2026 to 2028 Accessibility Plan

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

December 2025

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© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, 2025

Catalogue No. IP52-1E-PDF
ISSN 2817-0881

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Introduction

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) has prepared this Accessibility Plan to share with the public, our stakeholders, and our employees. It describes how the OPC plans to remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities over the next three years. This is our second Accessibility Plan that we have developed and published in accordance with the requirements of the Accessible Canada Act.

We published our first Accessibility Plan in December 2022. We are proud of the work that we have accomplished over the last three years to improve accessibility at the OPC, and we have built momentum that will help us to continue our progress. To develop our 2026-2028 Accessibility Plan, teams from across our organization worked on identifying barriers at the OPC and action items to help address them. Additionally, we consulted with individuals who identify as having a disability (including OPC employees and individuals who interact with the OPC), whose meaningful feedback has influenced the commitments in this accessibility plan.

Our commitment to accessibility

We are committed to building a workplace and organization that is accessible and inclusive for everyone. Our goal is to identify and work towards removing barriers so that all employees and members of the public can fully participate and access our programs, services, and information. Since accessibility is an ongoing journey, we continue to actively seek feedback, learn from lived experiences and take action to make meaningful improvements to make the OPC’s services more accessible.

About the OPC

The Privacy Commissioner of Canada (“Commissioner”) is an agent of Parliament. The Commissioner is supported by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (“OPC”). The Commissioner’s broad mission is to protect and promote privacy rights of Canadians. One way that the Commissioner fulfils this mission is by providing advice and information to individuals about protecting personal information. The OPC enforces two federal privacy laws that set out the rules for how federal government institutions and certain businesses must handle personal information.

The OPC supports a culture that embraces diversity and inclusion to provide the highest quality of service to Canadians. The OPC works to make sure that employees, clients and stakeholders can take part fully in our Office’s mandate and activities.

You can learn more about the OPC on our website.

Providing feedback to the OPC

The OPC welcomes feedback from our employees, stakeholders and members of the public.

What can I give feedback about?

You can give feedback about:

• this accessibility plan
• barriers that you have encountered when interacting with the OPC

Feedback can be given anonymously. We will acknowledge receipt of your feedback within 15 days unless you submitted the feedback anonymously.

How will my feedback be used?

Your feedback will be shared with and considered by the teams responsible for accessibility at the OPC. It may be actioned while the current accessibility plan is in place, or it may be considered for a plan. Plans are developed and published every three years.

A summary of all the feedback we received and how it was considered will be included in our progress reports. We will keep your feedback for at least seven years.

How can I give feedback?

If you would like to share your feedback with us, you can contact the Chief of Staff, who is designated to receive feedback, in the following ways:

• Email: Accessibility@priv.gc.ca
• Telephone number: 819-994-5444
  Toll-free phone number: 1-800-282-1376
  TTY line: 819-994-6591
  Hours of operation: 9AM – 4PM Eastern Time
• Mail:
  Accessibility Feedback – Chief of Staff
  Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
  30 Victoria Street, Gatineau, Quebec
  K1A 1H3
• Online feedback form: Accessibility feedback form

How to ask for alternate formats

If you would like this accessibility plan or a description of our feedback process in an alternative format, please contact the Chief of Staff in any of the following ways:

• Email: Accessibility@priv.gc.ca
• Telephone number: 819-994-5444
  Toll-free phone number: 1-800-282-1376
  TTY line: 819-994-6591
  Hours of operation: 9AM – 4PM Eastern Time
• Mail:
  Accessibility Feedback – Chief of Staff
  Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
  30 Victoria Street, Gatineau, Quebec
  K1A 1H3
• Online feedback form: Accessibility feedback form

When alternate formats will be ready

The following alternative formats are available upon request:

Within 15 days of receiving a request:

• Print
• Large print (increased font size)

Within 45 days of receiving a request:

• Braille (a system of raised dots that people who are blind or who have low vision can read with their fingers)
• Audio (a recording of someone reading the text out loud)

Definitions

The following definitions apply throughout this accessibility plan:

• Disability: Any impairment, or difference in physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, or communication ability. Disabilities can be permanent, temporary or can change over time.
• Barrier: Anything that might hinder people with disabilities’ full and equal participation. Barriers can be architectural, technological, attitudinal, based on information or communications or can be the result of a policy or procedure.
• Accessibility: The design of products, devices, services, environments, technologies, policies and rules in a way that allows all people, including people with a variety of disabilities, to access them.

Consultations

We value the perspectives and experiences of people with disabilities who interact with the OPC. To develop this plan, we consulted with people with disabilities in several ways.

User Testing of our Complaint Form

During the summer of 2025, we engaged a group of Canadians with disabilities to test the complaint form on our website. This group was made up of people with diverse kinds of disabilities, ages, life experiences, and locations across the country. We assigned each user tester a fictional complaint and asked them to try to file the complaint using the form on our website. We then met with the group of user testers to ask about their experiences and to collect their feedback.

This exercise provided us with very valuable information about the usability and accessibility of our online complaint form. The user testers made suggestions on ways in which we could simplify the language in the form and make the complaint portal easier to navigate. The feedback they gave us has been incorporated into several of the goals in this plan that are related to information and communication technologies (ICT). We will also be able to apply their feedback in the design of updated or new tools in the future.

Employee Consultations

In the fall of 2025, we conducted two types of consultations with employees and managers across the OPC. First, we worked with an independent consulting firm to organize interviews with employees and managers who identify as having disabilities. These interviews were anonymous, entirely voluntary and were coordinated and facilitated by the consulting firm. The participants in these interviews shared feedback about the OPC’s improvements to accessibility over the last three years and provided suggestions about ways we can continue to improve in this area.

Later in the fall, we also launched an anonymous, virtual survey to collect accessibility-related feedback. It was hosted on our internal platform, and the link was shared with all employees and managers at the OPC. The survey contained questions about respondents’ perceptions of accessibility at the OPC and about their knowledge of accessibility as it relates to their work. The survey was voluntary, and we received 71 responses, which represents approximately 30% of our workforce. The survey responses provided both numerical data about accessibility and detailed information about accessibility at the OPC. We plan to redistribute the survey at regular intervals in the future to measure changes across time.

The feedback we received during our employee consultations was extremely valuable. Key themes included:

• A desire among employees and managers alike for more information and resources about accessibility as it relates to their work.
• Inconsistent awareness about accessibility resources that are available in the OPC’s offices, such as the process for reserving focus rooms or the kinds of accessible equipment that can be requested.
• Suggestions about ways we can increase awareness among the OPC’s workforce of neurodivergence and less visible disabilities.

We incorporated the feedback we received throughout this report into our accessibility goals.

Our accessibility goals

Organization-wide

We have planned several actions for the next three years that are aimed at improving organization-wide collaboration on accessibility-related projects across the OPC.

The following actions are intended to promote an integrated and collaborative approach to accessibility by enhancing leadership, coordination and awareness across the organization.

Identified barriers

• Accessibility-related knowledge, resources and practices are not consistently shared or centralized across teams. This leads to uneven access to information, limited collaboration among managers and decision makers, and varied levels of awareness and implementation of accessibility initiatives.

Actions for 2026 to 2028

• We will develop a digital centralized accessibility hub to consolidate key resources and tools for employees. This initiative will support greater transparency, facilitate communication and strengthen the organization’s overall capacity to collaborate on accessibility related initiatives and increase awareness.
• We will add accessibility-related measures to the OPC’s Inclusivity Framework. These additions to the Inclusivity Framework will help to strengthen organizational accountability and ensure continuous progress toward an inclusive and barrier-free workplace.
• We will explore mechanisms, such as creating working groups to enhance coordination, collaboration and knowledge sharing on accessibility based on operational priorities across the office. This may include clarifying roles and responsibilities, scheduling regular meetings for accessibility projects or exploring new technologies to help us collaborate.

Employment

The OPC is proud of our diverse and dedicated workforce. 247 people currently work at the OPC, and they all contribute to protecting and advancing the privacy rights of people in Canada. Over the past 3 years, we have worked to make our recruitment and employment systems more accessible, and to spread awareness of the importance of accessibility in the workplace.

Achievements to date

In 2023:

• We began using the Government of Canada’s Workplace Accessibility Passport. The Passport helps employees with disabilities get the tools and supports they need to succeed in their roles.
• We named an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion champion and formed a committee to promote events and activities related to accessibility.
• Our Communications team started to promote resources and events related to accessibility.
• We continued to analyze the success rates of employment equity groups, including persons with disabilities, to help identify any employment barriers that may exist.
• We updated the welcome message that is sent to all new employees to invite them to submit requests for accessibility tools through our Service Desk.
• We began using the Mitigating Bias and Barriers in Assessment tool for all hiring processes, helping hiring managers to identify potential biases and barriers in their assessment methods.
• We changed our service agreement with the Office of the Ombuds for Small Departments and Agencies from Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) to include exit interviews. These exit interviews help us to understand why employees with disabilities leave the OPC and how we can improve accommodations.
• The Human Resources (HR) team shared learning opportunities related to accessibility with OPC staff.

In 2024:

• We organized training for managers and executives about topics like neurodiversity, adaptive technology, and the duty to accommodate.
• We created a calendar of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion events and shared with everyone in the office.
• We launched a voluntary self-identification campaign on employment equity.
• We conducted an analysis of how employment equity groups, including people with disabilities, are represented in the workforce of the OPC.
• We carried out reviews of our employment policies, practices, and systems. This included an invitation for employees who self-identified as part of an employment equity group to share their experiences.

Identified barriers

• Employees with mobility/sensory disabilities feel that their needs have been met more consistently than employees with invisible disabilities (e.g. neurodivergent employees).
• While our mandatory training provides foundational information about accessibility, managers have told us that they need more specific information and resources to support employees with disabilities.
• Although there are training and resources available, both employees and management feel that they are not fully equipped to reduce barriers to accessibility in the office. Both employees and managers alike have expressed a desire for more information and resources about accessibility as it relates to their job and to making accessibility-related improvements.
• Some employees have noted that the way information is conveyed to them is not always accessible. For example, new hires are expected to undertake self-directed training when hired. This format can be challenging for individuals with learning disabilities or who are neurodivergent.
• Although the OPC provides immediate temporary accommodation at the start of the accommodation process while management assesses the request, employees with disabilities have told us that our accommodation process takes a long time to complete. Factors contributing to these timelines may include the need for medical documentation, procurement of specialized equipment, necessary consultations with relevant stakeholders and varying levels of awareness about the process itself.

Actions for 2026 to 2028

• We will review the current accommodation process to identify opportunities to clarify steps and responsibilities between employees, managers and corporate support teams.
• We will implement the activities that were identified in the Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (Appendix B of the Integrated HR Plan 2025–2030) to strengthen inclusion and accessibility across the organization.
• We will research and collect resources about how managers can support employees with disabilities. We will add these resources to our online accessibility hub.
• We will periodically remind employees of the importance of self-identifying as per OPC’S organizational and emergency management guidelines.
• Once every 3 months, we will remind managers and employees requiring assistance to coordinate their in-office presence with their occupational health and safety monitors.
• Starting immediately, we will share information about accessibility for events that we plan for employees and managers, including information about potential barriers, so that people with disabilities can make informed choices about their participation.
• Starting immediately, when we organize team events, such as all-staff meetings, we will request feedback on accommodation needs from employees. We will then incorporate their feedback into our planning process.

The built environment

The OPC operates out of two offices. Our primary office is in Gatineau, Quebec, and we have a smaller office in Toronto, Ontario. We do not own the office buildings in which we operate, so we have limited direct control over major changes and renovations to our office spaces. We work with the property managers of each building to advocate for renovations and changes when they are needed to improve accessibility.

We recognize that the built environment can have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of everyone at the OPC. We are working to ensure that all employees and clients can access our spaces equitably and fairly, regardless of their disability status.

Achievements to date

In 2023:

• We updated all our open office workstations with sit-and-stand desks.
• We designated wheelchair accessible workstations in our open office area for people with mobility disabilities.
• We reinforced the buddy system for employees with disabilities in the event of an emergency at our offices, and updated the procedure to reflect the hybrid model.
• Touchless power-assisted door openers were added to all entry points leading to the OPC’s operational spaces, as well as to key internal doors within the premises.

In 2024:

• We hired a consulting firm to conduct a walkthrough of our Gatineau office. These consultants made further recommendations to reduce barriers and make our offices more accessible.

In 2025:

• We converted closed offices to unassigned seating and created five more focus rooms. The focus rooms can be booked by any employee to access a space where they can have more control over distractions, noise, and light.
• We installed dimmers in focus rooms and added task lighting in all closed offices so employees could control lighting.
• We replaced furniture in all closed offices and focus rooms to meet accessibility standards.

Identified barriers

• OPC’s offices are open concept, and employees reserve workstations each day that they are working in the office. While this open-concept system may improve collaboration and maximize the use of space, this system may make it more difficult or distracting for some people with disabilities to work in the office.
• The lighting in most office spaces is overhead. 90% of the lighting has been updated with LED lighting.
• We use white noise in our ventilation system to reduce noise-based distractions for employees who work in our offices. Many employees find the white noise helpful. Some people who are neurodivergent or who are d/Deaf or hard-of-hearing have difficulty working with the white noise and may not know whether the white noise can be turned off or how to do so.
• Some of the emergency equipment in our offices, such as automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) and first aid kits, though currently reachable by people in wheelchairs or those shorter in stature, may be lowered to be more optimally positioned.

Actions for 2026 to 2028

• We will post information about the quiet zones and focus rooms including their intended use on our accessibility hub along with information about booking designated meeting spaces. We will also share periodic reminders about our booking policies through various channels, such as email, office-wide meetings, or onboarding materials.
• We will complete the lighting replacements for the remaining 10% of office lighting that still uses fluorescent lights.
• We will explore ways to improve how lighting can be controlled in individual areas of the office, such as adding dimmers in enclosed office spaces. Where possible, we will modify lighting in focus rooms and other spaces, such as desk or floor lamps, and share this information with employees.
• We will explore whether white noise can be turned off in certain focus rooms and we will share this information with employees. White noise has already been turned off in one area of the Gatineau office. In addition, we will continue providing noise-cancelling headphones to employees who request them.
• We will evaluate the placement of existing emergency equipment in 2026 to further optimize their placement to reduce barriers.
• Starting immediately, we will provide specific instructions to visitors or new hires before they come to the building to let them know how to find and access the security desk.

Information and communication technologies (ICT)

Work at the OPC is primarily computer-based and uses many kinds of information and communication technologies. Accessibility is an important consideration when we purchase new technologies and as we consider potential alternatives. In many cases, the accessibility of the technologies we use is limited by the accessibility of available options on the market.

Central agencies and common service providers, like Shared Services Canada (SSC) and Public Services and Procurement Canada, also set government-wide standards for purchasing many kinds of software and hardware. We are grateful for their leadership in helping us to adopt more accessible infrastructure at the OPC.

Achievements to date

In 2023:

• We formally added accessibility to the compliance assessment for new requests for non-standard software.

In 2024:

• We advised employees who require adaptive or ergonomic equipment at work that they do not need to provide a medical note to access the equipment they need.
• Our Information Technology (IT) team participated in working groups and communities of practice related to technology and accessibility, and we updated our practices and tools based on what they learned.

In 2025:

• We piloted transcription services on the Microsoft Teams platform that we use to hold meetings and communicate with one another. This has been successful, and we will undertake further security and privacy assessments before being deployed across the organization.

Identified barriers

• Information and resources about accessibility at the OPC can be hard to find as it is dispersed across multiple locations in our internal systems.
• A lot of the work that we do at the OPC involves computers, and we use many computer programs that have accessibility features built in. However, employees and managers may not be aware of these accessibility features and tools and so they are not being widely used.
• Some employees face barriers when there are no captions or transcripts for our meetings. This could be true for employees who are hard of hearing and for employees with auditory processing disabilities. We have started testing technology that can facilitate captions and transcripts.

Actions for 2026 to 2028

• As we noted under our Organization-Wide Goals, we will develop a digital centralized accessibility hub on an internal system that will make it easier to find information on this topic. We expect that the hub will be set up in early 2026.
• We will identify the built-in accessibility features in the software and computer programs that we use most often. We will create a document that outlines these features and how to use them. We will inform employees about this new document, and we will add it to our intranet accessibility hub.
• Over the next three years, we will research what options exist for captioning and transcript technology. Once we know what options exist, we will decide if any of them can meet out needs.
  • If we find a solution that meets our needs, we will adopt that technology for all our virtual meetings.

Communication, other than information and communication technologies

Our work involves a high volume of communications with diverse groups of people across Canada. We offer information and services aimed at children and young people, consumers and members of the general public, as well as business and government representatives. We need to consider many different audiences as we create content for our website, post on social media, and draft external-facing documents. At the same time, we need to ensure that all our communications are as accessible as possible. This creates interesting and important challenges for our communications teams.

Achievements to date

In 2023:

• The Communications team began ensuring that all documents posted on our website are in an accessible format, and that all our web pages meet the Standard on Web Accessibility and the Standard on Optimizing Websites and Applications for Mobile Devices.
• The Communications team added instructions to our form for consultation on biometrics guidance. These instructions were meant to help users better understand the form, including how it works and how to provide the information that the form requires.
• We encouraged our frontline staff to use plain language when interacting in writing with members of the public.
• We provided training to our Information Centre employees on how to help members of the public to fill out forms and access services offered by the OPC.

In 2024:

• The Communications team introduced a plain language guide and checklist. The guide and checklist have been shared with all staff and posted on the communications page on our internal website.

In 2025:

• Communications considerations are playing a key role in the re-development of the online complaint form, including the use of plain language and efforts to simplify the navigation to the form.
• We made improvements to our File a formal privacy complaint web page to make it more usable to site visitors. Based on feedback from the OPC’s Information Centre and from the complaints intake team, we determined what topics would be most useful and added those items to the top of the page, using plain language and organizing content based on best practices.
• We added an open-ended question related to accessibility to the 2025 public opinion research survey. The results of the survey will be used to further improve accessibility at the OPC.
• We created a user-friendly online tool for businesses and government institutions to assess data privacy breaches. The tool was developed with plain language and accessibility in mind and was tested by users with disabilities. Before the launch, our teams identified and responded to all accessibility and usability issues.
• We work continuously toward Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA compliance on our website. We have benefited from an automated accessibility checker that flags accessibility issues related to the website, including missing alt text for images or insufficient colour contrast. Keeping the OPC website compliant is an ongoing effort.
• We regularly share accessible communications information and advice with employees. For example, Communications staff explain best practices for creating usable web content when working with colleagues on developing new content and designs for web pages.
• We have added a new section on our intranet site where employees can find guides to help with plain language, inclusivity as well as accessibility.
• Communications team members continue to encourage the application of Canada.ca Content Style Guide rules pertaining to plain language and inclusive writing. The team has also started discussions on inclusive writing with internal clients so that agreed-upon standards are applied consistently in OPC documents in both official languages.

Identified barriers

• Internal communications, like all-staff emails and internal policies, are not always written in plain language. We have heard from employees that internal communications can be lengthy, overwhelming, and more complicated than necessary. This creates barriers to communication and understanding, especially for employees who are neurodivergent or who rely on screen reader technology.
• A lot of our work at the OPC involves in-person or hybrid meetings. We have heard from employees with disabilities that these meetings are not always planned with accessibility in mind, and that this creates barriers to accessibility. For example, meeting hosts do not always send meeting materials ahead of time, and this creates barriers for many employees who need time to prepare. Captions are not always enabled in virtual meetings with employees who require them.

Actions for 2026 to 2028

• We will create a tip sheet about accessible meeting practices and will add this tip sheet to our online accessibility resource space. Once this tip sheet is created, we will send regular reminders to employees about best practices for accessible meetings.
• We will work to develop an internal accessibility hub on the OPC’s intranet site to consolidate resources and tools in one location.

The procurement of goods, services and facilities

Most purchases that the OPC makes are related to computer software and hardware. Most software and hardware that we purchase goes through existing standing offers or supply arrangements, where accessibility needs have already been identified and confirmed.

When we need to purchase new goods or services, the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) is the contracting authority for the OPC. CHRC procurement officers ensure that when goods or services are being sourced and purchased on behalf of the OPC, these processes follow best practices in accessible procurement. Accessibility is therefore part of the OPC’s process of sourcing, selecting, and purchasing goods and services from the beginning.

When we prepare contracts ourselves, we work with the CHRC procurement officers, Legal Services, and the Shared Services Canada’s Accessibility, Accommodation and Adaptive Computer Technology teams to make sure that they meet accessibility requirements.

Identified barriers

• Employees who work on procurement-related activities have told us that they need more information and resources about how to prioritize accessibility in the procurement process.
• We follow procurement processes that we established in conjunction with the CHRC and SSC. These include the templates that we use and the ways that we share procurement-related information. Some of these templates and processes are lengthy and complicated, and they may not be accessible to people with disabilities. Since we did not establish the processes, we do not have full control over them.

Actions for 2026 to 2028

• We will review our procurement process and related documents to identify potential barriers for people with disabilities.
  • Once we have identified potential barriers, we will determine which barriers we can address internally at the OPC, and we will then make changes to reduce those barriers.
  • We will work with and advocate to the CHRC procurement officers and the SSC to address the barriers that are not within our control.
• By June 2026, we will add the Accessibility Standards Canada’s technical guides on accessible procurement to our accessibility hub and promote them with business owners and subject matter experts. We will continue to add other guides and resources as we become aware of them.
• Over the next three years, we will research and share information about training in accessible procurement that we can offer to managers and employees working in procurement.

The design and delivery of programs and services

We deliver many services to people across Canada, including:

• Respond to inquiries
• Business advisory services
• Media relations
• Respond to requests for information from Parliamentarians
• Contributions program of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
• Receive and review breach reports under PIPEDA
• Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA) Reviews
• Consultation services with federal institutions
• Receive and review notification of Public Interest Disclosures under the Privacy Act
• Review and investigate complaints under the Privacy Act
• Review and investigate complaints under PIPEDA
• Receive and review Privacy Act breach reports submitted in accordance with TBS Privacy Policy Instruments

It is a priority for us to make all these services as accessible as possible to everyone who needs them, including individuals with disabilities.

Achievements to date

In 2023:

• We began encouraging employees to complete unconscious bias training. The Policy, Research, and Parliamentary Affairs team facilitated a course that was taken by all employees on the Government Advisory team and most Communications employees.
• We acquired access to the SiteImprove web tool that helps us to assess the accessibility and usability of our website and flag potential barriers.
• Our Communications team updated the terms and conditions of use on our website to reflect our commitment to accessibility.
• We secured contracts to provide accessible formats of the publications on our website upon request. These include large print, Braille, audio format, and an electronic format that is compatible with adaptive technology.

In 2024:

• We designated a recommended learning path for employees that highlights courses offered by the Canada School of Public Service. The learning path includes courses on unconscious bias, accessible documents, and removing barriers to accessibility.
• Our Legal Services directorate facilitated an annual procedural fairness training session for all employees. This training session helps employees to understand unconscious bias, recognize and remove barriers to accessibility, and enhance the delivery of our programs and services.
• We updated our policy on accommodating clients with disabilities and encourage employees to read the policy and integrate it into their daily work.
• We reviewed several of our internal and public-facing resources to improve their accessibility and usability.

In 2025:

• Employees in our Compliance group and some members of our Legal Sector participated in a training session about using plain language when writing Reports of Findings.
• We organized a group of users with diverse disabilities to test our online complaint form and associated web pages. After they tested the form, we met with the group to receive their feedback and learn how we can improve the form. They shared a great deal of meaningful feedback and suggestions that we have incorporated while drafting this Accessibility Plan.
• We created a user-friendly online tool for businesses and government institutions to assess the real risk of significant harm of privacy breaches. The tool was developed with plain language and accessibility in mind and was tested by users with disabilities. Before launch, our team ensured that it addressed all accessibility and usability issues.

Identified barriers

• Our user testing group told us that our online complaint form is difficult to understand. Among their comments was that it is lacking plain language and that the instructions for completing the form and submitting a complaint are overly complex.
• Users also noted that our online complaint form is not fully accessible for some individuals who use adaptive technologies. Individuals who use screen readers have a hard time navigating through the different steps of the process and may sometimes be unable to submit their complaint because of these barriers.

Actions for 2026 to 2028

• We are revising our online complaint form and process to make it easier to use. We will make sure that instructions and important information are written in plain, simple and easy to understand language. We will also simplify the process and reduce the number of steps. Our goal is to launch a new, easier to use online complaint form by June 2026.
• As we re-design our online complaint form, we will ensure that the new form is accessible for all users and that it meets the standards that are set out in the Canadian standard for accessibility requirements for ICT products and services.
• Once our new online complaint form has been developed, we will ask users with disabilities to test it before it is launched to the public. If users discover barriers, we will address them before launching the form to the public.

Transportation

The OPC does not provide transportation services or, in-person public access to our offices. 

Identified barriers

• Our work at the OPC does not commonly require travel. When it does, it is possible that employees with disabilities may experience barriers when trying to get to the location or may be disproportionately impacted by the process of travelling.

Actions for 2026 to 2028

• When planning work-related events and travel, we remind staff to consider potential transportation barriers for employees with disabilities.

Conclusion

The mission of the OPC is to protect and promote the privacy rights of people in Canada. We are working to build a culture that embraces diversity and inclusion, to provide the highest quality of service to Canadians. It is essential that employees, clients and stakeholders can take part fully in our Office’s mandate and activities. We are deeply committed to improving accessibility at the OPC through the actions in this Accessibility Plan. Throughout our work, we will continue to listen to and incorporate the feedback of persons with disabilities who interact with the OPC.

We look forward to sharing updates on our progress in achieving our accessibility goals when we publish our next Progress Report in 2026.