Technical committee for outdoor spaces
The recruitment process for this technical committee is now closed. We wish to thank all applicants.
On this page
Role
The role of the technical committee for standards for outdoor spaces is to:
- identify where persons with disabilities may face barriers in the outdoor environment
- develop a national standard or standards that will try to remove or prevent these barriers
This standard or standards will apply to all private and public sector organizations in the federally regulated sector.
Compensation for individual members
We are adopting Canadian and international practices to develop accessibility standards. We will recruit experts from various backgrounds. These are volunteer roles as most members will represent organizations. If an individual with a disability is not paid by an organization, we will compensate them for their role as an expert on a technical committee.
Travel directive
If members need to travel, Accessibility Standards Canada covers expenditures, as per the Government of Canada travel directive.
Areas of focus
A few areas where persons with disabilities may face barriers in outdoor spaces include:
- outdoor paths:
- recreation trails
- paths to beaches
- sidewalks and walkways
- lack of accessible parking
- outdoor public use eating areas
- outdoor play spaces
- services (for example service counters)
- maintenance (fixing things)
Committee members
Find below our technical committee members, title, and organization, grouped by stakeholder category.
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson
Chairperson: Haley Flaro (full information: name number 14 below)
Vice Chairperson: Isabelle Ducharme (full information: name number 15 below)
Academic and research bodies
1. Dr. Patricia Longmuir, Senior Scientist, CHEO and CHEO Research Institute
2. Dr. Alison Novak, Scientist, KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – University Health Network
3. Dr. Tilak Dutta, Scientist, KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – University Health Network
4. Mr. Mike Prescott, Post-doctoral fellow, Laval University
Consumer and public interest
5. Dr. Nicole Yantzi, consumer and public interest member
6. Ms. Marlene Hoce, retired/volunteer member, Barrier Free Sask
7. Mr. Andrew Ashby, Member, Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee (MAAC) for the City of Kingston
Government and authorities having jurisdiction
8. Mr. Yoland Charette, Chef - architecture de paysage et design industriel, Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN-NCC)
9. Ms. Shira Standfield, Visitor Experience Advisor, Accessibility and Inclusion, Parks Canada
10. Mr. Robert Lipka, Principal Urban Designer, City of Edmonton
Industry and commerce
11. Mrs. Ivy Smith, Associate Landscape Designer, LEES+Associates Landscape Architecture and Planning
12. Ms. Aasiya Hussain, CEO & Executive Director, Ecohesian Inc
13. Mrs. Nancy Harris, Regional Development Liaison, Spinal Cord Injury BC
Non-governmental Organizations
14. Ms. Haley Flaro (Chairperson), Executive Director, Ability New Brunswick
15. Ms. Isabelle Ducharme (Vice Chairperson), Présidente du conseil d'administration, Kéroul
16. Mr. Jerome Plante, case manager, Confédération des organismes de personnes handicapées du Québec (COPHAN)
17. Mrs. Marnie Courage, member/rep, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT)
Standards Development Organizations
18. Mr. Babak Owlam, Project Manager, CSA Group