City of Brampton to receive complimentary Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification ratings for ten facilities

The Voice of Canada:                 

Ten City of Brampton locations has been selected to receive a snapshot of building accessibility through the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) program. By receiving these complimentary RHFAC ratings, the City will better understand the selected buildings’ levels of accessibility and identify future accessibility improvements.

The ten selected facilities include:

• Lester B. Pearson Theatre
• The Rose Theatre
• POA Courthouse
• Gore Meadows Community Centre and Library
• Cassie Campbell Community Centre
• City Hall
• BFES Apparatus and Maintenance Facility
• Brampton Gateway Terminal 
• Bramalea Transit Terminal
• Springdale Library

The Rick Hansen Foundation will be conducting 250 complimentary ratings in select municipalities across Ontario, thanks to funding from the Government of Ontario. The RHFAC program uses trained professionals to provide accessibility ratings using the RHFAC methodology for businesses and public buildings to help property managers and owners determine ways to remove identified barriers, in turn making their spaces and communities more accessible.

Applications for complimentary RHFAC ratings are currently being accepted for the second round of the program until November 30, 2020. Learn more and apply at www.rickhansen.com/ontarioratings

Quick Facts

• The RHFAC ratings are set to begin later this year with an anticipated completion of fall 2021.
• Organizations that are rated through the RHFAC program will get a confidential scorecard rating and report of key areas of success and improvement for their location.
• The program has two certification levels: RHF Accessibility Certified and RHF Accessibility Certified Gold.
• The City of Brampton and its Accessibility Advisory Committee are dedicated to ensuring people of all ages and abilities enjoy the same opportunities as they live, work, play, visit and invest in Brampton.

Quotes

“The City of Brampton is a Mosaic, and we are committed to removing barriers for people with disabilities so that everyone in our diverse community can participate fully. I welcome the opportunity to receive RHFAC ratings for the ten selected City facilities, and fondly recall first hearing of the Foundation’s certification when I met Rick in Ottawa and he encouraged the City to apply. In better understanding our locations’ levels of accessibility, we can continue to work towards making a City that is more inclusive and accessible for all.” – Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton

“As the Council representative on the Accessibility Advisory Committee, I am happy to hear that ten of our City locations will receive complimentary RHFAC ratings. Removing barriers makes our city accessible for everyone, and in understanding our buildings’ levels of accessibility, we will be able to make informed accessibility improvements aligned to and exceeding provincial AODA regulations, allowing all residents to enjoy City facilities.”
– Pat Fortini, Regional Councillor, Wards 7 and 8, Accessibility Advisory Committee Council Member, City of Brampton; Member, Region of Peel Accessibility Advisory Committee

“At the City of Brampton, we are committed to building a Mosaic City that serves people of all abilities.  In receiving RHFAC ratings for our ten selected locations, we will gain more insights on how to make our facilities more accessible for all Brampton residents, and be in a position to make future accessibility improvements accordingly.”- David Barrick, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Brampton