What happens after a person with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity asks for accommodation? Our latest national community consultation explores an often-overlooked accessibility barrier and identifies priorities for policy, legal reform, and future research.
The Environmental Health Association of Canada (EHAC-ASEC) and the Environmental Health Association of Québec (ASEQ-EHAQ) are pleased to release Retaliation Following Requests for Accommodation: An Exploratory Community Consultation on the Experiences of People Living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).
While many discussions about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) focus on environmental exposures and barriers to participation, this consultation explored another important issue that is rarely documented: what happens after people disclose their disability and request accommodation.
Participants described experiences across healthcare, workplaces, housing, public services, education, family relationships, and community settings. Although individual experiences varied, a consistent message emerged: recognition of MCS does not always lead to meaningful accessibility. For some individuals, requesting accommodation became the beginning of new barriers, including disbelief, policy non-enforcement, continued exposure, fear of speaking up, and what participants perceived as retaliation.
The report identifies recurring themes that have important implications for accessibility, disability rights, indoor air quality, housing, healthcare, workplace accommodation, and future legal reform.
Key Messages
The consultation found that participants commonly described:
- Requesting accommodation only after extensive self-management and avoidance had failed
- Fear of retaliation discouraging disclosure and future accommodation requests
- Significant barriers within healthcare settings despite advance notice of accommodation needs
- Fragrance-free and accommodation policies that existed on paper but were poorly implemented or enforced
- Cumulative impacts on health, employment, housing, relationships, and community participation
- The need for stronger education, accountability, environmental accessibility, and legal protections
Rather than describing isolated incidents, participants identified recurring patterns that warrant further investigation and policy attention.
About the Consultation
This report summarizes an exploratory bilingual community consultation conducted by EHAC-ASEC and ASEQ-EHAQ in June 2026.
The consultation was designed to listen to lived experiences, identify emerging issues, and inform future advocacy, policy development, legal reform, and research priorities.
It is important to note that this consultation was not Research Ethics Board (REB)-approved research and should not be interpreted as a research study or prevalence survey. Instead, it provides an important community perspective that helps identify areas requiring further investigation and action.
Looking Ahead
This report represents the first step in a broader initiative examining accessibility barriers experienced by people living with MCS after requesting accommodation.
EHAC-ASEC and ASEQ-EHAQ intend to build on this work through:
- A comprehensive legal and policy reform report
- Development of practical accommodation resources and implementation tools
- Collaboration with legal, accessibility, healthcare, housing, and policy experts
- Future Research Ethics Board-approved research to better understand the prevalence, impacts, and prevention of retaliation following accommodation requests
Together, these initiatives will help strengthen accessibility, improve implementation of accommodations, and advance more inclusive environments for people living with MCS.