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People can participate in an accessibility conference that will be held in Richmond on March 1 and 2.

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Leaders in accessibility to gather in Richmond for conference

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 2:21 PST, Thu February 16, 2023

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Canada’s industry thought leaders will gather to share ideas and collaborate on solutions for improved accessibility at the Accessibility Professional Network (APN) conference on March 1 and 2.

Presented by the Rick Hansen Foundation, the conference is a two-day in-person and virtual event dedicated to building an accessible and inclusive future for people of all abilities where attendees can learn about key insights, best practices, and the latest advancements in accessibility in the built environment.

#APN2023: Building Together, presented by Royal Bank of Canada is Canada’s premier conference on accessibility in the built environment dedicated to building a more accessible, inclusive future for people of all abilities. Featuring an exciting line up of speakers, this year's conference provides attendees with an opportunity to participate in meaningful conversations with accessibility professionals from around the globe.

“Fifteen per cent of the global population has a disability, making us the largest minority group in the world and the only one that everyone is likely to become a member of at some point in our lives” said Brad McCannell, vice-president of access and inclusion at the Rick Hansen Foundation. “It will take businesses, governments, design professionals, and disability community leaders to work together to improve accessibility and make the cultural shift to inclusion—thus the theme of this year’s conference.”

This year’s conference will feature discussions on the latest accessibility legislation and codes, disability justice, and policy. It will support accessibility professionals to increase expertise in their field. Attendance is not limited to members of the Accessibility Professional Network; anyone can attend the conference and people are encouraged to join in-person or virtually.

Select speakers include:

• Alison Novak (scientist, KITE Research Institute, University Health Network)

• Ana Madariaga (senior manager workplace design guidelines, corporate real estate, Royal Bank of Canada)

• Christopher Sutton (chief executive officer, Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility)

• Dino Zuppa (chief operating officer, Accessibility Standards Canada)

• Karen Keddy (associate professor, Ball State University Department of Architecture)

• Lui Greco (manager of regulatory affairs and Atlantic Canada advocacy, Canadian National Institute for the Blind)

• Matt Neville (principal planner, Build Nova Scotia)

• Matthew Halverson (associate director of facilities planning, City of Vancouver)

• Meenu Sikand (assistant deputy minister of Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Division, Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility)

• Michael Gottheil (accessibility commissioner, Canadian Human Rights Commission)

• Peter George (chief operating officer, CN Tower)

• Shira Standfield (advisor - visitor accessibility and inclusion, Parks Canada)

• Stephanie Cadieux (chief accessibility officer, Government of Canada)

• Stuart McReynolds (associate vice-president of programs and advocacy, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities)

• Tanelle Bolt (co-founder and partner - accessibility and community, SoulFly Experiences)

The conference takes place from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on March 1 and 2 at the River Rock Casino Resort (8811 River Rd.). Tickets cost $280 for the two-day conference, and those who bundle an APN membership with their conference ticket can save $105.

In-person or virtual tickets can be purchased online at rhf.my.site.com/AccessibilityProfessionalNetwork/s/lt-event?id=a322I000002li0dQAA#/Tickets.

APN2023: Building Together presented by Royal Bank of Canada is funded in part by the Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Initiatives Program. The conference is also made possible thanks to the generous support of:

• Gold Partners Canada Post Corporation and Vancouver International Airport

• Silver Partners Accessibility Institute at Carleton University, Cadillac Fairview, KPMG LLP, McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Pacific Blue Cross, QuadReal, Scotiabank, Toyota Canada, and the University of Alberta Online and Continuing Education

• Community Partners Easter Seals BC and Yukon and The Printing House