Words in bold appear in the lens and are hyperlinked to this page

Accessibility refers to the action of identifying, removing, and preventing physical and attitudinal barriers for peoples' participation/engagement.

Accessible documents  refers to documents created in a format that allows the widest range of users to read and understand the content. For example, persons requiring a screen reader to access online information may find that the device has difficulty reading a PDF document.  A formatted Word document (see the side bars of the Accessibility Hub on Accessible Documents) would enable people requiring screen-readers and people without this requirement to read the document.

Accommodation, generally speaking, means making adjustments or adaptations to the rule or practice to eliminate (often unintentional) discriminatory barriers. Examples include: Providing reading materials in alternative format such as in enlarged print, digitized computer-readable text, audio-recording or Braille or allowing service animals such as seeing-eye dogs to enter in places with their owner where usually animals are excluded, adjusting / extending timelines.

Alternative formats refers to providing the same information in a different format than originally provided so that it can be accessed by someone who cannot access it in the original format.  For example, providing a digital book in Braille or a printed book in size 8 font in size 14 font.

All gender washrooms refers to a public washroom that people of any gender or gender identity may use.

American Sign Language, commonly referred to as ASL, is a primary language used by people who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing.  To communicate, signs are created by moving the hands, facial expressions, and body postures.

Assistive Technology  is defined as any piece of equipment or item that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals. Examples include canes, listening devices (e.g. hearing devices), and wheelchairs.

Breastfeeding spaces refers to a dedicated area for individuals who are breastfeeding. While it is legal to breastfeed in public, people may prefer a space that enables privacy.

Child minding services in this context refers to the hiring of a certified childcare provider for the purposes of watching children while their caretaker is otherwise engaged.

Counselling rooms refers to a private space (preferably a space where conversations cannot be heard or seen) where a counsellor can meet with someone who is seeking their services. Counsellors should review of the space to ensure it meets the needs of the prospective service users.

Cultural appropriation refers to using or referring to aspects of a culture by another culture in ways that are unacknowledged, taken out of context,  inappropriate, for profit, offensive or without consent.

Dietary restrictions refers to the foods a person cannot eat due to food allergies or sensitivities or for religious/spiritual or personal reasons.

Ethnic refers to the cultural origins of a person’s ancestors (Statistics Canada).

Gender identity refers to an individual’s intrinsic sense of self. It relates to how an individual defines their gender regardless of their assigned biological sex.

Gender expression refers to the external attributes, behavior, appearance, dress, etc., by which a person expresses their gender and through which others perceive that person’s gender.

Indigenous means “native to the area”. Indigenous people are the descendants of the original inhabitants of North America. This term is collectively used to refer to the three groups - First Nations, Métis and Inuit - recognized in the Canadian Constitution 1982 as Aboriginal peoples. As a self-declared term, Indigenous is internationally recognized by the United Nations and encompasses the unique heritages, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.

Prayer Spaces refers to a dedicated space for purposes of worship or spiritual practice and observance. The space should be extremely clean with adequate floor space to place a prayer mat on the ground, as for some individuals, this is a requirement of their worship.

Race is socially constructed term used to describe a group of people linked by common ancestry but distinguished from one another by physical characteristics. Historically and currently, race is used as a basis to enact unfair treatment which leads to differential access to opportunities and resources, resulting in racism.

Real Time Captioning refers the instantaneous translation (usually by a person typing) of the spoken language into text which is then displayed on a screen (usually large screen).

Service Animal refers to a specially trained and certified animal that provides a vital service to a person who could not otherwise perform their daily activities. Examples of their services include: Guiding a person with limited sight; alerting a person when a sound occurs or a seizure is about to occur; opening doors; fetching objects; pressing elevator buttons; supporting a person when walking; calming a person.

Sexual Orientation refers to an enduring intimate, emotional, social, or sexual attraction to other people. It covers a range of sexual identities including lesbian, gay, bisexual and heterosexual.

Sliding scale tickets refers to offering a discounted ticket or offering tickets based on what someone can afford to pay ("pay-what-you-can").

Subsidies refers to providing funds to offset costs.

Support Accompaniment refers to a support person - a volunteer, family member, personal support worker or friend - who is either hired or assigned to assist a person.

Therapy Animal refers to a specially trained and certified animal that helps to reduce a person’s temporary condition (e.g. anxiety and stress).