Indoor Air Quality: Bridging Science and Inclusion
With support from Accessibility Standards Canada, the Environmental Health Association of Quebec is pleased to invite you to its web conference, which brings together science, policy, and lived experiences to address the critical issue of indoor air quality in the built environment. Based on its findings from the national research project, “Accessible Indoor Air in the Built Environment,” the conference aims to delve into the characteristics and causes of poor indoor air quality, the resulting impacts, and engage in open dialogue with stakeholders on how to improve indoor air quality and accessibility.
Date: March 30, 2026
Location: Online via Zoom
Hours: 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM ET
Duration: 3 ½ hours
Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/m3ZBdPzxTbCXg4OOLlTNbw
Simultaneous translation and Zoom captioning
Introducing our speakers :
Opening Remarks
Christopher T. Sutton, Accessibility Commissioner
Christopher T. Sutton was appointed Accessibility Commissioner at the Canadian Human Rights Commission in May 2025. Mr. Sutton’s work is influenced by both his professional expertise and lived experiences of advocating for accessibility as a fundamental human right in Canada.
Before his appointment to the Commission, Mr. Sutton served as the Chief Executive Officer of Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility, where he spearheaded initiatives focused on hearing healthcare, accessible communication, and inclusive technology solutions. Under his leadership, Wavefront Centre significantly expanded its programs and services, strengthened strategic relationships, and emerged as a national leader in communications accessibility. A recognized thought leader in inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, he has also held leadership roles across the not-for-profit, public, and start-up sectors in both Canada and the United States.
Throughout his career, Mr. Sutton has worked closely with disability communities to ensure that accessibility policies are intersectional and inclusive. He has played a significant role in shaping Canada’s accessibility policies and legislation at both the federal and provincial levels, including the Accessible Canada Act and the Accessible British Columbia Act.
Originally from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Sutton holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Gallaudet University and an MBA from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario.
John Molot, MD, Environmental medicine adjunct professor, Faculty of medicine, University of Ottawa
Dr. Molot has focused his medical practice on environmental medicine and has a recognized expertise in indoor air quality and health effects and MCS. He was appointed as a clinician expert by the Ontario Minister of Health to the Ontario Task Force on Environmental Health in 2016. Working with the Environmental Health Associations of Quebec and Canada, he has provided multiple presentations to Canadian medical students, government agencies, human rights commissions, and law societies on the biological mechanisms of MCS.
Dr. Molot is first author in two peer-reviewed published papers on MCS titled, Neurological susceptibility to environmental exposures: pathophysiological mechanisms in neurodegeneration and multiple chemical sensitivity; and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: it’s time to catch up to the science.
His medical-legal expertise has recently set legal precedents for the acceptance of MCS in worker compensation cases in Ontario.
Caroline Barakat, PhD, Professor in the Faculty of Healt Sciences at Ontario Tech University
Dr. Caroline Barakat is an environmental health researcher and Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ontario Tech University. Her research focuses on indoor and outdoor environmental exposures, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and their impacts on health across the life course, with particular attention to children and adolescents. She is committed to translating research evidence into practical strategies that support healthier indoor environments and informed public health action.
Zoë Merkley, Senior Policy Advisor, Canadian Human Rights Commission
Zoë Merkley is a Senior Policy Advisor with the Canadian Human Rights Commission’s Policy, Research and International Division. In this role, Zoë supports the Commission’s mandate to protect and promote human rights in Canada through various activities such as developing public resource guides and providing public policy advice. Most recently, Zoë led the work on the development of the Commission’s Workplace Accommodation Guide and Environmental Sensitivities and Scent-Free Policies Guide. Zoë has a Bachelor of Arts in Honours History (Research Specialization Option) from Wilfrid Laurier University, a Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, and a Graduate Certificate in Human Resources Management from Algonquin College.
Robert Lattanzio, Executive Director Arch Disability Law Centre
Roberto Lattanzio is the Executive Director of ARCH Disability Law Centre. Robert joined ARCH as an articling student in 2003, and was a staff lawyer until taking on the Executive Director position in 2015. He has acted as legal counsel in test case litigation at all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada, and has made law reform submissions to various levels of government, committees, and administrative bodies. Robert has been appointed to numerous advisory committees, and has written and guest-lectured on diverse topics including administrative law, education law, equality and human rights law, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, disability rights, capacity and supported decision making, legislative reform, and medical assistance in dying. Robert received his LL.B and B.C.L. law degrees with distinction from McGill University in 2003. Robert is the 2022 recipient of the Law Foundation of Ontario’s Guthrie Award for his contributions to advancing access to justice.
Arthur Chan, PhD, Department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry at University of Toronto
I am a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry at University of Toronto. I study air quality and chemistry of air pollution, with a focus on organic compounds. My research group has investigated different sources of air pollution, including both indoor (such as cooking, building materials and personal care products) and outdoor sources (such as motor vehicles and wildfires). We also study their chemical reactions and potential human health impacts. I am a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Atmospheric Chemistry and Health, and has worked with government agencies and community organizations on air quality and other environmental issues.
Adrianna Trifunovski, MSc, Researcher Environmental Health Asssociation of Quebec
Adrianna Trifunovski is a researcher at the Environmental Health Association of Quebec. She holds a Bachelors of Health Science Degree from Ontario Tech University, as well as a Master’s degree in Health Science. Using mixed-methods approaches, Adrianna aims to identify how the environment affects population health, and believes everyone has a right to healthy environment, free of harmful toxins.
Rohini Peris, President and CEO Environmental Health Associations of Quebec and Canada
Rohini Peris is a nationally recognized leader in advancing rights and accessibility for people living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). As President and CEO of the Environmental Health Association of Québec and the Environmental Health Association of Canada, she has spent nearly 30 years driving awareness, policy change, and support for those affected by MCS. She leads major national initiatives, including the federally funded ECRoB project and the Accessible Indoor Air in the Built Environment research program, and has delivered over 100 workshops to human rights bodies, healthcare institutions, and government agencies. In 2025, she represented Canada at the United Nations, where her advocacy contributed to the inclusion of MCS in the UN’s Concluding Observations for Canada.
Download the agenda here : Agenda
About the project:
Funded in part by Accessibility Standards Canada, the research project Accessible Indoor Air in the Built Environment spanned over 3 years and combined indoor air quality testing in workplaces across Canada with in-depth qualitative engagements involving individuals with disabilities to:
- Assess the effectiveness of scent-free policies in creating healthier indoor environments
- Identify the barriers to healthy indoor air quality for individuals with disabilities
- Provide evidence-based recommendations for inclusive practices and policy improvements
To learn more, please visit our website: https://aseq-ehaq.ca/en/accessible-air-in-the-built-environment
For more information contact: iaqresearch@aseq-ehaq.ca