When “accessible” is the difference between living, and just getting by
Housing is hard to find in any city. But when you need a home that works with your body, when you need to be able to bathe safely, cook independently, and move through your space without barriers, housing isn’t just “hard.” It becomes a cliff.
That’s what came through so clearly in a recent Global News story featuring Jocelyn Dennis, a mother and student in Calgary who uses a wheelchair and is running out of time to find a suitable place for herself and her young son. Jocelyn isn’t looking for luxury. She’s looking for the basics: a two-bedroom home, pet-friendly, and most critically, a zero-barrier shower so she can live independently.
And yet, as Jocelyn shared, she believes there are fewer than five rental properties in all of Calgary that truly meet that need.
Let that sink in: fewer than five.
Accessible housing is not a “nice-to-have”
We hear stories like Jocelyn’s far too often. And while every story is unique, the themes are painfully consistent:
- People are forced to choose between independence and availability
- Listings labeled “accessible” often aren’t accessible in practice
- Families face impossible timelines and impossible choices
- The search becomes exhausting—physically, emotionally, and financially
When accessible housing isn’t available, the consequences aren’t minor inconveniences. They can mean people being pushed into inappropriate settings, losing stability, or being separated from what matters most, like family, education, and community.
As Jocelyn said through tears: “What do I do?… go live in the hospital? Give my son up?” No parent should be put in that position because the housing market can’t meet basic mobility needs.
The supply problem is real—and it’s provincial
The bigger issue is what Jocelyn’s story reveals about Alberta as a whole: the supply of homes that genuinely meet accessibility needs is far too low. This isn’t just a Calgary problem. It’s a provincial one.
Alberta also faces a major policy gap. As our CEO, Krista Davidson Flint, noted in the Global News story, Alberta is one of only two provinces in Canada without current accessibility legislation in our building code. That gap has real consequences: if accessibility isn’t required, it doesn’t get built. And if it doesn’t get built, families like Jocelyn’s are left hunting for the same tiny handful of units—often priced out, unsuitable, or unavailable.
This is why we keep coming back to a simple truth:
Accessibility and affordability must be built together—on purpose, and at scale.
Grants help, but they don’t build the change we need
We’re grateful that provincial funding programs exist to support some accessibility modifications. But as Krista shared, the reality is that current RAMP-style funding often isn’t enough to create meaningful architectural change. A ramp or minor adjustment may help in some cases, but many people need larger, structural updates, like barrier-free bathrooms, widened doorways, safer kitchens, and layouts that allow full mobility.
If funding can’t support real renovation, and if new builds don’t require accessible design, the result is what we’re seeing right now: demand rising, options shrinking, and families stuck.
What accessible housing looks like when it’s done right
We know what’s possible when accessibility is designed in from the start.
Through Inclusio, our 45-unit supportive living complex overlooking Confederation Park, we’ve seen how thoughtful design changes lives—wider hallways, accessible layouts, and features like voice-activated switches that reduce barriers and increase independence.
But Jocelyn’s story also highlights a critical challenge: even successful accessible housing developments have limits. Inclusio offers studio suites, and that won’t meet the needs of every household, especially families. We need a full range of accessible housing types across the province: studios, one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms, family-sized units, and accessible homes in every neighbourhood, not just a few scattered options.
This is about dignity, not special treatment
Accessible housing is often framed as a niche issue. It isn’t.
It’s about whether people can:
- shower safely
- prepare meals
- enter and exit their home
- live with their children
- attend school or work
- participate in community life
That’s not “extra.” That’s basic dignity.
And the need is not rare. Disability can be lifelong, temporary, or acquired at any time—through illness, injury, aging, or circumstance. Accessible housing supports seniors, parents pushing strollers, people recovering from surgery, and anyone whose mobility changes.
Designing for accessibility is designing for real life.
What needs to happen next
Jocelyn said she’s speaking up because she knows she’s not the only one—and she’s right. Her story should be a catalyst for action across Alberta.
Here’s what we need, as a province:
- Accessibility embedded in building codes so homes are designed to be usable from day one
- More accessible units at every affordability level, including family-sized rentals
- Stronger incentives and funding that support meaningful architectural accessibility, not only surface-level fixes
- Truth in rental listings, with clearer standards for what “accessible” actually means
- A broader public conversation that treats accessibility as essential infrastructure
A call to our community
To individuals and families searching right now: we see you. We believe you. And we will keep pushing for a housing system that doesn’t leave you behind.
To policymakers, builders, landlords, and community partners: Jocelyn’s story is not an exception, it’s a warning. The gap between need and availability is already forcing families into crisis. We can prevent that, but only if we treat accessibility as a core requirement of housing in Alberta.
And to everyone reading: start the conversation. Ask what accessibility looks like. Notice the barriers in your own neighbourhood. Support projects and policies that build inclusion into the places we call home.
Because accessible housing isn’t just housing.
It’s independence. It’s stability. It’s family. And it’s a future where everyone can live—not just cope.
To read more about Jocelyn’s story: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/other/calgary-mother-with-mobility-issues-struggles-to-find-suitable-housing/ar-AA1UWxMo?ocid=BingNewsSerp