For 50 years, Accessible Housing has been serving Calgarians with affordable and accessible housing and is working on helping others across Canada do the same. Inclusio, the 45-unit supportive living facility by Accessible Housing in Calgary, has recently won the Rick Hansen Foundation’s gold certification for accessibility, becoming the first multi-unit residential building in Canada to achieve this honor.

The non-profit organization is dedicated to supporting people with limited mobility through its outreach and residential programs. Inclusio, being named Canada’s most accessible multi-unit residential building, sets a high standard.

Inclusio in Calgary features ramps, wide hallways and doorways, height-adjustable countertops, and other accessible amenities. Residents can use a phone app to control the doors, blinds, lights, and more. They find that it offers the perfect balance of support and independence due to its use of smart technology. Residents are charged 30 percent of their total income, plus service fees each month, for a room at Inclusio.

The increase in demand over the past fifty years has been driven by greater awareness of available options, according to board chair Dave McElhanney – he believes that this heightened awareness is positive. The organization hopes to continue engaging with the people it supports to understand how to improve its services and advocate for more accessible spaces in the broader community.

Launched in 1974, Accessible Housing is a non-profit organization and registered charity with a mandate to open doors for people with limited mobility and enhance dignity through accessible homes that are appropriate and affordable. The organization also offers a renovation program for those who want to improve accessibility within their homes.