Accessibility Legislation
Nova Scotia's government is moving forward with its promise to help make Nova Scotia a more accessible and inclusive place to live and work.
Nova Scotia's proposed Accessibility Legislation is going through the steps it takes for a bill to become a law. On November 2, 2016, Bill 59 (Accessibility Act) was introduced in the Legislature. It passed Second Reading on November 3rd, and was sent to the Law Amendments Committee for public debate on November 7th. It remains with the Law Amendments Committee, which is expected to start hearing presentations on the bill again, early in the new year. We will be updating this website on a regular basis as we get information about the Law Amendments Committee's hearing dates.
The legislation is about access and fairness. The recommendations in the Access and Fairness for All Nova Scotians report (29MB) (ASL Video) encourage accessibility as a means of ensuring that all Nova Scotians have the ability to participate fully in their communities.
You can read Bill 59 (Accessibility Act) in the following formats:
Read Accessibility Act in HTML format by going to Bill 59 on the Nova Scotia legislature website.
Download the Accessibility Act in MS Word format.
If you would like to receive a Braille version of the Accessibility Act, please contact Sandra McFadyen by email or by phone at 902-424-0796 or toll-free at: 1-800-565-8280. Please specify if you would like to receive Grade 1 or Grade 2 Braille.
Law Amendments Committee
Once a bill passes Second Reading, it goes to the Law Amendments Committee. This is where the public can have their say about the Act. This can either be in person when the Committee is meeting or in writing.
The Law Amendments Committee will hear presentations on Bill 59, An Act Respecting Accessibility in Nova Scotia on Monday, Feb. 13, from 1-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m., and on Tuesday, Feb. 14, from 9-11 a.m. at Province House, 1726 Hollis St., in Halifax.
If you wish to present to the Law Amendments Committee, you need to register to get on the presenters' list. This can be done anytime before the day of the last hearing. To register to speak, you should contact the Office of Legislative Counsel by telephone at 902-424-8941 or by e-mail.