Breaking down barriers
Provincial money now available to help businesses serve those with disabilities
Small businesses that want to better serve those with disabilities will now be able to access a pool of provincial money to help make necessary changes to their operations.
Business Minister and Glace Bay MLA Geoff MacLellan, on behalf of Communities, Culture and Heritage Minister Leo Glavine, announced the $1-million Small Business ACCESS-Ability Program in support of the new Accessibility Act in Sydney Friday.
“It’s the advocates … that do all the hard work that ensure that government, that elected officials that stakeholders in the community that can make decisions around funding, make decisions around accessibility have the information, understand the importance of events and investments like today and really keep things moving for a greater society,” MacLellan said.
He added about one in five Nova Scotians identifies as having a disability.
Under the new program, individual businesses can apply now for funding. Government will pay up to two-thirds of a capped amount for each approved project. The caps range from $50,000 for the built environment; $30,000 for accessible communication services; $30,000 for the provision of assistive devices; and $40,000 for accessible transportation projects.
Marcie Shwery-Stanley, a local accessibility advocate, said in an interview she’s glad to see a long-awaited commitment from government and business, noting that it was is needed in order to see progress.
“There’s lot of places that we can’t go into, and it may only be something small like a ramp or it may be something more major like a ramp and a washroom or a power door, but the big step is the first step and this is really, really important,” she said.
“Basically, what it makes you feel like is a second-class citizen.”
Shwery-Stanley noted last year she wanted to take part in a public session discussing downtown regeneration in Sydney, only to learn to her her dismay it was to take place in an inaccessible location.
“I really felt it was important for me to be at something like that, because that’s affecting accessibility in a big way,” she said. “It felt really sort of marginalized and it was almost like the first time that I sort of felt, ‘I can’t be a part of this.’”
After she contacted the mayor’s office, the event was moved to an accessible room.
“But that shouldn’t be, it should all be inclusive.”
Gerry Post, executive director of the Accessibility Directorate, said the partnership it is establishing with the business community is critical.
“I think the act and the issues have a lot of traction, because it involves a lot of people, and it’s growing because of our aging population, as well, so it’s a real challenge,” he said.
Local businessman Bruce Meloney noted it’s been said the relationship between the business community and the disability community has been weak, at best. But he said he hopes events like Friday’s announcement will begin the necessary dialogue.
“It’s important to have an inclusive mindset, to welcome people with disabilities to our businesses by simply making them accessible,” he said.
The first provincial Accessibility Act was passed last April and sets out goals for making Nova Scotia accessible in six areas
There is also 100 per cent funding for Rick Hansen Foundation certification training.
“I really felt it was important for me to be at something like that, because that’s affecting accessibility in a big way. It felt really sort of marginalized and it was almost like the first time that I sort of felt, ‘I can’t be a part of this.’” Marcie Shwery-Stanley