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Did you know that more than 7 million Canadians live with some form of a disability? That is what makes accessibility a crucial topic that is sparking change across Canada. Now, more than ever, it is critical for facilities to invest in accessible products and devices that their employees and visitors can use with ease. At Precise ParkLink, we are committed to helping organizations like yours meet Canada’s accessibility standards and bring you that much closer to gaining a . 

You may be asking yourself, what is the Rick Hansen Foundation Certified Accessibility Rating, and why is it essential for my facility? The Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) is a national rating system that measures and certifies the level of meaningful access throughout the built environment. An RHFAC rating helps you to understand the physical accessibility of your site better, identify barriers for your community, customers, or employees, and makes suggestions on how you can improve those barriers.

If you couldn't attend our most recent webinar Boost Your Rick Hansen Certified Accessibility Rating With Accessible Technology, hosted by Andrew Sgorlon, Technical Sales Support Manager here at Precise ParkLink, and special guest speakers Samantha Proulx, C.E.T., RHFAC, BCIN from and Yvonne Geverink from , not to worry! We're sharing the key takeaways from our discussion about the steps you can take to get RHFAC certified and boost your facility's accessibility rating to its maximum potential. 

Canadian Accessibility Requirements

In today’s society, we are moving in a direction where all controls and all devices used by people at a facility should be accessible.

, otherwise known as Bill-C81, was the first-ever accessibility legislation passed in Canada in June 2019. The purpose of this bill is to identify, remove, and prevent accessibility barriers to benefit all Canadians, especially those with disabilities. The Accessible Canada Act aims to make Canada barrier-free by January 1, 2040.

was designed to help businesses prepare for the changing regulatory environment and impending accessibility legislations. This program measures the level of meaningful access throughout the built environment and rates your company on its level of accessibility.

RHFAC offers two levels of certification: RHF Accessibility Certified Gold and RHF Accessibility Certified. To obtain the standard accessibility certification, a facility must have a 60-80% rating score and meet all mandatory certification requirements. To become Gold certified, a facility must have a rating of 80% or higher and meet and exceed the compulsory Gold certification requirements.

Certifying your facility as accessible or Gold accessible not only impacts the building environment but provides room for community engagement and economic growth for your business.

Case Study: The New Cortelluci Vaughan Hospital

The Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, operated by , is the first hospital in Canada to feature a fully integrated smart technology system. Opened in February 2021 as a COVID-19 pivot hospital, the Cortelluci Vaughan Hospital prides itself on being one of the first “Smart Hospitals” in Canada.

The new Vaughan hospital decided to take a different approach to their parking system, upgrading to the new skiosk pay stations. The accessibility features of the skiosks were the main selling point for the hospital and helped contribute to their “Smart Hospital” vision.

Skiosk: Canada’s First Fully Accessible Parking Pay Stations

Introducing the Skiosk Family: Canada’s first fully accessible class of parking pay stations. Precise ParkLink is proud to offer this innovative line of accessible pay stations, including the skiosk Smart, the skiosk Lite, and the skiosk Slim.

But what makes these parking pay stations so accessible? 

• Accessibility Standards: They meet and exceed all Canadian Accessibility criteria

• Contemporary Design: User-friendly design, which includes a full touch screen display with an adjustable height

• Payment Acceptance: A variety of payment options are available, including coins, banknotes, mobile wallets, credit, and debit, tap-and-go, chip-and-pin, as well as a QR and barcode scanner for reservations and validations

• Customizable Controls: All operating controls of the device are within the 400 mm to 1200 mm height interaction point

• Customer Service: Provides remote customer service via a two-way audio and video intercom system with adjustable volume controls and a microphone to ensure the users can get the assistance they need when they need it

• Innovative Software: Business Intelligence Tools, Advanced Reporting and live central monitoring are provided to ensure your pay stations are continuously operating at peak performance

Parking Accessibility Compliance

To build and maintain an accessible parking program at your facility, it is critical to focus on four core interaction elements:

• Location and Environment: The location of your parking pay station dictates how simple it is to navigate and use

• Interactive Hardware Components: The functionality of the display screen and the availability of different payment options are crucial hardware components in ensuring you comply with accessibility standards

• Interactive Software Components: To foster independence and readily available assistance, a parking pay station should include interactive software components

• Instructions, Prompts, and Visibility: One of the critical elements of an accessible parking pay station is providing the user with perceptible information via instructions, prompts, and enhanced visibility

Going the Extra mile to comply with Canadian Accessibility Requirements

Accessibility standards vary across the world. Even within Ontario, norms may differ from City to City. Still, it's best to find a happy medium to ensure you meet the needs of anyone visiting or working at your facility.

The new mindset is to go above and beyond these standards to create better, more meaningful access. Accessibility improves experiences for everyone, whether you have a disability or not. When a business invests in accessible parking pay stations, they create an inclusive and sustainable environment that allows people to feel comfortable throughout their entire journey.

At Precise ParkLink, our goal is to develop and maintain parking equipment that meets and exceeds the accessibility standards within the parking an mobility industry. Join us on this journey towards a more accessible and inclusive Canada for all!

Want to learn more about the importance of accessibility in the parking and mobility industry? Check out the entire webinar recording below!

About Precise ParkLink

CANADA’S PARKING INDUSTRY LEADER FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.

When Precise ParkLink was founded more than 30 years ago, the company was a two-person field operation with a simple aspiration: to make a difference in the world of parking automation.

Since then, Precise ParkLink has grown into a nation-wide managed services and technology firm with more than 700 employees across Canada, a head office in Toronto, and 13 supporting offices across the country.

But what sets us apart from other parking operators isn’t where we are, it’s what we are: a full-service parking solutions provider. One source for all your parking-related needs.

Precise ParkLink manages thousands of parking lots on behalf of hundreds of property owners. We supply cutting-edge technology and services to thousands of clients in the healthcare, municipal, commercial, institutional, and private sectors.

Being a vertically integrated company puts us in a unique position. We can provide a level of management and technical integration that is best-in-class. Just ask the hundreds of clients to whom we’ve delivered cost-effective and customer-focused solutions over the years.