Proposed accessibility bill would catch Alberta up to most provinces

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on March 18, 2026.

newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com

St. Albert NDP MLA Marie Renaud put forward a bill this week that would implement a province-wide accessibility framework.

Alberta is one of only two provinces without accessibility legislation, alongside Prince Edward Island. Saskatchewan and New Brunswick adopted accessibility legislation in 2023.

“In plain language, if this bill is passed, it will enable the creation of a plan for government to work beside experts to develop accessibility standards that will identify, remove and prevent barriers for disabled people,” Renaud told the legislature Monday.

Renaud says the government’s current framework of disability-related legislation is a patchwork that leaves many gaps.

“Take this place. ASL is only available during question period, so anyone who is deaf cannot participate in this debate.”

If passed, Bill 206, the Accessible Alberta Act, would compel the creation of a committee of experts and individuals with lived experience navigating disability to advise on measures to improve accessibility in employment, transportation, health, housing and education.

Bill 206 was subject to a second reading during Monday’s sitting of the legislature.

Disability advocate Zachary Weeks says if passed, Bill 206 would be warmly welcomed by Albertans living with disabilities.

“Quite frankly, it would be groundbreaking in terms of Alberta finally catching up with the rest of Canada, to hopefully have a piece of legislation that would ultimately improve the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of Albertans.”

Last week, the province made an announcement related to the forthcoming rollout of a parallel disability income support program, the Alberta Disability Assistance Plan, designed to augment the existing Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped program.

Disability advocates have been critical of the changes, which will see the majority of AISH clients moved to a new program that assumes a certain ability to work.

Weeks says the province requires a more robust accessibility framework before changes like that one should be considered.

“I think it goes without saying that people with disabilities deserve to work, but unfortunately, consultation has been far lacking in terms of what that means,” he said. “I think the first step is making sure that you have the right infrastructure in place to launch programs like ADAP and make sure that people who ‘need to get a job’ can actually get into the building, for starters, or navigate a website that’s accessible for them to apply for a job.”

The Canadian Press reported that Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services Jason Nixon told media Monday he had concerns about the bill. Nixon said challenges include a lack of consultation with businesses and the concentration of authority over accessibility policy in an unelected committee.

Weeks says having accessibility policy shaped by those with lived experience is essential, and the UCP government has not shown willingness to consult with advocates using existing channels in the past.

“Every one of the groups I’m involved in have reached out to the minister, and there’s been no willingness to meet. In order for a bill like this to be as successful as possible, we do need collaboration, but so far, we haven’t seen that.”

Renaud said a report commissioned by Treasury Board and Finance in 2022 found that disabled Albertans already account for 500,000 jobs and $29 million in employment income province-wide, adding $48 million to Alberta’s GDP. That report found that Albertans with disabilities who have the potential to work could contribute an additional $8.5 billion in additional labour income.

The Alberta Chambers of Commerce, which represents more than 100 chambers across the province including the Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce in Medicine Hat, has expressed support for the tabling of an accessibility act.

Weeks encourages Albertans to write to their MLAs to express support for Bill 206. A link to send a pre-written email of support to your local MLA is available on his webpage, zacharyweeks.ca.

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