A vast majority of people with disabilities in Canada face accessibility barriers, according to new data from Statistics Canada. For rural Albertans with disabilities, these hurdles can make their hometowns unlivable.
Fifty-nine per cent of Albertans with disabilities reported barriers to accessibility in public spaces, slightly higher than the national average. Within this group, the degree of inaccessibility is tied to the severity of disability. About one-third of people who reported having a mild disability experienced accessibility barriers, compared to 87 per cent of people who said their disability is very severe.
Zachary Weeks, a disability consultant and advocate, said these barriers can make anything from housing to health care harder to attain.
“Some facilities aren't even wheelchair accessible, for example. I'm just speaking from my own experience, because I have (cerebral palsy) and use a power wheelchair full time. But, accessing health care is a human right, and a lot of people can't do that,” Weeks said.
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