Consultation on requests for Conditional Exemptions: Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations received on July 6, 2023 and on October 23, 2023

Consultation on requests for Conditional Exemptions from the tactile requirement related to signage in terminals in the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations 

The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) is seeking input on requests filed by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), for conditional exemptions from the requirements of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (ATPDR) regarding tactile signage for security screening, and border clearance, of passengers respectively.

CATSA and the CBSA have made this request based on the premise that the alternative measure proposed, a tactile booklet for passengers who are blind or have reduced vision, is equivalent to the requirements of paragraph 235(1)(d) of the ATPDR. Both CATSA and the CBSA submit that the tactile booklet conveys all regulatory signage information displayed in a single point of reference for passengers to read. They also state that this exemption would be in the best interest of the public because they believe the tactile booklets would better serve passengers with visual impairments than the current regulatory requirement.

The CTA will assess the requests for conditional exemptions based on the information provided by CATSA and the CBSA to demonstrate that they have taken, or will take, measures that are at least equivalent to those that must be taken under the provisions of the ATPDR.

On this page

Consultation on requests for conditional exemptions

Please note that the consultation closed on June 20, 2024.

Input received during this consultation process will be given careful consideration. All submissions will be considered public documents and will be posted on the CTA’s website in the official language in which they were received, along with the name of the individual or organization that has submitted them.

If you have any questions, please contact OTC.CETA-CEAT.CTA@otc-cta.gc.ca.

Disclaimers

Third-party information liability disclaimer

Some of the information on this web page, including alternative formats, has been provided by external sources. The Agency is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of the information supplied by external sources.

Language and accessibility

All documents and their alternative formats are made available in the official language in which they were received. The Agency is not responsible for the official languages, privacy and accessibility requirements of documents provided by external sources.

Submissions

Name of the individual or organization Date submitted Submission
Confédération des organismes de personnes handicapées du Québec (COPHAN) April 17, 2024

COPHAN submission - DOCX (63 KB, 2 pages)
Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) April 18, 2024

CCB submission - DOCX (172 KB, 2 pages)

Braille Literacy Canada's reference document:
Accessible Signage Guidelines (updated 2024)
Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) April 19, 2024

CCD submission - DOCX (51 KB, 2 pages)
Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) May 9, 2024

CNIB submission - DOCX (936 KB, 3 pages)
Nicole Corrado May 27, 2024

Nicole Corrado submission - DOCX (24 KB, 1 page)

Consultation meeting on June 20, 2024

CTA staff convened a meeting on June 20, 2024. The purpose of the meeting was for CATSA and CBSA to provide more context around their requests in order for the community to have a better understanding in order to participate in the consultation and provide their comments to the CTA.

Here's What We Heard: Consultation meeting regarding requests by CATSA and CBSA for Conditional Exemptions from the Tactile Signage Requirements in the ATPDR

Reference material

Milestones

DateStatus
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Consultation opened
Thursday, June 20, 2024
Consultation closed
Thursday, July 4, 2024
Submissions published
Date modified: