Rick Hansen Foundation

You can still register to join us for a meaningful conversation shaping the future of inclusive workplaces! In honour of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Tuesday, December 3, we are pleased to present “The Power of Inclusive Decision Making." This free webinar is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn from individuals leading the charge toward inclusivity across industries! Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/g-2rgbjV Our panelists: Lisa Park – Director Strategy & Operations and Accessibility Consultant, KPMG Canada and founder of the organization’s Disability Inclusion Network.   Abhishek Sarathy – Associate Vice-President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Canadian Tire Corporation.   Dr. Mahadeo Sukhai – Geneticist and renowned accessibility expert.  Jon Turco – Associate Manager at Canadian Tire Corporation and founder of the company’s Employee Resource Group EN-ABLE.  Chloë Angus (Moderator) – Director of Lived Experience, Human in Motion Robotics. 

In 1973, a group of female activists in Toronto, Ontario, established Nellie's, one of Toronto’s first women’s shelters. Today, Nellie’s new location has achieved Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) Gold, breaking barriers and building hope for so many. Nellie’s aims to build a brighter future for women and their children facing violence, poverty, and homelessness. Accessibility at this shelter is a lifeline for many women with disabilities who are disproportionately affected by violence—nearly half of all violent crimes against women in Canada are committed against those with disabilities. These women are twice as likely to be victims of sexual assault, emotional abuse, or financial control. As Nellie’s celebrates its RHFAC Gold certification, it also honours the courage of every woman who has walked through its doors by helping to create a world where accessibility, safety, and dignity are realities. Today, are currently in the midst of World Health Organization’s annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. It is a timely reminder of the critical importance of the services Nellie’s offers, and we are proud to be a small part of their story. Read more on our blog: https://lnkd.in/ggbsexFN

The təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre is the first City of New Westminster facility to receive Accessibility Certified Gold! Congratulations. “Receiving the Rick Hansen Foundation Gold accessibility certification is a significant achievement for təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre,” said Mayor Patrick Johnstone. “This certification underscores our commitment to creating a welcoming, inclusive space where everyone in our community, regardless of ability, can gather, connect, and fully enjoy the many programs and activities our facility offers.” Read the story with REMI Network: https://lnkd.in/gxmMUHXJ #Accessibility #Leadership #MunicipalLeadership #UrbanPlanning #Community

A workforce that adopts a "Nothing without Us" approach brings diverse skills, unique perspectives, and reduces unconscious bias and ableism, resulting in more robust products and services. In honour of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, RHF is pleased to once again host a free virtual panel in our Power of Inclusion series. The Power of Inclusive Decision Making will explore the critical importance of including the lived experience and diverse perspectives of individuals with varying disabilities within organizational decision making, and how disability representation within all levels of an organization is essential to creating a more inclusive and belonging culture. This live webinar will spark important conversations about disability inclusion at your workplace. Join us from 9am - 10am on December 3rd, 2024. You will hear from our panelists, Lisa Park, Director Strategy & Operations and Accessibility Consultant at KPMG, Abhishek Sarathy, Associate Vice-President of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at Canadian Tire Corporation, Jon Turco, MBA, Associate Manager, Loyalty Products, Partnerships also at Canadian Tire Corporation, and Dr. Mahadeo Sukhai, a blind geneticist with more than 20 years’ experience as an accessibility and inclusion professional. We are also grateful to welcome Chloë Angus, Director of Lived Experience at Human In Motion Robotics Inc. as our Moderator for this event! Register today and learn more about our panelists: https://lnkd.in/g-2rgbjV

“There’s a photograph I often return to. In it, my four-year-old son’s laughter is caught mid-peal, and my wife is cradling our baby daughter adoringly. I take every chance to look at it because, one day, I will no longer be able to see it.” – Matt Shaw When Matt Shaw’s eyesight began dimming around the corners, it was so gradual that it took him time to realize it. After his diagnosis with Usher Syndrome, a condition that gradually diminishes both hearing and vision, his life took an unexpected turn. It has made him acutely aware of the need for access for everyone. Matt asks, “what if, instead of society viewing disability as a limitation, we understood it as a force that could transform how we design spaces, interact, and build communities?” With your support, we can make barrier-free communities a reality. This holiday season, every dollar you give to RHF will be matched, up to $25,000, thanks to a generous donation from Nancy MacKay of MacKay CEO Forums. Please give the gift of access today and help create a world where everyone can thrive. RickHansen.com/donate

Congratulations to Halifax Public Libraries for achieving RHFAC Gold Certification at the Halifax Central Library! “Accessibility is not a project. It’s a life-long commitment that needs a strong foundation and willingness to listen,” says Megan Gainer, Director of Facilities, Halifax Public Libraries. We couldn't agree more with the sentiment. It captures both the spirirt of our program and what it means to be Accessibility Certified Gold. We look forward to seeing continued innovation and inclusion at this critical community hub. https://lnkd.in/giq7A6Cn

Your fall newsletter has arrived! Catch up on the impact you are making, as well as a note from our new Board Chair, Jane Halford, FCA, ICD.D. Highlights include stories from a blind marathon runner, a mechanic and drag racer with an SCI injury, Dr. Brian Kwon's appointment as director of ICORD, and more. We are so grateful for our donors who make our work in all these areas possible. Thank you for being a part of our mission to create a world without barriers for people with disabilities! Join the movement by making a donation today. Read the newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gqUAQUmH

Early Bird registration opens today for APN2025: Building for People. We are proud to once again host Canada’s premier conference on accessibility in the built environment. Act quickly to secure your spot at the conference, and save up to $200 with early bird pricing! The conference brings together architects, engineers, designers, planners, staff from all levels of government, individuals working in Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity (DE&I), Accessibility Professional Network (APN) members and corporate leaders, among others, to collaborate on how to create an accessible built environment for all. Join us at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, B.C. or virtually, on Thursday, March 27, and Friday, March 28, 2025. When you centre the user in design, it inspires us to think about how someone truly uses a site, going beyond minimum requirements and current practices to create a truly inclusive world. It’s time to start Building for People. https://lnkd.in/gM7qvVNj #APN2025 #conference #accessibility

Today is World Teachers’ Day! To celebrate, we want to thank all the teachers who put in an incredible effort year-round. Our School Program team is so grateful for all of you who educate and empower the next generation of disability inclusion champions. While we provide resources, presentations and professional development to support teachers in educating their classes on inclusion and accessibility, it is always the care and dedication from the teachers that matters most. Your determination to shift perspectives and empower future leaders inspires us daily! 🍎🌟🎉 Learn more about our school program: https://lnkd.in/gwTs9bds #WorldTeachersDay

How do you raise the bar of quality in our public buildings and landscapes? It’s critical to incorporate lived experience in design. A five-year research project, called Quality in Canada’s Built Environment: Roadmaps to Equity, Social Value and Sustainability is determined to answer that question. Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), it intends to bring us closer to the UN’s Sustainable Development goals of sustainable cities and communities and reduced inequality. The Rick Hansen Foundation is proud to be a partner of the SSHRC project in supporting research teams across Canada to include an accessibility lens in their definitions of quality in the built environment, and in co-designing new paths to equity, diversity and inclusion for people of all ages and abilities. We are two years in, and so we are taking a moment to look back on what has been done so far! Read our latest blog to discover more about this exciting research project, and how it will help inform improved accessibility for future generations. Living Atlas of Quality in Architecture and the Built Environment https://lnkd.in/gieHAdTr #Leadership #planning #builtenvironment #urbanplanning #futurecities #accessibility