Correspondence from Minister Johns
Dear Prescribed Public Sector Bodies,
As a public sector organization, you are a valuable partner in meeting our goal of an accessible province by 2030. A great amount of work has been done across the province by many prescribed public sector bodies to advance accessibility.
The deadline for meeting obligations under the Accessibility Act is coming soon. For some, including municipalities and villages, libraries and post-secondary institutions it is April 1, 2022, and for others, it is April 1, 2023.
We know that work is well underway across the province, with accessibility advisory committees established in most public sector bodies and many organizations developing their accessibility plans. We are hearing that most organizations are on track to meet their obligations, but that some of you may require some additional support. While there is no extension to these timelines, the government has no plans to issue penalties to prescribed public sector bodies for not meeting the April 2022 deadline, in the foreseeable future. Instead, the Directorate will continue to provide education, guidance and resources to organizations developing accessibility plans.
The Accessibility Directorate is supporting the work of all prescribed public sector bodies, which is a key part of our commitment to creating an accessible province by 2030. There are several resources available to assist prescribed public sector bodies in meeting their obligations under the Accessibility Act, including the Accessibility Planning Toolkit for Prescribed Public Sector Bodies, and the Interim Accessibility Guidelines for Indoor and Outdoor Spaces. These resources along with a number of webinars to guide your efforts are all available online at https://www.novascotia.ca/accessibility
We look forward to continuing to advance this important work together. If you have any questions, please contact Dawn Stegen, Interim Executive Director, Accessibility Directorate at dawn.stegen@novascotia.ca.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to building an inclusive province for all Nova Scotians.
Sincerely,
Bradley Johns
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
