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April
11, 2008
Improving
Accessibility for People with Disabilities
Earlier
this month, a Call for Proposals was issued for the Federal
Government’s new Enabling
Accessibility Fund. The
money will help cover the costs of construction and renovation
needed to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
In
my travels across the riding, I’ve listened to numerous people
with disabilities talk about the barriers that limit their daily
activities, including inaccessible buildings, inadequate support
or aids and a lack of awareness.
As
a result, Canadian communities are not fully benefiting from the
participation of people with disabilities.
The objective of the Enabling
Accessibility Fund is to support community-based projects
across
Canada
that improve accessibility and enable Canadians, regardless of
physical ability, to participate in and contribute to their
community and the economy.
There
are two components to this new program.
The first is funding for major projects and the second is
money for smaller initiatives.
Major
projects include such things as the construction of a new
participatory abilities centre or the expansion of an existing
facility to create a participatory abilities centre within
Canada
. An organization may
apply for a minimum of $1 million and a max
im
um of $15 million in funding.
Smaller
eligible activities include renovations for buildings or
modifications of existing vehicles within
Canada
that improve physical, and/or communication accessibility.
All projects must be accessible to the public and
organizations may apply for a maximum of $50,000
Some
examples of eligible projects include:
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building an interior or exterior ramp;
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installing wider doors or installing automated door openers;
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lowering sinks or counters;
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improving lighting and increasing colour contrast;
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building an accessible washroom;
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installing accessible door handles and light switches;
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modification or enhancement of media such as an assisted
listening device;
- -
installing a computer that is voice-interactive; and
- -
installing a wheelchair lift in a community-based vehicle.
Those
interested in applying need to be non-governmental organizations,
such as community-based groups and non-profit organizations;
public sector organizations such as small municipalities (with a
population under 250,000) and small private-sector organizations
with fewer than 50 employees and under $5 million in gross annual
revenue.
Information
about the application process for the Enabling
Accessibility Fund can be found at www.hrsdc-rhdsc.gc.ca/disability
Please
note that time is of the essence.
The deadline for applications is April 30th. If
you are not able to meet the deadline of the current Call for
Proposals, there will be another chance to apply later this year.
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