City of Ottawa Accessibility Spotlight - April 2026

 

Register for the 2026 AccessAbility Day Event Please register for the City of Ottawa’s 23rd annual AccessAbility Day event, held each year as part of National AccessAbility Week. This event will be in-person at Ottawa’s City Hall. The morning event will be livestreamed via the City’s YouTube channel. As part of AccessAbility Day 2026, the City is proud to be partnering with Wheelchair Basketball Canada in anticipation of the 2026 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships, which will be hosted in Ottawa this fall. In recognition of this partnership, the theme of this year’s AccessAbility Day is Game Changers: Accessible Sport in Action.  Date: Friday, May 29   Time: 9:30 am to 3 pm   Place: Ottawa City Hall (110 Laurier Avenue West); the morning portion of the event will be livestreamed via the City’s YouTube channel     RSVP: Please use the AccessAbility day registration form to register by Friday, May 22  Please join Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, City Manager, Wendy Stephanson, City Councillors, senior leaders, members of our Accessibility Advisory Committee, staff and residents as we mark this important day. In keeping with our collective commitments to equity and inclusion, the event will include accessible and bilingual communication services and will feature speakers from diverse backgrounds. During the morning ceremony, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe will provide remarks and proclaim AccessAbility Day in Ottawa. This will be followed by a variety of engaging speakers, including a presentation from the City’s Inclusive Recreation team on accessible and inclusive Recreation and Culture programs and services. Following this, our panel discussion will feature representatives from a range of accessible and inclusive sports organizations, including wheelchair basketball players. There will be light refreshments and lunch available to registered attendees. The event will also feature a resource fair showcasing accessibility‑focused projects from various City departments and will provide opportunities for participants to share feedback.   Try it experience! Throughout the event, guests will also have the chance to try wheelchair basketball, supported by staff from Wheelchair Basketball Canada.  To promote the inclusion of all participants, the following accessibility supports will be in place for the event: American Sign Language (ASL) Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) Continuous real-time captioning in English and French Simultaneous French translation Personal Support Workers When registering, please let the Accessibility Office know if you require any accommodations to participate. We look forward to celebrating with you!   Accessibility Advisory Committee Updates

The Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) provides advice to Council and consults on projects required under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005) and many more, where the City benefits from an accessibility lens.    The Committee meets at least eight times per year, with additional special meetings as required. In addition to their meetings, the group provides feedback by email, and many members participate in working groups or other sub-committees.      Next Meeting   Date: May 19 Time: 6pm     Members of the public are encouraged to attend AAC meetings, which take place via Zoom.  If you have any questions or are interested in speaking or providing comments to the AAC about an item they are considering at a meeting, please contact Committee Coordinator,  Jérôme Courchesne.  Nepean Creative Arts Centre Refresh The City of Ottawa is planning to update the Nepean Creative Arts Centre (NCAC) and we want your input. NCAC has been a creative home for artists, performers, instructors, and community members since 1990. Recognizing that community needs evolve over time, the City wants to ensure the current space supports those needs. Please complete the survey to provide your feedback. The survey will help the City understand how people use the centre today, what barriers they experience, and what improvements or new opportunities they would like to see. We encourage persons with disabilities to complete the survey. The deadline to complete the survey is May 5, 2026.  OC Transpo Customer Satisfaction Survey OC Transpo would like your feedback on train and bus services. You can give your feedback, whether you use these services frequently, occasionally, or even if you hardly ever use them. Cities around the world are conducting the same survey and we will compare results to learn from each other about how we can improve our services. The surveys on train and bus services include questions about reliability, security, ease of use and other service factors. Deadline to complete the surveys is May 10, 2026.