Accessibility

Updated as of June 21, 2022

At Pride Toronto, we are committed to making the Pride Festival as accessible as we can; but there are a lot of ways we can do this! So, to make navigating our festival as easy as possible we are providing this central location for everything you need to know about accessibility at Pride Toronto.

Legend:
ASH: Accessibility Services Hub

Festival Footprint – The physical location and space of the festival including the Parade and Marches routes as well as the Street Fair
Mobility Aid Friendly – A space, service, or facility that is more accessible and easy to navigate for individuals using mobility aids
ASL – American Sign Language

PSW – Personal Support Worker

HSW – Home Support Worker

What is the Accessibility Services Hub (ASH)?

The Accessibility Services Hub, or ASH for short, is the main hub for all things accessibility at this year’s Pride Toronto Street Fair. At the ASH you can find information on what events have ASL interpreters, where our mobility aid friendly washrooms are located, and much more. For any questions, concerns, or support inquiries around accessibility during the Festival Weekend, head to the ASH.

Where can I find the ASH?

Our ASH will be located near the intersection of Wellesley and Curch, in front of the Paul Kane Parkette.

What are the open hours for the ASH?

Friday: 6:00pm – 11:00pm 

Saturday: 12:00pm – 11:00pm 

Sunday: 12:00pm – 11:00pm

Are there any mobility aids I can use?

For the duration of the Festival Weekend, attendees can pick up a mobility aid from the ASH to use within the Street Fair. There will be wheelchairs, rollators, and transport chairs available.

How can I get a mobility aid?

Book in advance:

If you would like to book an aid in advance, please head to this link https://pridetoronto.simplybook.me/v2/. From there, select “Book Now”, then choose which aid you would like, enter the day and time you need it for along with an email and phone number, and it will be ready for you to pickup at the ASH for your designated time.

Request it from the ASH:

If you are at the Festival already and would like to pickup an aid right away, head to the ASH. A volunteer will take your name, phone number, and email address, enter it into our system, and provide you with your requested aid. *Please note that if you are not booking in advance, we may not be able to offer you the aid you are looking for.*

How long can I use the mobility aid for?

Mobility aids can be used from the time the ASH opens until it closes. Mobility aids must be returned at the end of each day.

Can I charge my scooter/electric wheelchair/electric aid?

During the festival weekend, the ASH will host an area for recharging mobility devices. This will include access to three-pronged power outlets.

What are the viewing options for people with mobility aids/limited mobility?

At all of our stages as well as designated spots along the Parade and Marches routes, we will have accessibility risers or viewing areas. These are designated spaces for anyone who feels they need to utilize this seating while attending events.

Where are the accessibility risers along the Marches and Parade route?

Trans and Dyke March risers:

• At the intersection of Isabella St and Yonge St
  • Accessed from East of Yonge St, the same side as the Street Fair
• At the intersection of Wood St and Yonge St
  • Accessed from East of Yonge St, the same side as the Street Fair

Parade risers:

• At the intersection of Park Rd and Bloor St
  • Accessed from North of Bloor St
• At the intersection of Isabella St and Yonge St
  • Accessed from East of Yonge St, the same side as the Street Fair
• At the intersection of Wood St and Yonge St
  • Accessed from East of Yonge St, the same side as the Street Fair
• At the intersection of St. Mary St and Yonge St
  • Accessed from West of Yonge St
• At the intersection of Breadalbane St and Yonge St
  • Accessed from West of Yonge St
• At the intersection of Elm St and Yonge St
  • Accessed from West of Yonge St

What supports are available during events other than ASL?

There will be PSWs/HSWs at designated risers for the Parade. There will also be PSWs/HSWs at the accessibility viewing areas of designated stages. Accessibility volunteers are located at all stage viewing areas and Parade and March risers to provide guidance and information.

Will there be any Wheel-Trans Support?

Our volunteers are available to sit with you, wait at the WheelTrans stop if you need to go to the washroom, or provide guidance at certain locations. Volunteer support will be available at the St Mary St location during the Dyke and Trans Marches. Volunteers will be available for the St Mary St and Elm St locations during the Parade. They will also be available at the Charles St location Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the ASH open hours.

What is the schedule for the PSWs/HSWs?

Friday, June 24th

• For the Opening Ceremony a PSW/HSW will be at the accessibility viewing area from 7pm-11pm at the Yonge & Dundas Stage

Sunday, June 26th

• For the Parade from 1pm-6:30pm there will be a PSW/HSW at the riser on at Isabella St and Yonge St 
• For Blockorama a PSW/HSW will be at the accessibility viewing area from 6:30pm to 10:30pm at the  Wellesley Stage 

What are the washroom options for people with mobility aids/limited mobility?

Stationed alongside all of our smaller washroom facilities throughout the festival footprint will be mobility aid friendly washrooms. These washrooms provide a larger space to help people navigate more easily inside. They do not have automatic doors; however, the doors are all lightweight like a regular portapotty door. There are no automatic locks and require the individual using the washroom to manually lock the door.

Will there be ASL interpretation available?

Designated events will have ASL interpreters booked for those stages. There will also be volunteers at our ASH who know ASL and will be able to answer your questions or concerns directly. Please note: These volunteers are not certified interpreters and are not able to provide ASL interpreting services. They are participating as bilingual volunteers, speaking both English and ASL, and can only provide direct conversations in ASL.

What events have ASL interpretation?

Friday, June 24th

• For the Trans March, from 7pm-11pm, there will be ASL interpretation for the rally as well as the programming at Allan Gardens
• At South Stage from 7pm-11pm there will be ASL interpretation for the d/Deaf or Hard of Hearing and the Bi+ Pride programming

Saturday, June 25th

• For the Dyke March, from 2pm-6pm, there will be ASL interpretation for the rally as well as the programming at Allan Gardens
• At OLG Central Stage from 2pm-5pm there will be ASL interpretation for brOWN//out
• At TD Main Stage from 8pm-11pm there will be ASL interpretation for Club Quarantine Presents: Load

Sunday, June 26th

• At Wellesley Stage from 1pm-11pm there will be ASL interpretation for Blockorama: Together Again
• At TD Main Stage from 9:30pm-11pm there will be ASL interpretation for Priyanka – Live

Do I qualify for the accessibility services being offered by Pride Toronto?
Pride Toronto will require no proof of access needs. If you feel you need access to a service for any reason, that is entirely up to your discretion and Pride Toronto Staff and Volunteers will not be questioning anyone accessing our accessibility supports. We do, however, encourage attendees to be mindful of the spaces they are accessing and recognize that if they feel they do not need that support, it’s important to make sure anyone who does need it is still able to access it.

What are some barriers I should prepare for before attending?

Buildings – Not all of the buildings on or around the festival footprint are accessible. While we try our best to create better access where we can, many of those buildings we aren’t able to make decisions for so we are unable to provide as much support as we would like to with them. We recommend looking up any buildings you’re interested in going into before you do so to check their accessibility.
Sidewalks/Roads – Sidewalk and road conditions are also something outside of the scope of the Pride Toronto Festival which means that we can not lay down coverings or other structures to help increase mobility access. If you are marching in the Parade or Marches we recommend searching the route up to see if you can get an idea of any potential issues or reaching out to our Accessibility Curator at finn@pridetoronto.com if you have any concerns with navigating the route. 

COVID-19 Concerns – At Pride Toronto, we understand that many folks with access barriers are more at risk for COVID-19. We are continuously working to find a balance of connection and community while keeping attendees safe, but as we do this we want to continue being transparent about our work. This year, masks will not be mandatory at our events. We are aiming to provide an in-person, masks-optional, festival but we will be encouraging attendees of indoor events to wear masks, staff and board members will be required to wear masks at indoor events, and our volunteers will be required to have at least 2 vaccinations as well as masks at indoor events.
Construction – If there is any construction going on during the festival weekend we want to make sure anyone attending can appropriately prepare for the potential barriers that could cause. There may be barriers such as excessive dust or debris particles in the air, extremely loud noise, intense vibrations, blocked off areas limiting space and visibility, or potential fall zones for any falling debris. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our Accessibility Curator at finn@pridetoronto.com or check the City of Toronto website to see their current construction projects.

Large Crowds – Pride Toronto is a large festival that frequently attracts many attendees each year. Such high numbers of folks coming together can result in limited space to maneuver safely and easily around the festival as well as potential triggering negative or overwhelming feelings that can come with being in large crowds or compact environments. Our volunteers and staff will be working to encourage attendees to be mindful of the space and sharing it with everyone; however, we can not guarantee this barrier won’t come up throughout the entirety of the festival. If you are having difficulties navigating through a crowded area we encourage you to connect with our Accessibility Services Hub to see if staff and volunteers can provide you with a better/less crowded route. 

Pride Toronto is committed to continuing to expand any and all ways we increase accessibility at the festival. This page will continue to be updated as more information around accessibility is confirmed. If you would like to discuss any of this, other access concerns or the accessibility work Pride is doing, please email our Accessibility Curator at finn@pridetoronto.com