The Government of Canada is supporting new technologies that help Canadians with disabilities play an active role in society. This has never been more important, as we build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, participated in the Payments Canada 2021 Summit and in the introduction of new accessibility features for electronic payment terminals by Moneris Solutions Corporation (“Moneris”). Developed in collaboration with the CNIB and the Government of Canada, the new features unveiled by Moneris, such as enhanced font sizes, increased contrast, and bilingual audio prompts giving clear instructions, will help Canadians with visual disabilities when making a payment. Currently, payment terminals require consumers to pay with the help of visual cues creating barriers for Canadians with vision disabilities.
In Budget 2019, the Government of Canada committed to finding ways to improve the accessibility of electronic payment terminals to help persons with disabilities in their every day lives. This allows persons with disabilities to have greater independence and do things like pay for groceries without relying on someone’s help. A $557,725 investment from Innovation, Science and Economic Development helped Moneris and CNIB develop this new accessible terminal. Developed based on community feedback, it introduces new accessibility features that break down barriers.
The launch of these new accessibility features for payment terminals is a new milestone supporting the implementation of the Accessible Canada Act and the Government’s efforts to create a barrier-free Canada.
