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‘Affordable and Accessible’: London MP Puts Forth Motion to Help Those With Non-Visible Disabilities Secure Housing

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.

Amendments Needed to Strengthen Bill C-22 (the Canada Disability Benefit Act) – Statement in Principle

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance
ARCH Disability Law Centre

March 22, 2023

On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, the Senate’s Standing Committee on Social Affairs (SOCI) begins its public hearings on Bill C-22, the proposed Canada Disability Benefit Act. This well-intentioned but weak bill needs to be strengthened. To assist the SOCI Standing Committee and all those who will make written or oral presentations to the Standing Committee’s public hearings, the AODA Alliance and ARCH Disability Law Centre present the following list of ongoing concerns with the Bill and proposed ways to address them. We support these in principle. We fully acknowledge that in addition to these, others may present other amendments to the Standing Committee that are needed, and that deserve the Committee’s careful consideration.

On-Demand Buses Can Transform Travel And Daily Life For People With Disabilities

People with disabilities are forced to plan extensively when to travel, how to travel, who to travel with and what resources they need to complete the journey.

Read more at
https://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/on-demand-buses-can-transform-travel-and-daily-life-for-people-with-disabilities/

‘EVERYONE BELONGS’: Halton Making Progress Toward Universal Accessibility

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.

Canada: First Deadline for Compliance with Accessibility Legislation for Federally Regulated Employees Is Around the Corner

The first deadline for compliance with the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) and its regulations is only two and a half months away. By June 1, 2023, federally regulated employers1 that had 100 or more employees in 2021 must comply.

Read more at
https://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/canada-first-deadline-for-compliance-with-accessibility-legislation-for-federally-regulated-employees-is-around-the-corner/

New Toronto Star Editorial Echoes the Searing Criticism of the Ford Government’s Poor Record on Accessibility for 2.9 Million Ontarians with Disabilities, that Pervade the Interim Report of Rich Donovan’s 4th Independent Review of Ontario’s Disabilities Act

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Update United for a Barrier-Free Society for All People with Disabilities

Web: https://www.aodaalliance.org
Email: aodafeedback@gmail.com
Twitter: @aodaalliance
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aodaalliance/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aodaalliance

March 20, 2023

SUMMARY

The March 20, 2023 Toronto Star includes a powerful editorial about the blistering interim report of the 4th Independent Review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act by Rich Donovan (see below). That report concluded that Premier Ford & his Cabinet have utterly failed 2.9 Million Ontarians with disabilities.

Canadian Universities Need To Be More Inclusive for Para Athletes, Says Paralympic Athletes’ Council Chair

There’s a yawning chasm between committing to inclusion and acting on it.

That’s the assertion of Erica Gavel, a Paralympic athlete and the new chair of the Canadian Paralympic Athletes’ Council. In particular, she’s concerned that true inclusion for Para athletes isn’t happening at the university level in Canada.

Read more at
https://www.accessibilitynewsinternational.com/canadian-universities-need-to-be-more-inclusive-for-para-athletes-says-paralympic-athletes-council-chair/

How the Oscars Embraced Accessibility and Inclusion With ASL Interpreters and More

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/

Montreal Man With Disability Speaks Out After Downtown Metro Station Assault

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.

Are Gyms Doing All They Can To Be Disability Friendly?

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.