2024 Accessibility Awards

Recognizing those who make Calgary a better city for everyone! 2024 Accessibility Awards

The Advisory Committee on Accessibility (ACA), through their Annual Awards Program, celebrates and recognizes Calgarians who are improving the lives for persons with disabilities. Every year, the ACA awards those who have made incredible positive impacts in communities throughout the city.

The ACA sponsors these awards to raise awareness about disability and the importance of accessibility and universal design. Let's honour the hard work and dedication of these amazing people, groups, and organizations who are making life better for all Calgarians!

Annual Accessibility Awards

Nominations open!

Help get them the recognition they deserve. Nominate a person or group by November 18, 2024.

How to submit your nomination

The Advisory Committee on Accessibility wants everyone to be included in the nomination process, so they welcome submissions in multiple formats if needed; including in-person, voice, video or American Sign Language. Please let the awards administrator know what support you require to submit a nomination, by either calling 3-1-1 (you will need to leave your contact information for the awards administrator to call you back) or by sending an email to accessibility@calgary.ca. All nomination applications will be reviewed equally based on award eligibility and criteria. (Note, City of Calgary employees are not eligible for an award).

Send an email to accessibility@calgary.ca and in your message include:

  • Name of the award.
  • Name of the nominee (person/group you are nominating).
  • Name of the nominator (can be yourself).
  • Phone number and email address of the nominee and nominator
  • Let us know why the nominee deserves this award. The criteria for each award is listed below.

Nominations close on November 18, 2024.

Awards

Below you can find the different types of awards and the nomination requirements:

The Advocacy Award

Positive actions lead to incredible outcomes

The Advocacy Award recognizes an individual or group of people who have made life better for persons with disabilities and are advancing accessibility in Calgary. The award honours Christopher Gordon, a committed advocate for Albertans with visual impairments and member of the ACA (including committee chair) until his passing in 2019.

Objective:

The Advocacy Award recognizes an individual or group of people who have improved the quality of life for persons with disabilities and are advancing accessibility in Calgary.

Criteria:

  1. Describe how a Calgarian or group within Calgary has made life better for persons with disabilities.
  2. Describe what the Calgarian or group within Calgary has done to create positive change through action.
  3. Tell us how the Calgarian or group within Calgary has worked with others to create positive change.

The Universal Design Award

Our communities evolve because of them

The Universal Design Award celebrates individuals or groups who’ve made strides in improving access for people with disabilities in Calgary. This is awarded to those who’ve created better access to the physical environment, technology, or products.

Eligibility:

  1. Agencies or organizations (individuals or groups).
  2. Public or private initiatives.
  3. Projects located and/or created in Calgary.
  4. Newly constructed or renovated projects.
  5. Projects must be completed.

Criteria:

  1. Explain how the initiative helps those with vision, mobility, hearing or cognitive disabilities, with a focus on function and improved accessibility.
  2. Explain how the project exceeds Alberta Building Code (3.8) standards for accessibility, when applicable. For example: The City of Calgary’s Access Design Standards.
  3. Explain how accessibility and universal design features are integrated with overall project design.
  4. Explain how the initiative offers an inclusive experience.
  5. Explain how the project made life better.

The Transportation & Mobility Award

Getting us all to where we need to go

The Transportation & Mobility Award honours those individuals or groups dedicated to enhancing how Calgarians navigate the city. By fostering a more accessible and inclusive environment, they help strengthen the sense of community and belonging for everyone — whether through a project, program, service, or educational initiative. This award was created in memory of Ella Anderson, who served on the Advisory Committee on Accessibility with grace, style, and commitment to people with disabilities.

Eligibility:

  1. Individuals, groups, public or private organizations or agencies.
  2. Projects, programs, or services that directly affect & improve access and movement in our city to be more inclusive of everyone.
  3. Projects, programs, or services that positively impact transportation & mobility for persons with disabilities. 

Criteria:

  1. Explain how this individual or group has gone above and beyond in making a difference. For submissions that impact physical infrastructure, reference how The City of Calgary’s Access Design Standards were met.
  2. Describe how a positive attitude, strong sense of teamwork and engaging others helped this person or group be successful.
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