May 9, 2024 Ottawa, Ontario Transport Canada
The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that Canada is barrier-free. This includes a fully accessible transportation system. This is vital to ensure that all Canadians, including those with disabilities, have equal opportunities to contribute and participate fully in society.
Canadians with disabilities still face many barriers while traveling. Today, the Minister of Transport, Pablo Rodriguez, and Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, Kamal Khera hosted a National Air Accessibility Summit. They brought together members from the disability community, the aviation industry, all orders of government, and international partners.
The Summit allowed for productive discussions about:
- removing barriers faced by persons with disabilities when traveling by air;
- identifying solutions to help ensure a more consistent travel experience for all; and
- reporting on progress since the coming into force of the Accessible Canada Act and the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations.
These discussions resulted in the following commitments:
- All partners agreed to seek out ways to ensure seamless travel for persons with disabilities, to make air travel more inclusive and enjoyable for all;
- Industry will work together to streamline processes and adopt a common medical form for passengers with disabilities to simplify their travel preparation and as well as explore ways to collect and share data with Government representatives; and
- The Government of Canada will take a leadership role with international partners to promote better passenger experiences for persons with disabilities.
The Government of Canada will work to further enhance accessible travel for everyone.
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