Skip to content

News Release: Government of Canada improves accessibility for Canadians with disabilities in Cambridge

News Release

For Immediate Release

Government of Canada improves accessibility for Canadians with disabilities in Cambridge

February 28, 2017                     Cambridge, ON                    Employment and Social Development Canada

Today, Bryan May, Member of Parliament for Cambridge, on behalf of the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, announced improved access for Canadians with disabilities to rare Charitable Research Reserve in Cambridge.

rare has received $32,106 through the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) to improve accessibility for Canadians with disabilities by eliminating barriers at their administrative hub, the historic Lamb’s Inn. Improvements to the parking lot including the addition of ramps and dedicated accessible parking, as well as renovations to the existing reception area will allow the charity to better serve its community though inclusivity.

Canadians with disabilities face challenges every day which prohibit them from participating fully in their community and workplace. The Government of Canada is committed to reducing these accessibility barriers and ensuring that everyone has equal access and opportunity through programs such as the EAF. This is why Budget 2016 provided an additional $4 million over two years, starting in 2016–17, to support the capital costs of construction and renovation related to improving physical accessibility and safety for Canadians with disabilities in their communities.

The EAF Community Accessibility Stream provides funding for projects that help improve accessibility and safety through renovations, retrofits, or construction of community facilities and venues so that programs and services can be accessed by people with disabilities. This includes the provision of information and communication technologies for community use that eliminate systemic accessibility barriers.

Quotes

“We believe that everyone should have the same accessibility and opportunities in their communities and workplaces. Accessibility needs to be at the heart of everything we do. That is why the Government of Canada is engaging with Canadians across the country to inform the development of world-class accessibility legislation.”

– The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities

“Today’s announcement is a great example of what the Government is doing to help all Canadians participate fully in community organizations and activities, like those held at rare. I encourage all businesses and community organizations to join in making our community and workplaces more inclusive for all.”

– Bryan May, Member of Parliament for Cambridge

“We are delighted to receive such outstanding support to implement our accessibility plans. We believe that all people should have access to our services in an inclusive and barrier-free manner, and look forward to undergo the much needed upgrades to welcome diverse people to our land trust properties and facilities, for the enjoyment of nature and our environmental programs and events.”

– Stephanie Sobek-Swant, Executive Director, rare Charitable Research Reserve

Quick Facts

  • The Enabling Accessibility Fund has an annual budget of $15 million.
  • Since the creation of the Enabling Accessibility Fund, the Government of Canada has funded over 2,890 projects, helping thousands of Canadians gain access to their communities’ programs, services and workplaces.
  • In July 2016, the Accessible Canada website (Canada.ca/Accessible-Canada) was launched in order to start the online consultations to inform the development of planned federal accessibility legislation. From September 2016 and up to February 2017, the Government of Canada will have conducted 18 public sessions and 9 roundtables in 18 different cities across Canada. A national youth forum was held in November 2016 to seek input from youth with disabilities or youth with relevant work, education and / or life experiences. 

Associated Links

 

– 30 –

Contacts

Cole Davidson or Andrew Cowie

Office of Bryan May, MP for Cambridge

613-996-1307

Bryan.May@parl.gc.ca

Media Relations Office

Employment and Social Development Canada

819-994-5559

media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Follow us on Twitter

 

Backgrounder

Enabling Accessibility Fund

The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) is a federal Grants and Contributions program which supports community-based projects across Canada aimed at improving accessibility in public facilities and in workplaces.

Funding is provided through two streams: Community accessibility stream and Workplace accessibility stream.

The workplace accessibility stream supports projects that improve accessibility and safety in workplaces across Canada through capital cost investments, i.e. renovation, retrofit or construction of facilities in which job opportunities can be created or maintained for people with disabilities. Projects must respond to systemic accessibility issues in workplaces.

The community accessibility stream of the EAF provides funding to eligible recipients for capital cost projects that improve accessibility in public facilities to improve access to programs and services for people with disabilities. Projects must be directly related to removing barriers and increasing accessibility for people with disabilities in Canadian communities. All projects must also respond to specific eligibility criteria identified in the call for proposals, including support from the community.

For further information on the EAF, please visit http://www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/disability/eaf/.

Consultation to inform the development of planned accessibility legislation

Minister Qualtrough, Canada’s first Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, was mandated by the Prime Minister to lead an engagement process with Canadians with disabilities, stakeholders, provinces, territories and municipalities that would inform planned legislation to transform how the Government of Canada addresses accessibility in the federal jurisdiction.

The consultation process period is July 2016 to February 2017.

Additionally, Minister Qualtrough led a National Youth Forum that engaged Canadian youth with disabilities in the policy discussion and has also participated in roundtable discussions with various stakeholders.

For more information on the consultations and to participate in the online survey, Canadians have been encouraged to visit Canada.ca/Accessible-Canada.