While the details of the act will be up to the government, we can learn from other provinces/countries what has worked- and what hasn’t. Three factors overwhelmingly seem necessary for strong and effective legislation: Timelines, Reviews, and Consequences.

Timelines: Removing all barriers in society is not an overnight task. We need to determine what the barriers are, how to remove them, and by when. A recent example is this release of the Roadmap to 2040 released by the government of Canada.

Reviews: This is important to address citizen-led concerns and general policy adherence. There are many ways to do this, and Alberta should employ more than one strategy. Some common options are self-reporting, random audits, and complaint lines. Mechanisms must be in place to prevent new barriers and report when existing barriers aren’t removed (as outlined by the act).

Consequences:

Like any other law or rule, there needs to be something that happens if you don’t follow it. Other current laws (those with consequences) will mostly offer a warning and opportunity to fix it and then a fine. There are a variety of ways to do this, however. Suggestions include: a penalty or tax, reduced or removed funding, or being shut down (for example, people who violate Occupational Health & Safety rules have to stop operating until they are safe again).

Put simply, no.

The Canadian act only applies to areas the Federal Government controls (banking, broadcasting, national/international travel etc.). The provincial and territorial governments have control over other areas, including significant ones like healthcare, benefits programs, education, and governing our cities and towns. In some cases this can be complicated, like housing or human rights, where multiple levels of government have some involvement. Regardless, the Government of Alberta is responsible for many services that impact our lives. An act that focuses on making those services accessible to all would be immensely beneficial.

100% of Albertans would benefit from this act.

In 2017, 1 in 5 people identified as having a disability, which has likely increased in the last five years. While this act might seem specific to that 20% of people, it will have lasting benefits for other segments of the population like seniors and parents, but for everyone else too. More educated and employed people with disabilities means a stronger economy and workforce and lowered unemployment and spending on poverty services. Beyond the economic benefits, it will result in better-designed products and services and better user experiences for everyone. There are examples of this throughout our history: Curb cuts, text messaging, voice-to-text, captions and so much more.

Yes, lots! However, Alberta's current disability policy is a patchwork of legislation. Some acts are specific to disability, like the Service Dog Act, while others just have certain sections that are specific to disability (like the building code). We counted at least 30 pieces of legislation related to disability and accessibility but with little to no consistency or clarity. This doesn't include policies that don't consider accessibility and inherently and inadvertently create barriers. An Accessible Alberta Act would streamline and address all these areas and afford an overarching mechanism to ensure accessibility for all.

We don't know precisely what the legislation will look like (that's up to the government), but we do know that it should act differently from human rights legislation and be a preventative measure versus a reactive one. It should be far-reaching in its scope (accessibility can and should apply to everything, not just "disability" issues), binding, and informed by lived experience. It should also have everything we mentioned in our strong and effective FAQ.

The government has a responsibility to fairly manage the province’s finances and establish meaningful and accountable legislation for all Albertans, especially for the most vulnerable. This is an opportunity to live up to the social contract that everybody is allowed to participate to the best of their ability in the larger society - and they will if given the opportunity! The notion of ‘no one left behind’ is more than a United Nations mantra, it weaves the very fabric of solidarity that this country was built from.

If you want to learn more we recommend Radical Inclusion's Report on the Status of Rights of People living with Disability in Alberta