For builders, envisioning the future is a daily task. Building homes and communities requires strategic long-term thinking while also demanding present-day planning, designing and execution. Being in two states of mind at once presents an opportunity to see the future from where we stand today.
As National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) takes shape in Canada this week, it is important to reflect on the state of accessible housing in Ontario and think about its place in the future.
Statistics Canada Highlights Growing Need
According to Statistics Canada (2022), 27 per cent of Canadians aged 15 or older, or eight million people, have one or more disabilities that limit their daily activities. This was up from 22 per cent of Canadians in 2017. Additionally, barriers to accessibility continue to exist in our built environment.
In the same study by Statistics Canada, 72 per cent of people with disabilities reported that they experienced one or more of 27 types of barriers to accessibility. Over 55 per cent said the most common barriers were those connected to aspects of our built infrastructure – specifically features inside or outside public spaces such as entrances, exits and sidewalks.
In addition to this, the number of Canadians aged 85 and older is also expected to triple over the next 20 years. All of this points to the need for greater infrastructure where accessibility is paramount.
Legislative Steps Toward a Barrier-Free Nation
In 2019, the Accessible Canada Act was passed with the goal of creating a barrier-free nation by 2040. As we move closer to 2040, it is important to include accessible home building in the way we think about housing. Planning for the future when designing homes today will benefit all homeowners long term.
This is a challenge that many in the building and development industry recognize and have been working proactively to remedy. At BILD, we are proud that our board of directors endorsed and encouraged us to become a founding member of the Accelerating Accessibility Coalition (AAC).
The Role of the Accelerating Accessibility Coalition
The AAC is an award-winning community of real estate, building and development, and accessibility leaders, all working towards ways to make physical accessibility a greater priority when building new homes. Members of the coalition all have a shared vision of a more accessible Canada, one where people of all ages and abilities have access to barrier-free housing and inclusive, complete communities. The AAC offers tools and resources like the Accessibility Toolbox to help support the development of accessible homes in Canada.
For BILD, providing knowledge, creating awareness and advancing conversations around accessibility is essential to creating a future that aligns with a changing Canada. We have a shared responsibility to focus on and ensure we can provide the types of communities homeowners require.
As the needs of the Canadian population evolves, our built environment needs to evolve with them. Living in a home comfortably, accessibly and free of barriers is part of the future that our members are thinking about.
Dave Wilkes is President and CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association.
