Proposed legislative amendments to the Buildings Accessibility Act, meant to improve accessibility in public spaces, received second reading in the House of Assembly this week.

The three main amendments being proposed are:

• Removal of the pre-1981 exemption from the current Act;
• Clarification on how the Act applies to home-based businesses; and
• Doubling the current fines under the Act to promote compliance.

If these amendments pass in the House of Assembly, the Regulations under the Buildings Accessibility Act will also be updated to include a requirement for public buildings with over 300 persons to have a full-service family washroom.

The amendments would also update the definition of ‘persons with disabilities.’

The proposed amendments are informed by recommendations of the Buildings Accessibility Advisory Board, as well as consultations, including an online questionnaire on engageNL and three virtual sessions with stakeholders.