2023 Annual Progress Report on the OAG Accessibility Plan 2022–25

Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG)
2023 Annual Progress Report on the OAG Accessibility Plan 2022–25

19 December 2023

General

The OAG Accessibility Plan 2022–25 was published on 19 December 2022 and provides an overview of our mandate, our accessibility initiatives, and our commitments to removing and preventing barriers to access over 3 years.

This report details the progress made during the first year of the plan’s deployment, from 1 January to 31 December 2023. It was prepared by the Senior Policy Analyst for Accessibility on behalf of the OAG.

Employees with disabilities and allies who are members of the OAG’s Accessibility Network of Employees were consulted in the preparation of this report, as were the Ombuds; the Chair of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Group; the internal Accessibility Working Group; and the People Management Committee. The Accessibility Network of Employees consists of employees with disabilities who have self-identified and allies with an interest in matters related to accessibility.

Executive Summary

This report focuses on 5 priority areas for action and on their associated goals:

While the OAG does not have responsibilities in the area of transportation, we have committed to exploring options for accessible parking and wayfinding systems under “the built environment.” Similarly, while we do not design and deliver programs or services directly to Canadians, we intend to make our audit work more accessible to our public stakeholders. We have addressed this commitment under “communication, other than ICT”. Progress in the 5 priority areas for action is described in more detail in the “Progress to date ” section of this report.

Main Achievements in 2023

Progress in the 5 priority areas for action is described in more detail in the next section.

Progress to Date

A goal and objectives were determined for each of the plan’s priority areas for action. This report lists the activities that are completed or are in progress based on the initial planning timelines.

Employment

Goal—Promote the development of human resource practices that are accessible and inclusive so that all employees, including persons with disabilities, are supported and able to contribute to the OAG.

Objective 1—Develop and support accessible employment practices.

Completed

In progress

Objective 2—Improve efficiency in the provision of adapted equipment and accommodation.

Completed

In progress

Objective 3—Support persons with disabilities in developing their talent, and ensure that people with disabilities are retained as talented employees.

Completed

In progress

Built environment

Goal—Ensure barrier‑free access and use of the physical environment for OAG employees and visitors.

Objective 1—Build, renovate, or retrofit all physical OAG offices according to the latest accessibility standards, best practices, and information from persons with disabilities.

In progress

Objective 2—Ensure that all employees and visitors have a safe environment to work in.

In progress

Information and communication technologies (ICT)

Goal—Ensure that the tools, software, and documents used by employees to fulfill their responsibilities are accessible by default.

Objective 1—Assess, document, and report on known barriers in existing ICT.

In progress

Objective 2—Ensure that all ICT meet established accessibility standards and that accessibility is incorporated across every step of the product life cycle.

In progress

Objective 3—Ensure that the OAG has the in-house skill set and capacity to create, assess, and maintain accessible documents and software.

Completed

Communication, other than ICT

Goal—Produce accessible communication products and activities.

Objective 1—Ensure that communication material is as accessible as possible in its original format and that alternative formats are available promptly on request. Fully implement the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat standards and guidelines for accessibility to support all internal and external users of OAG communication materials and resources.

Completed

In progress

Objective 2—Increase the ease of use for tools and content.

In progress

Objective 3—Ensure that OAG communications meet the diverse needs of its users.

Completed

In progress

Procurement of goods, services, and facilities

Goal—Ensure that accessibility requirements are considered by both business owners and contracting authorities when purchasing goods and services, and that, where applicable, accessibility requirements inform the technical specifications incorporated in procurement documents.

Objective 1—Update internal procurement procedures and tools.

Completed

What More We Did

Consultations

Throughout 2023, the OAG provided opportunities for feedback by and consultations with persons with disabilities on matters of accessibility. In the absence of a systematic consultation approach, the Accessibility Network of Employees has played a pivotal role in this regard.

The network was initially formed to help inform the development of the accessibility plan. Since then, the 15 members, consisting of employees with disabilities and accessibility allies, continue to provide feedback on various aspects of the plan through their participation in regularly scheduled meetings where they share concerns and discuss potential solutions. Members were engaged in and commented on the preparation of this report.

Although some consultations took place in 2023, we recognize the need to institute a more systematic consultation approach. This approach will begin in January 2024.

Here are the consultations and information sessions that took place in 2023 for some of the completed and in-progress actions of the plan.

Redesigning workspaces and implementing GCworkplace

Consultations linked to the Employment priority area for action

Ongoing dialogue with the Accessibility Working Group responsible for implementing the plan and with the Accessibility Network of Employees

Feedback

The OAG encourages feedback on accessibility matters, particularly from persons with disabilities and allies.

All feedback is sent to a senior policy analyst who acts as our Accessibility Coordinator. This critical function is currently part of the responsibility of the Senior Policy Analyst for Accessibility.

Please see the Providing Feedback About Accessibility section on our website for

In 2023, our feedback process was used only once by a member of the public. The requester wanted to be notified of the publication of reports concerning persons with disabilities. In response, we shared our procedure to obtain these reports.

We remain open to receiving external feedback related to accessibility within our organization, and we will reflect on what more we can do.

What We Learned From 2023

This first year of implementation has provided us with an opportunity to set expectations for the coming year. We want to recognize the work that our Accessibility Working Group and Accessibility Network of Employees accomplished in 2023.

Here are 3 key things we learned in 2023:

As we conclude this first annual progress report, it is fitting to reference the proverb quoted by the Auditor General in her introductory message to the OAG Accessibility Plan 2022–25: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second‑best time is now.” The tree we planted is starting to take root. With continued effort and in doing our part, the OAG’s contribution to a barrier-free Canada, for all Canadians, will grow every day.

Glossary

Accessibility standards—Standards that are used to assess information and communication technologies (ICT) accessibility compliance and that align with the guidelines indicated by the Government of Canada. At this time, ICT will be required to comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0.

ASG/ASG-IT Development Fund—An initiative that supports Audit Services Group (ASG) and ASG-IT (Information Technology) employees in pursuing advanced academic studies at a recognized institution (such as a college or university). Funding commitments are made available to eligible employees on an annual basis. Participants must reapply annually.

Barrier—Anything that hinders the full and equal participation in society of people with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, or sensory impairment or a functional limitation. Barriers can include 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.

Business owner—An individual who is responsible for the business or program area for which the procurement is established. The business owner is responsible for

Contracting authority—A person who has delegated contracting authority to enter into a contract or contractual arrangement on behalf of the OAG.

Disability—Any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, or sensory impairment or a functional limitation—whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, or evident or not—that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society.

Anyone can identify as a person with a disability if they experience 1 or more of these impairments or functional limitations that, in interaction with a barrier, hinder their full and equal participation in society.

GCworkplace—A modern, efficient, and inclusive workplace that responds to the needs of the public service workforce and supports a flexible way of working.

ISO/DIS 24495‑1—An international guide from the International Organization for Standardization that sets out guidelines and principles for developing plain‑language documents intended for the general public.

Mosaic Leadership Development ProgramA program for equity-seeking employees at the executive-minus-1 level that aims to bridge gaps in representation in the senior ranks and level the playing field by providing access to leadership development and career advancement.

Real‑time captioning (also known as live closed captioning)—Text‑based captions used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing to access content delivered by spoken words and sounds. Real‑time captions, or Computer Assisted Real‑Time Translation (CART), are created as an event takes place.

Teletypewriter (TTY)—A communication device used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have a severe speech impairment.