These barriers — like the condition of streets , sidewalks and crosswalks — can impact anyone but
frequently affect those living with disabilities . Research finds that when streets are in even slight disrepair , people with severe mobility impairments are
four times more likely to report difficulty walking compared to those living in “ good ” neighbourhoods ( neighbourhoods without cracks in sidewalks and potholes ). Even slightly increasing the quality of streets could help people both access and remain involved in their communities .
Simple measures , such as involving people with disabilities in research and planning , are found to create targeted solutions to barriers and enhance the accessibility of neighbourhoods .
In the past , there were
limited opportunities for people with disabilities to have their opinions heard . With the recent rise of participatory research methods , however , they are increasingly working as
“ coresearchers .” This helps create opportunities for collaboration with municipal officials and community service providers .
user-led environmental audit tools , champion this shift . They help capture the users ’ perspective and provide a more holistic understanding of environmental features affecting walkability and wheelability .
Overlooked accessibility and COVID-19 Neighbourhood built environments create barriers to inclusion that have been
intensified by the pandemic .
As the pandemic draws on , it has become glaringly clear that people living with disabilities have been
inordinately impacted . By and large , these strategies were intended to help us but they bring into focus our habitual pattern of overlooking accessibility and not consulting those with lived experiences .
A historical opportunity to advocate for change Canada is at a historical crossroads to becoming barrierfree . The recent ushering in of accessibility acts ,
at both the federal and provincial levels , is creating the necessary infrastructure to enforce the creation of accessible built environments and the equitable inclusion of people with disabilities .
The alignment of research , public and political will and the pandemic-era realization that radical and rapid social change is possible creates the perfect conditions to create a Canada that provides access for all .
Atiya Mahmood Associate professor , Gerontology Department , Simon Fraser University
Alison F . Chung is a research assistant at Simon Fraser University and coauthored this article . She is working with the authors on a project titled : Towards Barrier-Free Communities : A Partnership for Improving Mobility , Access and Participation ( MAP ) Among People with Disabilities .