University of Guelph Accessibility and Inclusion Audit

Completion of a detailed campus-wide interior accessibility and inclusion audit at the University of Guelph’s main campus, consisting of 114 facilities across the campus and totaling over 6.5 million square feet. The audit was a continuation of the campus exterior audit completed in 2016.

This work edifies the University of Guelph’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion on their campus, and informs where barriers exist within the built environment, serving as a resource to develop a multiyear strategic plan to remove these barriers. The goal was to create an accessible and inclusive campus that provides independent and dignified access for persons with disabilities throughout the university.

The audit reviewed compliance with the legislated minimum accessibility requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Part IV.1 Design of Public Spaces Standards (DOPS) and the Ontario Building Code (OBC).

To capture a more inclusive lens beyond minimum accessibility compliance, the audit included recommendations from our inclusive design consultancy, Human Space, for implementing universal design principles and the assessment against the OCAD University Facility Accessibility Design Standards (FADS) and CSA B651 Accessible Design for the Built Environment.