New Toyota Canada facility achieves Gold rating for accessibility under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ program

TORONTO, Ontario, JUNE 3, 2021 – Today, the Rick Hansen Foundation announced Toyota Canada’s new Eastern Canada Parts Distribution Centre (ECPDC) in Clarington, Ontariohas achieved a Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certified Gold rating for accessibility.

Achieving a score of 88 out of 100 points, this Gold rating marks a significant milestone in Toyota’s global journey to create a more inclusive society for everyone – regardless of ability. Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) works with organizations to rate the level of meaningful accessibility of the built environment, based on the holistic user experience of people with varying disabilities affecting their mobility, vision and hearing. Todate, over 1,300 sites across Canada have been rated through the program.

Toyota Canada’s new ECPDC was designed with safety, sustainability and accessibility top of mind. The distribution centre will play an essential role in Toyota’s Canadian parts and service operations across Eastern Canada. The new distribution centre is also set to achieve Canadian Green Building Council Zero Carbon Building – Design™ and LEED v4 Gold® certifications, making it not only one of the most accessible buildings of its kind in Canada, but also one of the most environmentally sustainable.

Brad McCannell, Vice President of Access and Inclusion at the Rick Hansen Foundation, said: “We’re excited to see Toyota Canada’s new ECPDC achieving a Gold rating for accessibility – this achievement is testament to Toyota Canada’s ongoing leadership in creating a more inclusive society. We’re proud to work with an organization that continues to put accessibility at the heart of its overall business commitments. We hope other businesses and organizations are inspired to rethink the accessibility of their own facilities and operations, to create a Canada that is built for everyone.”

A broad range of accessibility features led the Toyota Canada ECPDC to its Gold rating, including:

• several extra-wide, accessible parking spaces next to the main entrance
• push-button doors and motion-controlled lighting
• accessible front/security desk and coat room/rack at the main entrance
• extra-wide hallways with clear wayfinding and flooring transitions
• an elevator and stairwells specifically designed to be accessible to everyone, with rounded rails, markers for people with visual impairments and rescue/aid stations in stairwells
• braille room name on each meeting room door
• accessible washrooms (doors, stalls, sinks and showers)
• telescopic adjustable desks and podiums
• accessible cafeteria, water fountains, gym and quiet/prayer room
• accessible outdoor spaces, including specially-designed park benches, trails and roof-top garden

Tony Kelly, Vice President of Customer Services at Toyota Canada Inc.,commented: “We are extremely proud to have achieved a Gold rating for accessibility under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification program, but there is always more we can do. At Toyota Canada, accessibility is a key focus area, and we are committed to continuing to prioritize accessible design so that people of all abilities can fully contribute and work in our spaces.”

For more on the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ program, please visit:www.rickhansen.com/RHFAC

Learn more about the ECPDC’s Gold rating for accessibility by reading the Rick Hansen Foundation case study here.

Click here to watch a video outlining the key accessibility features of the building.

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About the Rick Hansen Foundation

The Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) was established in 1988, following the completion of Rick Hansen’s Man In Motion World Tour. For nearly 30 years, RHF has worked to raise awareness, change attitudes, and remove barriers for people with disabilities. Visit www.rickhansen.com to learn more.

About Toyota Canada Inc

Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Toyota has sold over five million vehicles in Canada through a national network of 287 Toyota and Lexus dealerships. Toyota is dedicated to bringing safety, quality, dependability and reliability to the vehicles Canadians drive and the service they receive. TCI’s head office is located in Toronto, with regional offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax, and parts distribution centres in Clarington and Vancouver. Toyota also operates two manufacturing facilities in Canada. Having produced more than nine million vehicles, popular Canadian models built at these facilities include Toyota RAV4, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h hybrid. Recent investments at its facilities in Ontario will allow for increased production of the top-selling Toyota RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid models for the North American market.

RHF Media Contact:
rhf@yulupr.com
604.558.1656

Toyota Canada Media Contact:
David Shum
david_shum@toyota.ca