For 15 years, the annual Guelph Accessibility Conference has provided a platform for local, national, and international members to promote advocacy and the sharing of the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities. It created an environment that celebrates inclusion, diversity, intellectual curiosity, and community.

We have made the difficult, but necessary decision to suspend the Accessibility Conference in its current form for 2025, to provide some time to reflect on past successes and future opportunities; however, we believe there is a significant need to inspire, engage and inform our community on accessibility, diversity, and inclusivity, and are exploring ways to provide this information in a thoughtful and committed way.

It is our objective to provide programming that continues to meet the goals of the conference:

  • Create an environment that encourages a shared responsibility in addressing accessibility
  • Promote the accessibility and inclusion needs of individuals with disabilities in both academic and non-academic settings
  • Focus on practical steps and methods for making communities, classrooms, workplaces, and other venues accessible
  • Create opportunities to network and share ideas, strategies and stories that collectively contribute to the advancement of accessibility and the removal of barriers
  • Provide information and strategies to assist individuals and organizations with achieving accessibility requirements
  • Encourage a universal design approach in the creation and dissemination of information

The community support for the Guelph Accessibility Conference has been exceptional and far-reaching. We would like to thank our sponsors, plenary and concurrent speakers, workshop presenters, volunteers, staff and organizing committee members for their expertise, their time, and their dedication to making the Accessibility Conference such a success over the years.

In 2025 we look forward to new opportunities in accessibility education. We will continue to connect and engage with those dedicated to learning about accessibility, diversity and inclusion and creating space for ongoing community and professional building.

Thank you,

The Guelph Accessibility Conference Planning Committee