Breaking down barriers
We’ve heard plenty about pivoting and adapting during COVID-19, but those are actions that people who face accessibility challenges have to take every day.
The federal government has committed to making inclusion and accessibility part of its pandemic rebound plan, but there is plenty of work that can be done at ground level to make communities better places to live for all citizens. Across Atlantic Canada, there are accessibility heroes who are doing just that — raising awareness of the barriers that exist and proposing solutions.
In Cape Breton, people like Louise Gillis are helping to educate others about the everyday hurdles that people with vision loss have to confront.
A past-president of the Canadian Council for the Blind, Gillis was left with limited vision when a blood clot in her retinal vein suddenly ruptured.
Recently, she took a walk with a Saltwire Network reporter in Sydney, N.S., to point out how everyday interactions can be made easier with some simple adjustments. Gillis has to listen for oncoming vehicles at an intersection, for example, but installing an audible signal would greatly improve safety. A strip of coloured tape on a plexiglass barrier at a grocery store would prevent people with vision loss from bumping their heads. Bright yellow paint on the edges of steps makes them easier to navigate for people who have difficulty with depth perception.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, accessibility champions, including Anne Malone, organized a vigil in St. John’s last December to demand better sidewalk snowclearing, more accessible public transit and greater incorporation of universal design in city planning.
Malone, who has a vision impairment, said a lack of cleared sidewalks in winter means a person could spend nearly half the year housebound because it is too dangerous to navigate slow-clogged streets.
“We, as people with disabilities, actually have rights to equal access, and those rights are not being acknowledged or accommodated,” she said.
In Prince Edward Island, a jammed door in Paul Cudmore’s van during an outing meant he was stranded when he was unable to lower the wheelchair ramp to access his vehicle. It also led to the realization that there were no accessible taxis in Charlottetown. He made it home with the help of friends and told his story to the media to raise awareness.
The City of Charlottetown and the provincial government responded, and there’s now a rebate program for transportation operators like taxi owners or ride-sharing companies to help offset the cost of wheelchair accessible vehicles.
This is National Accessability Week in Canada, a time to salute all those working to break down barriers.
Every day, accessibility advocates are helping to improve our communities, demanding better for all citizens.
Thank you for the work you do, and the many differences you make.