Strategic Priorities:

1. Serve more Canadians with a wide range of abilities
2. Provide a First-Rate Client Experience
3. Build our Organizational Capacity
4. Optimize Canine Well-Being
5. Engage More People to Support our Mission

Rick Hansen Foundation Gold Accessibility Certificate

The foundation’s goal is to ensure the new training school is fully accessible to Canadians with a wide range of abilities. To achieve this, we are seeking the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification which is a national rating system that measures and certifies the level of meaningful access of buildings and sites. To meet the highest standard of certification the new school will feature wayfinding systems/apps, appropriate signage/lettering, flooring to indicate directional changes, suitable lighting and paint colours, extra wide hallways to allow for mobility devices and dogs, sensory garden, dedicated accessible parking, and much more.

Accessible and Comfortable Guest Rooms

With clients traveling from across Canada to Oakville, ON for training sessions of up to three weeks, the foundation will develop 35 spacious, fully accessible bedrooms. These rooms will provide ample space and furnishings to facilitate bonding and relaxation between the person and their Dog Guide in complete privacy. Additionally, there will be direct access to outdoor relief areas, a dedicated lounge area, laundry facilities, and grooming stations for the convenience and comfort of our clients.

Dedicated Training Spaces and Classrooms

For our clients, dedicated training areas and classrooms for each of the seven Dog Guides programs will provide a more conducive learning environment that has spaces dedicated to their training. This will provide the very best learning environment possible while creating better outcomes and success.
Training improvements will include mock apartments with two-way windows to observe dogs and clients in training, dedicated scent training space for the Diabetes Alert program, an underground ‘mock streetscape’ for the Canine Vision program with simulated streets, intersections, and obstacles for year-round training, and much more!

Optimize Canine Well-Being

For dogs in training, the new training school will have more kennels which will enable the foundation to train and match more Dog Guides to more Canadians. The larger and improved kennel space will provide indoor and outdoor spaces to learn, play, and relax. These spaces will increase their health and well-being to set them up for success in their training. A larger veterinary clinic will ensure each puppy and dog in training is carefully monitored.

We Need Your Help To Make a Difference

The Difference Campaign is our most significant campaign in the organization’s history. With 1 in 4 Canadians living with a disability today, we can do so much more! It is not just a building but an investment in potential. Together, we can continue to make a difference in the future of Canadians in need of a Dog Guide. Be a part of the next phase of LFCDG’s history by participating in The Difference campaign today.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND DONATE NOW