Built environment

What this priority area is about

The built environment includes federally regulated spaces designed and constructed for people to live, work, travel, and get together. This includes buildings, parks, washrooms, and other physical spaces.

Under the Accessible Canada Act, this priority area is about ensuring these spaces are accessible. This means designing and maintaining spaces that are barrier-free, inclusive, safe, and usable by all.

Why it matters

Accessible built environments allow people to participate fully in daily life by moving through spaces safely, independently, and with dignity. 

Including accessibility from the start ensures persons with disabilities can fully use and enjoy spaces. This makes living and working spaces more inclusive and welcoming to everyone. 

Key work in this area

Explore our databases to find expert-developed resources to help you design, build, or maintain spaces with inclusion in mind. These databases connect you with standards, technical guides and evidence-based research to guide your work.