National AccessAbility Week: May 29-June 4, 2022

Next week, marks the start of National AccessAbility Week in Canada. National AccessAbility Week is a time to promote accessibility and inclusion in communities and to celebrate the contributions of persons with disabilities. It is an opportunity to recognize the efforts of people who are actively removing barriers and ensuring people with disabilities have an equal chance to participate in the places we live, work, learn and play.

From May 29-June 4, 2022, businesses, communities and people across Canada will be acknowledging this important week by celebrating those who are making real changes in their schools, communities and municipalities. This year, the theme for National AccessAbility Week is “Inclusive from the start”. To emulate this theme, the week focuses on:

• Celebrating the valuable contributions and leadership of Canadians with disabilities;
• Highlighting the work of individuals, organizations and communities who are removing barriers;
• Reflecting on our ongoing efforts to become a better, more accessible, more disability inclusive Canada.

What We’re Doing

Destination BC actively supports the development and improvement of accessible tourism products, services and activities to ensure every person can participate in BC’s transformative experiences. Our commitment to building a province that is inclusive and welcoming to all travelers is encapsulated in “Toward an Inclusive and Accessible British Columbia Tourism Industry”, a three-year strategic framework and action plan that aims to build capacity within the industry and champion meaningful tourism employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Learn more here.

Destination BC’s Learning Centre has complimentary online resources about how to ensure your business is accessible and inclusive for all employees and travellers. The accessibility resources available range from articles, case studies, guides, videos and webinars.

Destination BC seeks to inspire global travellers through compelling content and experiences that generate a sense of urgency to visit and travel throughout BC. We are committed to featuring tourism-related products on HelloBC.com that help all visitors plan their dream holiday. Your business listing on HelloBC plays an important role in converting dream trips into bookings. Visitors to HelloBC.com are able to search for accessible accommodation, attractions, activities, and experiences. To ensure businesses appear in these results, and to highlight the accessible features available at various businesses, our website provides the opportunity for you to add your business’s accessibility features to your HelloBC Listing. As part of NationalAccessibility week, review your HelloBC listing and add more information about Accessibility features at your business.

For accessible travel information, resources and ideas, visit our HelloBC Accessibility page. Communities across BC offer a variety of accessible options and our consumer website features accessible travel itineraries from all regions along with accessible travel stories. Find out more here.

       Wondering how to get involved?

• Follow #InclusiveFromTheStart and #NAAW2022 on social media for more updates throughout National AccessAbility Week. Promote NAAW 2022 on your social media platforms!
• Follow and share posts from @AccessibleGC on Twitter and from Accessible Canada on Facebook. Remember to use the hashtags #NAAW2022 #InclusiveFromTheStart when referencing the week in social media posts!
• Checkout promotional banners and visuals available for your use here.
• Join an event in your local community or, register to attend one of the Rick Hansen Foundation events such as “Leading Change: Young Disability Champions in Conversation with Rick Hansen” or “The Power of Inclusive Workplaces Panel.”
• Learn more about accessibility travel resources and information here on our website.

Find out more about National AccessAbility week by visiting: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/campaigns/national-accessability-week.html