Feb 19, 2022 Accessible Housing

(past) Webinar on Accessible Housing

YOUTUBE Video of Webinar here

was on Feb 19, 2022

 

Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice and the Affordable Housing Network invited you to join us in a “Let’s Connect” zoom call.
 

The Crisis in Accessible Housing

There is no law in Canada requiring that any housing be accessible, despite the fact that more than 22% of Canadians have a disability.  In addition, millions of aging Canadians are left out of this statistic because they don’t define themselves as having a disability, despite the struggles of their aging bodies (eyesight, hearing, mobility issues, strokes, heart attacks….).  

The following motion was passed at the May 2021 CUSJ annual meeting

CUSJ urges the governments of Canada and all provinces to:comply with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by

  • ensuring all new housing will be accessible using universal design principles/standards,  
  • immediately amend all housing laws and regulations to make universal design mandatory for all multi-unit housing units funded directly or indirectly by the Government ofCanada and/or a province; and 
  • require that any public funds or concessions conferred on municipalities, provinces, developers, or any other organization for housing be exclusively for universally designed housing units.

Speakers:

  • Kate Chung, Co-chair, Accessible Housing Network (and CUSJ member who proposed the resolution)
  • Tracy Odell, President, Citizens with Disabilities – Ontario, and survivor of institutional life as a child.
  • Thea Kurdi, President, DesignABLE Environments Inc., Accessibility Code Consultant and Universal Design Specialist

What do we mean by accessible, universal design, adaptable, or barrier-free?

How can we end the bottleneck caused by the federal, provincial and municipal governments all declaring that housing is the responsibility of the others? 

How can we motivate all levels of government to work together to end discrimination in housing against seniors and people with disabilities? 

MORE INFO:

UNITARIANS for SOCIAL JUSTICE say
ACCESSIBLE HOUSING is a HUMAN RIGHT

Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice urge government to comply with UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Members of Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice (CUSJ) have voted unanimously to urge the governments of Canada and all provinces to ensure that all new housing be accessible using universal design standards, and to immediately amend all laws and regulations to make universal design mandatory for all multi-unit housing units funded directly or indirectly by the Government of Canada and/or a province. They also are calling for any public funds or concessions conferred on municipalities, provinces, developers, or any other organization for housing to be exclusively for universally designed housing units.

Although 22% of Canadians have a disability (StatsCan 2017), and millions of seniors want to age at home, there is no law requiring that housing be accessible.

“It is urgent that the National Building Code be changed to require that all new housing be universal design. Universal design will accommodate anyone of any age or ability, going beyond mere accessibility,” Read Much more HERE

 

Do you think we could do more?
Join us, start a Chapter and/or serve on the board. Join or Renew