Building new bridges: KITE joins Accelerating Accessibility Coalition

“Together with the AAC, we can play a pivotal role in bringing in evidence-based recommendations to improve the design of accessible housing and advocate for change,” says Alison Novak, senior scientist at KITE.

From tactile walkways and barrier-free designs to high-contrast colour schemes, the Accelerating Accessibility Coalition (AAC) is raising the bar on accessible housing design—and KITE Research Institute is joining the designers, developers and advocates making it happen.

KITE recently joined the AAC, a group that brings together dozens of accessibility leaders, people with lived experience, real estate development organizations and civic institutions working to make more new home builds accessible.

“Joining the Accelerating Accessibility Coalition is an excellent opportunity for KITE’s research to have a direct impact on the decisions made by organizations that develop and build accessible housing in Canada,” says Alison Novak, senior scientist at KITE who has been involved in changing the National Building Code of Canada and Canadian accessibility standards. “Together with the AAC, we can play a pivotal role in bringing in evidence-based recommendations to improve the design of accessible housing and advocate for change. 

Joining the group is a continuation of KITE's work with many AAC partners, including Human Space and StopGap, on areas such as improving accessibility standards in buildings.

KITE's expertise will help further the AAC’s vision: “that people of all ages and abilities in Canada have access to homes that are free of barriers, to support their ability to participate fully in society,” says Linda Weichel, Accelerating Accessibility Coalition project lead on behalf of ULI (Urban Land Institute) Toronto.

Mitchell Cohen, president and CEO of The Daniels Corporation, co-founded the AAC after he worked with Luke Anderson, founder and Executive Director of StopGap Foundation and Maayan Ziv, founder and CEO of AccessNow. They worked together on The Daniels Corporation’s Accessibility Designed Program specifications and the accessibility of Daniels’ Regent Park buildings in Toronto. 

Along with several other founding members, they created the coalition of real estate developers and accessibility leaders. They reached out to ULI Toronto and BILD and launched the AAC two years ago. 

“When we started this journey, our goal was to spark a movement, to bring accessibility to the forefront of the housing conversation,” says Jake Cohen, Chief Operating Officer of The Daniels Corporation. Since its founding, the AAC has grown to 72 organizations and individuals, and has hosted events, conducted research, and shared information about why and how to build new homes more accessibly.

“Seeing this vision gain momentum and resonate with so many others has been humbling and energizing,” says Cohen. “[But] this is just the beginning. Every new member brings us closer to creating a world where accessibility is integrated into every home, building, and community from the outset.”

The AAC recently unveiled a new video that shows how accessible design improvements can improve residents' lives. The video follows four people—one who uses a wheelchair, one with sight loss, and a senior couple—as they navigate a typical unit and a Daniels Accessibility Designed Unit, highlighting why current standard home design isn't good enough.