Are you seeing obstacles to accessibility in your community?  You can remove these barriers and improve the quality of life for your community. 

Here are some ways you can get started:

• Write to your local newspaper or speak to your local media on the issue (radio, television).
• Publish your thoughts on social media, blogs.
• Find similar advocacy organizations in your community.
• Find out if your community has an accessibility committee and attend their meetings.
• Find out if your community has an accessibility plan and review your community's commitments.
• Learn about the process for planning and development approvals in your community by contacting city hall.

Think about telling your story.   Isaac Lidsky shares his experience with vision loss and how it brought new perspectives to his life that later enriched his own and others around him.

Where to Start:

At City Hall

• You local city council including your ward councilor
• Your local city accessibility advisory committee.  In some provinces cities are mandated to have these committees in place that are tasked with receiving public input and advising city staff on improvements to accessibility.
• Your city planning and building department.  Learn about what plans or urban design guidelines may be in place.  Urban design guidelines along with building codes inform development and increasingly integrate criteria for accessible design. 

In Your Community

• Your neighbours, friends, family and others who share your community.  These people may share your experience and can help address the obstacle.
  
• Your community association if you have one.  These associations often have committees tasked with addressing concerns of the built form and social services.
• You local low vision support organization such as the CNIB.
  

Who Else Can You Talk With?

• Federal member of Parliament will raise your concerns at a national level which could help lead to the development of national standards and guidelines         
• Provincial / territorial government representative (member of parliament or member of legislative assembly will raise your concerns at a provincial / territorial level where common concerns across communities can be identified and remedied through legalization, standards and guidelines. 
• The Canadian Council for the Blind is be able to provide advice on where you can find further information on your specific concerns and whether they are currently being addressed through any regional or national policies or programs. 

Businesses are a big part of improving accessibility by ensuring signage and menus are easy to read. Engage your local chamber of commerce or business improvement area associations.

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Support Agencies

There are a number of national agencies that provide support for people with low vision and blindness.  Their services are primarily to support individuals with visual impairment.  These agencies can also be sources of advice to city builders in considering design to accommodate visual accessibility.

What can you Say?

Information you should Provide when Advocating for Accessibility

• What is the problem?
• Why is the current situation creating a problem for someone with low vision?
• How can it be addressed?
• How will you benefit from the change?
  
• How could the change benefit others in the community, contributing to improved service or quality of life?
  

How will your Audience Benefit from Improving Accessibility?

• Accessibility is often mandated and some barriers could imply liability.
• Accessibility changes often produce a much bigger benefit that will benefit others in your community such as improved safety and mobility.
• People who face accessibility changes can become more mobile and actively engage in their community 
• Your audience may not be aware of the obstacle you face and speaking with them will help them to become more informed how community service can be improved.

You are Entitled to Accessible Service in Your Community

•  Remember to recognize good work in your city.  Elected officials and leaders appreciate praise which can help accellerate more change.  Consider nominating a city for an Accessible Cities Award, the Rick Hansen Foundation's Award.
  
• If you live / work in Ontario than be aware of your rights or obligations under the provincial Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). 
  

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Be the Eyes on the Street:

A space designed the be accessible and equipped with the latest technology and support services will only remain that we if everyone is part of ensuring it remains that way.   Spaces changes with the users and permitted uses.  Temporary uses on sidewalks, poor parking behaviours or limited levels of service for snow clearing are just a few examples of how human decisions can  put barriers back into a once accessible space.   Ensuring that local permitting rules and bylaws are enforced and service standards are established can be key to providing an accessible space. 

Street fixtures such as telephone polls, fire hydrants and parking meters can occupy a lot of space. Add in permits for street patios and pedestrian space can shrink quickly!

Snow clearing practices can create or remove obstacles to mobility.

Enforcement on the allowable location of waste removal is important.

Loading bays in urban areas can be a tight fit. Consider the permissible size of trucks suitable for the available space in order to avoid unintended consequences.

We are all part of the solution to creating more accessible space. Be considerate when parking. Otherwise ticketing or enforcement may be needed.

Maintain clear paths of travel. Consider the properly location of street fixtures.

The business community needs to be aware of their role in supporting accessibility to ensure they respect public space.

Temporary signs are important but consider how their location can create barriers.

Levels of service city by the city for things like snow clearing in winter can determine the ease of mobility or accessibility.