June 1, 2011
Province Proposes Legislation to Create an Accessibility Advisory Council
– – –Council Would Help Identify, Remove Barriers: Howard
The Manitoba government is taking action to create greater accessibility for people with disabilities and all Manitobans who face barriers in everyday life, Labour and Immigration Minister Jennifer Howard, minister responsible for persons with disabilities, announced today.
“I’ve introduced legislation today that will lead to the creation of an advisory council that will move us one step closer to a fully accessible Manitoba where everyone can live, work and play,” said Howard. “This council will identify barriers that people face and find ways to prevent and remove those barriers.”
The council would be made up of members of the disability community and other affected stakeholders who will make recommendations on:
- legislation or regulations that would set up a process to identify, prevent and remove barriers faced by people with disabilities;
- policies, practices and requirements that may be implemented by government to improve accessibility; and
- development of long-term accessibility objectives.
Under the proposed legislation, the advisory council would consult with people with disabilities and organizations that may be affected by any of its recommendations. This would include employers and businesses as well as representatives from Manitoba municipalities. One of the council’s first tasks would be further development of the legislation that would set out accessibility standards.
“The commitment to make Manitoba accessible must be shared by all including governments, businesses and public services,” said Howard. “There are many good examples of accessibility in our province, but there is more we can do. Building an accessible Manitoba is a long-term goal and we want to involve everyone in setting out our future plans for achieving full accessibility in Manitoba.”
Once established, the council would be required to make initial recommendations to the minister within 12 months.
The minister thanked organizations representing employers, people with disabilities, labour and municipalities for their recommendations on making the province more accessible, as well as the thousands of Manitobans who have taken part in consultations.
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