09/17/2026
The Accessible Canada Act defines a barrier as “anything—including 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—that hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment or a functional limitation.”
On a day-to-day basis, that could mean stairs-only access, needlessly complex language, broken elevators, lack of accessible washrooms, and non-adjustable lighting. They can also be systems, policies, hiring practices, communication methods, and technologies. Invisible barriers like attitudes and unconscious bias remain some of the most difficult to identify, remove, and prevent but it’s critical that we do. Recognizing barriers is the first step. Then, it’s time to take action to remove them.
Alt text: Purple web card reading “The Accessible Canada Act defines a barrier as: anything—including 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—that hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment or a functional limitation.” Our office’s applied signature and the Canada wordmark appear at the bottom.
