Issue 19 | May 2021

           

Accessibility Standard for Customer Service Public Consultation & Review

Share your thoughts!                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

The Accessibility Advisory Council wants to hear from Manitobans about their experiences with the Customer Service Standard Regulation, the first accessibility standard established under The Accessibility for Manitobans Act.

Do you face barriers to customer service?  Does the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service affect you and your workplace, university, other organization or business? We want to hear from you. 

The aim of the review is to determine if the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service has met its objectives to remove barriers to customer service, and if not why not.  Lessons learned from the first five years, since the standard became law, can help strengthen its impact going forward. 

Public engagement is a critical aspect of the review, and there will be many ways for you to share your perspective including:

Public Survey:

A public survey is available on EngageMB, the Manitoba government’s online portal, until May 28, 2021.  EngageMB provides an easy way for all Manitobans to share their insights. If you require the survey in an alternate format, please contact our office.

Live Webinars:

To maintain COVID-19 safety precautions, the Council will host two Zoom webinars where Manitobans are invited to share their perspectives, including via chat and phone.  Both sessions will be held on Thursday, May 13, 2021.

 

Written Submissions: 

Comments and feedback are welcome via briefs and submissions to the attention of the Accessibility Advisory Council at access@gov.mb.ca.  The deadline for submissions is Fri., May 28, 2021.

For more information, please contact the MAO at mao@gov.mb.ca, or by calling 204-945-7613                                                                                     

   
                                                                                                                      

Manitoba Access Awareness Week - May 30 to June 5, 2021

                                                                                                                                              

Join Manitobans across the province in celebrating Manitoba Access Awareness Week (MAAW)! 

Manitoba celebrates MAAW annually to raise awareness about accessibility issues that affect people with disabilities and many others. This year, the Manitoba Accessibility Office and Manitoba Accessibility Advisory Network (public sector organizations) are pleased to offer a free webinar:                                                                                                                                                              

Beyond COVID-19: Creating a Culture of Accessibility in the Workplace

Thursday, June 3, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. CDT.

Register for the webinar at: https://maaw2021.eventbrite.ca

                                                                                                                                         The webinar will feature:

  • Introductory remarks by the Honourable Rochelle Squires, Minister of Families and  Minister responsible for Accessibility

We look forward to sharing experiences, strategies and new tools to create and maintain a culture of accessibility in your workplace.

For more information, please contact the MAO at mao@gov.mb.ca, or by calling 204-945-7613.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Manitoba Accessibility Fund

One of the most frequent requests from stakeholders wishing to comply with accessibility standards is the need for financial assistance. The Manitoba government has heard you and has responded with the creation of the Manitoba Accessibility Fund.


The purpose of the Manitoba Accessibility Fund is to provide annual, sustainable grant making activity for initiatives that promote the principles of The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA), and to assist Manitoba organizations that must comply.
The Manitoba government thanks the Winnipeg Foundation for hosting this $20 million Endowment Fund. The fund will make it possible to distribute over $500,000 annually to Manitoba’s non-profit organizations, businesses, municipalities, professional associations and public sector bodies.


Beginning in 2021/22, the government will develop the guidelines for the grant and seek feedback from stakeholders on how to ensure the Manitoba Accessibility Fund has the broadest possible impact in creating a more accessible province.

                                                                                                                                    

This newsletter is available in alternate formats upon request.

You subscribed to this newsletter on the AccessibilityMB.ca website.

Manitoba Accessibility Office
630 - 240 Graham Avenue
Winnipeg MB R3C 0J7 
Phone: 204-945-7613
Toll free: 1-800-282-8069, ext. 7613 
Email: mao@gov.mb.ca

Follow and join the #AccessibleMB conversation on social media. 
 
 

Manitoba Accessibility Office