Peel recognizes Treat Accessibility Initiative this Halloween

On October 31, make your Halloween accessible and inclusive to all treat-or-treaters.

The Region of Peel, along with its municipal partners, proudly supports the Treat Accessibly movement. This movement aims to raise awareness and encourage residents to celebrate Halloween in a way that is inclusive of everyone in our community through simple changes to trick-or-treating traditions.

More than 400,000 Canadian children and youth live with disabilities that make everyday activities, like trick-or-treating, challenging. They are part of the 6.2 million Canadians (22 per cent) who identify as having one or more disabilities.

The goal of the Treat Accessibly movement is to have 400,000 homes participating in the initiative by 2025 – that is one home for each of the 400,000 Canadian children who have a disability.

A few accessible trick-or-treating tips include:

Provide Barrier-free Access

Place your trick-or-treating station at a location that is easily accessible to all as some trick-or-treaters may have difficulties navigating inclines, stairs, curving walkways, etc.

Make sure the path to your trick-or-treating station is well lit.

Clear your driveway and pathways of any obstacles.

Park your vehicle on the street or in your garage to allow easy access.

Set up your trick-or-treating station at the end of your driveway or in your garage.

Support the movement by downloading or ordering the Treat Accessibly sign for your front door or lawn. The signs can be accessed at www.treataccessibly.com/free-lawn-sign and should be posted one week before Halloween.

“Our continued participation in the Treat Accessibly initiative reflects our commitment to an inclusive, equitable and accessible community for all our residents,” said Janice Baker, Chief Administrative Officer, Region of Peel. “By supporting this movement, we demonstrate that through simple, small steps we can remove barriers and empower residents to create an accessibility community for all.”