Executive Summary: A Model Standard for the Built Environment – Accessibility for federally regulated entities as defined in the Accessible Canada Act
This standard aims to remove and prevent barriers in the built environment for everyone, including persons with disabilities. It contains technical requirements to be applied to the design of buildings and building sites to promote an inclusive environment.
Like all of Accessibility Standards Canada’s standards, this standard is designed to contribute to the realization of a Canada without barriers by 2040. It supports the goals of the Accessible Canada Act and Accessibility Standards Canada's mandate and is based on the disability community’s philosophy of “Nothing without us.”
This is the first version of the standard, which was developed by a technical committee that included experts with disabilities. It was developed to support a memorandum of understanding between Accessibility Standards Canada and British Columbia’s Attorney General and the Ministry Responsible for Housing. It will be shared for reference in whole or in part in the British Columbia Building Code.
In this first version of the standard, the technical committee aimed to update existing practices in the built environment. Key requirements of this standard include:
- Exterior and interior paths of travel: All paths of travel, outside and throughout a building, are accessible with a very small number of exceptions. Exterior paths are at least 2,500 mm wide. Interior paths are at least 1,800 mm wide. Space for turning is at least 2,500 mm in diameter.
- Building entrances and access to all floors: All entrances and all storeys of a building are accessible.
- Ramps and curb ramps: Both ramp types are to have a maximum slope of 1:20.
- Elevators: At least two elevators are required in all instances.
- Stairs: Stairs are at least 1,500 mm wide and have upper and lower handrails.
- Doorways and doors, including power door operators: The clear width of doors is at least 950 mm. Power door operators are installed on all doors except for:
- doors without a self-closing device
- secondary doors where a power door operator is provided for the primary door.
- Controls: Controls are either automatic or useable without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. They are:
- mounted up to 1,100 mm above the floor
- contrasted against the background
- provide tactile and auditory information when activated.
- Passenger loading zones and access aisles: Passenger loading zones are at least 7,400 mm long. The adjacent access aisle has overhead protection against the elements.
- Washrooms and universal washrooms: All stalls of a 3-stall washroom are accessible. There is at least 1 universal washroom with a height-adjustable adult change table on each floor of a building.
- Signs and wayfinding: Signs with tactile and Braille text are in key locations throughout and around buildings. Tactile walking surface indicators are in key locations throughout and around buildings to warn of hazards, including at the tops of stairways.
- Illumination: Illumination levels are based on how users interact with a space. There are medium levels of illumination for paths of travel. There are high levels of illumination for reading.
- Assistive listening systems: Assistive listening systems are in all spaces with an area over 75 m2. They are also in many other locations regardless of size, such as classrooms and transportation-related spaces.
- Emergency notification systems: Audible and visible notification devices are located throughout all floor areas of all buildings.
- Fire protection and refuge: There are areas of refuge for every floor area of a building. Buildings with 6 or more storeys have an occupant evacuation elevator for emergencies.