Accessibility plan

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Ingenium’s team at Canada’s museums of science and innovation is committed to providing accessible opportunities for visitors, staff, and volunteers.

The creation of this accessibility plan is part of an ongoing commitment to becoming an inclusive organization that provides accessible programs, services, facilities, and employment opportunities. Our truth, reconciliation, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (TREDIA) plan will help ensure that accessibility is at the forefront of everything Ingenium offers.

As part of our mandate to foster scientific and technological literacy throughout Canada, we recognize the importance of ensuring that our collection and our programs, services, and facilities are accessible to all.

To remove and prevent accessibility barriers, it is essential that we understand the various types of barriers that exist and how to identify them. As part of this process, Ingenium acknowledges the complexity of the lived experience of persons with disabilities. We are committed to engaging in collaborative efforts to identify and remove all barriers to accessibility. This includes addressing any systemic and attitudinal barriers that reflect the ableism that exists in a society constructed and still influenced by settler colonialism.

We are dedicated to continuing to identify and eliminate barriers in our workplace. While we have made important progress, there is still much work to do. This plan outlines the way forward. It describes the work we have already done and what we hope to accomplish in the coming years. We welcome feedback at any time about accessibility at Ingenium—Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation.

Lisa Leblanc
Director General, Canada Science and Technology Museum
Chair of Ingenium’s Accessibility Working Group

Camille Bérubé
Advisor, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility

There are three major roles related to accessibility at Ingenium:

• Director, Truth, Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
• Advisor, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
• Ingenium’s Accessibility Working Group

The director, truth, reconciliation, equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (TREDIA) (Samantha David) and the advisor, equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (Camille Bérubé) are responsible for leading accessibility initiatives at Ingenium—Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation.

The accessibility plan is designed to be responsive to the environment and to the needs of Ingenium and its many visitors. Feedback and questions are encouraged to help the ongoing shaping of this Plan.

Questions or inquiries about Ingenium’s accessibility plan or other accessibility initiatives can be directed to accessibility-accessibilite@IngeniumCanada.org.

About Ingenium

lngenium is a vital link between science and society. At lngenium and its three museums—the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum (CAFM), the Canada Aviation and Space Museum (CASM), and the Canada Science and Technology Museum (CSTM)—we are committed to taking science engagement to the next level. We are doing this by co-creating accessible and inclusive participatory experiences. We will achieve this through our three museums, as well as the new lngenium Centre, which houses our Research Institute and the Digital Innovation Lab.

Ingenium’s programs are intended to benefit all people living in Canada, with primary audiences being families with young children, students, educators, and researchers. We understand that to be successful, lngenium must respect and reflect our growing, diverse, and changing nation. The journey ahead includes building a nation of collaborators, communicators, and critical thinkers.

Accessibility goals and principles

Ingenium is committed to achieving our strategic goals with the objective of expanding the boundaries of engagement through our ‘Access for all’ strategic goal. Several of the goals included in this accessibility plan are based on Ingenium’s Strategic plan to:

• Harness the power of digital to connect with Canadians
• Respect and include diverse voices and communities
• Champion physical, cognitive, sensory, and socio-economic accessibility

While working at providing a vital link between science and society for all, Ingenium is guided by our strategic goals, the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) and the work of disability activists. The 10 Principles of Disability Justice identified by Sins Invalid¹ guide our reflections, our commitment to disability justice and challenge us to think critically about the work we do.

Ultimately, Ingenium aims to create a culture that considers and applies the “Nothing without us” perspective in all our operations. This includes ongoing consultations, collaboration, co-development and co-creation alongside those with lived experience of disability.

True accessibility leads to inclusion and a sense of belonging. That is our ultimate goal at Ingenium: that all individuals feel that they are included and represented in all we do. Creating this environment involves identifying, removing, and preventing barriers at Ingenium, in the following seven areas identified by Accessible Canada Act (ACA):

1. Employment
2. The built environment (buildings and public spaces)
3. Information and communication technologies (ICT)
4. Communication, other than information and communication technologies
5. The procurement of goods, services, and facilities
6. The design and delivery of programs and services
7. Transportation

As part of Ingenium’s ‘access for all’ journey, we believe that fostering an authentic sense of belonging for everyone is a critical part of the process. Deepening our knowledge and awareness around disability, accessibility, and barriers needs to go beyond these seven areas. As a result, an eighth category was added to this plan, incorporating strategies to enhance accessibility awareness, knowledge, and culture.

Accessible Canada Act and beyond

Ingenium supports the following ACA principles and is committed to implementing all activities while recognizing and considering the following principles:

1. Everyone must be treated with dignity
2. Everyone must have the same opportunity to make for themselves the life they are able and wish to have
3. Everyone must be able to participate fully and equally in society
4. Everyone must have meaningful options and be free to make their own choices, with support if they desire
5. Laws, policies, programs, services, and structures must consider the ways that different kinds of barriers and discrimination intersect
6. Persons with disabilities must be involved in the development and design of laws, policies, programs, services, and structures;
7. Accessibility standards and regulations must be made with the goal of achieving the highest level of accessibility

As we embark on the development and maintenance of an accessibility plan in response to the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), we are committed to providing accessible experiences to all people living in Canada, through consultation, collaboration, and co-creation with the disability community. This accessibility plan aims to address both ACA and human rights legislation compliance requirements. It also chooses to go beyond what is required for legislative compliance. It includes goals that address some of the accessibility and inclusion gaps that were identified during review and consultation processes at Ingenium.

We will continue to work towards creating a safe, welcoming, brave and authentic space where everyone is encouraged to show up as they are.

¹ https://www.sinsinvalid.org/blog/10-principles-of-disability-justice

As a learning organization, Ingenium is continuously improving access to the museums and the Ingenium Centre. This includes our research, collection, and archives, as well as on-site, off-site, and virtual experiences. We want to ensure that audiences that have traditionally faced barriers are welcome both onsite and online.

Ingenium recognizes that addressing accessibility is a complex issue requiring multiple long-term and sustainable strategies. This accessibility plan includes a brief description of accessibility barriers that have been identified and addressed to date, as well as future goals that require resources to remove and prevent barriers.

As a consolidated Crown corporation, Ingenium relies on parliamentary-voted assigned funds as its primary source of revenue. The remainder of Ingenium’s operational budget is provided by program and operations revenue and individual and corporate donations or partnerships.

While some of the following accomplishments involved one-time changes to remove barriers to accessibility, many of the tasks are ongoing. Ingenium is committed to regular reviews of its policies and procedures to prevent new barriers wherever possible.

1. Employment

Ingenium’s commitment to accessible and inclusive employment is focused on increasing the recruitment, retention, and advancement of people with disabilities. This requires ensuring Ingenium’s environment and culture create a space that recognizes the uniqueness of each of our team members. Each job applicant and employee should have the opportunity to show up as they are, in all contexts and spaces at Ingenium.

1.1 Accomplishments

In the past several years, we have reviewed and updated Ingenium’s hiring process to reduce barriers to access. Some accomplishments are related to ensuring compliance with the ACA and other legislation, as well as to meeting the terms of our collective agreement. Other accomplishments align with our organizational goals and strategic plans.

The following accomplishments are related to identifying, removing, and preventing barriers to accessible employment.

1.2 Goals

Ingenium continues to review its workplace environment and culture, with the goal of identifying and removing barriers to accessibility and inclusion for job applicants and employees. The following projects will be launched or expanded between 2022 and 2025.

2. The built environment (buildings and public spaces)

Ingenium’s commitment to reducing barriers in its built environment was initiated during the planning and development of new capital infrastructure projects at the Canada Science and Technology Museum (CSTM) and the Ingenium Centre. These projects, initiated in 2014, provided the spark that spurred Ingenium’s interest, increased our awareness, and fortified our commitment to reducing barriers to access.

2.1 Accomplishments

Since the initiation of these major capital infrastructure projects, Ingenium has achieved the following built environment accomplishments.

2.2 Goals

Ingenium is committed to continuing to improve accessibility at its facilities.

Our commitment to elevating the standards across all our buildings has continued through an accessibility audit of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum (CASM) by the Rick Hansen Foundation’s certification program. While the museum attained accessibility certification, the audit identified key areas of improvement for us to further reduce barriers. These recommendations are assisting us in planning remedial work at the site over several years.

For CASM, the Rick Hansen Foundation report made 25 recommendations to further reduce barriers for people with disabilities. To date, 21 of the 25 recommendations have been actioned and completed, with the remaining changes planned for completion in 2022-2023. The most important gaps are in staff-facing areas of our buildings. Remaining recommended and planned improvements are included in the goals listed below.

² CAFM is on a national historic site which is under the stewardship of another federal department. This complexity will inform action plans derived from the audit and will have a significant impact on timelines and permissions. We are tenants on the museum premises and therefore must work with our landlords at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAC).

3. Information and communication technologies (ICT)

Ingenium manages multiple public websites, digital asset management and collection database systems, and a variety of software for use in our day-to-day activities. We are currently using Lotus Notes for many of our internal systems, including email, financial and human resources processes, and procurement.

Most of Ingenium’s ICT systems have been in place for decades and were not conceived or implemented to meet accessibility requirements and have not been considered in consultation with people with disabilities. Ingenium is committed to reviewing and updating its information and communication technologies to identify and remove barriers.

3.1 Accomplishments

Following consultations with Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB), Ingenium made several improvements to its public websites to increase accessibility for users with visual impairments.

3.2 Goals

A major change for Ingenium will be to transfer our day-to-day processes and systems from Lotus Notes to Microsoft 365, which is a suite of programs that has built-in accessibility features.

Other ICT goals include the following.

4. Communication (other than ICT)

As a public-facing organization, Ingenium recognizes the importance of improving accessibility in communications in all areas. We make efforts to prevent accessibility barriers when conceiving new programs, templates, or products. In many cases, we design and implement pilot programs to evaluate accessibility and identify and remove barriers where possible.

As science communication specialists, we are committed to bridging the gap between the complexity of science and its day-to-day impact in our lives. We are committed to creating experiences, exhibitions, and programs that meet the needs of all our audiences. We work to communicate clearly and provide meaningful information in a way that is free from jargon and easy to understand. These efforts include developing and sharing internal guides and templates to assist employees with creating accessible information in both format and content.

4.1 Accomplishments

4.2 Goals

5. The procurement of goods, services, and facilities

Compliance in the procurement of goods and services requires caution to ensure equitable, fair, and transparent processes and issuing of contracts.

In recent years, Ingenium developed accessibility standards for exhibition design and setup. These standards help ensure that accessibility expectations are defined clearly, early in the bidding process. These standards also ensure that exhibition proposals are assessed to include considerations for accessibility when awarding contracts. It is our intention to apply similar accessibility standards to other procurement areas at Ingenium.

5.1 Accomplishments

5.2 Goals

To build on the procurement approach used to help ensure accessible exhibition practices, Ingenium plans to expand these accessible procurement standards in other areas, where possible.

6. The design and delivery of programs and services

As a public-facing organization, Ingenium is committed to reducing and eliminating barriers for people living in Canada of all abilities to access our collections, programs, and museums. This goal has been embraced by multiple teams across the organization. Ingenium program developers work to meet project-specific accessibility objectives, to identify barriers and improve existing resources, and to consider greater opportunities for inclusion.

6.1 Accomplishments

At a program and service level, openness and enthusiasm from staff has seen the development and implementation of numerous opportunities.

6.2 Goals

Moving forward, we are working to create a path that allows for coordinated action when developing Ingenium programs and services. The following goals will help us create this path.

7. Transportation

We acknowledge that challenges in accessing adequate transportation are often beyond Ingenium’s control as they may result from a lack of reliable, accessible, and affordable public transportation. Driving opportunities for people with disabilities are also more challenging due to cost and other factors which are unique to each individual. We are sensitive to these issues and are committed to continue offering options that provide both access to our sites and opportunities for everyone to experience the museums, wherever they are.

7.1 Accomplishments

Recognizing the challenges and barriers that people with disabilities face to travel between their home and our sites, particularly during the winter months, we have been putting features in place to help facilitate access to our sites for both visitors and Ingenium employees.

7.2 Goals

Ingenium is committed responding to feedback and providing increased and more accessible transportation options, where possible.

8. Awareness, Knowledge, and Culture: Fostering a sense of belonging

Attitudinal and behavioural barriers continue to prevent people with disabilities from accessing spaces without the burden of self-advocacy. People with disabilities are often asked to educate others about their needs and rights, which creates additional and unnecessary emotional labour. This leads to a lack of a sense of belonging, including exclusion from opportunities and experiences, as well as career retention and advancement.

While this category is not specifically included in the ACA, Ingenium believes in the need to identify specific barriers and goals in this area. Increasing awareness and knowledge about disability and accessibility and improving the workplace culture will help provide an environment that fosters a sense of belonging for all.

8.1 Accomplishments

As part of our commitment to accessibility, Ingenium is committed to lessening the burden of self-advocacy. By providing mandatory training and offering educational opportunities for all staff, Ingenium is working towards developing a more inclusive organizational culture. Employees will have a greater understanding about disability and accessibility and team members will be aware of how to identify, remove, and prevent barriers.

The following initiatives have been implemented.

8.2 Goals

Ingenium is committed to the following initiatives to continue raising awareness and understanding about disability and accessibility.

This plan and its goals include input from a diverse group of individuals, including people with disabilities and those who have expertise in the field of accessibility, critical disability studies, and social justice within the Corporation.

Over the years, Ingenium has consulted with people with disabilities, including contacts at the Canadian Council of the Blind, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Get Together with Technology, Aspire Academy, Association de l’ouïe de l’Outaouais, Trait d’union Outaouais, and the Canadian Hearing Society. Ingenium has also sought the expertise of the Rick Hansen Foundation to help identify barriers and recommend solutions to accessibility issues.

Ingenium is committed to ongoing consultations, collaboration, co-creation and co-development with people with disabilities. We continue to seek input and to collaborate with those who self-identify as facing accessibility barriers in the community. This includes those with physical, mobility, cognitive, sensory, visual, and all types of disabilities, whether they are visible or non-visible.

Ingenium team members participate in community collaborations and consultations to review and discuss best practices regarding accessibility topics. This includes a review of similar organizations (museums and arts and culture facilities) and their accessibility plans, facilities, accessible services, and procedures, as well as their accessibility barriers and challenges.

Ingenium has also included accessibility as a key measure when seeking visitor feedback in our annual surveys. This includes our first visitor survey, which was completed in 2022. During this period, eight percent of those completing the survey self-identified as being a person with disabilities or accompanying a visitor with disabilities. While the majority of these respondents (92%) rated accessibility of services as excellent or good, several suggestions for improvements were shared.

1. “The flight simulator at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum is not wheelchair friendly, the button at the front entrance does not work, the observation deck goes over grass. Cessna is not accessible and there is no accessible button to go in our out to flight observation space” (Rated as 1)
2. “Tools to help with sensory issues” (Rated as 3)

The status of the accessibility goals included in this plan are reviewed annually and the Ingenium accessibility plan is updated based on ACA requirements (currently, every three years). Accessibility feedback and questions are encouraged to help the continuous shaping of this plan.

Questions or inquiries about Ingenium’s accessibility plan or other accessibility initiatives can be directed to accessibility-accessibilite@IngeniumCanada.org.