The Rick Hansen Foundation created a new resource to help Ontario-based municipalities identify and remove built environment barriers in their communities.
The free online Municipal Accessibility Policy (MAP) Toolkit was developed with support from the Government of Ontario Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility and in collaboration with leading accessibility experts including MaRS Discovery District.
“Municipalities play a critical leadership role in ensuring their communities are inclusive and accessible to people of all ages and abilities,” said Amanda Basi, senior director of programs at the Rick Hansen Foundation. “This Toolkit offers ways to create meaningful change no matter what stage local governments are at in their accessibility journey.”
The toolkit was designed specifically for municipal staff, planners, and decision-makers but available to any Canadian municipality looking to make progress on accessibility. A step-by-step framework helps local governments develop, implement and update policies that improve physical accessibility in public spaces.
“Strong policy tools like this are essential for helping municipalities turn accessibility goals into concrete action,” said Sue Talusan, policy and impact at MaRS. “Collaborations such as this one help ensure that equity and inclusion are embedded into the systems and spaces that shape our communities.”
This comes at a time when nearly 60 per cent of people with disabilities experience physical-environment barriers in daily life or at work, according to the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability. That same survey found approximately one in four people in Canada have one or more disabilities that limit their daily activities, up from 22 per cent in 2017.
“Municipalities shape the spaces we live, work, learn, and play in,” added Basi. “The MAP Toolkit isn’t just a resource—it’s a catalyst to long-term change, providing municipal leaders tangible tools to make buildings and public spaces welcoming and accessible for everyone.”
Toolkit highlights
The toolkit is structured into four practical sessions with accompanying worksheets and empowers municipal leaders to:
1. Get started – Define goals and uncover local built environment accessibility gaps.
2. Where you’re at – Prioritize sites and develop or update strategic approaches.
3. Shift perspectives – Cultivate empathy and prioritize interventions.
4. Plan the route – Build and prioritize business cases, roadmaps, and funding strategies.
Each session includes downloadable worksheets and practical guidance to support everything from a single accessibility design project to a municipality-wide policy overhaul for the built environment. The toolkit also supports municipal efforts to meet obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
