Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Concluding observations on the combined second and third periodic reports of Canada *

I.Introduction

1.The Committee considered the combined second and third periodic reports of Canada at its 768th and 769th meetings,held on 10 and 11 March 2025. It adopted the present concluding observations at its 779thmeeting, held on 18 March 2025.

2.The Committee welcomes the combined second and third periodic reports of Canada, which were prepared in accordance with the Committee’s reporting guidelines and in response to its list of issues prior to reporting, and the additional information submitted by the State Party.

3.The Committee appreciates the constructive dialogue held with the State Party’s delegation, which included representatives of the relevant government ministries. The Committee also expresses its appreciation for the active participation of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, in its capacity as the national human rights institution and independent monitoring mechanism pursuant to article 33 (2) of the Convention.

II.Positive aspects

4.The Committee welcomesthe measures taken by the State Party to implement the Convention in the light of the recommendations contained in theprevious concluding observations, issued in 2017. The Committee notes with appreciation the ratification by Canada, in 2023, to the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) of the International Labour Organization and, in 2018, its accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as well as:

(a)The adoption of the National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act, in 2024;

(b)The adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, in 2021, and its corresponding action plan;

(c)The adoption of an act respecting equal access to employment in public bodies, which prohibits discrimination against employees and potential employees with disabilities;

(d)The adoption of the Accessible Canada Act, in 2019;

(e)The adoption of the Poverty Reduction Act in 2019;

(f)The adoption of the National Housing Strategy, in 2017; and adoption of the National Housing Strategy Act, in 2019;

(g)The adoption of the Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, in 2019;

(h)The amendment of the Canada Business Corporations Act, in 2018, to require federally incorporated corporations to disclose diversity information to their shareholders, including with respect to representation of persons with disabilities on their boards of directors and senior management teams;

(i)The amendment of the Elections Modernization Act, in 2018, creating financial incentives for registered parties and candidates to accommodate persons with disabilities during an election period;

(j)The establishment of the Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Systemic Ableism, in 2022;

(k)The establishment of the Ministerial Advisory Board on Dementia, in 2018;

(l)The adoption of the Employment Strategy for Canadians with Disabilities, in 2024;

(m)The adoption of the National Autism Strategy, in 2024;

(n)The adoption of the federal strategy entitled: “It’s Time: Canada’s Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence”, in 2017;

(o)The adoption of the federal strategy entitled: “Opportunity for All – Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy”, in 2018;

(p)The establishment of the COVID-19 Disability Advisory Group, in April 2020, to apply a disability lens to the Government’s emergency response, and the establishment of similar groups in the provinces of British Columbia and Québec;

(q)The publication of the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which set out 231 calls for justice, in 2019; and the issuance of the 2021 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan: Ending Violence against Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People;

(r)The inclusion of measures for students with disabilities in the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program;

(s)The endorsement of the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action, in 2017.

III.Principal areas of concern and recommendations

A.General principles and obligations (arts. 1–4)

5.The Committee reiterates its concern about the State Party’s interpretative declaration under article 12 and reservation to article 12 (4) of the Convention. The right to equal recognition before the law is of foundational importance for the exercise of all rights guaranteed by the Convention. Reservations seriously curtailing that right may well be deemed against the object and purpose of the Convention.

6. Recalling its past c oncluding o bservations, the Committee invites the State Party to withdraw its declaration under article 12 and reservation to article 12 (4) of the Convention.

7.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)Significant disparities in the implementation of the Convention across jurisdictions and branches of government in the State Party, which result in the highly unequal enjoyment of the rights of persons with disabilities;

(b)The rudimentary incorporation of the Convention into domestic law, and its limited normative significance as a mere interpretative tool;

(c)The lack of close consultation with and active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations, including Black and other racialized persons with disabilities, First Nations, Inuit and Métis persons with disabilities, and non‑status and off-reserve Indigenous persons with disabilities.

8. Recalling its g eneral c omment No. 7 (2018) on the participation of persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations, in the implementation and monitoring of the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State Party take all measures necessary to ensure full implementation of the Convention at the f ederal level and in all provinces and territories , and:

(a) In close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organizations, including Indigenous persons with disabilities and Black and other raciali z ed persons with disabilities, establish legally defined mechanisms to ensur e compliance with the Convention by all provinces and territories, and condition fiscal transfers from the f ederal level to provinces and territories on adherence to the Convention;

(b) Require that statutes and regulations in all jurisdictions be interpreted in a manner consistent with the Convention and ensure , in particular, that the principles and standards of the Convention underpin the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and the associated a ction p lan and that self-determination, sovereignty and culture, including for non-status and off ‑ reserve Indigenous persons with disabilities , are respected ;

(c) Develop legally entrenched mechanisms at the f ederal level and in the provinces and territories for close consultation with and the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations, including Indigenous persons with disabilities and Black and other racialized persons with disabilities.

B.Specific rights (arts. 5–30)

Equality and non-discrimination (art. 5)

9.The Committee notes with concern the persistent discrimination against persons with disabilities, in particular: greater socioeconomic marginalization of Indigenous persons with disabilities, including higher rates of unemployment, mental health-related detentions and forced treatment, and inadequate access to healthcare; persistent ableism against 2SLGBTQI+ persons with disabilities, particularly in healthcare; high rates of discrimination against Black and racialized persons with disabilities; discrimination against and stigmatization of persons with dementia, multiple chemical sensitivity and fetal alcohol syndrome/disorder; exclusion of persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities, particularly from public spaces, recreational activities and cultural events; and persistent discriminatory attitudes towards people with Down’s Syndrome;

10.The Committee , recall ing its general comment No. 6 (2018) on equality and non ‑ discrimination and targets 10.2 and 10.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals, recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organizations:

(a) Conduct a comprehensive and intersectional study on disability discrimination cases across all jurisdictions and branches of government, identifying trends and root causes, and develop a plan to address them, with clear timelines, targets and indicators of progress;

(b) Develop intersectional, comprehensive and cross-sectoral strategies and statistics to implement the right to equality and non-discrimination for persons with disabilities, including Indigenous persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+ persons with disabilities, Black and racialized persons with disabilities, persons with dementia, m ultiple c hemical s ensitivit y or f etal a lcohol s yndrome /d isorder, persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities and persons with Down ’ s Syndrome , at the f ederal level , in the provinces and territories and in all branches of government, and remedy the effects of colonialism within Indigenous communities .

Women with disabilities (art. 6)

11.The Committee notes with concern that women with disabilities:

(a)Experience disproportionate rates of poverty, barriers to accessible housing, homelessness and lack of access to financial resources, and that First Nations, Inuit and Métis women with disabilities and off-reserve and non-status Indigenous women with disabilities are particularly affected;

(b)Are insufficiently represented in political, advocacy and leadership positions in public life, private enterprises and medium-sized and small businesses.

12. The Committee, recalling its general comment No. 3 (2016) on women and girls with disabilities and targets 5.1, 5.2 and 5.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, including women and girls with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations :

(a) Mainstream gender and disability into all poverty and homelessness laws, policies and strategies, including the Poverty Reduction Act and the National Housing Strategy, and ensure that they address the requirements of women with disabilities, including women with disabilities and intersecting identities;

(b) Take concrete action to achieve the participation and representation of women with disabilities in decision-making positions in all areas of political and public life, private enterprises and medium -sized and small businesses, on an equal basis with others.

Children with disabilities (art. 7)

13.The Committee is concerned that:

(a)The legal and institutional frameworks for children do not mainstream disability, and that significant disparities in policies and across the federal, provincial and territorial levels hinder the effective protection of children’s rights;

(b)The State Party’s daycare and early childhood programmes do not sufficiently address the requirements of children with disabilities, of parents of children with disabilities or of parents with disabilities;

(c)Policies for children with disabilities do not incorporate the requirements, experiences and cultural contexts of Indigenous children with disabilities and of Black and other racialized children with disabilities, and that a lack of support for the families frequently forces those children to be placed into residential care or long-term care institutions;

(d)Disability is not mainstreamed into the Child Rights Impact Assessment;

(e)The State Party lacks procedures and supports for children with disabilities to freely express their requirements and their views on all matters affecting them, and for those requirements and views to be given due weight in accordance with a child’s age and maturity;

(f)Eligible supports for First Nations children with disabilities covered under Jordan’s Principle have been restricted; that there are plans to defund the Inuit Child First Initiative; and that there is no equivalent measure for the provision of supports for Métis children with disabilities.

14. Recalling its previous c oncluding o bservations and its joint statement with the Committee on the Rights of the Child on the rights of children with disabilities, the Committee recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations, including organizations of children with disabilities:

(a) Mainstream the rights of children with disabilities into all its laws, public policies, action plans and strategies, at all levels and branches of government, including in Bill C-35 , on early learning and childcare in Canada, and collect disaggregated data and develop indicators to measure how effective ly the rights of children with disabilities guaranteed by the Convention are protected ;

(b) Allocate sufficient human, technical and financial support to ensure that children with disabilities have access to daycare and early childhood program me s, on an equal basis with other children, and provide support to caregivers and early learning centres to stimulate and teach children with disabilities, including children with disabilities requiring more intensive support, such as children with multiple disabilities or who are deafblind;

(c) Ensure that all policies and program me s affecting Indigenous and Black and other raciali z ed children with disabilities are fully responsive to the requirements, experiences and cultural context of those children ;

(d) Amend the Child Rights Impact Assessment to mainstream disability therein and render the assessments reached with th at tool publicly accessible;

(e) Establish accessible mechanisms to enable children with disabilities to freely express their requirements and their views in all matters affecting them, and ensure that th ose requirements and views are given due weight in accordance with the child ’ s age and maturity in all legislative and administrative processes, at the f ederal level and in the provinces and territories;

(f) Review decisions to restrict eligible supports covered under Jordan ’ s Principle, reconsider plans to defund the Inuit Child First Initiative, ensure that First Nations and Inuit children with disabilities receive adequate and timely support , and establish an equivalent program me for Métis children with disabilities.

Awareness-raising (art. 8)

15.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The lack of information about ableism and intersectionality in awareness‑raising initiatives, and the failure of those initiatives to address all rights covered in the Convention, and about the limited knowledge of the rights of persons with disabilities demonstrated in many public and private entities;

(b)Negative perceptions and stereotypes perpetuated in government entities and society about persons with Down’s Syndrome and other impairments, which result in a lack of accurate information being given to expectant parents in relation to prenatal screening programmes, resulting in high rates of pregnancy termination.

16. Recalling its p revious c oncluding o bservations, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations:

(a) Review, amend and adapt awareness-raising programmes to address the stigma tization of and ableism against persons with disabilities, and ensure that all related materials are accessible to all persons with disabilities;

(b) Ensure that prospective parents undergoing prenatal screening are provided with comprehensive information and non-directive counselling that does not promote stereotypes about persons with disabilities, including persons with Down ’ s S yndrome, or values associated with a medical model of disability.

Accessibility (art. 9)

17.The Committee notes with concern:

(a)That the Accessible Canada Act does not provide for the duty to accommodate as a legal obligation, that that Act’s accountability mechanisms for non-compliance are ineffective and that there are persistent delays in the implementation of the Act;

(b)The lack of implementation of the accessibility obligations and rights enshrined by the Convention in many provinces and territories;

(c)The lack of close consultation with and active involvement of First Nations, Inuit and Métis persons with disabilities and off-reserve and non-status Indigenous persons with disabilities in the implementation of accessibility requirements;

(d)The insufficient availability of experts in universal design, reasonable accommodation and accessibility in public administration and the private sector;

(e)The scarcity of information on the implementation of the Accessible Procurement Resource Centre and how it has served to ensure accessibility across the State Party;

(f)The lack of involvement of persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations, in the development, implementation and monitoring of accessibility.

18. Recalling its general comment No. 2 (2014) on accessibility , and Goal 9 and targets 11.2 and 11.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations:

(a) Amend the Accessible Canada Act and other domestic laws to explicitly incorporate the duty to accommodate as a legal obligation, with accountability mechanisms for non-compliance, and set a timeline for the issuance of regulations and their implementation, with clear indicators of progress;

(b) Ensure that all provinces and territories enact and implement accessibility legislation in conformity with the Convention ;

(c) Ensure that the Accessible Canada Act is applicable to First Nations, Inuit and Métis territories, and provide the support necessary to implement the Act in th ose territories;

(d) Develop educational and training programmes on universal design, reasonable accommodation and accessibility to ensure the further development of expertise in government and in the private sector i n th o se areas ;

(e) Ensure that information on the performance and results of the Accessible Procurement Resource Centre , and on how it has served to ensure accessibility , is made publicly available ;

(f) Ensure that persons with disabilities , including children with disabilities, are involved in the development, implementation and monitoring of universal design, reasonable accommodation and accessibility policies, and in the evaluation of the effectiveness of those policies .

Right to life (art. 10)

19.The Committee is extremely concerned about the 2021 amendments to the State Party’s Criminal Code made through Bill C-7, which expanded the eligibility criteria for obtaining medical assistance in dying, by removing the “reasonably foreseeable death” criterion and thus creating what is referred to as “Track 2” for requests for medical assistance in dying. The Committee notes that similar concerns about Track 2 have been addressed directly to the State Party by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and during the universal periodic review. The Committee further notes that the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights and the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons have stated that disability is not a reason to endorse medical assistance in dying. The Committee also notes with concern:

(a)That the federal Government did not challenge the decision by the Supreme Court of Québec in the Truchon and Gladu v. Canadacase, which fundamentally changed the whole premise of medical assistance in dying – from one restricted to cases in which natural death is reasonably foreseeable to one that establishes the possibility of medically assisted dying for persons with disabilities – on the basis of negative, ableist perceptions of the quality and value of the life of persons with disabilities, including the view that “suffering” is intrinsic to disability, without recognition that inequality and discrimination cause and compound “suffering” for persons with disabilities;

(b)That the concept of “choice” creates a false dichotomy, setting up the premise that if persons with disabilities are suffering, it is valid for the State Party to enable their death without providing safeguards that guarantee the provision of support, and on the basis of ableist assumptions that de-emphasize the myriad of support options that could allow persons with disabilities to live dignified lives, and about the systemic failure of the State Party to address the social determinants of health and well-being with regard to poverty alleviation, access to healthcare, accessible housing, prevention of homelessness, prevention of gender-based violence, and the provision of community-based mental health support and employment support;

(c)That evidence from the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and data compiled by the federal Government indicate that Track 2 medical assistance in dying is disproportionately accessed by women with disabilities and persons with disabilities in marginalized situations, and that there is an upward trajectory in the number of persons with disabilities killed through Track 2;

(d)About the expansion of Track 2 in 2027 to persons whose “sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness” (through Bill C-62) and the proposed expansion of medical assistance in dying to include mature minors and advance requests for such assistance;

(e)About the inadequacy of the process of consultation with Indigenous Peoples, including non-status and off-reserve Indigenous persons with disabilities, in relation to medical assistance in dying;

(f)About the absence of a federal independent oversight mechanism to monitor, regulate and handle complaints in relation to medical assistance in dying.

20. To ensure the right to life for persons with disabilities, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations:

(a) Repeal the Track 2 m edical a ssistance in d ying provision , including the provision to, in 2027 , Track 2 for persons whose “ sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness ” ;

(b) Not support proposals for the expansion of medical assistance in dying to include mature minors and advance requests;

(c) Significantly invest in and implement , at the federal, provincial and territorial levels , comprehensive measures to ensure that the systemic failures in relation to the social determinants of health and well-being are addressed, with regard to poverty alleviation, access to healthcare, accessible housing, prevention of homelessness, prevention of gender-based violence, and the provision of community ‑ based mental health support, care services at home and personal assistance, and employment support;

(d) Strengthen distinctions-based, community-led consultation processes with Indigenous Peoples , including non-status and off-reserve Indigenous persons with disabilities, respecting the principle of self-determination;

(e) Establish and provide resource s for a federal independent oversight mechanism to monitor, regulate and handle complaints in relation to medical assistance in dying .

Situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies (art. 11)

21.The Committee is concerned that:

(a)Policies and action plans to address situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies, including in relation to climate change, the opioid crisis, disaster risk reduction and emergency management, do not provide extensive guidance and concrete measures for the protection and safety of persons with disabilities, and that there are barriers to emergency responses, access to emergency management information and early warning systems;

(b)First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and Black and other racialized communities experience environmental racism, such as disproportionate exposure to polluting industries and hazards that have detrimental health impacts causing or exacerbating impairment and secondary impairments, including life-threatening illnesses.

22. Recalling the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the Guidelines on the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action, the Charter o n Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action and the Committee ’ s g uidelines on deinstitutionalization, including in emergencies, the Committee recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations:

(a) Review federal, provincial and territorial plans and policies to ensure that preparation and response measures to address situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies, including measures concerning climate change, environmental action, the opioid crisis and public health, are disability inclusive, and establish protocols to ensure the provision of accessible information, communications and early warning systems and training for members of public bodies and emergency service staff in th o se protocols;

(b) Ensure that the implementation of the National Strategy Respecting Environmental Racism and Environmental Justice Act is disability inclusive and addresses the intersection between environmental racism and ableism.

Equal recognition before the law (art. 12)

23.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The prevalence of substitute decision-making regimes across all jurisdictions, and the lack of national leadership in promoting and advancing well-established supported decision-making models throughout Canada;

(b)The Mental Health Act of British Columbia, which explicitly overrides mental health care consent and supported decision-making rights through the “deemed consent” provisions that go beyond the terms of the State Party interpretative declaration and conditional reservation under article 12 of the Convention;

(c)The systemic flaws within the designated representative mechanism under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, including a lack of proper assessment in the appointment of representatives, the broad and contested scope of their role, the inadequacy of the training of such representatives, the limited extent of their competence to support persons with disabilities, and the extent of their power to make substitute decisions.

24. Recalling its pr evious c oncluding o bservations and its g eneral c omment No. 1 (2014) on equal recognition before the law , the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations:

(a) Take leadership in collaborating with provincial and territorial governments to eliminate substitute decision-making by creating and implementing a nationally consistent framework for supported decision-making;

(b) Ensure the r epeal of all legislation, including the Mental Health Act of British Columbia, that overrides personal, free and informed consent and supported decision-making rights and ensure that federal, provincial and territorial mental health frameworks respect the legal capacity of persons with disabilities;

(c) Address the systemic flaws within the designated representative mechanism under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act by establishing mandatory policies and procedures, training and compliance measures to ensure that designated representatives serve as a supported decision-making mechanism on the bas is o f the will and preference of persons with disabilities and respect for the universal standard of legal capacity.

Access to justice (art. 13)

25.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)Jurisdictional differences in eligibility and the issues covered by legal aid;

(b)Regional inconsistencies in protocols and processes for accessing procedural and age-appropriate accommodation in the justice system, the overreliance on medical documentation for requests for procedural accommodations, the disclosure of private medical records in decisions, and insufficient sign language interpretation in courts, tribunals and police interactions;

(c)Significant delays and backlogs in resolving disability discrimination complaints in many human rights tribunals.

26. Recalling the International Principles and Guidelines on Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations :

(a) Establish principles and guidelines for funding agreements with provincial and territorial governments to ensure broad legal aid eligibility criteria, to expand the issues covered and to ensure that legal aid services are nationally consistent;

(b) Develop nationally consistent protocols and guidelines for the request and provision of procedural and age-appropriate accommodation for persons with disabilities in all legal proceedings, including to prevent overreliance on medical documentation, to ensure respect for privacy and in relation to the provision of sign language interpretation in courts, tribunals and police interactions;

(c) Increase resourcing for human rights tribunals in order to expedite disability discrimination complaints and eliminate backlogs.

Liberty and security of the person (art. 14)

27.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)Legislative and policy frameworks for mental health and the treatment of substance use that allow for involuntary detention and treatment; increased support for drug treatment courts; the increase in involuntary hospitalization; and release and access to housing and services that is conditional on community treatment orders;

(b)Overpolicing and complex court practices, which have an adverse impact on and effectively criminalize Indigenous, Black and racialized groups, persons with disabilities in situations of homelessness and persons with psychosocial disabilities, leading to frequent contact with the criminal justice system and incarceration;

(c)The overrepresentation of persons with disabilities in the criminal justice system and prisons, in particular Indigenous women with disabilities, Black and other marginalized persons with disabilities, persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities and persons with fetal alcohol syndrome/disorder;

(d)The lack of culturally appropriate, gender-sensitive and age-specific individualized supports, accessible infrastructure, disability-related supports and health services, including mental health and drug-treatment support options, within prisons;

(e)Indefinite detention in the context of outpatient community treatment or in mental health facilities, and the lack of access to procedural guarantees for persons with disabilities who are declared “unfit” to stand trial or not criminally responsible.

28. Recalling its g uidelines on the right to liberty and security of persons with disabilities, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations:

(a) Ensure the r epeal of federal, provincial and territorial mental health and substance - use treatment laws and policies allowing for involuntary detention and treatment, including under the auspices of d rug t reatment c ourts and through community treatment orders;

(b) Invest in rights-based, culturally appropriate , voluntary community ‑ based mental health and substance - use supports and treatment options, including peer-led options; ensure regulatory oversight and human rights monitoring ; and ensure harm - reduction and safe - supply program me s that respond to the intersecting identities of pe rsons who use drugs;

(c) Take all legislative, policy, judicial and administrative measures to address the overrepresentation of persons with disabilities in the criminal justice system and prisons, including by addressing the social determinants of incarceration, such as poverty, ableism, racial injustice and gender inequality, and by reforming policing practices and complex court processes;

(d) Implement laws and policies to ensure that prisoners with disabilities have access to culturally appropriate, gender -sensitive and age - specific individuali z ed supports, accessible infrastructure , disability-related supports and health services, including mental health and drug treatment support options;

(e) Amend or repeal legislation that restricts the legal capacity of persons with disabilities and that allow s for measures to be imposed on persons with disabilities , such as indefinite detention, that are harsher than those imposed on defendants convicted of the same crimes, and guarantee access by persons with disabilities to justice on an equal basis with others throughout judicial proceedings.

Freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (art. 15)

29.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The lack of ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, despite commitments made by the State Party during the fourth cycle of the universal periodic review;

(b)Structured intervention units, which perpetuate solitary confinement conditions, disproportionately affecting prisoners with psychosocial disabilities, predominantly those who are Indigenous, Black or from other racialized groups, the wide discretion of Correctional Service Canada in the use of such units and the lack of substantive improvements made to address the concerns, expressed over many years, of the Structured Intervention Unit Implementation Advisory Panel and the Office of the Correctional Investigator;

(c)The significantly high prevalence of women with psychosocial disabilities, in particular Indigenous women with psychosocial disabilities, in women’s prisons and the higher rates of placement of those women into maximum security and highly restrictive environments, which often leads to chronic self-injurious or suicidal behaviour;

(d)The prevalence of seclusion, restraint and restrictive practices in residential institutions, psychiatric institutions, hospitals, prisons and schools; the focus on authorization rather than elimination in seclusion and restraint policies and guidelines; and the provisions in the Mental Health Act of British Columbia that authorize staff to discipline persons undergoing involuntary mental health treatment;

(e)The absence of an independent monitoring and oversight mechanism for the mental health system.

30. The Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations :

(a) Accelerate efforts to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention a gainst Torture and O ther Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and to designate a disability - inclusive and accessible n ational p reventive m echanism to ensure independent oversight and monitoring of all places of detention;

(b) Address the concerns , and implement the recommendations , of the S tructured Intervention Unit Implementation Advisory Panel and the Office of the Correctional Investigator, and ensure the provision of culturally appropriate, gender ‑ sensitive and age - specific mental health supports within correctional facilities;

(c) Address the preconditions that result in the high prevalence of women with psychosocial disabilities, in particular Indigenous women with psychosocial disabilities, being placed in maximum security and highly restrictive environments in prisons;

(d) Establish a nationally consistent legislative and policy framework for the elimination of seclusion, restraint and restrictive practices in residential institutions, psychiatric institutions, hospitals, prisons and schools and ensure the repeal of the provisions in the Mental Health Act of British Columbia that authorize staff to discipline persons undergoing involuntary mental health treatment ;

(e) Designate an independent monitoring and oversight mechanism for the mental health system based on the principles and standards of the Convention.

Freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse (art. 16)

31.The Committee is concerned about the prevalence of gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities, particularly Indigenous women and girls with disabilities, in both family and institutional settings, and the lack of accessible women’s shelters and services for persons with disabilities who are victims/survivorsof gender-based violence.

32. The Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of women with disabilities, through their representative organi z ations:

(a) Ensure that issues and concerns of women and girls with disabilities are integral to the implementation of the recommendations set out in the f inal report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls ;

(b) Ensure that audits of accessibility of shelters are conducted regularly as part of the implementation of the Disability Inclusion Action Plan and the National Action Plan to End Gender -b ased Violence and that they result in comprehensive measures to address gaps in the provision of accessible and culturally appropriate shelters and services for persons with disabilities who are victim s/ survivors of gender ‑ based violence.

Protecting the integrity of the person (art. 17)

33.The Committee is concerned about the historical and ongoing practice of forced and coerced sterilization of persons with disabilities, including Indigenous, Black and racialized women and girls with disabilities, intersex children and institutionalized persons.

34. The Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations:

(a) Take all legislative, policy and administrative measures necessary to prohibit the imposition of sterili z ation procedures and contraceptive measures on persons with disabilities without their free, informed and personal consent;

(b) I mplement , as a matter of urgency, the recommendations of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights to end forced or coerced sterili z ation and ensure redress, justice and support for survivors.

Liberty of movement and nationality (art. 18)

35.The Committee is concerned that asylum-seekers and refugees with disabilities, in particular those with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities, are more likely to be in immigration detention, can be detained in correctional facilities and subjected to solitary confinement on the basis of suicidal ideation they have expressed psychosocial disabilities, and are subjected to onerous conditions for release in the community, such as requirements to enrol in residential treatment facilities where treatment and confinement is non-consensual.

36. The Committee recommends that the State Party end the use of immigration detention by increasing community-based, independent alternatives that provide access to holistic support, including housing, healthcare, mental health services, legal representation, disability-related supports and children ’ s services.

37.The Committee is concerned that section 38 (1) (c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act can preclude persons with disabilities, including persons living with HIV, from obtaining permanent or temporary residency status.

38.The Committee recommends that the State Party repeal section 38 (1) (c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Living independently and being included in the community (art. 19)

39.The Committee is concerned that:

(a)Deinstitutionalization efforts are inconsistent and slow, with many persons with disabilities forced to live in institutions, such as nursing homes, group homes, specialized long-term care facilities and other institutions, because they are unable to obtain support;

(b)Many Indigenous children and adults with disabilities must leave their communities and cultural connections to obtain accessible housing and appropriate support;

(c)Funding and programmes for support for community living have long wait lists, require co-payments and are not portable throughout Canada.

40. Recalling its g eneral c omment No. 5 (2017) on living independently and being included in the community and its g uidelines on deinstitutionali z ation, including in emergencies, the Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations:

(a) Implement a coordinated deinstitutionali z ation strategy across federal, provincial and territorial governments , with timelines and targets, that is applicable across all institutional settings, such as nursing homes, group homes, speciali z ed long ‑ term care facilities and psychiatric institutions;

(b) Establish comprehensive distinctions-based policies and plans to urgently address the lack of accessible housing and community supports within Indigenous communities and for non-status and off-reserve Indigenous persons with disabilities;

(c) Develop , at the federal, provincial and territorial levels , a nationally consistent, rights-based legislative and policy framework for the provision of community-based supports and services , including accessible housing, home support and personal assistance , that respects self-direction and individual control, that eliminates wait lists and co-payments for self-managed funding program me s and that allow s for the portability of such programmes throughout Canada .

Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information (art. 21)

41.The Committee notes that some progress has been made by recognizing, in the Accessible Canada Act, American Sign Language, Quebec Sign Language and Indigenous sign languages as the primary languages for communication by deaf persons. However, it is concerned about:

(a)The lack of recognition of sign languages as official languages;

(b)Persistent communication barriers and disparities in access to information and technology for persons with disabilities across jurisdictions, the limited reach of the Video Relay Service across the country and the insufficient compliance with the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity;

(c)The lack of comprehensive measures to ensure that all information is available in modes and formats accessible for blind persons, deafblind persons, persons with vision impairment and persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities, and the insufficient implementation of closed-captioning by Canadian English- and French-language broadcasters;

(d)The shortage of sign language interpreters, particularly in First Nations, Inuit and Métis territories, and disparities in training and accreditation programmes across provinces and territories.

42. The Committee recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , including Indigenous persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations:

(a) Recognize sign language s, including American Sign Language, Quebec Sign Language and Indigenous sign languages , as official language s ;

(b) Exercise federal leadership to ensure equal access to information for persons with disabilities throughout its territory and in First Nations, Inuit and Métis territories, nationwide access to the Video Relay Service for all persons who are deaf and the implementation of the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity;

(c) Implement laws and policies to ensure the accessibility of information, communications, including digital technology , and public services for persons with disabilities , taking into account their diversity, in all provinces and territories, including in formats such as Braille, deafblind interpretation, Easy Read, plain language, audio description, captioning and subtitles, and ensure that all programmes aired by English - and French -language broadcasters are closed - captioned for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing;

(d) Allocate sufficient funding and resources to develop a pool of qualified sign language interpreters, including for Indigenous sign language s .

Respect for privacy (art. 22)

43.The Committee is concerned about the insufficiency of information on measures to protect the right to privacy of persons with disabilities, including migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees with disabilities, in the processing of personal data in migration and cross‑border contexts.

44. The Committee recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations, establish privacy protection procedures and develop policies to guarantee that the processing , in migration and cross-border contexts, of the personal data of migrants, asylum - seekers and refugees with disabilities respects their right to privacy.

Respect for home and the family (art. 23)

45.The Committee notes with concern:

(a)The inconsistencies in federal, provincial and territorial legislation on the legal capacity of persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities to enter into marriage and to adopt children, as well as discrepancies in judicial interpretation on the legal capacity of persons with psychosocial disabilities to enter into marriage and proceed with divorce;

(b)The insufficiency of the support provided to children with disabilities and their families, and the support provided to parents with disabilities to carry out their parental responsibilities, especially in First Nations, Inuit and Métis territories.

46. The Committee recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations:

(a) Recogni z e the legal capacity of persons with disabilities to ensure their right to enter into marr iage , proceed with divorce, and adopt and raise children;

(b) Adopt policy measures to ensure adequate support for children with disabilities and their families and for parents with disabilities and to prevent the separation of children from their families based on the disability of either the child or one or both of their parents, including in First Nations, Inuit and Métis territories.

Education (art. 24)

47.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The prevalence of segregated educational systems, inconsistent access to inclusive education across provinces and territories, the lack of culturally appropriate inclusive education for Indigenous persons with disabilities, the insufficient provision of funding and qualified personnel for educational services for persons with disabilities, and the lack of adequate pedagogical approaches to guarantee inclusive education;

(b)Unequal access to post-secondary education for persons with disabilities, with official numbers indicating that only 19.6 per cent of persons with disabilities have a university or higher level degree.

48. Recalling its general comment No. 4 (2016) on the right to inclusive education and target s 4.5 and 4.a of the Sustainable Development Goals, and recalling its previous c oncluding o bservations, the Committee recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations , establish a national inclusive education action plan to transition from segregated education to quality, inclusive education, including measures that:

(a) Ensure consistent policies on inclusive education throughout the provinces and territories, track the implementation of inclusive education across provinces and territories, including through the establishment of a database to capture comprehensive data on students with disabilities at the pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary levels;

(b) Ensure that inclusive education policies include and address the distinctions-based needs, experiences and cultural context of Indigenous persons with disabilities, including regarding their representation in school curricula;

(c) Include strategies to increase the enrolment of persons with disabilities at the secondary and tertiary level s of education.

Health (art. 25)

49.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The lack of comprehensive access to quality healthcare for persons with disabilities, including the inaccessibility of medical infrastructure and equipment;

(b)The limited access to medicines and culturally appropriate health services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis persons with disabilities, and the lack of inclusion of traditional medicine within the health system;

(c)The ableism, prejudice and stigmatization displayed by health professionals and intrinsic within the health system in relation to dementia diagnosis, treatment and support, including for persons with early onset dementia, and in relation to persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities;

(d)Gaps in access to age-appropriate and gender-specific information and education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, including on family planning and access to essential menstrual hygiene products.

50. Recalling targets 3.7 and 3.8 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations:

(a) Exercise federal leadership to develop a nationally consistent approach to disability - inclusive healthcare for all persons with disabilities across the provinces and territories, including policies to ensure the accessibility of medical infrastructure and equipment;

(b) Strengthen measures provided for in the a ction p lan to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act in order to ensure culturally appropriate health care services, including by ensuring that health policies incorporate and address the needs of Indigenous persons with disabilities and includ e traditional medicine and health-related practices that are culturally relevant for those persons ;

(c) Develop a comprehensive national action plan to implement the n ational d ementia s trategy in coordination with the provinces and territories , with targets on ensur ing rights-based training for health professionals , on provid ing dementia care pathways through the health system, including with regard to access to the full range of services and supports , and on promot ing and respect ing personal autonomy and the right to independent living.

(d) Strengthen policies to provide women and girls with disabilities with age ‑ appropriate and gender - specific , accessible information and education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, including on family planning , and ensure access to essential menstrual hygiene products.

Habilitation and rehabilitation (art. 26)

51.The Committee is concerned about:

(a)The medicalized approach to habilitation and rehabilitation programmes; disparities in access to and funding for assistive technology and devices, including prosthetics, across jurisdictions; the complexity of procedures for accessing such devices; and long wait times to receive rehabilitation, including for children with disabilities;

(b)The lack of culturally appropriate habilitation and rehabilitation services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis persons with disabilities, including off-reserve and non-status Indigenous persons with disabilities.

52. Recalling the link between article 26 of the Convention and target 3.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations:

(a) Work with provinces and territories to ensure national consistency in access to and funding for habilitation and rehabilitation services, programmes and technology, with a focus on living independently and being included in the community and to streamline procedures for accessing assistive and prosthetic devices, to ensure that access assessments address the individual needs of persons with disabilities and to reduce wait times, in particular for children with disabilities;

(b) Strengthen the distinctions-based measures provided for in the a ction p lan to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act in order to ensure culturally appropriate habilitation and rehabilitation.

Work and employment (art. 27)

53.The Committee welcomes the establishment of the Employment Strategy for Canadians with Disabilities, the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program, the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program, the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, the Skills for Success programme and the Disability Inclusion Business Council. However, it notes with concern:

(a)That despite legal protections and existing policies, persons with disabilities, particularly women with disabilities, continue to encounter systemic barriers to employment and in the workplace, and face higher unemployment rates compared to their counterparts without disabilities, and that there are disparities across the provinces and territories regarding policies on work and employment for persons with disabilities;

(b)The lack of nationally consistent, longitudinal indicators aimed at measuring progress in guaranteeing the right to work, and the employment of, persons with disabilities, and the lack of disaggregated data on persons with disabilities employed in the public and private sectors;

(c)The lack of comprehensive policies to address the situation of persons with work-acquired disabilities and to counter societal stigma associated with the long-term use of employment injury benefits;

(d)The absence of a centralized disability fund to assist small enterprises and micro-enterprises in providing reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities;

(e)The continued use of sheltered workshops to employ persons with disabilities.

54. Recalling its general comment No. 8 (2022) on the right of persons with disabilities to work and employment , and in line with target 8.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Committee recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations:

(a) Exercise federal leadership to identify systemic barriers to employment for persons with disabilities and ensure national consistency in all work and employment policies and program me s across jurisdictions;

(b) Create specific indicators to measure progress in the implementation of program me s on employment for persons with disabilities across provinces and territories , in both the public and private sectors , and strengthen measures on disaggregated data collection;

(c) Develop comprehensive measures to address the situation of pe rsons with work-acquired disabilities, and carry out awareness-raising campaigns to counter societal stigma regarding the long-term use of employment injury benefits;

(d) Establish a centralized fund to assist small enterprises and micro ‑ enterprises in provid ing reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities;

(e) Develop a strategy with specific timelines and measurable outcomes to transition from segregated employment, such as sheltered workshops, to employment that is open to , inclusive of and accessible to persons with disabilities.

Adequate standard of living (art. 28)

55.The Committee notes positively the adoption of the Canada Disability Benefit Act, the Poverty Reduction Act, the Poverty Reduction Strategy and the National Housing Strategy. However, it remains concerned that:

(a)Persons with disabilities, in particular women with disabilities, are more likely to experience homelessness and face inadequate living conditions or high housing costs and are disproportionately affected by the housing crisis in Canada;

(b)The laws and policies on social entitlements, tax exemptions, housing and poverty strategies across jurisdictions are not disability-inclusive;

(c)The disability benefit is woefully inadequate to address the living expenses of persons with disabilities, the procedures to access social entitlements related to disability benefits and tax benefits are bureaucratic and complicated, and disparities inherent in those procedures lead to unequal coverage;

(d)The current system of income-testing requirements for disability allowances in British Columbia, and similar practices in Alberta and Ontario, affect the autonomy, life choices and right to family of persons with disabilities, by reducing the amount received by persons with disabilities if they have a full-time job, live with a partner or spouse, join a rehabilitation facility for treatment or travel outside of their province.

56. Recalling the links between article 28 of the Convention and target 10.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which are aimed at empower ing and promot ing the economic inclusion of all persons, irrespective of disability status, the Committee recommends that the State Party , in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations:

(a) Ensure that the issues and concerns of persons with disabilities, including women with disabilities , are included in the National Housing Strategy;

(b) Ensure that all laws and policies on social entitlements, tax exemptions, housing and poverty strategies across jurisdictions are disability - inclusive;

(c) Exercise federal leadership to ensure that all disability entitlements, including those stemming from the Canada Disability Benefit Act , support an adequate standard of living and alleviate poverty for persons with disabilities, as well as streamline procedures for accessing entitlements and tax benefits across jurisdictions;

(d) Review the income-testing requirements for disability allowances in British Columbia and similar practices in Alberta and Ontario to ensure that they do not discriminate against persons with disabilities and that such requirements allow persons with disabilities to exercise their autonomy, life choices and right to family on an equal basis with others.

Participation in political and public life (art. 29)

57.The Committee commends the State Party on its policies on voting accessibility for persons with disabilities. However, it is concerned about:

(a)Disparities in election processes across jurisdictions that affect accessibility for persons with disabilities, including for blind persons and persons with vision impairment; insufficient sign language interpreters for deaf persons; a lack of alternative methods of voting and registering to vote; and a lack of procedures to ensure the right to vote for persons of disabilities in institutions, including in psychiatric facilities and prisons;

(b)The lack of procedures to ensure that persons with disabilities can cast a secret ballot;

(c)Laws that deny legal capacity and thereby prevent persons with disabilities from exercising their right to vote, in particular persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities;

58.The lack of education and capacity-building measures to ensure that persons with disabilities are aware of their right to vote and participate in politics and public life, and the lack of measures to address the underrepresentation of persons with disabilities in political and public life, including in decision-making positions at the federal, provincial and territorial levels.

59. The Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations:

(a) Exercise federal leadership to ensure national consistency in the accessibility of election processes for persons with disabilities, including by ensuring accessible election materials and information and establishing procedures to ensure that persons in institutions can exercise their right to vote;

(b) Develop processes and procedures to ensure that persons with disabilities can cast a secret ballot;

(c) Repeal laws that deny legal capacity and prevent persons with disabilities from exercising their right to vote;

(d) Establish education and capacity - building programmes on voting rights and participation in public and political life for persons with disabilities, and specific policies to facilitate the participation of persons with disabilities in public and political life, including with regard to being politically active, standing for elections and participating in decision-making for ums .

C.Specific obligations (arts. 31–33)

Statistics and data collection (art. 31)

60.The Committee notes that the State Party implements the Washington Group short set of questions on functioning, and that it participates actively in high-level data collection on the status of the National Dementia Strategy through the Global Dementia Observatory of the World Health Organization. However, the Committee remains concerned that:

(a)The State Party’s existing surveys, including those providing data concerning the indicators used to monitor the implementation of Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, are not based on the human rights model of the Convention and do not mainstream disability, hindering the gathering of comprehensive and intersectional information on persons with disabilities, and that the Canadian Survey on Disability does not gather information about children with disabilities under 15 years of age, although the Canadian Health Survey for Children and Youth collects disability information for those 1 to 14 years of age;

(b)There is insufficient participation of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations, in the design and monitoring of data collection for the effective implementation of the Convention.

61. The Committee recommends that the State Party, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations:

(a) Conduct a review of its statistics and data - collection tools at the federal, provincial and territorial levels, in order to mainstream disability and intersectionality in to information gathering systems, including in to the Disaggregated Data Action Plan;

(b) Develop and improve the design and monitoring of the collection of data on compliance with the Convention at the f ederal, provincial and territorial levels.

International cooperation (art. 32)

62.The Committee commends the State Party for devoting between 6 and 10 per cent of its international development assistance to projects in which the main focus is the rights of persons with disabilities, and on the use of the disability policy marker introduced by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to monitor inclusivity in development assistance. However, the Committee remains concerned that despite assurances by the State Party that its arms exports and control regime policies are compliant with international and humanitarian law, the exemption of certain export permits for items, parts and components shipped to the United States of America to integrate into larger weapons systems, which are then exported to other countries, may facilitate the violation of the rights of persons with disabilities and jeopardize their access to humanitarian assistance.

63. In the light of the r eport issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2025 on the impact of arms transfers on human rights, the Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Ensure that all its arms exports and control regime policies are compliant with the obligations of the State Party under the Arms Trade Treaty, i nternational h umanitarian l aw, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other international human rights instruments, and incorporate into its domestic legislation mandatory human rights due diligence legislation for all arms exports;

(b) Conduct a comprehensive analysis of its current policy on exports of arms, items, parts and components to identify and cease any Canadian military exports used to facilitate or commit – through the export of items to other countries, including to the United States, for their integration into larger weapons systems, indirect exports or re ‑ exports – grave human rights violations against persons with disabilities;

(c) Implement the 2024 recommendation of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on transparency and accountability on arms exports.

64.The Committee notes with concern that the State Party does not closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations, in the design, approval and tracking of development and humanitarian projects in the area of international cooperation.

65. The Committee recommends that the State Party develop mechanisms to ensure the close consultation with and the active involvement of persons with disabilities, through their representative organizations, in all its humanitarian, reconstruction, development and post-conflict projects with international, regional and local partners.

National implementation and monitoring (art. 33)

66.The Committee welcomes the appointment of the Canadian Human Rights Commission as the independent body responsible for monitoring the Government’s implementation of the Convention, pursuant to article 33 (2) and (3) of the Convention, and commends the Commission for its important contributions in that capacity. It also notes the designation of the Office for Disability Issues as the federal focal point on disability, pursuant to article 33 (1) of the Convention. The Committee is nevertheless concerned about:

(a)The lack of a permanent and specialized intergovernmental mechanism to coordinate the effective implementation of the Convention in the State Party across jurisdictions, and the lack of clarity of how existing mechanisms, such as the federal, provincial and territorial forum of deputy ministers responsible for social services and the national mechanism for implementation, reporting and follow-up on human rights, mainstream disability;

(b)The end, in March 2024, of the funding designated for the Canadian Human Rights Commission to carry out its mandate as an independent mechanism to promote, protect and monitor the implementation of the Convention, which limited the Commission’s monitoring activities to a few selected rights under the Convention, and about information, provided by the State Party during the constructive dialogue, that further funding is contingent upon a request by the Commission;

(c)The lack of information on the performance of the federal focal point on disability.

67. The Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Establish an intergovernmental mechanism to coordinate the effective implementation of the Convention at the f ederal level and in the provinces and territories, publicly report on progress and ensure that existing mechanisms of intergovernmental cooperation mainstream disability;

(b) Provide continuing funding for the Canadian Human Rights Commission that is sufficient for the promotion, protection and monitoring of the implementation of all rights under the Convention, in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities , through their representative organi z ations;

(c) Ensure effective functioning of the federal focal point in all areas of government.

IV.Follow-up

Dissemination of information

68. The Committee emphasizes the importance of all the recommendations contained in the present concluding observations. With regard to urgent measures that must be taken, t he Committee would like to draw the State Party ’ s attention to the recommendations contained in paragraphs 8, on general obligations, 20, on the right to life, and 56, on an adequate standard of living.

69. The Committee requests the State Party to implement the recommendations contained in the present concluding observations. It recommends that the State Party transmit the concluding observations for consideration and action to members of the Government and Parliament, officials in relevant ministries and local authorities, to members of relevant professional groups, such as education, medical and legal professionals, and to the media, using modern social communication strategies.

70. The Committee strongly encourages the State Party to involve civil society organizations, in particular organizations of persons with disabilities, in the preparation of its periodic report.

71. The Committee requests the State Party to disseminate the present concluding observations widely, including to non-governmental organizations and organizations of persons with disabilities, and to persons with disabilities themselves and members of their families, in national and minority languages, including sign language, and in accessible formats, including Easy Read, and to make them available on the government website on human rights.

Next periodic report

72. The combined fourth and fifth reports are in principle due on 11 April 2032, under the simplified reporting procedure. The Committee will establish and communicate the exact due date of the combined periodic reports of the State Party in line with a future clear and regularized schedule for reporting by States parties and following the adoption of a list of issues and questions prior to reporting for the State Party. The combined periodic reports should cover the entire period up to the time of its submission.