Recent headlines have highlighted real estate developers’ concerns about changes to accessibility standards in British Columbia’s building code. The changes require all new large condominium and apartment buildings to have 100 per cent adaptable suites, and first-floor suites in smaller apartment buildings to be easily adaptable so persons with disabilities can live in them.

Developers argue this will increase expenses for both builders and buyers.

A ready and willing lucrative market that’s been ignored

But what if, instead of seeing the new standards as a challenge, developers looked at them as an opportunity? In Canada, there are eight million people with disabilities (PWDs), an increase of five per cent since 2017. Six in 10 PWDs (4.8 million people) experience barriers related to accessing indoor and outdoor public spaces. Barriers related to physical spaces, such as entrances and sidewalks, are the most common (56 per cent).

If the sheer size of this market is not enticing in itself, consider that PWDs have approximately $47 billion in disposable income, according to Abilities.ca. Plus, when you add their families and friends, this grows to about 12 million Canadians, or more than a third of the population. That’s the opposite of a niche market.

These Canadians have an estimated disposable income exceeding $311 billion, and they all need to live somewhere. In other words, developers have a ready and willing lucrative market that, until now, they’ve ignored.

I would be remiss if I also didn’t mention that housing is a human right, so it’s important that the government step in to ensure that integrated, high-quality housing is available for all its citizens.

Cost of incorporating accessibility features in new construction less than 1% of construction costs: ADA

It’s also important to note that arguments for accessible housing becoming more expensive are misleading. In fact, studies have shown that the cost increase is negligible. The United States Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) National Network, which provides information and guidance on how to implement the ADA concluded:

“The cost of incorporating accessibility features in new construction is less than one per cent of construction costs. This is a small price in relation to the economic benefits to be derived from full accessibility in the future, such as increased employment and consumer spending.”

Source: adata.org

Accessibility investment as a discretionary expense: A detrimental narrative

It’s understandable that developers’ first reaction would be to see any building code changes that will cost them money as negatively impacting their bottom line. Couple this with the understanding that many companies sadly continue to see accessibility as a CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiative or something they do as a nice gesture to highlight that they’re good citizens. As such, investments in accessibility fall to the bottom of the budget list as discretionary expenses. This narrative is detrimental to both companies and PWDs.

I lost my sight at 17, so I have lived as both a sighted consumer and as one who is visually impaired. I have felt the stigma and heard tonnes of pity. Let me tell you that I do not care for it.

I don’t want to be treated with pity. My money is as good as anyone’s. On the flip side, when I walk into an establishment and recognize that I am respected, and that thought has been put into ensuring the environment or products consider me, I am immediately a loyal customer. Imagine creating this type of goodwill with hundreds of thousands of consumers.

Consumers, not causes — reframed as a profit driver, building policy changes are positive for everyone

Clearly, there’s a disconnect between the disability market and developers’ understanding of changes to the building code as a business opportunity. We need to reframe accessibility. It’s not about being charitable to people with disabilities; it’s about providing a product to potentially hundreds of thousands of new buyers. They are consumers, not causes. When reframed as a profit driver, the building policy changes are positive for everyone.

Furthermore, developing inclusive communities is the way forward. Many in the disability space cite a common prediction that by 2040, the number of individuals with disabilities will rise to about 40 per cent of the population. Why in the world, then, would developers want to cut out almost half the Canadian population from their buying audience?

If accessible housing is not a necessity now, it surely will be very soon for a significant number of our population. The developers who get ahead of the curve and embrace intentional accessibility will have first access to a new wave of eager consumers.

Canada has set an ambitious goal to become a “barrier-free society” by 2040. While PWDs hope legislation can move the needle on inclusion, the government should also consider how to educate corporate Canada on the business benefits and market opportunities of accessibility.

Let’s stop talking about legislation and thinking of meeting accessibility requirements as checking compliance boxes on a form. Instead, let’s intentionally exceed expectations and design new products and services that provide a return on investment. Accessibility doesn’t need to be complicated or concerning. It can be empowering and an opportunity to diversify customers and revenue, and embrace innovation.

Part of the hesitation in reframing accessibility may come from companies that feel there will be internal and external resistance to labelling accessibility as a business driver. However, if you ask any PWD (including me), we’ll say that we relish being treated as consumers.

It’s not unscrupulous or dirty to consider accessibility as a potential profit source. Remember, this market of persons with disabilities is the only one that anyone can join at any given time. Businesses that fail to recognize PWDs’ positive potential for their revenue do so at their peril.