Rideau House Earns Gold for Accessibility
Rideau House has achieved RHF Accessibility Certified Gold, the highest certification level under the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) program, becoming the first student residence in Ontario to achieve Gold.
The residence at Carleton University earned an overall accessibility rating of 86.3 per cent, met all 17 prerequisites required for Gold and is the fifth residence in Canada to earn the distinction.
Accessibility was integral to the earliest stages of Rideau House’s planning and development, including the goal of pursuing RHFAC certification.
That focus is reflected throughout the building. Residential units for students with disabilities received a score of 92.9 per cent, while wayfinding and signage scored 86 per cent and interior services scored 85.1 per cent.
Rideau House also earned innovation points for features including 78 proximity readers, which reduce the need to physically manipulate keys or swipe cards when accessing doors, along with specific accessibility features incorporated into its washrooms.
“From the beginning, our goal was to create a residence where students feel welcomed, supported and able to fully participate at Carleton,” says Laura Storey, executive director of Housing and Residence Life Services. “Achieving RHFAC Gold reflects the work of so many people who made accessibility a priority throughout the development of Rideau House. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and what it represents for our students.”
RHFAC measures meaningful accessibility in the built environment based on the experiences of people with disabilities affecting mobility, vision and hearing. Just 7.7 per cent of buildings rated through the program achieve Gold, underscoring the significance of Rideau House’s achievement.
About Rideau House
Opened in 2025, Rideau House is Carleton University’s newest student residence and is home to approximately 450 first- and upper-year students. The 10-storey building includes eight enhanced accessible spaces and a range of community amenities, including a low-sensory space, multi-faith prayer and meditation space, community kitchen, fitness centre and games and media rooms.