Most people will experience a disability in their lifetime.
According to the Canadian Survey on Disability (2022) [1], more than 1 in 4 Canadians aged 15 years and older – approximately 8 million people – have at least one disability and 60% of these individuals report facing barriers to accessing the built environment. On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, these statistics serve as a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to create a more accessible Canada and raise awareness about the realities of living with disabilities.
The prevalence of disabilities is expected to rise as Canada’s population ages, with older adults soon outnumbering younger generations. Disability occurs when there is a mismatch between an individual’s abilities and environmental factors – such as physical, attitudinal, policy, communication, or social barriers – that restrict access, independence, and meaningful participation. Most of us will experience related mismatches and motivations across a spectrum of permanent (e.g., one arm), temporary (e.g., broken arm), or situational scenarios (e.g., carrying a child). The mismatches or barriers we face, not only exclude people with disabilities but also impact everyone, creating safety concerns and affecting mental health.
The 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability highlights common barriers, including icy sidewalks, narrow entrances, inadequate inclusive directional signage, and alarm systems, as well as societal attitudes and misconceptions. These obstacles limit inclusion and participation, but they also present an opportunity for meaningful change.
Creating Resilient Spaces for the Future
Accessible spaces benefit everyone.
When we eliminate barriers, we open doors – not just for individuals, but for society as a whole. Creating inclusive environments supports economic growth and aligns with business targets like ESG (Economic, Social, and Governance). A report from the Conference Board of Canada found that accessible workplaces enable higher employment rates and longer working hours for people with disabilities [2], who could boost Canada’s GDP by over $50 billion by 2030 [3]. This is a conservative estimate where the gap between the employment rate for people with disabilities and people without disabilities is halved rather than assuming the gap is completely closed.
Additionally, as laws and demographics evolve, designing accessible facilities today reduces future retrofit costs and ensures buildings remain functional for years to come. There is a clear social and business case for investing in accessibility; understanding the diverse needs within our communities sparks action to identify, remove, and prevent barriers in the built environment. This information facilitates creating a roadmap for clear steps forward.
The Roadmap To Accessibility
Where should organizations start?
At Human Space, we empower clients to understand their existing conditions and chart a path forward. Through our building audit and feasibility services, we conduct non-damaging site assessments from a user-experience perspective. These assessments identify barriers using a cross-disability approach, evaluating spaces against performance criteria such as relevant building codes, industry standards, and better practices.
Following the assessment, we provide clear, prioritized recommendations that are both pragmatic and innovative which promote equity, wellbeing, and participation in the built environment. Our outputs range from granular details to high-level summaries, equipping clients with actionable steps for identifying, removing, and preventing barriers. Additional services, like developing accessibility guidelines and standards, can complement these assessments, offering a comprehensive solution at any stage of a clients’ accessibility journey.
Our Expertise
Partnering with you to create inclusive environments.
Our multidisciplinary team tailors services to your goals, whether your project involves mixed-use, housing, workplace, retail, transit, media environments, education, or healthcare. As part of a global practice, we stay ahead of industry trends, better practices, evolving standards, the changing ways in which we interact with the built environment, and the shifting societal understandings of disability. Accessibility is ever-changing, and we work to ensure our clients grow alongside it.
If you’re looking to improve the accessibility of your facilities and meet the needs of Canada’s growing population of individuals with disabilities, we’d love to discuss how we can help. From site audits to long-term strategies, Human Space is your partner in promoting equity, wellbeing, and participation.
Ready to get started?
Visit our Services Page to learn more, or explore how our clients are future-proofing their facilities on Our Work Page.
1 – Statistics Canada. Canadian Survey on Disability, 2017-2022. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/231201/dq231201b-eng.htm
2 – Conference Board of Canada, The. The Business Case to Build Physically Accessible Environments. https://www.conferenceboard.ca/product/the-business-case-to-build-physically-accessible-environments/
3 – Burleton, Derek; DePratto, Brian. Canadians With Disabilities: Seizing the Opportunity. https://economics.td.com/canadians-with-disabilities-accessibility