Building an Accessible Alberta: What Community Connection Really Means in 2026

Accessibility is more than ramps, policies, and programs—it is also belonging. As we move into 2026, Voice of Albertans with Disabilities is expanding our understanding of accessibility to include something just as essential as any physical or systemic support: community connection.

Social connection is often overlooked as a disability rights issue, yet it profoundly shapes quality of life. Isolation remains one of the most common concerns we hear from individuals across Alberta. Barriers in transportation, communication, mobility, and socio-economic conditions can make everyday participation difficult. When people cannot meaningfully connect with their communities, their voices, choices, and opportunities shrink.

At VAD, we’ve seen firsthand how connection creates change. In 2025, our outreach and education efforts grew significantly, reaching new communities and strengthening relationships across the province. Through disability awareness presentations, we supported schools, non profits, workplaces, and community groups in expanding their understanding of accessibility and inclusion. These sessions didn’t just share information—they sparked conversations, challenged assumptions, and invited people to imagine a more inclusive Alberta.

Our Indigenous and Multicultural Outreach work deepened those connections even further. By meeting people where they are—culturally, geographically, and socially—we heard stories of resilience, systemic barriers, and the ways disability and culture intersect. Pop-up sessions with partners like SAGE and Jewish Family Services helped us learn what supports are most meaningful, and although the pop-up model has wrapped up, the relationships and insights from those conversations continue to guide our work. Community connection isn’t a program; it’s a practice.

Events like National AccessAbility Week and our IDPD Community Resource Fair also showed the power of gathering. Hundreds of community members—families, service providers, advocates, and allies—came together to exchange resources, share experiences, and celebrate disability pride. These moments remind us that accessible Alberta is built not only through systems, but through people coming together with a shared purpose.

We also continue to hear from our members, whose voices shape every aspect of our work. Many have told us that what they value most is not just information, but connection—opportunities to meet others, learn together, and feel part of something larger. Their feedback is helping us imagine new ways to support ongoing engagement and meaningful provincial community building.

Looking ahead, VAD is exploring ways to expand province-wide connection opportunities. One of the emerging ideas is a weekly online gathering space—VAD Community Connect—designed to bring people with disabilities across Alberta together for conversation, peer support, guest speakers, activities, and social connection. While planning is still in the early stages, the vision is clear: a welcoming, accessible space where people can show up as they are and feel a sense of community no matter where they live.

As we move into 2026, our commitment is simple but powerful:
to strengthen connection, amplify voices, and build a more accessible, inclusive Alberta—together.

Community is not a bonus—it is a foundation. And every conversation, partnership, and shared experience brings us one step closer to the accessible province we all deserve.