 2040.
To get there, the OAG has committed to an “accessible by default” mindset. This mindset guides our day‑to‑day work and interactions with one another and with the Canadian public and parliamentarians we serve.
When the Accessible Canada Act came into force in July 2019, it was inconceivable that a global pandemic was on our doorstep. The pandemic turned lives upside down in unimaginable ways. It also served as a wake‑up call and a compelling reminder of the rich diversity in society and of our personal and collective responsibilities to recognize and respect it always, not just during times of crisis.
“In many ways, the focus in 2020 was on creating the critical conditions to encourage a shift from discussing accessibility to taking action on accessibility.”
At the OAG, accessibility is an important touchpoint for our goal of one team, one office, one vision and our 3 guiding principles
- We care for our people. We foster a diverse and inclusive work environment where health, wellness, and opportunities for learning and growth are promoted. This caring culture attracts, develops, and retains skilled and engaged professionals.
- We connect with our stakeholders. We nurture collaborative and respectful relationships, rooted in trust and accountability that spur government‑wide improvements in the best interests of Canada.
- We modernize our processes, products, and technologies to facilitate the delivery of our legislative auditing program. We strive to continuously evolve and improve our approaches, tools, and products. Innovation combined with expertise supports the delivery of audits that remain relevant and add value for parliamentarians and Canadians.
This plan builds on these principles and on our commitment to greater cohesion across the OAG. It takes inspiration from the key principle of the Accessible Canada Act “nothing without us”. It is deliberately dynamic. It will evolve as we continue to consult and work with persons with disabilities and correct our course as needed.
This plan is informed by employee surveys and town‑hall discussions about what the revitalization of our organization needs to mean. It is also informed by a vision for our future that includes hybrid work. The hybrid model will focus on inclusion, collaboration, and flexibility, with a front‑and‑centre commitment to excellence in the work we do.
This plan describes the efforts we have made to date across our organization to identify, assess, and prevent accessibility barriers. It includes our planned and implemented actions to ensure compliance with legal and policy standards. It is also a commitment to prioritize accessibility across the OAG by continually integrating approaches for engaging and collaborating with people within and outside of our organization who live with disabilities, inviting their views, welcoming their contributions, understanding what this plan must mean for them, and adjusting it accordingly.
While we have made some inroads in addressing accessibility barriers in parts of our organization, we acknowledge that there is much more to understand and more changes to make.
Feedback process and alternate formats
As required by subsection 70(1) of the Accessible Canada Act, the OAG has developed a feedback process in parallel with this plan.
OAG employees, people and organizations that deal with the OAG, and the general public are invited to provide feedback on this plan and the accessibility barriers they have experienced in their interactions with the OAG.
Please visit the OAG Accessibility Feedback Process for
- a description of the feedback process
- information on how to submit your feedback and how it will be used
- information on how to request alternate formats
Subsections 8(2) and 9(5) of the Accessible Canada Regulations require that we must be able to provide our accessibility plan and feedback process in alternate formats on request. Requests for documentation in Braille or audio format must be fulfilled within 45 days of the request. All other requests must be fulfilled within 15 days.
Our Accessibility Coordinator is responsible for receiving feedback. The coordinator will also respond to requests for copies of our plan and feedback process, including in alternate formats.
Alternate formats include large print, Braille, audio, and electronic formats that are compatible with adaptive technologies that assist persons with disabilities.
Priority Areas for Action
Section 5 of the Accessible Canada Act requires federally regulated entities to explain in their accessibility plans their efforts in identifying and removing barriers and preventing new barriers in the following 7 areas:
- employment
- the built environment
- information and communication technologies (ICT)
- communication, other than ICT
- the procurement of goods, services, and facilities
- the design and delivery of programs and services
- transportation
While the OAG does not have responsibilities in the area of transportation, we have committed to exploring options for accessible parking and wayfinding systems under “the built environment.” Similarly, while we do not design and deliver programs or services directly to Canadians, we intend to make our audit work more accessible to our public stakeholders. We have addressed this commitment under “communication, other than ICT.”
This plan therefore focuses on the following 5 priority areas for action:
- employment
- the built environment
- information and communication technologies (ICT)
- communication, other than ICT
- the procurement of goods, services, and facilities
These priority areas are described on the following pages with activities that have a mixture of shorter and longer timelines. We aim to achieve some of the activities in the coming year and others over the next 2 to 3 years. Our annual progress reports will include updates on achievements. They will also address activities that may have been adjusted in response to feedback we receive.
Employment
The Government of Canada, including the OAG, is committed to being an accessible employer. The government aims to hire 5,000 persons with disabilities by 2025. Specific numerical goals have been identified as performance indicators in the OAG’s 2022–24 Strategic Plan. The OAG will strive to increase the representation and inclusion of persons with disabilities within our workforce through activities identified in our Triennial Employment Equity Plan—2021–24 and Resourcing Roadmap (2021–24).
The OAG is dedicated to promoting accessible and inclusive employment practices.
In summer 2021, the Public Service Employment Act was amended to strengthen diversity and inclusion requirements and to address biases and barriers faced by equity‑seeking groups, including persons with disabilities. The OAG reaffirms our commitment to reduce barriers in our staffing actions and to encourage more inclusive recruitment practices.
Employment
Goal: Promote the development of human resource practices that are accessible and inclusive so that all employees, including persons with disabilities, are supported and able to contribute to the OAG.
 Objectives |
 Actions and activities |
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Develop and support accessible employment practices. |
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Improve efficiency in the provision of adapted equipment and accommodation. |
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Support persons with disabilities in developing their talent, and ensure that people with disabilities are retained as talented employees. |
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Built environment
The OAG recognizes that an accessible built environment enhances employees’ independence and provides a sense of inclusion that lets persons with disabilities interact easily with co‑workers, access all the same facilities, perform the same functions, and increase their ability to work well. Therefore, as we transition to a hybrid work setting, the OAG is taking steps to ensure an inclusive and barrier‑free work environment for our employees and for visitors to our offices.
The OAG is engaged with Public Services and Procurement Canada and landlords to implement a GCworkplace design across all of our offices. The design integrates accessibility at the outset, which ensures an inclusive, equitable, and adaptive workplace. In addition, the design implements activity‑based working principles, which emphasize that all employees should be able to use a variety of work points, allowing them to easily choose their optimal setting.
To ensure that we understand the issues and the appropriate adjustments we will need to make, we will continue to consult with employees and visitors, including persons with disabilities, the Executive Committee, the occupational health and safety committees, and the operations committees.
Built environment
Goal: Ensure barrier‑free access and use of the physical environment for OAG employees and visitors.
| Objectives |
Actions and activities |
|---|---|
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Build, renovate, or retrofit all physical OAG offices according to the latest accessibility standards, best practices, and information from persons with disabilities. |
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Ensure that all employees and visitors have a safe environment to work in. |
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Information and communication technologies (ICT)
ICT underpin many of the OAG’s processes and internal services, making them integral to identifying, removing, and preventing accessibility barriers across the organization. For the purposes of this plan, ICT include software, web applications, and corporate document templates. Preliminary work has been done to identify and understand existing barriers. This work includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- analyzing current Government of Canada policies
- monitoring and responding to new policies
- conducting secondary research on common ICT barriers, such as the lack of support for assistive technology
- testing selected ICT products within the OAG, such as newly procured applications
Findings from this research and testing to date have shown that not all ICT are accessible or support a variety of assistive technologies.
To address these barriers, multiple actions have been taken, such as the following:
- creating an ICT accessibility framework
- upskilling select members to fill resource gaps
- engaging with people to understand the barriers in the accommodation process
- building templates and resources to help test applications and create accessible documents
- taking the first steps to applying the accessibility framework through the rollout of Microsoft 365
Information and communication technologies (ICT)
Goal: Ensure that the tools, software, and documents used by employees to fulfill their responsibilities are accessible by default.
| Objectives |
Actions and activities |
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Assess, document, and report on known barriers in existing ICT. |
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Ensure that all ICT meet established accessibility standards and that accessibility is incorporated across every step of the product life cycle. |
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Ensure that the OAG has the in‑house skill set and capacity to create, assess, and maintain accessible documents and software. |
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Communication, other than ICT
Inclusivity, accessibility, and respect for diversity are the cornerstones of all OAG communications (with employees and the public).
Accessibility in communications at the OAG is based on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s Guidelines on Making Communications Products and Activities Accessible and Standard on Web Accessibility.
To assess the accessibility in communications, the OAG reviewed our products and processes within the last 6 months, consulted with employees, and received feedback from users. From these activities, the OAG found the following accessibility barriers:
- the unavailability of accessible formats and communication tools, such as Braille versions of content and teletypewriterTTY services
- a lack of plain‑language communications for the public
- a lack of regular validation of web content accessibility to ensure current practices meet standards
- the unavailability of tools, such as automated validation tools, to facilitate plain‑language writing
To address these barriers, the OAG plans to do the following:
- purchase or replace appropriate tools
- contract service providers for on‑demand alternate accessible format production
- increase testing of content for accessibility
- train employees on plain‑language writing
Communication
Goal: Produce accessible communication products and activities.
| Objectives |
Actions and activities |
|---|---|
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Ensure that communication material is as accessible as possible in its original format and that alternative formats are available promptly on request. Fully implement the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat standards and guidelines for accessibility to support all internal and external users of OAG communication materials and resources. |
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Increase the ease of use for tools and content:
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Ensure that OAG communications meet the diverse needs of its users:
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Procurement of goods, services, and facilities
The OAG has reviewed procurement policy, including the Treasury Board’s Directive on the Management of Procurement, to understand our obligations relating to accessible procurement, and we have been taking steps to adjust our approach to ensure readiness and compliance. We have also studied the experiences of our federal partners, particularly Public Services and Procurement Canada and Shared Services Canada, to help us identify accessibility supports that are available and being used within the public service. When some of the service providers we work with alerted us to accessibility barriers in our contract template, we created alternative formats that removed these barriers, such as by removing embedded tables. This made it more user‑friendly for those with visual impairments.
The OAG has consulted with Public Services and Procurement Canada and Shared Services Canada on procurement guidance and tools that have been established to help organizations acquire assistive items and technologies. The OAG Procurement team has also been participating in cross‑functional discussions on the topic of accessibility since 2020.
Procurement of goods, services, and facilities
Goal: Ensure that accessibility requirements are considered by both business owners and contracting authorities when purchasing goods and services, and that, where applicable, accessibility requirements inform the technical specifications incorporated in procurement documents.
| Objectives |
Actions and activities |
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Update internal procurement procedures and tools. |
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Develop an accessible procurement toolkit. |
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Consultations
Throughout the past year, we consulted our employees through surveys and town halls to create a shared vision for our future. The objective was to understand employees’ views on a number of issues, such as a recent labour dispute, the transition to a hybrid workplace, and the transformation and revitalization of our organization. The information from these consultations provided an understanding of employees’ concerns, what they felt is working, and where the OAG needs to change. This information was an important backdrop for this plan’s development.
In late 2022, all OAG employees were asked to complete an anonymous survey about accessibility in our workplace. The intention of engaging with all employees was to get a general sense of the level of awareness about disability and accessibility in the OAG. The aim was also to understand the barriers employees face. The overall participation for this survey was 64% (more than 500 employees), which demonstrated a very high level of interest and engagement. More than 11% of employees who responded said that they live with some form of disability, with the most common being a chronic health condition or pain, or a mental health disability. Among these respondents, 47% reported having experienced barriers in their day‑to‑day work.
This initial consultation was a first step. We know we have work to do. We accept that the experiences and perspectives of persons with disabilities cannot be fully expressed in a single survey. The OAG must receive guidance, input, and feedback from persons with disabilities on all matters related to accessibility. We have already begun planning for further consultations with employees with disabilities, accessibility allies, and others who have perspectives on how the OAG can improve accessibility. The feedback we receive will guide the implementation of this plan and will inform our annual progress reports.
In parallel with the survey, employees were asked to put their names forward if they were interested in forming an employee accessibility consultation group. The first meeting of this group will be convened in January 2023. Discussion will focus on their contributions to the plan’s implementation, their views on how to expand consultation efforts, and approaches for promoting accessibility and disability awareness in our workplace.
We also sought the views of various internal stakeholders on early drafts of the survey and the plan. These stakeholders included the Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the Ombuds whose annual report Navigating Change provided helpful insights. We also engaged an accessibility advocate and expert with a lived experience of disability to analyze gaps and provide guidance during the final stages in developing the plan.
To understand the broader Government of Canada context, we looked to the disability findings in the 2020 Public Service Employee Survey. We referred to the guidance, assessment tools, centralized data hubs, and communities of practice that emerged across government after the act and regulations came into force. We also researched information about accessibility at key departments, such as Public Services and Procurement Canada, Statistics Canada, and Employment and Social Development Canada; central agencies, such as the Privy Council Office and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat; and other organizations, such as Accessibility Standards Canada and the Office of the Accessibility Commissioner. This research provided us with the latest updates on government‑wide policies. It helped us to keep this plan on the right track and adhere to established accessibility approaches and legislative requirements.
Budget and resource allocation
The OAG will prioritize resources to establish operational capacity to support accessibility initiatives across our organization and in our interactions with stakeholders (Canadians, parliamentarians, and international counterparts) and the general public. We will also engage accessibility experts and advocates with a lived experience of disability to provide guidance and insight as we build capacity, make improvements to the plan, and prepare our progress reports.
We will create and staff a full‑time accessibility coordinator position to facilitate continued horizontal coordination across the OAG on all accessibility efforts. The coordinator will also represent the OAG on intergovernmental communities of practice, networks, and committees pertaining to accessibility and disability inclusion.
Training
To support the implementation of this plan and accessibility as a whole at the OAG, employees will be encouraged to use existing and new training and developmental opportunities. This will help us to build in‑house accessibility capacity and expertise.
Currently, OAG employees have access to a variety of courses and events on topics such as accessibility, employment equity, diversity and inclusion, and unconscious bias through the Canada School of Public Service, GCworkplace, and a wide range of GCcollab and GCconnex sites. The OAG will continue to offer fireside‑chat events focused on diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. These events will have guest speakers who will share their lived experiences. Such events help to foster awareness and ongoing open discussion about the barriers that employees face.
The OAG will promote learning and development to support employees in their work in implementing this plan. This will include mandatory training for contracting authorities on incorporating accessibility at the early stages of procurement; training on accessibility planning, testing, development, and design for ICT experts; and training for all employees on document accessibility, the use of plain language, and accessible communications.
Glossary
Accessibility standards—Standards that are used to assess information and communication technologies (ICT) accessibility compliance and that align with the guidelines indicated by the Government of Canada. At this time, ICT will be required to comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0.
Barrier—Anything that hinders the full and equal participation in society of people with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, or sensory impairment or a functional limitation. Barriers can include anything physical, architectural, technological or attitudinal; anything that is based on information or communications; or anything that is the result of a policy or a practice.
Business owner—An individual who is responsible for the business or program area for which the procurement is established. The business owner is responsible for
- defining the required capabilities, intended business outcomes, and benefits of a procurement at its outset
- achieving the business outcomes and benefits following implementation
Contracting authority—A person who has delegated contracting authority to enter into a contract or contractual arrangement on behalf of the OAG.
Disability—Any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, or sensory impairment or a functional limitation—whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, or evident or not—that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society.
Anyone can identify as a person with a disability if they experience 1 or more of these impairments or functional limitations that, in interaction with a barrier, hinder their full and equal participation in society.
GCworkplace—A modern, efficient, and inclusive workplace that responds to the needs of the public service workforce and supports a flexible way of working.
ISO/DIS 24495‑1—An international guide under development from the International Organization for Standardization that will set out guidelines and principles for developing plain‑language documents intended for the general public.
Real‑time captioning (also known as live closed captioning)—Text‑based captions used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing to access content delivered by spoken words and sounds. Real‑time captions, or Computer Assisted Real‑Time Translation (CART), are created as an event takes place.
Teletypewriter (TTY)—A communication device used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have a severe speech impairment.