Brent Lale
CTV News London Videographer
Published March 21, 2023

As an adult living with autism, Yvonne Spicer finds it nearly impossible to secure a place of her own.

“If I wasn’t living with my mom, I’d be on the street, and I’ve been there before,” said Spicer, who is currently living with her mom in the west end of London, Ont.

Spicer has high-functioning autism, and is currently looking for work.

Like tens of thousands of other Ontarians with non-visible disabilities, she faces barriers in securing not only a job but a safe place to live.

Read more at
https://www.accessibilitynews.ca/affordable-and-accessible-london-mp-puts-forth-motion-to-help-those-with-non-visible-disabilities-secure-housing/

But there’s still more work to be done, say advocates
By Roland Cilliers insidehalton.com
Monday, March 20, 2023

The following is Part 3 of a three-part series titled Focus on Accessibility, which examines issues related to accessibility in Halton. This story focuses on the measures being taken by local municipalities to address accessibility issues throughout the community.

Accessibility is more than just ramps and parking spaces.

At its core, it’s about ensuring everyone has equal access to the world around them. Creating that access can be a challenge, as disabilities can be incredibly varied.

Halton municipalities have spent years working to improve accessibility in everything from local elections to public transit. While recognizing that significant progress has been made, accessibility advocates say there’s always more work to be done.

Read more at
https://www.accessibilitynews.ca/everyone-belongs-halton-making-progress-toward-universal-accessibility/

One year after the landmark success for Best Picture winner “CODA” at the Academy Awards, the 2023 Oscars presented the latest opportunity for Hollywood to show the world where it stands on inclusion and diversity.

Read more at
https://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/how-the-oscars-embraced-accessibility-and-inclusion-with-asl-interpreters-and-more/

Alexandre Vallerand wants the Metro to be more accessible
CBC News, Posted: Mar 12, 2023

Montreal actor Alexandre Vallerand says he was trying to go home after seeing a film at a festival on March 3 when he was attacked at Berri-UQAM Metro station.

Vallerand, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, was trying to get on an elevator he says was blocked by a group of people for 15 minutes.

Disheartened, he tried to push past the group and accidentally ran over someone’s foot. That’s when he says he was punched in the side of the head and had his headphones stolen.

“Someone hit me. Someone was frustrated. I tried to defend myself, but I couldn’t,” he said.

Read more at
https://www.accessibilitynews.ca/montreal-man-with-disability-speaks-out-after-downtown-metro-station-assault/

Gyms should be inclusive, a sanctuary for anyone wanting to improve themselves physically and mentally – but are they disability friendly? Discover here.

Gyms have come a long way in terms of accessibility and inclusivity. But the evidence suggests that people with disabilities still feel they’re not as inclusive as they could be. 41.6% of people reported finding it tricky to access in-person services. In the UK, for example, there are over 7,200 fitness and health clubs, but only a staggering 68 of them are accessible to people with disabilities. In the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires fitness centers to have accessibility features like ramps, but that’s as far as it goes.

Read more at
https://www.accessibilitynews.ca/are-gyms-doing-all-they-can-to-be-disability-friendly/