REGINA — The Accessible Saskatchewan Act came into force Dec. 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
This new legislation will prevent and remove accessibility barriers for persons with disabilities, according to a Ministry of Social Services press release.
The International Day for Persons with Disabilities was first proclaimed by the United Nations in 1992 to promote the rights and well-being of people with disabilities, and to increase awareness and understanding of disability issues.
"We recognize the Government of Saskatchewan has made huge efforts to create a more inclusive province by passing accessibility legislation and recognizing American Sign Language as the language of the Deaf in Saskatchewan," Saskatchewan Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Executive Director Narin Gillies said.
"We know the best way to reduce or eliminate the impact of disability is to provide access to full rich language."
The Accessible Saskatchewan Regulations also came into effect Dec. 3. The regulations identify organizations that are public sector bodies. Under the act, public sector bodies will be required to develop and publicly post their own accessibility plans by Dec. 3, 2025. Government will lead by example, and post its accessibility plan by Dec. 3, 2024, and share learning and recommendations from its development.
In September, the Ministry of Social Services issued a call for applications to create the first Accessibility Advisory Committee. The ministry received over 150 applications for the committee, which will advise government on the development of accessibility standards. At least half of the committee members will be persons with disabilities or from organizations that represent and support people with disabilities. Successful candidates will be contacted in the coming weeks.
For information about The Accessible Saskatchewan Act and related regulations, visit the Accessible SK website at accessiblesk.saskatchewan.ca.
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