I NT E RV I E W W IT H LU K E A N D E R S O N, E X E C U T I V E D I R E CTO R O F S TO P G A P F O U N DAT I O N PHOTOS BY SELINA MCCALLUM @SHOTBYSELINA
Remo vin g B a r r i e r s & Su p p o r ti ng Acce s s ib le Bu s i n e s s e s Making Toronto business spaces more accessible, both physically and online, has been a work in progress for decades. The AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) first came into effect in 2005, with the goal of “developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards in order to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures and premises on or before January 1, 2025.”
An organization visibly at the forefront of the accessibility movement and supporting businesses in tangible ways, has been StopGap Foundation. You may know them by their painted wooden ramps emblazoned with the iconic STOPGAP.CA stencil. Since 2011, StopGap Foundation’s mission has been to foster “a world where every person can access every space,” and to date they have placed more than 2000 ramps across Canada. We spoke to Luke Anderson, a Founder
and the Executive Director of StopGap to get some insight. Luke has first-hand knowledge and experience of barriers in the built environment. After sustaining a highlevel spinal cord injury while mountainbiking, Luke found himself living in a world not well designed for someone who gets around using a wheelchair, where a single step is as large a barrier as a flight of stairs. We connected with Luke over Zoom: What are some of the most common accessibility issues facing businesses? Between 50% to 75% of businesses in most Toronto neighbourhoods have stepped entryways. We developed our StopGap programming to raise awareness of this huge issue that doesn’t just affect people with different mobility needs but also has been raised by others - such as parents who push strollers, delivery people, and from those with temporary disabilities due to an injury or illness. Many people have said they benefit tremendously from having a ramped entryway. We’ve also been hearing from people who have chosen to support and frequent businesses that have a ramp because they believe that it’s important to equity and inclusion. The ramps that we build and the services we offer are literally just the first step (pun intended). There’s a lot that can be done inside a business for little to no cost as well. It begins by making it easy for customers to access accessibility-related information about the businesses’ services and physical space. Knowing whether a storefront is accessible or not prior to visiting the location is invaluable to anyone using a mobility aid. So, making this information available on a business website is really important and easy to do. What else can businesses work on to do better? Beyond the AODA requirements and that accessibility is a Human Right, there is a basic need for greater education and understanding on the part of businesses to learn to use more empowering language and replace more antiquated language. That sends a message, removes barriers, builds momentum for the accessibility movement, and grows the collective consciousness. For example, I am not confined to a wheelchair, instead I use a wheelchair.
22
#LONGLIVEQUEENWEST | QUEENSTREETWEST.CA
