Nominations open for Hamilton’s annual Accessibility Awards

HAMILTON, ON – The City of Hamilton is now accepting nominations for its second annual Accessibility Awards. The awards recognize and celebrate the achievements of individuals, groups and organizations in the city that are improving accessibility for persons with disabilities.

“Hamilton’s Accessibility Awards celebrate the people and organizations who are actively removing barriers and building a more inclusive city,” said Mayor Andrea Horwath. “These awards highlight our community’s commitment to equity and honour those who work with purpose and passion to ensure everyone, regardless of ability, can fully participate, feel a sense of belonging, and thrive.”

Led by the Accessibility Committee for Persons with Disabilities (ACPD), the awards were established to honour, celebrate and recognize achievements in advancing accessibility within Hamilton. The ACPD plays a crucial role in the selection and adjudication of award recipients.

The four award categories are:

• Individual Award
• Group or Community Organization Award
• Business Award
• Youth Award

The ACPD oversees the selection process and ensures award recipients reflect meaningful contributions to accessibility and universal design in Hamilton.

“The Accessibility Awards are more than recognition—they’re a powerful reminder of what’s possible when the community works together to remove barriers,” said Marnie Cluckie, City Manager. “They also inspire us all to keep moving forward toward a truly inclusive and accessible Hamilton.”

Key dates:

• The nomination period will be open from Tuesday, June 17 to Friday, July 18, 2025. Nomination forms are available online at www.hamilton.ca/AccessibilityAwards.
• The awards ceremony will take place as a part of the ACPD’s fourth annual Accessibility Fair on September 4, 2025 at Hamilton City Hall Forecourt. The Accessibility Fair runs from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Quick facts:

• The Accessibility Awards were created through a proposal by the ACPD in 2022 and officially launched in 2023. The program celebrates efforts that break down barriers and promote accessibility in a meaningful way.
• Hamilton has a significantly large community of people living with disabilities, representing 27.7 per cent of the population compared to the Ontario average of 24 per cent and the national average of 22 per cent (Source: Statistics Canada).
• The ACPD recommends to the City of Hamilton policy, procedure and standards that address the needs and concerns of all disabilities. Their task is to identify barriers in municipal programs and try to prevent new barriers from being created in accordance with the ODA (Ontarians with Disabilities Act) and the AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) in matters of Customer Service, Employment, Transportation, Design of Public Spaces and Information and Communication.