Ottawa Art Gallery Achieves Gold Accessibility Certification from Rick Hansen Foundation

We’re proud to announce that the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) has been awarded ‘RHF Accessibility Certified Gold’, the highest distinction available through the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) program. Even more exciting—OAG is the first art gallery in Canada to receive this prestigious recognition!

As one of the few fully public and free-of-charge spaces in the city of Ottawa, OAG is dedicated to being open and welcoming to all. Accessibility is at the heart of the OAG mission. This certification underscores our commitment to removing barriers for individuals who have low or no vision, limited or no hearing, and physical disabilities. 

The RHFAC program assesses how accessible a building is based on the experiences of people with a wide range of disabilities. To date, more than 1,750 spaces across Canada have been rated, but only a small number—just over 110—have achieved the Gold level. That makes this accomplishment especially meaningful.

With a rating score of 83.6%, OAG proudly joins the ranks of Canada’s most accessible spaces. Our team has worked hard to ensure that the Gallery is inclusive, comfortable, and welcoming to everyone. We’re proud to play a part in the movement towards a world for everyone, everywhere.

Here are just a few of the enhancements we’ve made:

• Installed hearing loops at service counters to assist visitors who are hard of hearing
• Added an adult change table on level 1 for enhanced accessibility
• Introduced automatic door openers for easier navigation throughout the building
• Purchased a tactile printer to create workshop materials for visitors with low vision
• Acquired a portable wheelchair ramp for stage access during public events

We believe art should be accessible to all, and this certification is an important milestone on our ongoing journey to eliminate barriers and foster inclusivity.

For more information about accessibility at the Ottawa Art Gallery, please visit https://oaggao.ca/visit/accessibility-and-childcare/.

To learn more about the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ program, visit rickhansen.com/RHFAC.

About the Rick Hansen Foundation

The Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) was established in 1988, following the completion of Rick Hansen’s Man In Motion World Tour. For nearly 30 years, RHF has worked to raise awareness, change attitudes, and remove barriers for people with disabilities. Visit www.rickhansen.com to learn more.