Universal Design as a new standard for all new housing construction

Jody Negley

Did you know that Australia is the first country that will require all new construction of houses and apartments to be built using universal design principles? They seem to understand that it is preferable and ultimately more sustainable to add all accessibility features at the design stage rather than as add ons later.Studies have shown that it need not cost more if it is planned from the start to be inclusive.

In the context of an ageing population and an overburdened / failing healthcare and long term care system, there is a growing mouvement in Canada for housing to be universally accessible so that people can age in place. Rather than be forced to move out of one's home due to barriers like a bathtub or threshold, the home has the capacity to adapt to changing needs over the course of your life. This broadens the potential for any housing unit to be used by a wide array of people with a diverse set of needs (families with children; adult with a disability; senior).

This would allow for much more inclusive and equitable communities in which everyone is empowered to participate and to feel like they belong rather than feel like a burden to society.

Sign the petition calling for universal design to become the standard in Canada!

https://www.change.org/p/canada-needs-a-universal-design-standard/u/31356404

universal-design-guide-en.pdf

livable-housing-design-20221219_0.pdf