{"id":14476,"date":"2025-01-08T10:53:44","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T15:53:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aseq-ehaq.ca\/?page_id=14476"},"modified":"2025-01-08T15:30:13","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T20:30:13","slug":"invitation-to-participate-accessible-ready-housing-standard-public-review","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/aseq-ehaq.ca\/en\/invitation-to-participate-accessible-ready-housing-standard-public-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Invitation to Participate: Accessible-Ready Housing Standard Public Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dear MCS Community,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/accessible.canada.ca\/creating-accessibility-standards\/canasc-28-accessible-ready-housing\">Accessible-Ready Housing Standard<\/a><em> <\/em>is now open for public review, and we want to ensure that the voices of those affected by Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) are heard. This is a valuable opportunity for us to help shape housing standards in a way that addresses the unique needs of people with MCS and other environmental sensitivities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The review process is open until <strong>January 31, 2025<\/strong>, and we strongly encourage you to participate by submitting your suggestions on the draft standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Your Input Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The draft standard proposes recommendations for accessible housing design, with a focus on improving accessibility for people with various physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities. For individuals with MCS, housing can pose serious health challenges due to exposure to toxic chemicals, poor air quality, mold, and other environmental factors. It\u2019s essential that these concerns are addressed in the standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By contributing your thoughts, you can help ensure that the standards include provisions that make housing safer and more livable for those with MCS, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Improved air quality standards<\/strong> to reduce chemical exposure and allergens.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Non-toxic materials<\/strong> that minimize risks from off-gassing and environmental irritants.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ventilation and mold control<\/strong> systems that support a healthy living environment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Participate: Review and Submit Your Suggestions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We encourage you to review the Accessible Ready Housing draft document in its entirety. While the document covers a wide range of topics, there are certain sections that may be particularly relevant to people with MCS. We\u2019ve highlighted some of these areas below to guide your review, but please feel free to add suggestions to any section you think requires attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Suggested Focus Areas for MCS Advocacy<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>While you should feel free to engage with any part of the document, here are some sections that may be of particular concern for people living with MCS:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Air Quality Standards (Section 8.3)<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Many individuals with MCS are highly sensitive to air pollutants. It is crucial that housing includes effective measures to maintain good indoor air quality, such as <strong>HEPA filtration systems<\/strong>, <strong>low-emission materials<\/strong>, and <strong>ventilation designs<\/strong> that prevent the circulation of harmful chemicals. It is also important to use the correct term \u2018Multiple Chemical Sensitivity\u2019 instead of \u2018Chemical Sensitivity\u2019 when referring to MCS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Building Materials and Finishes (General Section)<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Materials like flooring, paints, caulking, adhesives, and insulation can release chemicals into the air, which can worsen symptoms for people with MCS. Consider advocating for <strong>clear guidelines<\/strong> on the use of zero to <strong>low-VOC<\/strong>, <strong>non-toxic<\/strong>, and <strong>hypoallergenic materials<\/strong> in construction and finishes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ventilation Systems (Section 8.2)<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A robust ventilation system which draws air from clean sources (away from smoking, heavy traffic, idling vehicles and other pollution) is key to preventing indoor air pollution. For people with MCS, ventilation systems should be designed to <strong>minimize chemical exposure<\/strong>, incorporate <strong>air purification<\/strong>, and ensure that <strong>air exchange rates<\/strong> are sufficient to keep living spaces safe. The cleaning of air ducts should use only zero VOC, non-toxic products, and not include any \u2018cide\u2019 (rodenticide, miticide, pesticide).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mold Prevention and Moisture Control (Section 7.3)<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mold growth can trigger severe reactions in individuals with MCS. Ensuring that housing designs include landscaping that slopes away from the house, and <strong>mold-resistant materials<\/strong>, proper <strong>waterproofing<\/strong>, and <strong>moisture control systems<\/strong> is vital.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Design for Sensory Accessibility (Section 7.2)<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>While primarily focused on physical accessibility, this section can be an opportunity to address <strong>chemical sensitivities<\/strong> in design. Propose considerations for creating spaces that minimize exposure to irritants and allow residents to control their environment to reduce chemical triggers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Submit Your Suggestions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To submit your suggestions, follow these simple steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Review the Draft Standards<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>Carefully read through the full document. You can focus on the sections that are particularly relevant to MCS, but feel free to suggest changes anywhere you feel it\u2019s needed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Track Your Ideas<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>As you review, make a note of any thoughts or suggestions. You can use pen and paper, a computer, or even audio recordings\u2014whatever works best for you. Make sure to keep track of the <strong>section number<\/strong> (e.g., 8.3, 7.2) so you can reference it when submitting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prepare Your Suggestions<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>For each suggestion, please include the following:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Type of suggestion<\/strong> (e.g., editorial, technical, general comment)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Section number<\/strong> (e.g., 8.3, 7.2)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What you think should be changed<\/strong> (e.g., update air quality standards, recommend non-toxic materials)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>What it should be changed to<\/strong> (e.g., require HEPA filters, specify low-VOC options)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Why the change is important<\/strong> (e.g., to reduce chemical exposure for people with MCS)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Optional<\/strong>: Any additional files or supporting information (e.g., research, personal experiences)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Submit Your Suggestions<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong>You can <a href=\"https:\/\/accessible.canada.ca\/feedback-form-can-asc-28-accessible-ready-housing-public-review-draft#s4\">submit your feedback<\/a> using one of the following options:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Online Form: <\/strong>Ideal if you plan to submit all your comments in one sitting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Word Form<\/strong>: Best if you need to save your work and submit many suggestions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Email<\/strong>: If you require an alternate format or have additional files, you can email your suggestions to <strong>asc.standards-normes.asc@asc-nac.gc.ca<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Please submit all suggestions by 11:59 PM PST, January 31, 2025.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dear MCS Community, The Accessible-Ready Housing Standard is now open for public review, and we want to ensure that the voices of those affected by Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) are heard. This is a valuable opportunity for us to help shape housing standards in a way that addresses the unique needs of people with MCS and other environmental sensitivities. The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-14476","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aseq-ehaq.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aseq-ehaq.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aseq-ehaq.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aseq-ehaq.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aseq-ehaq.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14476"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/aseq-ehaq.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14476\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aseq-ehaq.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}