The Daniels Corporation last week unveiled plans to offer suites tailor-made for people who use mobility devices through its new Accessibility Designed Program. Surpassing the mandated minimums contained in the Ontario Building Code, the program is slated to roll out this fall at DuEast Condominiums in Regent Park and Wesley Tower at Daniels City Centre in Mississauga.

Purchasers of suites offered through the program will not have to pay a premium for features including large roll-in showers with mosaic tile flooring or roll-out/low-threshold balconies with swing doors, which will come standard.

“Until now, there has been a significant lack of new residences designed for people with mobility needs,” said Jake Cohen, vice president of project implementation at Daniels. “Daniels is committed to creating vibrant and inclusive communities that offer homes to the broad spectrum of the market, including people who find mobility difficult in traditional layouts.”

Lots of the ADP suites, available in one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts, will be located on the ground floor. Purchasers will have the option of customizing their space by upgrading to lowered counter heights in the kitchen, for example.

“These buyers should be able to choose from designs that are both functional and contemporary, with the most up-to-date finishes,” said Cohen. “Rather than retrofitting existing layouts, we have raised the bar and set a new industry standard by designing for inclusion at the outset.”

The program extends to common areas of the condo communities, in the form of lowered concierge desks and waste chutes with automatic door openers, as examples.

Developed in collaboration with Accessibility Advantage, Quadrangle Architects and StopGap Foundation’s Luke Anderson, Daniels’ ADP applies the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity, which formed the basis for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

“It’s not us that have disabilities, but it’s the places that we live, work and play in that are disabling,” said Anderson. “Daniels’ ADP initiative is a milestone in working toward a totally inclusive society.”