Professionals
Jill Weiss
Affiliation: City of Vancouver Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee
Region: Vancouver, British Columbia
Contact Information: (604) 608-0384 or jg4weiss@telus.net
Involvement in VisitAbility/Universal Design:
Reviewed and summarized international research on visitability, accessibility, universal design and adaptability in 2012/2013. Coordinated team that worked on Vancouver’s adaptable housing bylaw.
Brad McCannell
Affiliation: Founder and president of Canadian Barrier Free Design Inc. (CBFD)
Region: Vancouver, British Columbia
Contact Information: (604) 838-6927 info@barrierfreedesign.ca
Involvement in VisitAbility/Universal Design:
In 1990, Brad formed Canadian Barrier Free Design Inc. (CBFD) to fill the gap between the application of the building code and the real needs of the community of persons with disabilities. He has extensive experience in developing the entire accessible environment including retrofitting existing facilities, new construction planning, employee training as well as developing tools for human resource management as it relates to people with disabilities.
He is the Access Consultant on several large British Columbia projects including the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project, the re-development of the Vancouver International Airport, and the Skytrain rapid transit system.
Accessable Home & Property Services Ltd.
Renovator with experience building VisitAble homes
Contact Information: Owen Barclay, President, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist www.accessable.ca
Bamford Construction Ltd.
Renovator with experience building VisitAble homes
Contact Information: www.bamford.ca george@bamford.ca (604) 986-2871
Heritage Restorations Inc.
Renovator with experience building VisitAble homes
Contact Information: heritagerestoration@shaw.ca (604) 880-0210
reVISION Custom Home Renovations Inc.
Renovator with experience building VisitAble homes
Contact Information:: www.revisionrenovations.com info@revisionrenovations.com (604) 835.4033
Basil Restoration Ltd.
Renovator with experience building VisitAble homes
Contact Information: www.basilrestorationltd.ca (604) 324-9364
Pro-Pack Contracting and Design Services
Renovator with experience building VisitAble homes
Contact Information: www.pro-pack.ca mike@pro-pack.ca (604) 850.0056
Organizations
Richmond Centre for Disability
Contact Information: Ella Huang, Executive Director (ella@rcdrichmond.org)
100-5671 No. 3 Road, Richmond, BC V6X 2C7
Tel: 604-232-2404
Web: www.rcdrichmond.org
Email: ella@rcdrichmond.org
BC Housing Home Adaptations for Independence (HAFI) program
The program provides financial assistance for eligible low-income BC seniors to make home adaptations.
Contact Information: http://www.bchousing.org/Options/Home_Renovations
BC Seniors’ Home Renovation Tax Credit
The tax credit assists individuals 65 and over with the cost of certain permanent home renovations to improve accessibility or help a senior be more functional or mobile at home.
Contact Information: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/income-taxes/personal/credits/seniors-renovation
Policies and Legislation
Name of Policy/Legislation: 2014 Building By-Law (Vancouver)
Adopted: 2013
Features: The City wants all new single-family, townhouse and laneway homes to meet minimum accessibility standards.
Name of Policy/Legislation: Amendments to Zoning By-Law (Saanich, British Columbia)
Adopted: November 2003
Features: This Amendment requires that most newly-constructed apartment buildings and seniors’ congregate care facilities be built to include Basic Adaptable Housing standards.
Publications and Resources
Vancouver VisitAbility Policy Presentation
Vancouver VisitAble Housing Policy
Prince George Visitable Housing Project Summary Report
Summary Report
