1.2 Contact Information and Feedback Process
3.0 Areas Described Under Section 5 of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA)
3.4 Information and Communications Technologies
3.5 Communication, Other Than Information and Communication Technologies
3.6 Design and Delivery of Programs and Services
3.7 Procurement of Goods, Services, and Facilities
4.1 Concept Testing for Renewal of the Canadian Children’s Museum
4.2 Progress Report Consultation
4.3 Visitor Research and Evaluation
The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) is a federal law designed to make Canada more accessible for everyone. Our first Accessibility Plan, published in December 2022,outlines what we will do in 2023, 2024 and 2025. We are now publishing our second annual Progress Report, which covers the improvements made and what we’ve learned about accessibility in 2024. It also shares updates on all accessibility actions we took in 2024.
Since we published our first Progress Report last year, we have learned a lot about what time and resources are needed and available to us to advance accessibility initiatives at the Museums. We’ve incorporated these learnings by revising timelines, re-allocating resources, and aligning some initiatives with pre-existing ones to ensure that the accessibility improvements we’re making are the ones that are needed the most. The employee working group we formed in 2022 has been critical in tracking progress and keeping lines of communication open between different departments.
As you will see in this report, many of the actions for 2024 are complete. These include:
We welcome feedback, including feedback submitted anonymously. Feedback may be provided by employees, volunteers, visitors and anyone else who comes into contact with the Museums. We are committed to reviewing all feedback we receive and taking steps to address the barriers identified.
You can submit feedback about accessibility by contacting:
HR Programs Support Specialist, People and Culture
Email: accessible@historymuseum.ca
Telephone:
Local: 819-776-7000
Toll free: 1-800-555-5621
TTY for people with hearing disabilities: 819-776-7003
By mail:
Canadian Museum of History
100 Laurier Street
Gatineau QC K1A 0M8
Canadian War Museum
1 Vimy Place
Ottawa ON K1A 0M8
In person:
Information
Canadian Museum of History
100 Laurier Street
Gatineau QC K1A 0M8
Information
Canadian War Museum
1 Vimy Place
Ottawa ON K1A 0M8
On our feedback pages:
historymuseum.ca/about/contact-us
warmuseum.ca/about/contact-us
Via social media:
Canadian Museum of History
Facebook: Canadian History Museum (@CanMusHistory)
Instagram: @CanMusHistory
X: @CanMusHistory
Canadian War Museum
Facebook: Canadian War Museum (@warmuseum)
Instagram: @CanWarMuseum
X: @CanWarMuseum
You can also request alternative formats of our Accessibility Plan, this Progress Report, the 2023 Progress Report and a description of our feedback process by contacting:
HR Programs Support Specialist, People and Culture
Email: accessible@historymuseum.ca
The Museums commit to providing this Progress Report in alternative formats, as quickly as possible, to those who request it. We commit to meeting the following deadlines from the time the request is made:
An electronic version of our Accessibility Plan and this Progress Report, designed to work with assistive technology, can be downloaded from our websites:
Accessibility Audit: An assessment of barriers for people with disabilities. An audit is normally undertaken by different organizations, using a shared set of standards.
Administrative Spaces: Spaces not accessible to the public, including offices and meeting rooms.
Built Environment: Human-made structures, including sidewalks, roads, buildings and furniture.
Consultation Framework: A plan that indicates how, when and with whom the Museums will consult.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) Strategy: A plan the Museums have worked on designed to ensure that people are treated fairly and with respect, and that they are given equal opportunities. This document applies to all individuals, regardless of background, identity or ability.
Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level: A readability test designed to help determine how difficult it is to understand a piece of writing in English.
Digital Engagement Strategy: The Museum’s strategy for connecting with audiences through digital channels.
Portable Seating: Accessible seating options designed to be transported and used throughout the Museums by members of the public with reduced mobility.
Terms of Reference: A committee or board document describing who they are, what they do, and how they will work.
New Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy
We are excited to announce the publication of the Canadian Museum of History’s first-ever external, accessible EDIA (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility) Strategy, following the official launch of our five-year Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) Strategy. One of the key pillars is creating accessible Museum spaces for everyone. We have also created an EDIA implementation plan to guide the completion of this work going forward. You can learn more about these commitments directly from Museum leadership in this video.
Digital Museums Canada
Digital Museums Canada launched several accessibility pilot programs in 2024, including a paid summer student position with priority for students with disabilities. The summer student, mentored by DMC staff, worked on several accessibility initiatives. We made strategic connections with other museums and agencies in the National Capital Region and visited those with accessibility labs to learn more about assistive technologies, tools and methodologies. This research will help us as we develop a small-scale accessibility lab for internal use at the Canadian Museum of History.
| Action | Progress |
|---|---|
| By March 2024, all employees and volunteers receive basic accessibility training. |
Done. All new employees receive training within three months of starting at the Museums. Trainees have reported greater confidence in interacting with and talking about people with disabilities. |
| By December 2025, develop a consultation framework. |
Action in progress. The collaborative consultation work with LTRT has provided multiple opportunities to consult with people with disabilities. The consultation sessions have provided Museum employees with insights into how lived experiences of people with disabilities can be incorporated into the planning and delivery of accessible and inclusive built environment spaces and visitor experiences. The consultation framework will be finalized for inclusion in the new 2026–2028 Three-Year Accessibility Plan. |
| Establish an internal advisory group of employees with disabilities in 2024. |
Action in progress. Internal discussions have already begun at the Museums to determine the best approach for establishing and managing this internal advisory group of employees with disabilities. Suggestions emerging from the EDIA Steering Group and the Diversity and Inclusion Group include leveraging the resources within these groups to provide feedback and consultation on accessibility initiatives. As part of this process, consultations are being held with these groups, which also include individuals with disabilities, to ensure their perspectives are integral to shaping effective and inclusive strategies. |
| By January 2025, establish an external advisory group.
|
Action in progress. Terms of reference for the Museums’ future Accessibility Advisory Committee (ACC) have been drafted. This action is being aligned with the implementation of the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) Strategy. The Museum’s external Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) will be up and running in order to be consulted on the new Three-Year Accessibility Plan 2026–2028. We expect this to be complete by September 2025. |
| By January 2025, develop a training plan identifying other training needs to support accessibility initiatives. |
Action in progress. In March 2024, the Public Affairs and Digital Engagement Strategy teams partnered to deliver a series of four accessibility workshops to internal staff with roles in communications, digital content, and events delivery. The Digital Engagement Strategy team is coordinating the development, delivery and dissemination of tools and guides for creating accessible digital content and will publish these resources on our intranet by March 2025. |
| Action | Progress |
|---|---|
| By December 2024, we will review and update existing exhibition display standards to improve accessibility. This will include how we place panels, objects and structures within our exhibition spaces. |
Done. We are now developing a work plan for implementing the updates. We expect we will have this work plan and the new standards ready in 2025. |
| By December 2024, we will review and update existing exhibition text and graphic standards to ensure accessibility. This will include considering font sizes and other factors that affect text readability in our exhibitions. Starting in 2025, these standards will be applied when developing new exhibitions. |
Done. We are now elaborating a work plan for implementing the updates. We will be developing a shared approach to advancing new standards across the Museums. |
| In 2023, review and update the Plan Your Visit webpages for both Museums, to add information about accessibility features and known barriers. |
Action in progress. Details on the progress of this action can be found below in the section Communications (Other than ICT). |
| By December 2024, deliver the first phase of the ongoing LED lighting-conversion project. |
Done. We are replacing fluorescent lighting with LED lighting throughout the Museums in phases. |
| In 2024, make portable seating available to visitors. |
Done. Portable seating is available to Museum visitors at the reception desk on a first-come, first-served basis. |
| Work with an accessibility advisory group throughout the Canadian Children’s Museum Renewal (CCMR) project. This activity will be ongoing. |
Done. For more information about the feedback shared in these meetings see Section 4: Consultations. |
| By January 2024, provide training to visitor-facing staff related to updated or new processes to assist visitors who use wheelchairs or scooters. |
Done. |
| Action | Progress |
|---|---|
| By March 2024, develop guidelines for accessible meetings. |
Done. |
| By March 2024, communicate new guidelines for accessible meetings to staff. |
Done. Staff report greater confidence in how to host accessible meetings, and attendees with disabilities report fewer barriers in meetings. |
| By June 2024, take steps to ensure that the staff intranet is more accessible. Begin to identify barriers and prioritize solutions, in consultation with an internal advisory group of employees with disabilities. |
Action in progress. The Museums replaced their outdated intranets with a new and more accessible platform in June 2023. A new architecture and hierarchy were introduced, making it easier to navigate. The identification of remaining barriers, and prioritization of solutions, will be done in consultation with an internal advisory committee, once this committee is created. We expect to complete this action by June 2025. |
| By March 2024, confirm skills or provide training on inclusive job postings. |
Done. |
| By December 2024, review new job postings and job descriptions to ensure that they are inclusive of people with disabilities. |
Done. |
| Write new job postings in plain language. |
Done. Job postings are now written in plain language at a Flesch-Kincaid Grade 8 reading level or lower. |
| In 2024, update our accommodations processes, communicate the updates to managers and employees and provide required training. |
Done. |
| Action | Progress |
|---|---|
| By March 2024, complete an accessibility audit of the Museums’ websites (including the Plan Your Visit webpages, calendars of events, blogs, and collections searches). |
Action in progress. Updated websites were launched in November 2024 in compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA standards. User testing of the new websites by people with disabilities was completed in November and December of 2024. We expect to conduct an audit of the new websites by March 2025. |
| By December 2024, complete a review of social media content and practices for accessibility. |
Done. |
| By 2025, remove the biggest barriers on the Museums’ websites and social media platforms and make sure the most important information is accessible. |
Action in progress. The removal of barriers in our social media has been completed. The websites were recently redesigned, and we expect this action to be complete by December 2025. |
| Action | Progress |
|---|---|
| By March 2024, develop and implement accessible PowerPoint and Word templates. |
Action in progress. We expect this to be complete by December 2025. |
| By March 2024, develop a checklist for making documents accessible in Word, PowerPoint, PDF, Excel and other media and digital formats. |
Action in progress.We expect this to be complete by December 2025. |
| By December 2023, establish internal standards for plain language and inclusive language. Develop processes to meet these standards. |
Done. |
| By March 2024, establish internal processes to respond to and fulfill requests for materials in alternative formats. |
Done. |
| Continue to provide sign language interpretation and captioning at in-person and virtual public events and programs, when requested in advance. |
Ongoing. |
| By February 2024, review and update the Plan Your Visit webpages for both Museumsand provide information on accessibility features and known barriers at the Museums,including a list of available amenities in accessible washrooms. |
Done. The updated Plan Your Visit webpages are now live and accessible to the public. |
| By December 2024, research social stories best practices and develop initial storyboards. |
Done. |
| Action | Progress |
|---|---|
| By December 2023, develop and implement accessible PowerPoint and Word templates. |
Action in progress. We expect this action to be complete by December 2025. |
| In 2024, research and purchase noise-cancelling headphones for visitor use. |
Done. |
| By March 2024, make noise-cancelling headphones available to visitors. Set up visitor lending processes and communications. |
Done. Noise-cancelling headphones can now be reserved ahead of time by our visitors through our website and call centre. They are also available at the Information desks. The headphones are available free of charge. |
| By March 2024, add information about headphones to the Plan Your Visit webpages. |
Done. |
| By December 2024, revise the Visitor Code of Conduct to be more inclusive. |
Done. The updated Visitor Code of Conduct has been posted to the Museums’ website. |
| By December 2024, provide audit training to employees who interact with the public (Visitor Services staff, Security staff, Library and Research Centre staff, volunteers, Gift Shop and Food Services staff, etc.). |
Done. We reviewed the training offered to front-line staff and they have access to the ReThink Ability module that includes training on interacting with people with disabilities. We are looking at more customized training in the future, including demonstrative training involving visitors with disabilities in early 2025. |
| By December 2023, review and revise existing accessibility training for customer service staff; align with and enhance basic accessibility training. |
Done. We reviewed the training offered to front-line staff and they have access to the ReThink Ability module that includes training on interacting with people with disabilities. We are looking at more customized training in the future. |
| By December 2024, write and implement a Scent-Free Directive. Post the directive on the Museums’ websites, in employee training manuals and on the intranet. |
Done.The Scent-Free Directive was developed, approved and communicated to staff by the end of November. |
| By March 2024, provide a form on the Museums’ websites, along with a telephone number for visitors to request scooters for visits. |
Done. Scooters and other mobility devices such as wheelchairs and walkers can be booked ahead of visits via our website or call centre. Visitors are making use of the reservation system, as are employees who need to coordinate mobility devices for VIP guests. |
| By March 2024, ensure that the Canadian War Museum has at least one dedicated mobility device available to volunteers. |
Done. |
| By December 2024, audit how other cultural institutions approach quiet/loud hours. Assess operational requirements. |
Done. |
| By December 2024, consult with people with disabilities on preferred approaches for quiet/loud hours for the Museums. |
Done. In November 2024, we consulted with an external Accessibility Advisory Group made up of people with diverse disabilities and backgrounds to discuss quiet/loud hours for the Museums, and how sensory-friendly visiting hours should be approached. |
| Action | Progress |
|---|---|
| By March 2024, establish a source list for required accessibility services (for example, plain-language writers, editors and translators; Braille, digital, audio, captioning, descriptive video, sign language interpretation). |
Revised. After looking into creating a source list we determined that it was a better use of vendors’ time to have us contact them when the need arises. Services will instead be contracted on an as-needed basis. |
We do not provide transportation to the public. However, we do understand that it is our responsibility to be aware of transportation barriers that may affect employees or visitors. Our Accessibility Plan currently includes addressing one transportation-related barrier in the built environment. We have also identified issues with snow removal along bus routes outside our buildings. In addition, the Museums have received feedback on access to our sites during large-scale events hosted on Museum grounds, or nearby.
The Museums will continue working with event partners to address specific barriers to accessibility.
The Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum continued to work with Left Turn Right Turn (LTRT), a consulting firm specializing in accessibility, through its Accessibility Advisory Group (AAG). The AAG consists of 8 to 10 people who have various disabilities as well as representation from a variety of other groups (such as Francophones and Anglophones, women, racialized people, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, Indigenous people, rural inhabitants). AAG members meet with LTRT clients to discuss accessibility barriers and share their stories, opinions and priorities. The Museum has engaged with the AAG in 2024 on the following projects:
The Canadian Children’s Museum Renewal Project consulted with LTRT’s Accessibility Advisory Group (AAG) on February 21 and 28, 2024. These two consultations gathered feedback regarding potential themes and activities under consideration for the renewal of the Canadian Children’s Museum (CCM).
Attendees of the AAG meetings included a mix of parents with disabilities and caregivers of children with disabilities. In some cases, participants had disabilities and were caregivers of children with disabilities. The discussion covered participants’ perceptions of the themes and possible activities being considered for the renewed CCM. These perceptions were based on the information made available to them. Overall considerations discussed included: sensory over-stimulation, free play and structure, sign language, physical play, and visual accessibility.
Participants were highly engaged in the discussions and demonstrated appreciation that the Museum was consulting disability communities prior to making key decisions. Many expressed an interest in attending the Museum after the revitalization work is complete. This is an ideal outcome. Although these consultations were a “one-off” for the Museum, they can be considered an opportunity for ongoing relationship building. People with disabilities who are enthusiastic about the accessibility of space can serve as wonderful informal community ambassadors if the relationship is well maintained.
A detailed report was produced, and feedback from the AAG has been integrated into concept planning. Also, some feedback participants gave at both meetings can be applied quite broadly to the Museum’s decisions about themes, activities and overall space considerations.
The Museums consulted with the AAG in preparing this Progress Report. AAG members were asked to read through a draft of the report and provide feedback on our progress, overall impressions of the report’s formatting and organization, and anything they felt was missing. We received the following feedback:
We have incorporated the feedback from the AAG into the final version of the Progress Report and have shared more information on specific actions where we have been able to. We sincerely thank the AAG members for their honest and actionable feedback.
In 2023–2024, the Canadian Museum of History and Canadian War Museum conducted several visitor research studies on and off site, which included questions about accessibility. These included:
General Audience Survey
In August and September 2023, 355 visitors at the Museum of History and 353 visitors at the War Museum were engaged after their visits and were asked to fill out a questionnaire if they were 16 years of age or older.
Visitors were asked to rate the accessibility of the Museums in terms of their spaces, amenities, exhibitions and programs. These were the results:
The Museums will continue to ask for feedback on accessibility in future general audience surveys. We are currently collaborating with other national museums to improve our questions regarding accessibility, so we can better identify specific barriers to visits.
Regional and National Awareness and Outreach Study
In winter 2024, the Museums surveyed 1,249 Canadians and 1,467 residents in the Toronto–Montréal corridor (including the National Capital Region) through an online panel. Respondents were a mix of recent visitors to the Museums, people who have visited in the past, and people who have never visited. Both studies included an oversample of 200 respondents from EDIA groups, including people with disabilities, to ensure good representation. Results were weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the country based on the latest census data (2021).
Some interesting findings include:
Some key takeaways from this study include the need to address negative attitude affinities (for example, when people believe an organization is “not for people like me”) by ensuring that the Museums are taking the necessary actions to be perceived as welcoming for diverse audiences. This includes delivering on Accessibility Plan commitments, including increased collaboration with the disability community to develop accessible and inclusive exhibitions, programs and services.
Evaluations of Educational Programs
In 2023–2024, the Museums also updated their questionnaires for evaluating virtual school programs and educational kits (shipped to schools across Canada) to include accessibility questions. Teachers were asked to identify if students in their class had disabilities and to rate the accessibility of the programs/materials. Most teachers rated the accessibility of programs/materials as “excellent.” A full report of findings has not yet been produced.
Since the Canadian Museum of History first published its Accessibility Plan on December 23, 2022, a feedback mechanism has been in place to receive comments, questions, complaints and recommendations from the Museum’s employees and its public audience. Although the mechanism is intended for feedback on the Accessibility Plan and subsequent progress reports, additional feedback related to accessibility has been received through the Museums’ online web forms or sent to the Museum’s accessible@historymuseum.ca/ accessible@warmuseum.ca email inbox. The Museum did not receive any requests for alternate formats of its Accessibility Plan or 2023 Progress Report in 2024.
The following is a summary of the volume of feedback received, by theme, from January 1 to November 30, 2024.
This feedback has provided opportunities for the Museums to acknowledge and respond to accessibility-related requests, comments, questions, complaints and recommendations. Once receipt of the feedback has been acknowledged, staff forward the comments to the appropriate department. The relevant department then decides how to handle the issue — for example, deciding whether it is possible to act on the feedback immediately, or whether it requires a longer-term solution.
Here is an example of a comment received from a visitor, as well as the response provided by the Museum:
Visitor comment received on August 4, 2024:
“Hello!If you are getting disabled ppl to call you to book attendant tickets, it would be best to provide a direct extension. It's confusing to navigate the phone menus to find the right person to talk to. It's not obvious what the right option is when working through the phone menus. After my third try, I just called the boutique. That's not great in terms of accessibility. Extensions for mobility aide rentals and the extension for getting an attendant ticket should both be easily available. This little change would make it much easier for disabled folk to plan an accessible trip. Y'all are in a position to make this better for people like me. Thank you.”
Response sent to visitor on August 7, 2024:
Hello [name removed], Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your experience with our phone navigation system. We extend our sincere apologies for the frustration and inconvenience you encountered when trying to book admission tickets to the Museum. Please know that we are deeply committed to ensuring accessibility for all our visitors. As part of our ongoing efforts to improve accessibility across all facets of the Museum, we are actively working on revamping our phone navigation system to make it simpler, more efficient, and user-friendly for everyone. Your feedback will help us in this process as we strive to prioritize accessibility. In the meantime, we would greatly appreciate if you could share your phone number and contact information with us at information@historymuseum.ca. This will allow us to have one of our dedicated agents reach out to you directly to address your specific needs and ensure a seamless booking process. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to make improvements for a more inclusive and accessible experience for all our visitors. Thank you once again for reaching out and for giving us the opportunity to enhance our services.”
Among other things, we have identified a need to improve how we update our Accessibility Working Group on feedback received. Leads in this group would benefit from hearing the public’s comments, questions, suggestions and recommendations. This can help to ensure that systemic problems and trends are noted and prevented. We will report back on our progress in this area in next year's Progress Report.