The AODA does not yet include standards governing the housing sector. However, the Third Review of the AODA recommends new standards in various sectors, and suggests guidelines for future housing standards. In addition, the review recommends that future AODA standards should align with existing standards in other parts of the country. For instance, Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) have developed federal standards for accessible housing. Future AODA housing standards may include some or all of these guidelines and requirements to make people’s homes more accessible. In this article, we explore guidelines in the federal housing standards for accessible multi-unit housing.
Accessible Multi-unit Housing
The standards recommend that there should be accessible dwellings in all multi-unit housing, including:
- Apartments
- Condominiums
- Townhouses
- Row houses
- Boarding houses
- Buildings housing people in communal settings, such as:
- Hotels
- Motels
- Hostels
- Dormitories
- Retirement homes
- Long-term care homes
Every building or development should include some units that are fully accessible. Moreover, the accessible units should be located in different places. For example, accessible apartments, suites, or rooms should be available on different floors of a building. Similarly, accessible townhouses or row houses should be available in different parts of a development. Furthermore, accessible units should offer a variety of views.
Moreover, units of different sizes should also be accessible. For example, a building or development might offer a mixture of one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Some of the one-bedroom units and some of the two-bedroom units should be accessible.
Accessible units should be close to features that residents need to use, such as:
- Elevators
- Parking
- Other amenities
In addition, the federal standards for accessibility in the built environment provide guidelines for spaces outside of units, including:
- Shared parking
- Paths of travel outside and within buildings
- Washrooms outside of units
- Other common or shared spaces
Finally, multi-unit housing should prevent barriers for residents with environmental sensitivities. Builders should avoid using materials that compromise air quality in:
- Construction
- Furniture
- Decoration
Likewise, builders should provide enough ventilation so that residents have fresh air.