The Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) Training

Become an RHFAC professional and work to improve the accessibility of the built environment for people with disabilities.

• A Life-Long Pursuit of Equitable Design
• Kristen Habermehl’s Journey to Becoming an RHFAC Professional
• Chris Bouey Improves His Skills Through Becoming an RHFAC Professional

Overview

This course is the first step towards qualifying you to conduct ratings under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) program.

Through this course, using a comprehensive national rating system, you learn how to evaluate the accessibility of a building or site. You develop a strong understanding of Universal Design in a variety of settings and how to identify positive access features or barriers to people with disabilities.

Program highlights

Course topics include:

• The impact of social and built environments on people with physical, sensory, learning and developmental disabilities
• An overview of universal design principles
• Interpreting construction and project plans
• Integrating relevant legislation, regulations, and standards when planning and executing accessibility assessments

Prerequisites

• You have a diploma or at least two years of completed post-secondary studies in architecture, engineering, urban planning, interior design or a related program; or
• You have a Journeyman Certificate of Qualification in a designated trade related to building construction; or
• You are an engineer (or eligible for registration as an engineer); or
• You are an architect (or eligible for registration as an architect); or
• You have a minimum of five years of construction experience; or
• You have an equivalent combination of lived experience and built environment knowledge.
• Education and credentials awarded outside of Canada will be considered.

Recommendations:

• You will have the most success in this course if you already have a high level of proficiency with computer systems and programs (including Microsoft Excel), as well as solid written and verbal communication skills.
• Do you feel strongly that you would be a good candidate but do not meet the above requirements? Please contact us – we will be pleased to discuss your options at  (or ).

Program requirements

• You must attend the live online classes, participate fully in the course and complete all coursework.
• To receive the RHFAC professional designation, you must:
  • Pass the RHFAC Training Course
  • 100% attendance is required
  • Pass the RHFAC Professional Exam

New timeline effective April 1^st, 2023

• April 1, 2023 will still have 12 months to complete the RHFAC Professional Exam
• Anyone who started the course on or after April 1, 2023 will need to complete the exam within 6 months of receiving their proof of course completion (rather than from the course end date)
  • Proof of course completion document is required when registering for the Exam;
  • It can take a month to receive the proof of course completion – varies, depending on the academic institution

Upcoming courses

October 2023

This will be a virtual course using Brightspace and MS Teams.

Start Date: October 24th
End Date: November 30th
Final project being due January 15th, 2024

Schedule note: the class meets online every Tuesday and Thursday from 1:30 - 3:30 pm

Cost:

• Course fee: $1,900
• Tuition funding for people with disabilities is available. Find out more. 

Apply:

• Complete the application form (ensure you provide all required documentation at the time of application)
• Once your application is reviewed and it's determined admissions criteria are met, payment instructions will be forwarded to you

Questions?

Please contact the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) Assessor Training Course:

School of Access