Which Way Do You Need to Go? Striving to Make Wayfinding Signage More Accessible
As Canada continues to try to be more inclusive and accessible to all Canadians, signs are a big challenge that they will need to overcome.
Whether you’re at the mall or in a hotel, sometimes you just don’t know where you’re going or need to go. Signs are essential to pointing us in the right direction and showing us the information that we need. But for people with disabilities, it may be difficult for them to get directions because these signs are not accessible.
In recent years, cities such as London, Vancouver and New York have successfully implemented new wayfinding strategies in response to transportation challenges. As the regulations for these accessible signs continue to change with government policies, signage companies need to adapt to creating more accessible wayfinding signage.
As per the goals set by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), signs must follow a standard guideline as of 2011 in hopes of making Ontario fully accessible by 2025. These guidelines include sans serif fonts, combined upper and lower case letters, tonal contrast of at least 70%, Grade 1 braille, and matte or glare-free surfaces.
It is with utmost importance that companies adopt these wayfinding signage standards in order to create a more accessible environment for all Canadians. With their newly-purchased Jeti Mira LED Printer, Forward Signs will be able to print 3-D surfaces including varnishes and primers, braille and razor-sharp detailed images. Recently, accessibility signage has become a greater priority for new building projects with the ability to print accessible signs, our clients will not only create more accessible environments for everyone, but also be better citizens.
Forward Signs is a leader in innovation and creating accessible signs. From consultation to execution, Forward Signs helps clients create a visually and technically stunning sign that is easy to use for all.