Consultation on Video Relay Service in Canada
A sign language interpretation of the notice of consultation is available as a video playlist.
ASL LSQCurrent status: Closed
From March 14, 2022 to May 16, 2022 Video Relay Service (VRS) users were invited to provide their initial comments and to tell us if they want to participate in a virtual discussion session in ASL or LSQ to provide feedback about their experiences using VRS.
See the “What we learned” section to access the virtual discussion session videos and find the full record of comments that were submitted.
To understand if Video Relay Service (VRS) is meeting Canadians’ needs, we launched a formal review of the service. VRS is a basic telecommunications service that enables people with hearing or speech disabilities who use sign language to communicate with voice telephone users. An operator relays the conversation from sign language to spoken language and vice versa, for example from American Sign Language (ASL) to English, or from Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) to French.
What has happened so far
- The review started on March 11, 2021.
- 174 comments were received during the public consultation.
- Between January 24 and 26, 2023, we held a series of virtual discussions with VRS users. The sessions were offered in English, French, ASL and LSQ.
- Recordings of the virtual discussion sessions have been made available in English and French, with ASL and LSQ interpretations respectively, and both include captioning. Written transcripts are also available.
- People who participated in our virtual discussion sessions as well as those who participated in the initial consultation phase had until October 19, 2023, to reply to what was discussed.
- The Canadian Administrator of Video Relay Service (CAV) had until November 3, 2023, to comment on what was said throughout the consultation.
Key topics for discussion
To better understand the state of VRS in Canada, we asked VRS users and other Canadians to provide their views on the following topics:
- Does VRS in Canada meet your needs as a sign language user?
- Should VRS in Canada offer more functionality?
- Could VRS do something better?
Learn more about the topics for discussion set out in the Notice of Consultation.
ASL – VRS Review Conclusion: Video Summary
What we learned
- Interventions (comments we received online, by mail and by fax)
- Virtual discussion sessions (ASL and LSQ videos)
Related information
- Report: Video Relay Service Research – International Comparison
- Video Relay Service Public Opinion Research - Final Report External link
- Frequently Asked Questions about VRS in Canada External link
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