The Manitoba government is investing $28.3 million in accessibility projects at schools across the province to reduce potential barriers for students, Consumer Protection and Government Services Minister James Teitsma and Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko announced July 20.
In a media release, Teitsma said “Access to education for all is an essential part of a strong and vital community. I am very pleased that these capital projects will allow as many students and families as possible to more easily access our schools and the resources they provide.”
In partnership with Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning, Manitoba Consumer Protection and Government Services is working on continuing and new projects directed at increasing accessibility and removing barriers affecting students with disabilities at 35 schools. The 35 projects are in 16 school divisions.
“Our government is committed to providing access to high-quality education and learning environments for all Manitoba students, no matter where they live, their backgrounds or their individual circumstances,” said Ewasko. “These accessibility projects will ensure that young Manitobans with disabilities and their families have access to the most inclusive and barrier-free learning environments possible, so they can get the most out of their educational experiences and reach their full potential.”
The accessibility projects include:
-elevator additions and upgrades for improved access to all floors in school buildings for students with limited mobility and who use wheelchairs;
installations of lifts, including stair, library and gymnasium lifts for wheelchair access, as well as overhead lifts to transfer students from wheelchairs to other stations in hygiene rooms;
-construction of accessible hygiene rooms; and
-construction of accessibility entry ramps.
“These projects have enabled our facilities to be more inviting and accessible places for our students, parents and staff,” said Floyd Martens, board chair, Mountain View School Division. “They are welcome additions to enhance the learning environment for our students.”
As of July, 29 of the projects were at the construction stage.
