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Advancing Accessibility Standards Research<\/span><\/p>\n Grants and Contributions Program<\/span><\/p>\n Project #:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>17319989<\/span><\/p>\n Clearing Our Path: Evidence-based guidelines on accessibility in the built environment for people living with sight loss<\/span><\/p>\n Founded in 1918, CNIB is a non-profit organization driven to change what it is to be blind today. We deliver innovative programs and powerful advocacy that empower people impacted by blindness to live their dreams and tear down barriers to inclusion.<\/span><\/p>\n Contents<\/span><\/p>\n Introduction \u2013 About CNIB<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Background<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Project overview<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Objectives<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n How did we meet the objectives?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Challenges<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Hearing from people with disabilities<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n The \u201cClearing Our Path\u201d Summit<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Hearing from other stakeholders<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Hearing from professionals<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Presentations<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Parallel studies<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cClearing Our Path\u201d at a glance<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n About \u201cClearing Our Path\u201d \u2013 Version 2.0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n What we learned<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n What we heard<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Conclusions<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Appendix A – Summit agenda<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Appendix B Cited standards<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Appendix C CNIB presentations<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Navigating public spaces safely, independently and with dignity is crucial for inclusivity in Canada. This principle is enshrined in various domestic and international laws.<\/span><\/p>\n Under Canada\u2019s Human Rights Act, denying individuals access to goods, services, or facilities based on discrimination is prohibited. Each province and territory have its own human rights legislation and seven provinces have enacted accessibility laws specifically addressing public spaces.<\/span><\/p>\n Accessibility legislation across Canada, including the Accessible Canada Act of 2019, aims to remove barriers in the built environment for people with disabilities through infrastructure standards.<\/span><\/p>\n Canada ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2010, preceding provincial acts in Ontario, <\/span>Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act<\/span><\/a> (AODA), and Quebec, <\/span>Quebec\u2019s e-20.1 Act<\/span><\/a>. Articles within the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) stress the obligation of states to ensure all public spaces are accessible. Several articles within the CRPD speak specifically to the obligation set out for states to ensure that public spaces can be accessed by everyone. And, both Ontario\u2019s and Quebec\u2019s legislation cite accessibility to public spaces specifically in the legislation. <\/span><\/a>[1]<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n CNIB\u2019s “Clearing Our Path” project, spanning four years, involved research and consultation with Canadians of various abilities and government stakeholders. Originally published in 1999, these guidelines evolved and are now available online in both official languages, supported by ESDC funding.<\/span><\/p>\n “Clearing Our Path” aims to fill a void by providing comprehensive accessibility guidelines for architects, property managers, and planners. Despite the availability of newer standards, it remains a vital resource.<\/span><\/p>\n The guidelines are designed to be accessible to Canadians with sight loss, including those on municipal accessibility committees.<\/span><\/p>\n The “Clearing Our Path” website continues to attract over 5,000 monthly visitors, underscoring its relevance. CNIB welcomes feedback at <\/span>advocacy@cnib.ca<\/span><\/a> to further improve the guidelines.<\/span><\/p>\n At the start of this project in 2020, CNIB recognized established domestic and international standards aimed at reducing barriers for Canadians with sight loss. These standards, developed through consensus, have been in place since the early 1990s and as recently as 2023. They include:<\/span><\/p>\n Each standard will be detailed in Appendix B of this report. Please note that only the CSA-2023 standard and the 2020 National Building Code are freely available. The other standards are copyrighted by their respective publishers. It’s also important to note that the National Building Code is not compatible with screen readers.<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to these Canadian and international publications, CNIB has been actively monitoring developments in accessibility through the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the U.S. Architectural Barriers Act.<\/span><\/p>\n CNIB is pleased to inform Accessibility Standards Canada that these sources closely align with CNIB\u2019s existing guidelines published in “Clearing our Path.” Later in this report, we will highlight the differences between CNIB\u2019s guidelines and those provided in the comparative standards. Please be aware that due to variations between Canadian and U.S. regulations, the review of American regulations serves only as informative reference.<\/span><\/p>\n CNIB enlisted Professor Robert S. Wall Emerson, PhD, a prominent expert in blindness studies from the University of Western Michigan, early in the project. With over 142 peer-reviewed articles, his research primarily addresses orientation and mobility skills for individuals who are blind. He has focused extensively on wayfinding challenges and the impacts of autonomous vehicles on those with sight loss. Additionally, Professor Emerson has examined the implications of silent electric vehicles. CNIB tasked him with reviewing their guidelines and suggesting updates as needed. CNIB was pleased to learn that after two updates, in 2009 and 2016, the guidelines remained relevant and were consistent with both published international standards and best practices.<\/span><\/a>[2]<\/span><\/a> Professor Emerson\u2019s research took place from June through October in 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n Accessibility in the built environment presents a multifaceted challenge. People with disabilities defy easy categorization, making it impractical to devise universally applicable guidelines. The CNIB’s approach involves engaging in meaningful dialogues with Canadians of diverse abilities. Our aim is to grasp the potential obstacles posed by accommodations like tactile warning surface indicators (TWSI) while emphasizing their critical role for individuals with sight loss.<\/span><\/p>\n For instance, the advent of cut curbs in the late 20th century aimed to ease mobility for those using wheelchairs, strollers, or other wheeled devices, but inadvertently disoriented individuals with sight loss at crosswalks. This led to the creation of TWSIs, specifically truncated domes, originating in Japan to aid blind navigation within communities.<\/span><\/p>\n Over the past three decades, media reports have occasionally cited TWSIs as imposing unnecessary barriers on pedestrians with mobility impairments. CNIB contends that with proper installation and upkeep, such barriers are minimal, albeit with exceptions. When weighing safety against inconvenience, CNIB stresses that accommodations should not compromise the safety of individuals with sight loss in the built environment.<\/span><\/p>\n Design professionals frequently seek guidance on accommodating diverse needs, but CNIB underscores the complexity of a one-size-fits-all solution. Understanding the breadth of human experiences is crucial before embarking on public space designs. CNIB advocates close collaboration with disability community representatives, such as municipal accessibility advisory committees, to fully comprehend challenges and opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n By fostering inclusive consultations, design professionals can develop public spaces that cater to the broadest spectrum of individuals effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n An integral component of this project was to establish an advisory committee with representation from persons living with cognitive challenges, persons living with mobility challenges and those who are Deaf. Honorariums were offered to The Neil Squire Society, Independent Living Canada and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alberta for their participation and input. In addition, Neil Squire Society and Independent Living Canada participated on the project advisory committee and were active participants in the 2022 Summit. <\/span><\/p>\n Through CNIB\u2019s ongoing discussions with Canadians living with disabilities, including those mentioned above, the concept of the “disability dividend” has been consistently realized. For instance, CNIB recommends that paths of travel be at least 1.8 meters wide to ensure safe passage for pedestrians walking in opposite directions. This width not only accommodates those traveling with a sighted guide or guide dog but also enhances overall convenience.<\/span><\/p>\n For individuals using ASL\/LSQ to communicate, a path width of at least 1.5 meters is preferred, allowing them to maintain conversations while walking side by side. SignAble Vi5ion Inc. has made several other recommendations, such as ensuring customer service counters provide text messaging as an alternative to voice communication, and considering the use of colors that facilitate ASL\/LSQ understanding. Additionally, they suggested:<\/span><\/p>\n These recommendations cover several sections of “Clearing Our Path” and will be integrated more extensively as CNIB updates its guidelines.<\/span><\/p>\n This report, along with the accompanying appendices, fulfills the requirements of objective six. CNIB intends to share a condensed version of this report on the \u201cClearing the Path\u201d website, a platform that garners approximately 5,000 monthly visitors. This summary aims to provide accessible insights from the report to a wide audience, thereby contributing to greater awareness and understanding of the findings outlined herein.<\/span><\/p>\n There were several challenges which required CNIB to pivot in order to achieve the project deliverables. The original plan set out in CNIB\u2019s proposal was to gather stakeholders for a 2-day in-person gathering. This gathering was to bring together persons living with disabilities, municipal\/provincial government stakeholders and design professionals. Similar gatherings have taken place in prior years which have proven productive. <\/span><\/p>\n Due to the pandemic, February of 2022 was not an ideal time to invite stakeholders to travel and gather.<\/span><\/p>\n However, with every challenge comes an opportunity. CNIB needed to find a way to engage with Canadians living with sight loss and other disabilities and stakeholders from across Canada. The solution, which was successfully implemented, was to host a 2-day virtual conference consisting of keynote addresses and 17 breakout discussions. Participation exceeded expectations and the resulting conversations have proven beneficial in opening doors for those with sight loss.<\/span><\/p>\n Another objective set out by CNIB in its proposal to Accessibility Standards Canada was to establish an advisory committee representative of groups\/individuals living with perceptual, physical and hearing disabilities. CNIB identified three organizations before the project launched to provide feedback instrumental in updating the guidelines published on \u201cClearing Our Path\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Two of the three organizations identified were able to review the guidelines and provide extremely helpful suggestions. The organization with perspective of persons living with hearing loss or those who are Deaf was unable to continue their engagement.<\/span><\/p>\n Fortunately, through the ongoing engagement facilitated through this project CNIB was able to obtain vital input from the perspective of persons who are Deaf. <\/span><\/p>\n The lived experience of Canadians with sight loss is a fundamental principle which underpins all of CNIB\u2019s initiatives. Consistent with the Accessible Canada Act\u2019s principle of \u201cNothing Without Us\u2026\u201d CNIB\u2019s proposal was to hear from and learn of the lived experience of Canadians with sight loss and other disabilities. <\/span><\/p>\n![\"The](\"1723572192_final-report-clearing-our-path-asc-project\/1723572192_final-report-clearing-our-path-asc-project-1.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/a>Introduction \u2013 About CNIB<\/span><\/h1>\n
<\/a>Background<\/span><\/h1>\n
<\/a>Project overview<\/span><\/h1>\n
<\/a>Objectives<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/a>How did we meet the objectives?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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\nAssistive products for blind and vision-impaired persons \u2014 Tactile walking surface indicators (TWSI)<\/span><\/li>\n\n
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<\/a>Challenges<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Hearing from people with disabilities<\/span><\/h1>\n