The Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) is calling all interested building professionals to register for the upcoming RHF accessibility assessor course in Vancouver.
Given the huge demand for the certification – which coincides with the federal government’s impending Accessible Canada Act – RHF is expanding the program into more provinces across the country and facilitating a number of courses where people can train to become accessibility assessors.
The next accessibility assessor training program will take place at the Vancouver Community College (VCC). The 10 day, 60-hour course starts Monday September 24th and runs until Friday October 5.
Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) is a LEED-style rating system that evaluates the accessibility of commercial, institutional, multi-unit residential buildings and sites.
The system is the first of its kind in Canada to bring a standardized rating system to help owners and tenants rate the accessibility of their spaces from a holistic user-centric perspective. And with almost half of Canadian adults living with or who have someone in their household living with a temporary or permanent disability, improving access is becoming more critical than ever.
The course will provide participants with the knowledge and practical skills needed to rate a building for its overall accessibility under the RHFAC program, and once the RHFAC professional designation is obtained, assessors will be publicly listed on the RHFAC Registry, hosted by CSA Group.
Participants in this course will learn about:
- The impact of the social and physical environment on people with disabilities;
- The relevant legislation, regulations, and standards needed when planning and executing an assessment;
- The Universal Design principles and standards when planning and executing an assessment;
- How to interpret and navigate a set of construction drawings; and
- How to communicate and support assessment findings to clients, and prepare a recommendation report of the assessment findings, reflecting compliance and gaps related to relevant human rights and accessibility legislation, regulations, and Universal Design standards.
Prerequisites for the course include:
- You have a diploma of technology in architecture, engineering, urban planning, interior design or a related program; or
- You have a Journeyman Certificate of Qualification in a designated trade related to building construction; or
- You are an engineer or are eligible for registration as an engineer; or
- You are an architect or are eligible for registration as an architect; or
- You have a minimum of five year’s of experience related to building construction.
Interested applicants can learn more about the course here and register directly with VCC.
