Design For All Inc. is honoured to be currently working on a significant research project that will draw upon our many years of design expertise on accessibility in the built environment to work collaboratively with a multi-faceted team to explore the complexities of accessibility in heritage buildings.
The purpose of the Heritage Standards Development project is to examine ways to advance accessibility standards in support of the Accessible Canada Act, and meeting human rights requirements, while complimenting and respecting the complexity of heritage and conservation standards and guidelines that apply to federal heritage buildings.
Ultimately, our team seeks to answer how to develop a balanced way forward that respects accessibility standards under the Accessible Canada Act, while complimenting the complexity of heritage conservation standards and guidelines now and into the future.
An inclusive collaboration of people with disabilities, heritage and conservation experts, accessibility consultants, building officials and standards developers will contribute to the project’s iterative approach to balance the complexity of the varying layers of requirements that apply in terms of conservation of historic buildings and the human rights of those who access those facilities.
Client: Accessibility Standards Canada
Collaborators and Partners:
- Judy Redmond and Brian Everton – Design For All Inc.
- Michael McClelland and Douglas DeGannes – ERA Architecture Inc.
- Tammy Harper – Harper Training Consultants
- Rina Ricci – Heritage Planner, City of Winnipeg
- April D’Aubin – Council of Canadians with Disabilities
- Wins Bridgman – Bridgman Collaborative
- Nancy Hansen – Professor of Disability Studies, University of Manitoba
- Lisa Snider – Access Changes Everything
- Sarah Manteffel – Student Research Assistant
- Rachelle Snelgrove – Student Research Assistant
- Isha Khan– Canadian Human Rights Museum
- Kay Penn – Canadian Standards Association
- Interior Designers Canada
- Freynet – Gagne Translation