uOttawa Facilities Accessibility Plan

The updated Facilities Accessibility Plan aims to identify, remove, and prevent barriers, and to make physical spaces, wayfinding, and mobility on campus inclusive and adaptable. The plan aligns with legislations including the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and key policies like uOttawa's Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan, and the Campus Master Plan, to create a more accessible environment for all.

This initiative is being developed by Workshop Architecture, CP Planning, and disability advocate Lene Andersen in collaboration with uOttawa’s Facilities Service, the Human Rights Office, and input from the university’s disability community, staff, and equity-deserving groups.

The plan involves:

• Reviewing existing accessibility policies and practices.
• Conducting a university-wide survey and meetings with stakeholders, that is students and staff interested in and affected by accessibility.
• Prioritizing accessibility upgrades informed by lived experiences and best practices.
• Drafting recommendations that integrate into uOttawa’s capital planning and construction timelines.

Stakeholder feedback will be essential, with online meetings and public forums planned for reviewing drafts before finalization. The finalized plan will be publicly available on the university website.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Students

• Monday, March 24 - 6:30pm-8:30pm, online using MS Teams - Register now!
• Tuesday, March 25 - 11:30am-1:30pm, in-person (refreshments will be served) - Register now!

Students will receive a $25 prepaid gift card (one per person). Additionally, those who attend the in-person meeting will receive $10 to help cover transportation costs.

Staff

• Thursday, March 20 - 6:30pm-8:30pm, online using MS Teams - Register now!
• Tuesday, March 25 - 2:30pm-4:30pm, in-person (refreshments will be served) - Register now!
• Thursday, March 27 - 10am-12:00pm, online using MS Teams - Register now!

Register by March 14, 2025, to guarantee your food restrictions and accommodations are met.

If demand is high, additional meeting times may be scheduled.

Accommodations will be provided on request. Accommodation are changes to make sure you can participate equally. This can include dietary needs, attendant care to help with eating or washroom assists, large print or electronic formats. See more on the registration form.

Meeting agenda

During the stakeholder meetings, we will discuss the following topics.

1. What are your current barriers to accessibility and inclusion?
2. What aspects of access and inclusion are working well?
3. Do you have any suggestions for improving accessibility at uOttawa?
4. Have cultural, social or faith-based norms influenced your ability to access accommodations?
5. Have you experienced barriers that reflect a combination of your identities (e.g., being a racialized person with a disability)?
6. In your view, what actions should be prioritized?
7. How would you like to be involved in this plan?
8. Do you have anything else you would like to discuss on this topic?

From 2019–2024, uOttawa completed significant accessibility upgrades, including:

• Refurbishing classrooms for mobility aid access and sensory needs.
• Rebuilding exterior ramps and installing tactile warning indicators.
• Adding universal washrooms and accessible emergency systems.
• Integrating higher standards for parking and installing accessible outdoor amenities like picnic tables.
• Modernizing all interior lifts

These improvements, alongside visual fire alarms and upgraded washrooms, have set a strong foundation for continued progress in accessibility.