We use cookies on this site to enhance your experience.
By selecting “Accept” and continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies.
The following timeline showcases Laurier’s goals, status updates, improvements and/or notable accomplishments made as we’ve annually reviewed our progress towards implementing the strategies outlined in our ongoing accessibility planning, and in ensuring our compliance with legislative requirements – as results were originally documented and published.
Employment Equity and Accessibility wishes to convey our deep gratitude to all campus partners who provided the following information enabling us to showcase the broad-based work happening on our campuses to remove barriers for those with disabilities and to ensure that everyone in our community can equitably engage in their learning and work.
For more information, review our accessibility resources and our current accessibility plan.
Employment Equity and Accessibility considers this a ‘working list’, not a complete one. Please email accessibility@wlu.ca with any amendments and/or additions.
If you have an amendment correcting misinformation and/or enhancing clarity, please include both the exact section to be edited, as well as the content (and any relevant links) with which it should be replaced.
If you have a status update or notable accomplishment to add, please provide a brief description of the accessibility initiatives or advancements your area of campus has undertaken between Jan. 2022 and Dec. 2025. Be sure to outline why this work was completed/how it is important (two to three lines max) and link to relevant webpages, publications, etc.
While the University works toward long-term infrastructure renewal within its Athletics facilities, we are simultaneously committed to making meaningful improvements now - by enhancing wayfinding, signage, space organization, and via other creative solutions that support inclusion and ease of use. These intentional steps help reduce barriers, improve user experience, and ensure our spaces remain welcoming and navigable for everyone, even as we plan for future capital investments. The following highlights some of the key project updates completed during the past three years:
The following is a list of capital projects enhancing the built environment in Campus Housing completed by, or initiated in 2025/26:
Highlights from the Library’s Accessibility Strategic Plan (2024 - 2028) and the Library’s Accessibility Committee's Annual Report (most recent being 2025) are as follows:
The following highlights key measures University Relations implements to help ensure ceremonies and events are inclusive:
During this time, the Student Wellness Centre (SWC):
The following outlines accessibility-related updates across the Dean of Students Office, Student Success, Student Experience, Student Affairs Communications, and International Student Support:
In April 2022, the Ontario government released the report (2022) on recommendations for the development of Post Secondary Educational Standards, under the AODA, which both highlighted and validated TEI’s proactive approach to enhancing accessible and inclusive learning over the past 5 years. Their approach has been reinforced and guided by general Recommendation 1 (and related to Barrier 3, Theme 1) to implement an intentional strategy:
TEI have built relationships, spaces, and developed resources to enhance faculty knowledge and skills of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and maximize access to learning for students. The three UDL guiding principles and practices are premised on a diversity of learners as the norm (rather than a standard student or learner from which all others deviate) and to multiply the ways in which students can engage in learning to provide equitable opportunities to succeed. This is the founding path for TEI’s ethos, initiatives and practices to support and advance accessibility at Laurier from 2020 - 2025.
A primary goal for TEI was to: develop and grow the knowledge, skills, and confidence of instructors to embed Universal Design for Learning, inclusive, and accessible pedagogies in their teaching practice.
The following activities outline their progress towards meeting this goal:
Another primary goal for TEI is that: as part of the maintenance and renewal of classrooms, TEI leverages Universal Design principles to provide diverse seating options in classrooms for a diverse student population. By providing a range of seating options in classrooms, TEI aspires to make diversity the norm in classroom design and move past the idea of a one-size-fits all classroom.
Their efforts to accomplish this goal are being implemented through the Inclusive Seating Initiative and the Modernization of Existing Classrooms pilot:
The Library conducted an internal review of services to promote accessibility and support users with disabilities. The Associate University Librarian met with key staff, including the Accessibility and User Services Associate, the Head of User Services, the Instructional Technology Librarian and Chair, the Online Instruction Functional Team, and the Web Accessibility and User Experience Librarian, as well as the Library Accessibility Committee to develop this report.
Below are some of the highlights outlining current services and initiatives - at the time of this report (a note: the Library’s report covers the period of 2018 to 2022) in direct support of accessibility provided by the Library.
Resources:
Of a more broad based note - Laurier is building a more accessible built environment by embedding accessibility into our foundational plans, including the Capital Plan, the Campus Master Plan, the Landscape Master Plan, the Signage Guidelines and the Parking Plan.
Also, through the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification, Laurier employees have been trained to be Accessibility Assessors and to audit the current built environment.
Notable highlights on some specific ways Laurier is building a more accessible built environment include:
In good faith, Laurier has made significant efforts going back to 2012 to ensure it is in compliance with WCAG 2.0 Level A and Level AA. As our public web properties include thousands of pages, web apps, and micro-sites which are constantly being updated by hundreds of web editors, we note that no fulsome website scope can ever fully meet the WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirement in all aspects, at all times.
However, here are highlights on how Laurier is working towards accessible web properties and communication:
Going back to 2014, Laurier’s ongoing efforts to come into compliance with Level A are outlined in the Enabling Access for Web Renewal Handbook outlined in further detail in the 2013 – 2019 section below.
Laurier has engaged instructors in enhancing accessibility in their classrooms by providing a number of resources to them. With a focus on Universal Design for Learning, instructors are encouraged to create environments where all students, including those with disabilities, can thrive. Notable highlights on ways Laurier has supported accessible education include:
Laurier continues to make many improvements to support accessible employment throughout the employee life cycle- from recruitment to promotion.
Notable highlights on how Laurier prioritized accessible employment this period include:
Additionally, the University Employment Equity Advisory Committee’s Persons with Disabilities Working Group identified the need to refresh and enhance the resources and information relating to accessibility at Laurier through its core web properties. The goal of this enhanced web presence was to both profile those with disabilities and their lived experiences at Laurier, as well as to better showcase resources specifically developed for employees with disabilities.
Through the EnAbling Change Program, Laurier, in partnership with the Government of Ontario, produced a handbook and a series of web videos to serve as a guide for ourselves and other large public-sector organizations (defined by AODA as those with 50+ employees) to help us all take the necessary steps to make our websites accessible.
Led by a student working group, in partnership with the Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; the University Employment Equity Advisory Committee’s Women and 2SLGBTQ+ Working Group; the Office of Human Rights and Conflict Management; and Human Resources, the Signage Committee collaborated to implement the Inclusive Washroom Initiative. A key aspect of this work is the installation of gender neutral and accessible signage in all existing and future built accessible, single unit washrooms. The project was made possible through the support of the Students’ Union, with funds from the Student Life Levy.
The Academic Accommodation Policies for Undergraduate students (Policy 2.4) and Graduate students (Policy 2.3) have been revised.
The Accessible Learning Centers on the Waterloo and Brantford campuses, continue to ensure students with disabilities have access to required academic accommodations to support their learning and participation within their academic program(s). And, the centers continue to examine and refine processes to ensure seamless access for students, while also engaging staff in campus wide initiatives designed to educate the community and improve campus accessibility overall. The following are some highlights of their recent work:
Circle of Care Support: The Student Wellness Centre uses a Circle of Care philosophy in providing health and wellness services and support. This was achieved through the creation of a new Student Wellness Centre which incorporates a shared electronic records system, multi-disciplinary coordinated care, improved communication and case-sharing.
Stigma Reduction and Awareness: Intentional efforts were made to reduce stigma, and maximize awareness of mental health, as well as related supports and services. This was achieved through the engagement of a variety of student groups in programming and awareness initiatives, campus-wide events (e.g. Orientation presentations), and educational opportunities (e.g. Mental Health First Aid training).
Student-led Mental Health Programming: The Centre for Student Life and Engagement provides coordination and centralization of Peer Mental Health teams to ensure better use of resources, and professional oversight of mental health programming/peer education. Recent examples include annual campaigns such as Roostock-Student Mental Health Summit, Love My Life: A Walk for Mental Health, and publishing anti-stigma/mental health awareness videos.
Training and Education: Significant funding has been secured over the past few years to augment opportunities to help support mental health and awareness-training programs for faculty, staff and students. These include Mental Health First Aid, safeTALK, ASIST and the Blue Folder Initiative.
Community Building and Suicide Prevention: The Mental Health Student Support Coordinator participates in community development initiatives such as the Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council to advocate for the needs of students in our community. There is also ongoing LHIN funding for Skills for Safer Living Group, a service provided by the local Canadian Mental Health Association that aims to build protective factors/skills of students with suicidal behavior.
Future Student Mental Health Goals:
Goal: Increased awareness and application of procurement policy.
Updates:
Goal: Online training courses will be streamlined into one.
Updates:
Goal: Laurier's website will be accessible (conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AA Standards)
Updates:
Goal: Improved tracking of faculty, staff and student employees taking training.
Updates:
Goal: Performance management processes, career development and enhancement processes will account for accessibility needs.
Updates:
Goal: Purchases made by employees of Laurier will take into account the needs of people with disabilities.
Updates:
Goal: Training will be delivered on the requirements of AODA and the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) as it pertains to persons with disabilities.
Update:
Goal: Laurier's websites will be accessible (conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AA Standards).
Updates:
Goal: Faculty will be trained in universal design for learning (UDL).
Updates:
Laurier’s Accessibility Committee is responsible for planning how annual funds ($75,000.00) from facilities renewal are spent each year to address renovations and repairs for comprehensive, campus-wide accessibility improvements. As per the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities guidelines, the funds must be spent on physical campus accessibility costs.
The following outlines improvements made during this time period (both using the funds and beyond).
Since 2010, Laurier has been offering training on how to provide strong customer service to persons with disabilities to all Laurier staff, faculty, student staff and volunteers. The training is offered through interactive online modules and is based on the Council of Ontario Universities training program. It includes learning on: