What’s new at the Accessibility Directorate
Last updated on October 21, 2025
Get up to date on our quarterly progress with the Accessible BC Act and everything else going on at the Accessibility Directorate.
On this page:
A message from Dana Lajeunesse, Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility
I am pleased to recognize the many important observances taking place over the coming months. September was Disability Employment Month and October is Community Inclusion Month. Not only does this help to remind us of the many important contributions people with disabilities make in our communities, but it also serves to illustrate the work we must still do to make employment and workplaces more accessible and inclusive for all.
We also celebrated the International Week of Deaf People from September 22-28. The celebration recognizes the identity, culture, and rights of Deaf communities around the world. It also highlights how sign language rights can ensure Deaf people have their human rights upheld and protected. We were also delighted to recognize the International Day of Sign Language on September 23. In addition to these observances, I visited CanAssist, which works to address numerous unmet needs of people with disabilities. See below for my key takeaways from the visit. With Minister Sheila Malcolmson, I also visited with representatives of local government during the annual Union of BC Municipalities conference in Victoria.
October is Registered Disability Savings Plan Awareness Month, which highlights one way to support people with disabilities in leading independent and self-directed lives.
November is Indigenous Disability Awareness Month, which sheds light upon the many important contributions made by Indigenous peoples with disabilities. It also reminds us that in today’s world, Indigenous people have higher rates of disability than the general population. This reality calls on us all to not only prevent and remove barriers for Indigenous people with disabilities, but to determine the root cause and work to proactively address it.
We will continue to use these updates to share ways you can contribute to making B.C. accessible for everyone. Thank you for your continued support and engagement.
Accessibility updates
Implementation of the Accessible British Columbia Act
Accessibility Standards Development
The Provincial Accessibility Committee (PAC) has been hard at work revising their recommendations for employment accessibility and service delivery standards. Thank you to everyone who contributed feedback to the public engagement. If you would like to see the key themes please read the What We Learned Report.
PAC has now finalized their recommendation reports. The reports have been provided to the Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. These recommendations are being reviewed and will help inform future accessibility work.
Annual Report
Our annual report has been released. It details all the work government has done to implement the Accessible B.C. Act over the 2024–25 fiscal year.
Other highlights
- B.C. helps people keep full federal Canada Disability Benefit
- New brain injury supportive living home will better support people
- Ongoing support, services benefit adults with mental-health issues
- Mental health screening tool launched in Nelson
- Mental health supports strengthen community, reduce stigma
Accessibility spotlight
Parliamentary Secretary Visit to CanAssist
In September, Parliamentary Secretary Lajeunesse visited CanAssist in Victoria. CanAssist offers personalized technologies to address barriers experienced by people with disabilities, through the provision of customised technologies or services. These innovative solutions can be critical in supporting people with disabilities at home, in school, and at work. Parliamentary Secretary Lajeunesse presented CanAssist staff with the proclamation for Disability Employment Month, recognizing their efforts providing work supports for people with disabilities.
The Parliamentary Secretary shared that it was inspiring to see the work being done to support people with disabilities throughout B.C. (and across the country). CanAssist has helped thousands of people by providing assistive technologies and software applications along with the appropriate training to maximise effectiveness.
His takeaway from this visit was how many barriers persist because historically, many of the challenges people with disabilities face haven’t been fully considered. These barriers isolate people and may prevent them from participating fully in their communities. The efforts of the team at CanAssist demonstrate the life-changing power of working directly with people with diverse needs through the collaborative development of highly specialised solutions.
If you think you might benefit from CanAssist services, visit their website to learn more.
Important dates
- September: Disability Employment Month
- September: Arthritis Awareness Month
- September 22-28: International Week of Deaf People
- September 28: International Day of the Deaf
- October: Community Inclusion Month
- October: Registered Disability Savings Plan Awareness Month
- October 10: World Mental Health Day
- November: Indigenous Disability Awareness Month
- December 3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
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