Niagara Businesses and Municipalities Honoured for Championing Accessibility

Niagara Businesses and Municipalities Honoured for Championing Accessibility

The Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee (JAAC) is proud to announce the 2025 recipients of the Accessibility Matters Here Award, recognizing businesses and municipalities across Niagara that demonstrate excellence in creating accessible, inclusive environments. We are very proud of the businesses and the people of Niagara for coming together to ensure everyone can feel a part of the community.

This year's award winners underwent a rigorous evaluation by the volunteer-led JAAC, with criteria including accessible entrances, washroom facilities, thoughtful layout design, accessible parking, and staff awareness. The JAAC advocates for accessibility across 7 municipalities in Niagara and celebrates these organizations for taking meaningful steps to make their services more inclusive for people of all abilities.

"Accessibility is about more than compliance—it's about commitment to dignity, independence, and equal opportunity," says Donna Herrington, coordinator of the campaign. "These award winners are setting a new standard for accessibility in our communities."

2025 Accessibility Matters Here Award Winners:

Town of Lincoln
• Town of Lincoln
• Upper Canada Cheese Company – for installing a ramp to the business entrance
• Sobey's Beamsville – for quiet shopping hours, accessible employment practices, and a well-designed built environment
• Campden General Store – for good built environment

Township of West Lincoln
• Township of West Lincoln
• Sobey's Smithville – for quiet shopping hours, accessible employment practices, and a well-designed built environment

Town of Pelham
• Town of Pelham
• Marlin Travel – for installing a ramp to the business entrance
• Pic's Motor Clinic – for installation of an automatic door
• DeVries Fruit Farm – for excellent customer service
• Dr. Nelly Soliman Wahba, Fonthill Heights Family Dentist – for installation of an automatic door
• Meridian Community Centre – for built environment and employment accessibility
• Sobey's Pelham – for quiet shopping hours, accessible employment practices, and a well-designed built environment

City of Thorold
• City of Thorold

Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL)

• Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake
• NOTL Community Centre – for a good built environment
• Southbrook Winery – for good built environment
• Jackson Triggs Winery – for inclusion of those with sensory disabilities
• Bank of Montreal (BMO), NOTL Branch – for good built environment

Town of Grimsby
• Town of Grimsby
• Sobey's Grimsby – for quiet shopping hours, accessible employment practices, and a well-designed built environment

City of Port Colborne
• City of Port Colborne
• Sobey's Port Colborne – for quiet shopping hours, accessible employment practices, and a well-designed built environment

The Accessibility Matters Here campaign is more than an award—it's a community movement to champion accessible spaces and raise awareness about the importance of inclusion in our daily lives.

For more information about the JAAC and the Accessibility Matters Here initiative, please contact:
Donna Herrington Consultant, Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee
Email: donna@theherringtongroup.ca
Phone: 905-380-4782

About the Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee (JAAC)

The Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee (JAAC) is a volunteer-led board that advocates for accessible, inclusive communities across 7 of Niagara's municipalities. Composed of citizens with lived experience, accessibility professionals, and community representatives, the JAAC provides guidance to local governments and organizations on removing barriers and improving accessibility in public spaces, programs, and services. Through education, evaluation, and community collaboration, the JAAC works to uphold the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and promote environments where everyone can participate fully and equally.