The Accessibility for Manitobans Act: How does this law impact your business?

Barriers can prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in society. Barriers can be physical, informational, attitudinal or technological and some barriers are established by policies or practices. 

The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) became law in December 2013. Its objective is to identify, prevent and remove barriers to participation. Five regulations (standards) connected to the AMA touch on fundamental aspects of everyday life: 

1. Customer service
2. Employment
3. Information and communications
4. Transportation, and
5. The design of public spaces. 

NEW!! Accessibility Standard for Information and Communication 

By May 1, 2025, private businesses with one or more employees, such as shops, restaurants and professional services, must comply with this third regulation. The purpose of this standard is to remove and prevent barriers that exist digitally, in print, or through interaction with technology and people. 

• Any new website, or significantly-refreshed web applications, will at a minimum have to confirm to World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. There are a few exceptions as noted in section 8 of the Regulation.
• Print and digital documents will need to be in alternate or accessible formats. Items like Word, PDF and Excel documents could be available in other formats such as large print or recorded audio. Digital documents can be formatted for accessing with a screen reader. Audio and video files can have text transcripts.
• Training must be completed for all employees who communicate with the public, maintain web content, and procure information technology or communication tools, etc. 

More resources and templates are under development. Visit FAQs: The Accessibility Standard for Information and Communication and Introduction to Manitoba’s Accessible Information and Communication Standard.

Customer Service Standard Regulation

The first stage is about customer service. You must ensure the service provided by your employees removes all barriers for people with physical, vision, hearing, mental health, developmental and learning disabilities, so they have equal opportunity to participate in everyday life.

For now, the changes do not require you to invest in building renovations to add wheelchair ramps and other accessibility features, but there are steps to follow to make sure your business is compliant when providing goods and services.

Check the resources below to help with your compliance.

Customer Service Standard: Businesses with 1-49 employees

All private businesses must:

1. Create a company Customer Service Standard. Your plan should address barriers that prevent all customers from receiving service, by:

• Meeting the communication needs of customers
• Allowing assistive devices such as wheelchairs and walkers
• Welcoming service animals and support persons
• Ensuring accessibility is maintained as intended, such as keeping wheelchair ramp clear
• Letting customers know when accessible services are not available, such as temporary shutdown of an elevator
• Inviting customer feedback

2. Train your employees on your company’s Customer Service Standard. Discuss how they are to serve customers of all abilities, including reasonable accommodations under The Human Rights Code.

Customer Service Standard: Businesses with 50+ employees

All private businesses must:

1. Create a company Customer Service Standard. Your plan should address barriers that prevent all customers from receiving service, by:

• Meeting the communication needs of customers
• Allowing assistive devices such as wheelchairs and walkers
• Welcoming service animals and support persons
• Ensuring accessibility is maintained as intended, such as keeping wheelchair ramp clear
• Letting customers know when accessible services are not available, such as temporary shutdown of an elevator
• Inviting customer feedback

2. Train your employees on your company’s Customer Service Standard. Discuss how they are to serve customers of all abilities, including reasonable accommodations under The Human Rights Code.

3. Create a public notice to be displayed prominently in the business and on your website. The notice outlines that upon request, people can receive information about your company’s:

• measures, policies and practices
• training policy, including a summary of the content of the training and when you train new hires and existing employees.

Tools and resources, including an Employer's Handbook, Sample Accessible Customer Service Policy, and Tips for Employees on Accessible Customer Service are available: Customer Service Standard: Tools to help with compliance

Accessible Employment Standard Regulation

The second stage is about removing and preventing barriers that may affect current and future employees with disabilities. It builds on requirements set out in the Manitoba Human Rights Code, and applies to all full-time, part-time, seasonal and apprentice employees.

Accessible Employment Standard: Businesses with 1-49 employees

Your company must have:

1. Workplace Emergency Response Information: Create emergency response information to help employees with disabilities stay safe during emergencies.

2. Workplace Emergency Assistance: Ask employees who require assistance during an emergency for permission to share information with individuals who agree to help.

Accessible Employment Standard: Businesses with 50+ employees

Your company must have:

1. Workplace Emergency Response Information: Create emergency response information to help employees with disabilities stay safe during emergencies.

2. Workplace Emergency Assistance: Ask employees who require assistance during an emergency for permission to share information with individuals who agree to help.

Your company must also:

• Document in writing all accessible employment policies and practices, including the content and timeframe for training.
• Make these documents publically available and in accessible formats, by request.

Accessible Employment Standard: Tools to help with compliance

Tools and resources, including a Sample Accessibility Employment Policy, an Introduction to the Accessible Employment Standard, and a poster, Discussing Accessibility in the Workplace, are available for the Accessible Employment Standard. 

CFIB will continue to update members as the province launches more regulations under the AMA. If you have questions about the AMA, reach out to a CFIB Business Advisor at 1-833-568-2342 or cfib@cfib.ca.