Since the Accessible Canada Act came into force in 2019, significant progress has been made to advance accessibility and disability inclusion in Canada. By continuing to take action together, we can build a stronger, more inclusive and barrier-free Canada for everyone.
National AccessAbility Week
May 31 to June 6, 2026
This year’s National AccessAbility Week theme is “Building a Strong, Accessible Canada.”
It invites all of us, including governments, businesses, organizations, and individuals, to take action to advance a barrier-free country. Significant progress has been made to eliminate and prevent barriers, and by continuing to work together, we can build a truly accessible, inclusive and equitable Canada.
Our country is stronger when persons with disabilities can participate fully in all aspects of society.
Together, we can empower each other and make a meaningful impact.
A very important goal at the Mattawa Museum has been and will be that of inclusivity
Mattawa Museum has diligently applied for available grants to support building a strong, accessible facility in the Mattawa community.
The funds from these grants have been used to make a number of improvements in the facility and the environment for museum staff and visitors.
The Building…
The beautiful historic building that houses the Mattawa Museum is a multi-level facility (3 floors to be exact), hence stairs to access the different levels. Current plans include the installation of an elevator. The shaft to install the elevator has been installed. Stay tuned for further details!
The door on the building entrance is an automatic door. Ramps with railings have been built at the rear emergency doors. Emergency lighting is available in the case of power outages.
The washrooms have been modernized to make them wheelchair accessible.
Staff Environment…
The workspace for staff and/or museum volunteers provides an adjustable desk.
For our Visitors…
The Mattawa Museum has embraced technology and thus has brought many new features for the enjoyment of all visitors.
Through the YES accessibility program, the Mattawa Museum received funding for one of their applicants to work at the museum on the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) program as an archivist.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a technology that converts physical, printed, or handwritten text (such as a scanned document, receipt, or photo of a sign) into editable and searchable digital text. OCR software solves this by scanning the image, analyzing the light and dark patterns of each character, and translating them into machine-encoded text. Many artefacts could thus be preserved and are now available in digital media.
Exhibit signage is readable from wheelchair level which will also benefit younger visitors to the museum.
We invite you to visit the Mattawa Museum!