Julie Sawchuk will chair a new Ontario committee tasked with reviewing accessibility in public spaces. The committee, which is yet to be fully named, will assess current design standards for both indoor and outdoor venues and consider options for further improving accessibility for all potential users.

Sawchuk is an accessibility strategist, educator, professional speaker and one of the first Ontarians to be accredited as a Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) designated professional. She will bring that insight and her own experiences of living with a spinal cord injury and mobility impairment to her new role.

“This is an opportunity to bring people together to share what is working and what needs to be done differently in design and construction and to listen to all the voices who are looking for change,” she says. “Creating accessible public spaces in Ontario is not the job of one person, it is the responsibility of all.”

The new committee is expected to begin meeting early this year and to continue to work into 2023. It is to be composed of various stakeholder groups including people with disabilities, municipal and business representatives from throughout the province.

“I am honoured that Julie Sawchuk has accepted the role of chair of this standards development committee,” says Raymond Cho, Ontario Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. “Her expertise and insights will be incredibly valuable in guiding the review of standards for accessibility in outdoor and indoor public spaces.”