At some point in life, every one of us will be touched by disability. Whether it’s a parent recovering from surgery, a friend navigating chronic illness, a child with a diagnosis—or even ourselves—disability is not rare. It’s universal.

But while disability is a natural part of life, our homes and our cities are not built to reflect that.

In Calgary today, accessible housing is still out of reach for far too many.

The Hidden Crisis in Our City

The Centre for Justice and Social Compassion estimates that 45% of people experiencing homelessness live with a disability. That’s more than triple the national disability rate.

In Calgary alone, 84,600 households qualify for socially assisted housing. Of those, 46,000 require that housing to also be accessible.

We are not building for this need as most homes are designed without mobility, safety, or aging in mind.

Accessibility Is Not a Luxury

When we talk about accessible housing, we’re not talking about luxury or convenience.

We’re talking about being able to get through your own front door, having a bathroom you can actually use and a kitchen that’s safe to navigate.

A true home is a space where you can age with dignity.

This is about freedom and justice and that is why It matters to Everyone

Accessible design isn’t just for people with permanent disabilities. The benefits can include people recovering from injuries, seniors who want to age in place, parents with strollers or anyone who may need more support whether temporarily or permanently.

The one thing we know about disability is that it will touch all of use. The question is, will our cities be ready when it does?

Through our campaign, we are calling for a bold but achievable goal:
At least 30% of all new homes in Calgary should be accessible.

How do we get there?

1. Policy Reform

Alberta is one of only two provinces without an accessibility building code. That must change. We need universal design standards in all new construction and incentives for accessible renovations and retrofits.

2. Lived Experience at the Table

We need builders, developers, governments, and community advocates to collaborate with people who have lived experience at the center of design.

3. A Shift in Mindset

Accessibility is not “special.” It’s essential. Let’s stop thinking of it as an afterthought and start building with it from day one for everyone.

We’ve Been Doing the Work—And We’re Ready

Accessible Housing has been serving Calgarians with disabilities for over 50 years. We’ve seen the power of a safe, accessible home.

We have the research.
We have the experience.
We have the partnerships.

Learn more about our work and how you can help at accessiblehousing.ca