City Accessibility Survey opens February 27

The City of Saskatoon is looking for resident input on creating a more accessible, inclusive and barrier free community for everyone who lives, works and plays here.

“Over the next year, the City must develop an accessibility plan that reflects the needs and experiences of all residents,” says Stryker Calvez, Director of Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (REDI) for the City of Saskatoon. “We recognize the responsibility we have to find, fix, and remove barriers so that everyone, especially people with accessibility needs, can be part of strong and inclusive communities.” Developing an accessibility plan for the City is a requirement of the Accessible Saskatchewan Act, which states that the City must have a plan in place by December 2025.

In order to create this plan, the City is looking for resident participation to complete an accessibility survey. The survey opens February 27 and can be found on the City’s Engage page. It will remain open until March 27, 2025. After completing the survey, residents will have an option to sign up to participate in focus groups and to be eligible for a random draw for one of many $50 gift certificates.

“We have done a lot of work to make these surveys as accessible as possible,” says Calvez. “There are options to complete long or short form surveys and we have tested them to ensure they are compatible with assistive technology, such as screen readers.” Paper copies of the survey will be made available and other options exist for those who request them.

Developing a plan for improved accessibility is not just about making buildings more accessible, although that is important. It is about providing information and employment opportunities in more accessible ways such as making information assistive technology friendly and using language translation services. “We also need to hear from our residents about how we can improve their accessibility and our accommodations when it comes to transportation, service animals and buying goods and services from the City,” says Calvez.

Removing barriers and improving accessibility in our communities is a complex task. “We fully recognize that we may not get everything right the first time,” says Calvez. “There is going to be some trial and error but we are committed to working with our communities to create a more inclusive community for everyone.”

Residents can learn more about the plan on our Accessibility Plan page.