It's Here! Red Shirt Day and 10 Facts about Red Shirt Day (May 29th) by the Disability Action Hall

 

Red Shirt Day... It's finally here! 

We put these 10 facts together to help  build on our country's strength and help us all contribute "Forward Together!"

Download Fact Sheet PDF

Text follows

10 Facts for Red Shirt Day Gathering May 29, 2024

1. Did you know?

Based on the 2022 Stats Canada report, over 27% of the population, 8 million Canadians, lives with a disability, about twice the percentage of people who reported a disability 10 years ago.

2. What is the event about?

 

Who:                   Disability Action Hall, Calgary Scope Society & Friends

What:                  Red Shirt Day photo booth and hot dogs

Why:                   To improve barriers to accessibility, call for an Alberta-made accessibility act and engage in the work for the Canada Disability Benefit.

When:                 Wednesday, May 29th, 2024, from 12 pm to 1 pm

Where:                Calgary Scope Society Office, 219, 18 Street SE

 

Remember to wear red to symbolize AccessAbility.

 3.   Why now?

We have three focuses for today...

• Barrier Free Act for Alberta 
• Improving the Canada Disability Benefit
• Today, we are celebrating how we can take small daily steps to improve AccessAbility by taking the pledge and wearing red to symbolize accessibility. 

4.  Did you know Alberta does not have an accessibility act?

Alberta has over 30 patchwork pieces of legislation to guide accessibility in Alberta. It's time we make it clearer, more efficient, and more consistent under one act. It's time for Alberta to begin the policy work. Learn more at the Barrier Free Alberta website. FAQ's | BarrierFreeAB

5. Canada is designing a disability supplement and wants to hear from you. 

Canada Disability Benefit: We are concerned about the investment the federal government put forward. We want the eligibility criteria to be automatic if people are already receiving provincial benefits, as only half of the Canadians who have a disability receive the disability tax credit. We do not want the supplement to be exposed to provincial claw backs, and lastly, the supplement needs to help us get to the poverty line. Albertans on AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped) is $ 650 below the poverty line if we use the low-income cut-off  (LICO).

6. AccessAbility does not cost much, and we can work on it every day. It's about attitudes.

Many improvements to accessibility may cost very little. The biggest barrier we face is attitude. We are asking folks in attendance today what accessibility means and what they want to change about it. AccessAbility can be improved in five ways: policy, social, physical, attitude, and communication.

7. What are some of the challenges of accessibility?

The cost of inaccessibility is enormous to individuals and our society. That's why we are here. We must start somewhere and build on the work of many before us. We are all in this together. Share your support for better solutions by wearing red to help raise awareness; there is a lot more work to do! There are many great stories of society doing well to help make places better for everyone.

8. What is Red Shirt Day?

Red Shirt Day is an Easter Seals initiative and was first celebrated in 2019. It takes place on the Wednesday of National AccessAbility Week each year. Anyone can take part in Red Shirt Day. Put on your favorite red shirt, take some photos, and make a pledge to help improve accessibility and inclusion in your community. Then, post your photos and your pledge on social media with the hashtags. #RedShirtDay #RedForAccessAbility To learn more about Red Shirt Day, visit this link. 

Red Shirt Day & National AccessAbility Week - Easter Seals Canada

9. What is National Accessibility Week?

An annual event in Canada that celebrates the valuable contributions and leadership of persons with disabilities. The theme for 2024 is Forward Together: Accessibility and Inclusion for All, and takes place from May 26 to June 1, 2024, emphasizing the need for collective efforts to create a barrier-free Canada. Our country's strength lies in the diversity of its people—all its people—and we can all contribute to this vision. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/campaigns/national-accessability-week.html

10. Who is the Disability Action Hall?

We are a proud disability community that tells our stories, takes action, and has changed lives since 1998. Find us at 219, 18 St. SE Calgary, AB T2E 6J5 Ph: 403.717.7630 https://linktr.ee/actionhall