Summary Final Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard Making Places and Spaces Accessible for All Ontarians July 2010 Table of Contents Table of Contents i 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Scope and Application 4 3.0 Common Access and Circulation 6 4.0 Interior Accessible Routes 9 5.0 Exterior Spaces 9 6.0 Communication Elements and Facilities 11 7.0 Plumbing Elements and Facilities 13 8.0 Building Performance and Maintenance 15 9.0 Special Rooms, Spaces and Other Elements 18 10.0 Transient Residential 24 11.0 Recreational Elements and Facilities 25 12.0 Transportation Elements 28 13.0 Multi-Unit Housing 28 Appendix A Building and Property Maintenance 30 Want to Learn More? 30 1.0 Introduction The goal of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) is to make Ontario accessible to people with disabilities by 2025. The AODA is the first law of this kind in Canada. Through it, Ontario is developing accessibility standards for important areas of everyday life. A standard explains an accepted way of doing something. It states what the requirements are, who has to meet them and by when. An important part of making Ontario accessible is breaking down barriers in buildings and public spaces. Standards will help make this happen. The Ontario Minister of Community and Social Services appointed the Standards Development Committee (the committee) to develop an Accessible Built Environment Standard. A “built environment” is made up of the structures and spaces where people live, work and play. Ontario’s disability community has an active voice at the Standard Committee table. Half of the members either have a disability or represent an organization for people with disabilities. Other members work in the building and design industry, the business community and the public sector. All the members are working to find practical solutions to make Ontario accessible. The standard should make the province accessible for the greatest number of people. At the same time, there will always be a need for individual accommodation. The committee members understand this. They also know that it is not an easy challenge to balance the goal of accessibility with technical and cost issues. The committee has now completed a final proposed Accessible Built Environment standard. It reflects the committee’s final thoughts about the specific requirements that are necessary to make the built environment in Ontario accessible. In developing the proposed standard, the committee members talked with many people. They looked at what other jurisdictions in Canada and around the world are doing to make places and spaces accessible. They also found out what is happening in the areas of accessibility, research and technology. The final proposed standard is in a publication called the Final Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard. This summary provides an overview of what is in that publication. The Final Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard is the fifth standard to be released for public review. The Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07 was the first standard to become the law in Ontario on January 1, 2008. The committee will now give the final proposed standard to the Minister of Community and Social Services for review. If the minister approves the standard, this will begin a process for the standard to become law in Ontario. Please note that the final proposed standard is currently not law How to Learn More At the end of this summary is a section called “Want to Learn More?” In it, you will find information about how you can get copies (including alternate formats) of this summary, the Final Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard and other information about making Ontario accessible by 2025. Please note that the final proposed standard is currently not law. If you are interested in more information about the Final Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard, please visit the Ministry of Community and Social Services’ website. Please keep in mind that this is a summary of what is in the Final Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard. It does not include the full details. If there is any conflict between this summary and the proposed standard, the standard is always the final authority. Also, wherever the words “proposed standard” appear in this summary, it means the Final Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard. As you read about the proposed standard, you may notice that it will make it easier for all Ontarians, not only people with disabilities, to live, work and enjoy the many benefits that this province offers. 2.0 Scope and Application Who Will Have to Comply with the Standard When It Is the Law? If the Standard becomes the law in Ontario, businesses and organizations in the province will have to use the standard to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility in built environments. The proposed standard would apply to all new construction and extensive renovations to the existing built environment. What Are the Deadlines for Complying? The purpose of the proposed standard is to take the first steps to prevent and remove barriers in the built environment by 2025. It focuses on the first five years after the Standard becomes law in Ontario. If the Standard becomes the law, the committee is proposing the following deadlines for businesses and organizations to comply with it: New construction would have to comply within 24 months after the Standard is the law. Extensive renovations and changes in the use of a built environment would have to comply within 24 months after the Standard is the law. What Is in the Final Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard? The committee’s proposed standard has 14 sections. There is an introduction and a section covering the proposed scope and application of the standard. The proposed standard has 11 groups of building elements. The 11 groups are: common access and circulation, interior accessible routes, exterior spaces, communication elements and facilities, plumbing elements and facilities, building performance and maintenance, special rooms, spaces and other elements, transient residential, recreation elements and facilities, transportation elements and multi-unit housing. For each building element (e.g., doors and doorways), there are technical requirements. The technical requirements explain how to make an element accessible for people with disabilities; for example, the minimum width of a building doorway so that a wheelchair or scooter can move through it. The elements in each of the 11 groups must comply with the technical requirements for that element and other technical requirements in the standard that apply to them. For example, the proposed standard has technical requirements about accessible seating on rides at amusement parks (see section 9.0, Special Rooms, Spaces and Other Elements). Amusement parks must also comply with the technical requirements for doors and doorways (3.0 Common Access and Circulation). The final section in the proposed standard explains some key words, terms and units of measurement that are used in talking and writing about accessible built environments. 3.0 Common Access and Circulation The common access and circulation category is aimed at making it easy for everyone to go into and out of buildings, and move in and around them. The elements are: entrances; doors and doorways; elevating devices; ramps; stairs; ground and floor surfaces; overhanging and protruding objects; and rest areas. Accessible entrances allow people to have dignity and independence. The technical requirements cover pedestrian entrances into a building. This includes entrances from the outdoors and from any buildings that are attached to it (e.g., a parking garage with an entrance directly into an office building). The requirements also cover the indoor and outdoor spaces, and stairs and ramps that lead to entrances. Narrow doorways that are difficult or impossible for someone using a mobility device to enter, heavy doors, and doorways with steps or raised thresholds are all barriers to people with disabilities. Having to depend on someone else to open a door or move through a doorway does not support a person’s dignity or independence. The doors and doorways technical requirements cover different kinds of doors (e.g., revolving and sliding), and door and doorway features. These include safety barriers, space for moving a wheelchair or scooter, door openings and closings. Elevating devices give people with disabilities access to different levels in a building. They include passenger and other elevators, moving walks and ramps, passenger lifts and escalators. The technical requirements for elevating devices cover features like the location of elevator buttons, markings for handrails, moving walks and moving ramps, lighting and surfaces. Ramps make it possible for people using mobility and other assistive devices (e.g., a personal oxygen tank), strollers, trolleys and bicycles, and for other pedestrians, to move easily from one ground or floor level to another. However, ramps can be difficult and dangerous to navigate. If a ramp has a steep incline, someone using a wheelchair may not be able to go up or down it independently. There is also the risk that the wheelchair could tip over. The technical requirements for making ramps useful and safe cover such features as the height, width, steepness and surfaces of ramps. Stairs make it possible to enter and exit buildings, and go from one level to another. Steep and/or narrow stairs may be challenging for people with disabilities, seniors or people of short stature. Having indicators to warn people with low vision that they are approaching a set of stairs is very important to reduce the risk of injury. The technical requirements cover outdoor and indoor stairs to buildings. They deal with heights and widths of stairs and stairways, lighting, handrails, safety barriers and visibility. Slippery or uneven ground and floor surfaces are hazardous. Highly polished floors or thick carpets, changes in ground and floor surfaces, grates and grilles are all risky for people using canes, crutches and wheelchairs, and people who are not sure-footed. The technical requirements are aimed at avoiding these conditions. They cover indoor and outdoor ground and floor surfaces. Indoor and outdoor overhanging and protruding objects are very hazardous for people with disabilities. The technical requirements cover where to put objects that jut out (e.g., lighting fixtures) and the need to keep walkways clear and provide enough headroom. Rest areas are indoor and outdoor places for people to stop and take a break. They are very important for people who find it hard to stand or walk for long periods. The technical requirements cover rest area locations, design (including surfaces, slopes and levels) and seating. 4.0 Interior Accessible Routes An accessible route is an indoor path that is barrier-free. This makes it possible for people with a range of disabilities to move along it safely, easily, efficiently and comfortably. Barrier-free paths include corridors, hallways, passageways, foyers and other open spaces. Accessible indoor routes take into account having enough room for a person to operate a wheelchair or scooter. The path can include ramps, curb ramps, stairs or elevating devices. The technical requirements cover the height and width of stairs and ramps, slopes, levels and resting areas. 5.0 Exterior Spaces The exterior space elements are: accessible exterior routes curb ramps; pedestrian crossings; pedestrian crossing signals; and street furniture. An accessible exterior route is an outdoor path that is barrier-free so that people with disabilities can use it to move safely, comfortably and easily. Like interior accessible routes, they must be wide enough to operate a wheelchair and other mobility devices. The technical requirements cover route width, slopes, surfaces and alternative paths. A curb ramp makes it possible for people to enter or exit a sidewalk or road from pedestrian areas like street crossings, designated accessible parking spaces and passenger drop-off areas. Curb ramps must take into account the needs of people with different disabilities. For example, a curb ramp with a steep slope can be hazardous. A smooth transition and small slope are good for people using a wheelchair. At the same time, this could be a hazard for someone with low vision if there is nothing to signal a change in the ground level. The technical requirements cover the measurements, surfaces, steepness, sides and level changes (between the curb ramp and the street/road). Pedestrian crossings are the designated points for people to cross a street or road. They may be necessary because of the local traffic situation (e.g., a very wide and/or busy road) or the local population (e.g., many small children, seniors, and people with disabilities). Pedestrian safety has top priority. The technical requirements cover accessible routes, ramps, edge markings and traffic islands. In August 2008, the Transportation Association of Canada published Canada-wide Guidelines for Understanding, Use and Implementation of Accessible Pedestrian Signals. This document is posted on the Ministry of Community and Social Services’ website. The committee is proposing to use these for the pedestrian crossing signals element. Street furniture and other conveniences (e.g., drinking fountains) can be a resting place for people who find it hard to walk distances. The technical requirements cover the placement and dimensions of street furniture and conveniences. 6.0 Communication Elements and Facilities The elements in this category are: signage; information/visual display systems; wayfinding; public address systems; and public telephones.. It is important that signs are easy to understand. This helps people with low vision or other disabilities, children and people who speak a different language. The signage technical requirements cover indoor and outdoor, permanent and temporary signs. These include wall-mounted and suspended signs and signs on support posts. The technical requirements state where to put signs and what letters and symbols should look like (e.g., size and colour). There are also requirements for signs that people can feel and LED (light emitting diode) signs. Information/visual display systems give people the information they need to move around in and use built environments. Everyone should have access to this information. Information/visual display systems include information kiosks, electronic directories, electronic signs, and visual and touch maps. These systems need to take different kinds of disabilities into account. This includes locating these systems so that people using a wheelchair or a scooter can reach and use them. The technical requirements cover their placement and features (e.g., push button controls). Wayfinding includes all the methods that people and service animals use to find their way from place to place with more independence. Wayfinding includes signs, sounds, colours, textures and lighting. A well-designed space can make it easy for people to move around or through a space. The technical requirements cover design principles and general requirements to help wayfinding. These take into account signals that people can see, touch and/or hear. Accessible public address systems need to accommodate everyone, especially people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. The technical requirements for indoor and outdoor public address systems cover speakers, background music, equipment set-up, electronic signs and intercom systems. Public telephones need to take the needs of people with different disabilities into account. The technical requirements for public telephones include floor area for an approach by a wheelchair or scooter user; height from the floor; and measurements for a shelf. 7.0 Plumbing Elements and Facilities The plumbing elements are: lavatories; washrooms; washroom accessories; water closets; water closet stalls; urinals; universal toilet rooms; shower areas; bath tubs; drinking fountains; and sauna and steam rooms. Having accessible plumbing elements is very important for the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Lavatories are the washbasins/sinks in a washroom. An accessible lavatory has counter top heights and tap controls that people with different disabilities can use independently. The technical requirements cover how many accessible washbasins/sinks there need to be and their measurements. Many people who have a disability can use toilet facilities independently. Some may need assistance. The technical requirements for washrooms cover the features for accessible common-use washrooms. A common-use washroom has multiple toilets and sinks. More than one person can use a common-use washroom at the same time. The requirements include the number of accessible toilets per washroom per floor, the minimum number of accessible toilet stalls per washroom, dimensions and floor surfaces. Washroom accessories include fixtures like paper towel dispenser/ disposal receptacles, hand dryers, soap dispensers and vending machines. The technical requirements focus on installing these fixtures where everyone can easily reach and use them. A water closet is a toilet fixture inside a toilet stall (partition) or a universal toilet room. The technical requirements cover water closet locations, flush controls and toilet paper dispensers. The technical requirements for water closet stalls focus on the measurements of the stall, door clearances and controls, and grab bars. The technical requirements for urinals focus on the number of urinals, height from the floor, measurements for the spaces around them and flush controls. Universal toilet rooms have only one toilet fixture and a washbasin/sink. They are built for private use. They are large enough for someone using a mobility device to enter and exit. The space can also accommodate a second person (e.g., an attendant who assists with hygiene routines or an adult accompanying a child). Because of their privacy and size, universal toilet rooms are more appropriate for some people with disabilities than an accessible water closet stall. The technical requirements cover their location, controls, lighting, adult change tables, grab bars and emergency call systems. The technical requirements for shower areas in public buildings (e.g., schools, airports, offices) cover set-ups, floor surfaces, shower seats and fixtures like grab bars, soap dishes and shower heads. Emergency showers are also covered. The technical requirements for bath tubs in public and multi-unit buildings (e.g., university residences, hotels, apartments) include measurements for bath tubs and the spaces around them, surfaces, faucets and grab bars. The placement, clearances and controls of drinking fountains must take into account the needs of people using mobility devices. This includes having accessible drinking fountains that do not protrude into accessible indoor or outdoor paths of travel. The technical requirements for drinking fountains also include eye-wash stations. The saunas and steam rooms elements focuses on their unique features in addition to other accessibility requirements. The technical requirements cover floor spaces, clearances, bench measurements, grab bars and visible and audible emergency alarms. They do not include requirements for manufactured equipment (e.g., pumps) for sauna and steam rooms or specialized mobility devices that can be used in a sauna and steam room. 8.0 Building Performance and Maintenance The building performance and maintenance elements are: air quality, acoustics (sound quality), end user controls and operating mechanisms, interior lighting, exterior pedestrian lighting and tactile walking surface indicators. Air quality within buildings can affect the health and well-being of many people, especially those who are sensitive to chemicals and scents. Poor air quality can also affect the health of people who have allergies, asthma and other respiratory conditions. The technical requirements cover materials, building design, ventilation, chemicals used in building maintenance and pollutants. Sound signals can help people find their way, especially those with low or no vision. They rely on their hearing to familiarize themselves with the space they are in. Acoustics (sound quality) can distort or add to sound information signals. The technical requirements cover the use of sound insulating and absorbing materials, ceiling shapes, and public address and call systems. Being able to recognize, reach and operate building and other controls and mechanisms, without relying on others, helps people with disabilities to live independently and with dignity. Buildings have many kinds of end user controls and operating mechanisms for systems and equipment like lighting systems, thermostats, vending machines, parking ticketing and pay-stations, and cooking grills in picnic areas. The technical requirements focus on properly locating, constructing and implementing indoor and outdoor controls and mechanisms to give all end users (e.g., staff, visitors, guests, customers) the greatest amount of independence. Not having enough lighting increases the risk of falls. It also makes it difficult to see details and objects. Insufficient lighting is also linked to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and depression. The technical requirements for interior lighting cover installed lighting systems, portable lighting, and indoor and outdoor lighting. There must be lighting that is well-distributed and at an even level. Proper outdoor lighting is important for individual safety, security and independence. The technical requirements for exterior pedestrian lighting cover installed lighting systems and lighting along outdoor routes (e.g., stairs) and at common spaces (e.g., entrances). A tactile walking surface indicator (TWSI) is a ground or floor surface warning signal that people can feel or see. It lets people with low or no vision know about potential hazards, like a change in floor level. A TWSI has a surface feature (like a high contrast colour and/or a texture) that is built-in or applied to the surface. People with low vision can see it and people with no vision can feel it under foot or detect it with a long cane. People with vision loss often use a long cane as a “probe.” A long cane can give an extra measure of safety when the person is traveling in an unfamiliar area. Typical spots for TWSIs are at the top of stairs, curb ramps and unprotected edges where there is a change in ground or floor level (e.g., a change in the colour and texture of a subway platform warns people that they are close to the edge of the platform). The technical requirements cover having obvious contrasts in colour and texture on ground and floor surfaces. This will warn all pedestrians about potential hazards. 9.0 Special Rooms, Spaces and Other Elements This category of the proposed standard focuses on the rooms and spaces that people use to carry out a specific kind of activity (e.g., courtrooms, libraries, meeting rooms). They have features that are unique to the kinds of activities that take place there (e.g., a court facility with holding cells, study spaces in a library). The elements are: courtrooms and public assembly rooms; team dressing/change/fitting rooms; kitchens and kitchenettes; meeting rooms; offices and work areas; libraries; temporary facilities; cafeterias and restaurants; stages; parking; waiting line-up and queuing areas; accessibility seating spaces; balconies/porches; terraces/patios; assistive listening systems for assembly; passenger boarding areas; windows; and community mailboxes. Courtrooms and public assembly rooms must be accessible to four groups of people using them: judges/court officials; defendants; counsel/jury; and the general public. The technical requirements cover courtrooms and the areas next to or near them (e.g., the holding cells, prosecutor areas, judicial chambers and public gathering spaces). Team dressing rooms, change rooms, and fitting rooms must have enough space for a person using a mobility device and for accessible change benches, clothes hooks and shelving. The area should also take into account the needs of people with non-mobility disabilities. The technical requirements cover measurements for seating, floor area within changing stalls, washroom and shower amenities.. Staff or members of the public often use common kitchens and kitchenettes (e.g., in offices, common areas of apartment buildings and hotel suites). The technical requirements cover features such as the height and width of counter spaces and storage, appliances and work spaces. The technical requirements for meeting rooms cover room set-ups. Those for offices and work areas apply to offices and related areas and common-use work areas (e.g., photocopy rooms), but not to specific work stations. Note: Specific work stations would have to be accessible based on the needs of the people using them. The libraries elements deal with library rooms. A library room can be a room or space in a public or private library building, or a room in a building that has another purpose. The technical requirements cover features like study spaces, shelving and sound quality. Temporary facilities include emergency, first aid and special event facilities. Portable school classrooms, washrooms, special event facilities, first aid and emergency shelters, are examples of the temporary facilities that the technical requirements cover. The technical requirements include the application of the proposed standard to temporary facilities. People using cafeterias and restaurants should be able to get service as independently as possible. The technical requirements cover layout, seating, and access to food, beverages and utensils. Stages and platforms are for presentations and performances. These, plus stage equipment, must address all accessibility issues. The technical requirements cover the placement of stages and platforms, and space for assistive listening devices and sign language interpreters. The size and location of standard parking spaces, and other barriers, prevent many people with disabilities from using them. Even when there are accessible parking spaces, they may be hard for a person with a disability to find and use. There may not be enough accessible spaces. The standard applies to inside and outside parking (e.g., lots, parking garages and on-the-street). The technical requirements cover: types and numbers of parking spaces; and access to features like parking meters; block heaters; and shopping carts. People need to be able to move easily through, inside and outside waiting, line-up and queuing areas. The technical requirements will make it easier for people with disabilities to use these areas more independently. They cover the floor markings, signs, signals and seating for these areas. The accessibility seating spaces element focuses on having seating spaces in outdoor and indoor settings (e.g., religious institutions, theatres, sports venues). This makes it possible for people who use mobility devices and service animals to attend and participate in events and activities at those places. The technical requirements include the number, location and measurements of the accessible seating spaces, including the spaces around them. There should also be a choice of locations and range of ticket prices for people who ask for accessible seating. Some people who use a mobility device will want to transfer to a fixed seat. They will need a space to store their mobility device. When a building has a number of balconies and porches, it is necessary to take into account different levels of sun and wind protection. This helps people who have varying tolerances for sun or heat. The technical requirements cover size, surfaces, entrances and guardrail barriers. The proposed standard excludes private balconies and porches that are attached to dwelling units (e.g., apartments). Terraces and patios are outside spaces that extend the space of a business (e.g., restaurant, hotel). They must have enough space between service stations, tables and chairs so that people can move around the patio easily, comfortably and safely. When there is table seating, tables must be in different locations on the patio so that patrons have a choice of views and exposure to sunlight, shade and weather conditions. Features, like fencing, that enclose patio areas must not create barriers for people using mobility devices or who have low or no vision. The technical requirements cover fencing, lighting, seating and other facilities (e.g., washrooms). Assistive listening systems for assembly, such as captioning and descriptive video systems, make it possible for people with low or no vision and people who are deaf, deafened and hard-of-hearing to attend and participate in events and activities, such as performances and religious services. The technical requirements cover the number and capabilities of assistive listening devices. Passenger boarding areas are the indoor and outdoor spaces where passengers move from one vehicle to another or to a pedestrian area (excluding bus stops and bus shelters). Their features should make it possible for people to be dropped off or picked up safely and efficiently. These are especially important for people who find it hard to walk long distances, who use specialized transit or mobility devices, or who need to have someone accompany them. The technical requirements cover height and width clearances, signs and lighting. Windows for viewing must be at a height so that people with disabilities can see out of them. They must also have opening and closing controls that a person with a disability can operate. The technical requirements for windows include glazed screens and vision panels in doors. Community mailboxes are places for people to collect or send mail from a common delivery or sending area. The design and placement of the mailboxes is under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The proposed technical requirements cover access to and from mailboxes and mail drop boxes, and the area around them. 10.0 Transient Residential Transient residential buildings must be accessible to guests, staff or visitors who have disabilities. This section covers elements that are unique to the sleeping areas in transient residential buildings. The technical requirements include building and room design, and safety features and systems. 11.0 Recreational Elements and Facilities Everyone should have the opportunity to take part in recreational activities. The recreational elements and facilities elements are: paths and trails; amusement parks; play areas; pools/spas/splash pads; picnic areas; exercise equipment placement; and other recreational areas. The technical requirements for paths and trails deal with the accessibility of trails in natural environments like parks and wilderness areas. These take into account that using a trail is a voluntary recreational activity. Trails are different from exterior walkways (i.e., they do not provide essential links to outdoor facilities and elements). The technical requirements cover features like width, clearances, surfaces and slopes. The goal is to give people with disabilities appropriate accessibility to natural environments wherever it is practical. Amusement parks and rides are planned and built for people to have fun. The amusement park technical requirements apply to spaces within the park and to newly designed, newly constructed and altered amusement rides. The technical requirements focus on the specifications for amusement ride elements (e.g., seating, getting on and off the ride, controls) that will make it possible for everyone to enjoy the ride. They do not deal with ride design. Play areas are public-use play spaces and play equipment in a variety of outdoor and indoor settings. They help all children to develop their motor and cognitive skills. Having accessible play areas is important for children with disabilities and children who have parents with disabilities. It ensures that they get equal opportunities to play with other children and develop their social skills. The play areas element includes schools, parks, childcare facilities, multiple-family dwellings, institutions, private resorts and restaurants. The technical requirements include placement and measurements for play components and facilities (e.g., washrooms). Swimming is an important recreational and therapeutic activity for many people with disabilities. The technical requirements apply to indoor and outdoor pools, spas and splash pads intended for general use at public and private recreational facilities and buildings. The technical requirements focus on having accessible change facilities and ways of getting into the water. The picnic area elements focus on eating and recreational areas with picnic tables for public use. There may be other amenities, like benches, cooking grills and water outlets. Picnic tables with an extension are accessible to a person using a wheelchair. Changes in the surfaces of pathways and picnic areas provide important signals for people with low or no vision. The technical requirements cover the size of clear spaces around tables and other amenities, surfaces and equipment operating controls. The focus of the exercise equipment placement elements is providing everyone with access to recreation, leisure and active sports — as participants, spectators, volunteers and staff. The technical requirements cover access to exercise machines and other types of exercise equipment. 12.0 Transportation Elements The proposed standard does not address transportation elements for transit shelters, bus stops or bus stops. The committee agrees that requirements are needed for these transportation elements to provide persons with disabilities with a way of independently using the transit system. 13.0 Multi-Unit Housing The requirements in this section will give people with disabilities the opportunity to live with independence, dignity and self respect while residing in multi-unit residential housing. This means that people with disabilities will have access into residential units and commonly used spaces such as building entrances.. This proposed standard also states that newly constructed multi-unit residential housing will be visitable. This means that people with disabilities will have access to washrooms and living spaces when visiting the housing units of their friends and family. It is also important to have adaptable multi-unit residential housing. Adaptability ensures that rooms such as bedrooms and washrooms can be easily enlarged to accommodate a mobility device. This will help people to ‘age-in-place’ and avoid them having to find a more accessible home to live in should their needs change. The technical requirements for this section include measurements for corridor widths, door openings, washroom floor area and percent of units that need to comply with both “visitable” and “adaptable” housing concepts. Appendix A Building and Property Maintenance Poor maintenance can have a negative effect on accessibility. The failure to remove snow, clean up water spills and build-up, and get rid of garbage can lead to accidents and injury. The technical requirements cover the proper care, cleaning and repair of built environments to keep them in good working order and a safe condition. Want to Learn More? For more information, to get a copy of this summary or the Final Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard and/or to learn more about other initiatives to improve accessibility in Ontario, please visit the Ministry of Community and Social Services’ website. To learn more about the Building Code Act, 1992 and Building Code Ontario Regulation 350/06, please visit the government’s e-laws online. ii 30 1