Accessibility | Compliance
Accessibility
Compliance
The Accessibility for Manitobans Act is provincial law, with accessibility standards acting as regulations under the law.
The Manitoba Accessibility Compliance Secretariat is responsible for promoting, monitoring and enforcing compliance with accessibility regulations.
About the Accessibility
Compliance Secretariat
Manitoba's Accessibility Compliance Secretariat (Secretariat) monitors compliance of accessibility legislation among the private, non-profit and the public sector which includes municipalities.
Accessibility Compliance Secretariat
Affected Organizations,
Requirements, & Deadlines
Accessibility standards are enacted as regulations, functioning as the building blocks of The Accessibility for Manitobans Act. As each standard is passed in the Manitoba Legislature, there are new requirements and deadlines for affected organizations, including businesses.
- Private sector organizations or businesses include Manitoba businesses and organizations with one or more employees, such as shops, restaurants, hotels, legal, healthcare and professional services.
- Non-profit organizations include, but are not limited to charities, unions, community organizations, places of worship, and member associations.
- Public sector organizations include organizations that are connected to the government, including Crown corporations, regional health authorities, school divisions, post-secondary institutions, large municipalities* and government agencies, boards and commissions.
*Large municipalities include Manitoba's 10 largest municipalities, as defined by the province as cities. These include Brandon, Dauphin, Flin Flon, Morden, Portage la Prairie, Selkirk, Steinbach, Thompson, Winkler and Winnipeg.
Accessible Customer Service Deadline
The Accessible Customer Service Standard is the first accessibility standard enacted under The Accessibility for Manitobans Act.
This standard came into force for all organizations on
November 1, 2018
Accessible Employment Deadline
The Accessible Employment Standard is the second standard enacted under The Accessibility for Manitobans Act.
Requirements under this standard has been in force for all organizations since
May 1, 2022
Accessible Information & Communication Deadline
The Accessible Information and Communication Standard is the third accessibility standard under The Accessibility for Manitobans Act.
Manitoba Goverment:
May 1, 2023
Public sector organizations, government agencies and large municipalities:
May 1, 2024
Private and non-profit organizations and small municipalities:
May 1, 2025
Accessible Transportation Deadline
The Accessibility Standard for Transportation is currently in development. Check back for Compliance deadlines.
Accessible Design of Outdoor Public Spaces Deadline
The Accessibility Standard for Design of Outdoor Public Spaces is currently in development. Check back for Compliance deadlines.
Accessible Plans Deadlines for Public Sector Organizations
According to The Accessibility for Manitobans Act, accessibility plans must be developed, updated and made publicly available by the following organizations:
- Manitoba government - An updated accessibility plan for 2023 and 2024 was due on December 31, 2022
- Public sector organizations, including school divisions and large municipalities - An updated accessibility plan for 2023 and 2024 was due on December 31, 2022
- Small Municipalities - An updated plan for 2022 and 2023 was due on December 31, 2021
- Private and non-profit organizations: It is best practice to have an accessibility plan, but not required under the legislation
Accessibility Compliance Framework
The Accessibility Compliance Secretariat works with organizations across Manitoba to raise awareness about accessibility and to enforce compliance of legislative and regulatory requirements.
Some accessibility requirements vary across sectors and by the size of an organization. Some sectors also have additional time to comply with the accessibility standards.
An accessibility compliance framework describes the different steps involved in the compliance process. The first priority is to educate towards compliance. The Manitoba government is also working with numerous partners in the public, non-profit and private sectors to inform organization about the legislation, share practical tools and resources, and provide accessibility training. The goal is to promote a cultural shift toward a more accessible Manitoba, so everyone can benefit.
What do I do if an organization is not complying?
The Accessibility for Manitobans Act is not complaints based legislation. Each individual complaint is not investigated and mediation
services are not offered. However, feedback from the public on non-compliance is recorded and used to identify trends that inform
compliance and awareness raising efforts. For more information about the compliances process, please visit:
Compliance Process
For more information, contact The Accessibility Compliance Secretariat at accessibilitycompliance@gov.mb.ca or (204) 792-0263.
