Toyota Canada’s Eastern Canada Parts Distribution Centre (ECPDC) in Clarington, Ontario, has achieved a Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certified Gold rating for accessibility.
Toyota Canada’s new Eastern Canada Parts Distribution Centre (ECPDC) in Clarington, Ontario has achieved a Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certified Gold rating for accessibility. (CNW Group/Toyota Canada Inc.)Achieving a score of 88 out of 100 points, the ECPDC was designed to provide safety, sustainability and accessibility.
Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) works with organizations to rate the level of meaningful accessibility of the built environment, based on the experience of people with varying disabilities affecting their mobility, vision and hearing. To date, over 1,300 sites across Canada have been rated through the program.
“We’re excited to see Toyota Canada’s new ECPDC achieving a Gold rating for accessibility – this achievement is testament to Toyota Canada’s ongoing leadership in creating a more inclusive society,” said Brad McCannell, vice-president of access and inclusion at the Rick Hansen Foundation.
“We’re proud to work with an organization that continues to put accessibility at the heart of its overall business commitments. We hope other businesses and organizations are inspired to rethink the accessibility of their own facilities and operations, to create a Canada that is built for everyone.”
Accessible and green
The DC will play an essential role in Toyota’s Canadian parts and service operations across Eastern Canada. The new distribution centre is also set to achieve Canadian Green Building Council Zero Carbon Building – Design and LEED v4 Gold certifications, making it not only one of the most accessible buildings of its kind in Canada, but also one of the most environmentally sustainable.
A broad range of accessibility features led the Toyota Canada ECPDC to receive the gold rating, including:
- several extra-wide, accessible parking spaces next to the main entrance
- push-button doors and motion-controlled lighting
- accessible front/security desk and coat room/rack at the main entrance
- extra-wide hallways with clear wayfinding and flooring transitions
- an elevator and stairwells specifically designed to be accessible to everyone, with rounded rails, markers for people with visual impairments and rescue/aid stations in stairwells
- braille room name on each meeting room door
- accessible washrooms (doors, stalls, sinks and showers)
- telescopic adjustable desks and podiums
- accessible cafeteria, water fountains, gym and quiet/prayer room
- accessible outdoor spaces, including specially-designed park benches, trails and roof-top garden
“We are extremely proud to have achieved a gold rating for accessibility under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification program, but there is always more we can do,” said Tony Kelly, vice-president of customer services at Toyota Canada Inc.
“At Toyota Canada, accessibility is a key focus area, and we are committed to continuing to prioritize accessible design so that people of all abilities can fully contribute and work in our spaces.”
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