Each year, the National AccessAbility Week is an invitation to all Canadians to come together and take action to eliminate barriers to accessibility from coast to coast, and to reflect on how our workplaces and organizations can be more inclusive for people with disabilities.
The 2026 National AccessAbility Week runs from May 31 to June 6, under the theme “Building a Strong, Accessible Canada.” This theme is of particular significance given the Accessible Canada Act, which was established with a view to make Canada free of barriers to accessibility, by January 1, 2040.
Much work remains to be done for the federal public service, as a place of employment, to become truly accessible. For its part, the Canada Border Services Agency continues to disappoint, at times seeming more interested in putting up new barriers than in taking down existing ones — the Agency’s poor track record around the treatment of accommodation needs, its lack of meaningful consultation on accessibility issues, along with its ongoing blanket review of accommodation agreements due to restrictions around firearms and use of force, spring to mind.
The fight for barrier-free, accessible workplaces involves us all. To our members living with disabilities, your union will continue to hold CBSA to task and ensure your rights are respected. Need assistance? Do not hesitate to contact us.
