Hamilton’s Inaugural Accessibility Awards

HAMILTON, ON – This year marks the first year for Hamilton’s new Accessibility Awards, an initiative designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of individuals, groups, and organizations that have improved accessibility for persons with disabilities. This awards program underscores the City of Hamilton’s commitment to acknowledging and valuing the significant contributions to advancing accessibility in our city.

“It is my absolute honour to introduce the City of Hamilton’s inaugural Accessibility Awards. I am proud of this initiative that showcases our commitment to creating an accessible and inclusive city, and recognizing Hamiltonians that are making a difference in our community,” said Mayor Andrea Horwath. “Please join me in celebrating these achievements, as we encourage everyone in our community to strive for a more inclusive future, making Hamilton the best place to live, work, and age successfully."

The Accessibility Committee for Persons with Disabilities (ACPD) proposed these awards in February 2022. In June 2023, City Council approved establishing this annual awards program to be presented at the ACPD-hosted Accessibility Fair.

Key dates

Nomination Period
July 18 to August 15, 2024.  Nomination forms can be found at www.hamilton.ca/AccessibilityAwards

Selection Process
August 15 to September 4, 2024.

Awards Presentation
September 26, 2024, 11 am to 3 pm at Hamilton City Hall Forecourt. Awards for an individual, a community organization or group, and a business will be presented during the Accessibility Fair. 

The ACPD will play a crucial role in the selection process. Raising awareness about accessibility and universal design is a key focus of the Accessibility Awards.

The Accessibility Awards aim to meaningfully demonstrate the award recipients' commitment to accessibility and highlight their achievements to the broader community.

For more details, visit www.hamilton.ca/AccessibilityAwards

Quick Facts

• Hamilton has a significantly large community of people living with disabilities, representing 27.7 per cent of the population compared to the Ontario average of 24 per cent and the national average of 22 per cent (Source: Statistics Canada).
• The ACPD advises the City of Hamilton on policies, procedures, and standards that address the needs and concerns of people with disabilities. Their role involves identifying barriers within municipal programs and making recommendations about barrier removal and prevention. This is done in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) in matters of Customer Service, Employment, Transportation, Design of Public Spaces, and Information and Communication.

Additional Resources

Accessibility Committee for Persons with Disabilities