Accessible Transportation Planning and Reporting

Summary#

The final rule, the Accessible Transportation Planning and Reporting Regulations (the ATPRR), tells federally regulated transportation providers how to prepare and publish accessibility plans, feedback processes and progress reports. The rules were registered and came into force on December 13, 2021 and implement parts of the Accessible Canada Act under the oversight of the Canadian Transportation Agency.

What it does#

• Sets what must be in an accessibility plan and a progress report, and requires a separate description of how the public can give feedback.
• Requires the plan, the feedback description and progress reports to be posted where the public can easily find them on the provider’s main digital platform. If a provider has no public digital platform, paper copies must be displayed in a main reception area.
• Requires online material to meet Level AA Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) in both official languages.
• Allows people to request the documents in alternate formats (print, large print, braille, audio or electronic formats compatible with assistive technology). Time limits:
  • Braille or audio: within 45 days of a request.
  • Other alternate formats: for large providers (Classes 1 and 2) within 15 days; for smaller providers (Class 3) within 20 days.
• Requires a public contact (a named person or position) to receive feedback, allows anonymous feedback, and requires acknowledgement of non-anonymous feedback in the same way it was received.
• Requires the regulated entity to notify the Canadian Transportation Agency by electronic means within 48 hours after publishing any plan, progress report or feedback description, including a link or locations where print copies are available.
• Defines classes by size so deadlines are staggered:
  • Class 1 (federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations) — day fixed December 31, 2021.
  • Class 2 (private sector, 100 or more employees) — day fixed June 1, 2022.
  • Class 3 (private sector, 10 or more but fewer than 100 employees) — day fixed June 1, 2023.
  • Class 4 (fewer than 10 employees) are not given a fixed date and are effectively exempt from the current deadlines.
• Sets a three‑year cycle: publish an accessibility plan, then two annual progress reports, then update the plan.

Who's affected#

• Transportation service providers regulated at the federal level. This includes airlines, passenger railways, ferry operators, inter‑provincial bus carriers, airports and other terminals, and federal bodies such as CATSA and CBSA. It also covers federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations that provide transportation services.
• People with disabilities who use the federal transportation network. They are the primary beneficiaries of clearer plans, accessible documents and formal feedback channels.
• Very small providers with fewer than 10 employees are not required to meet these deadlines under the ATPRR.
• The Canadian Transportation Agency will monitor compliance and receive notices from providers.

Why it matters#

• Makes accessibility planning more public and easier to find. That helps people with disabilities know what providers plan to do and how to give feedback.
• Requires accessible digital publication and alternate formats. That reduces time, confusion and anxiety for people who need accessible information.
• Creates a regular reporting cycle and a named contact for feedback. That increases transparency and gives disability advocates and travellers a clearer way to follow progress and raise issues.
• The government’s economic analysis estimated overall benefits of $2,015,520, costs of $1,133,997, and a net present benefit of $881,523 over ten years. These figures come from the Regulatory Impact Analysis in the Gazette item.
• The ATPRR are one piece of the federal plan under the Accessible Canada Act toward a barrier‑free Canada and support Canada’s commitments under international disability rights agreements.