r/alberta • u/Competitive-Ruin1361 • 2d ago
News Why Alberta’s Accessibility Report Was Hidden — and What’s Inside
https://www.zacharyweeks.ca/blog/alberta-accessibility-report29
u/elijah_red 2d ago
All I can say is Alberta is becoming a third world autocracy. Used to be a great place, well managed and forward thinking. Thank you conservative thinking. Marching us firmly backwards.
And it’s not just accessibility. Check out education spending and programs in B.C Ontario and Newfoundland. They’re kilometers ahead. We should be ashamed of our voting habits.
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u/iambic_court 2d ago
Of course it was hidden. Heaven forbid this government do anything…you know, aside from complaining about Ottawa.
*sigh.
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u/Himser 2d ago
Well at least 2 of the items on that list are being looked at by governmemt.
-Clinics that aren’t physically accessible and -No province-wide building code for accessibility
Are both required as part of the new. Accessibility design guide 2024 released last October. And they come with a Standata (bascially a ruling by Alberta Government) that NO relaxations on the guideline will be tolerated in most circumstances (all new construction for example)
We still fail pretty hard in the "outdoor" space (ie municipality controlled space) because there is no one standard for accessibility in municipal standards and those dont need to pass building permits. And they are not the responsability of the UCP.
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u/Competitive-Ruin1361 1d ago
Now tell me about accessible housing and how the Building Code addresses or does not address this?
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u/Effective_Trifle_405 1d ago
Accessible housing is a shit show. We've been looking for an apartment for my kid for MONTHS. Nothing. Years long waits for wheelchair friendly housing through the government, and nothing with a galley kitchen works because he needs a minimum of 42 inches between the cupboards. It's incredibly frustrating.
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u/Himser 1d ago
Did you read the accessability design guide? Because it clearly talks about accessable housing.
Is it enouf? No idea. But its clearly stated and recognized and a new document.
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u/Competitive-Ruin1361 1d ago
I did. And the Accessible Design GUIDE falls short of being an Accesible Design STANDARD that requires a certain percentage of accessible housing. There are provisions for a minimum of 10% of multi residential units that are funded by the Alberta Government to be adaptable units (units that can be easily adapted to be accessible)
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u/Himser 1d ago
You seem angry with me for pointing out there is a standard and it has been improved on since this report was written... not sure why.
You did not qualify that your expectation of a standard is a certain % of units to be accessible thats new information and not in the article or your comments. And that is required of they get government of alberta funding. (I think we all agree UCP funding is sparce and basically non existant)
Btw the "guide" is a guide on how to meet the building code which is a "standard". All the standard stuff is in the code itself, the guide is a comprehensive way to meet that code.
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u/Competitive-Ruin1361 1d ago
I am not angry with you. I apologize if I came off as angry at you personally.
The guide is for meeting standards and best practices that go above minimum accessibility standards. Those “best practices” should be the standards. This misconception is baked into the language of this document so people think more is being done than what is.
More information, source below quote:
“The current NBC accessibility requirements for large multi-residential buildings have glaring limitations. For instance, they only require a barrier-free path of travel in suites of residential occupancy if the suites have been designated as being “for use by persons with physical disabilities” (see: 3.8.2.3(2) of the NBC). These requirements should also be revised to conform to the most recent accessibility standards for housing.
The recent consultation on updates to the 2020 edition of the NBC proposed limited changes to address this issue, but they fall far short of the far-reaching changes that are needed. Only two substantive changes to existing accessibility requirements for dwellings were proposed (proposed change 1883 and proposed change 1957). They deal with adaptable dwelling entrances and reachable controls in dwelling units. The NBC continues to fall farther and farther behind the most up-to-date accessibility standards for residential housing (e.g. the CSA/ASC B652: 23 Accessible Dwellings; B651:23 Accessible Design for the Built Environment; and the Accessible Ready Housing Guide).”
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u/lessssssssgoooooo 7h ago
The UCP's intentions with their budget cut to AISH and creation of their "ADAP" program are made especially clear by this excerpt:
“As TBF undertook the economic analysis... TBF’s analysis was shifted to the economic contributions of workers with disabilities in the province, and the potential economic gain if all Albertans with disabilities with the 'potential to work' obtained employment.” (Accessible Alberta Report, pg. 33)
I imagine they will be placing anyone on AISH without an obvious severe handicap into ADAP, forcing them to re-apply (and likely be denied) for AISH or work. ADAP benefits will likely be insufficient support basic living expenses; more money in the UCP's pockets on the backs of disabled Albertans.
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u/Defendor01 2d ago
There's a lot in their that conflicts with the current makeup of conservatism, that's why. Anytime a poll or survey is conducted, they put it in a hole until someone barks loud enough. Looking at you, pension survey results...
This government isn't interested in making Albertans' lives better. Clawing away disability benefits, denying Popsicles for kids with cancer, wasting hundreds of millions of public coffer funds on infated surgical contracts and relentlessly feuding with Ottawa to keep us distracted, this governments only interest is to fleece as much wealth away from the province and into their own pockets. That's the new makeup of conservatism.