Background

The Accessible Canada Act came into force in July 2019. The goal of the Act is to achieve a barrier-free Canada by 2040. As part of the Act, federally-regulated entities, including Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC)* and the Veterans Review and Appeal Board (VRAB), must develop and publish an Accessibility Action Plan by December 2022.

The Act, together with the Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada, upholds the “Nothing Without Us” principle. This means that persons with disabilities must be consulted when identifying barriers, and in planning for how to remove and prevent them.

This consultation is a key part of our commitment to improve accessibility at VAC and VRAB. We are identifying accessibility barriers, as well as actions to prevent and remove them, with input from the people affected by these barriers.