The province is inviting Manitobans to participate in Manitoba Access Awareness Week (MAAW) this June 10 to 16 and offer suggestions to improve accessibility.
“We are committed to being an inclusive society and ensuring accessibility is a priority,” said Families Minister Scott Fielding. “Nearly one in six Manitobans faces barriers in daily life. As we work toward implementing the standards of The Accessibility for Manitobans Act, which sets out to identify, remove and prevent those barriers, we applaud organizations who are taking the lead to develop accessibility plans.”
MAAW 2018 features an accessibility forum Tuesday, June 12 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Viscount Gort Hotel, 1670 Portage Ave. The forum will include moderated discussions on inclusive and accessible facilities and customer service from the perspective of Manitobans with disabilities, businesses and non-profit organizations, such as Ikea Canada and the Woodlands Pioneer Museum.
“We already have pencils and paper available to communicate, accessible washrooms, elevators, wide aisles, large print on most signage, and we welcome all service animals,” said Daevid Ramey of Ikea Canada. “In addition, we have mobility devices available on a first-come, first-serve basis. We utilize texting apps on mobile devices to enable efficient communication between our deaf co-workers and others and have hosted introductory American Sign Language for interested co-workers.”
The province is in the midst of a comprehensive and mandatory review of The Accessibility for Manitobans Act. It is hosting a public consultation on the effectiveness of the act Wednesday, June 20 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Viscount Gort Hotel.
To register for either forum or learn more about MAAW and The Accessibility for Manitobans Act, visit www.AccessibilityMB.ca or call the Disabilities Issues Office at 204-945-7613.
