Disability Support and Accommodations

McMaster is committed to providing support services to all individuals with disabilities within our community, including faculty, staff, students, and visitors. Our Office of Equity and Inclusion oversees these efforts and collaborates with various departments across the university to promote inclusivity and to address the needs of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of university life.

Accessible Facilities

McMaster’s Accessibility Hub is a one-stop shop for all services and supports related to accessibility at the university, from wayfinding to training. All information required for wayfinding and navigating the campus has also been gathered on one webpage for ease. 

Accessible Building Maps

This map provides you with floor maps for a number of campus buildings. Each floor can be highlighted by facility; for example, accessible washrooms, elevator or lift access, hallway paths and more.

Accessible Parking at McMaster

Parking Services provides accessible parking permits for individuals with a Ministry of Transportation Parking Permit or for those who require accessible parking on a temporary basis.

Discover McMaster Campus Map

Toggle to “Accessibility” button and then select “Accessible Parking” to view McMaster parking lots with accessible parking spaces available.

All-Genders Washrooms On-Campus

The Equity and Inclusion Office is working to make McMaster University more inclusive for staff, students and faculty who identify as transgender, gender non-binary and two-spirit. Please access the following All-Genders Washroom spreadsheet to find the most recently updated inventory of all-genders, all-genders accessible, and all-genders barrier free washrooms at McMaster. This resource will be updated on an ongoing basis.

Public Transportation

There are many accessible transportation options available for getting to the McMaster campus:

For directions to campus and general transit information, please see the How to get to McMaster website. Once on campus, accessible parking options are available – please visit McMaster’s Discover Map and toggle to “Accessibility” > “Accessible Parking” to view accessible parking locations.

You can find information about accessible public transit options from:

Our dedication to continuous improvement in accessibility is detailed in annual reports.

Campus Accessibility Action Plan (CAAP): CAAP continued to be rolled out in the reporting period. The Campus Accessibility Action Plan funds for the 2023-24 financial year were mainly allocated for two items:

  • The Campus Services Building (CSB) Accessibility Upgrades project
  • The McMaster Barrier Free Design Standards (MacFADS) development

Campus Services Building Accessibility Upgrades project was in construction with substantial completion aimed for the end of October 2024. The total project is over $2M, with $1M from the Enabling Accessibility Fund grant. This project includes:

  • Adding an elevator
  • Creating an accessible entrance
  • Barrier-free washrooms
  • Barrier-free meeting room
  • Ramp to make the ground floor accessible
  • Adding additional barrier-free women’s washroom on the first floor

McMaster Facility Accessibility Design Standards (MACFADS): To support the continued strategic development of McMaster’s barrier-free design and accessibility improvements, a new project was adopted in late 2022 to establish clear barrier-free standards. These standards will guide the University’s future growth, ensuring current and future facilities and campus spaces are fully accessible for all.  McMaster’s Facility Services and Barrier Free Standard Committee have been working closely with Level Playing Field, the consulting agency engaged in creating the Barrier Free Design Standards report. The MACFADS is very close to being finalized and adopted. It’s currently at 99% draft, undergoing final consultations and a quality control process. The guidance document provides specific requirements and details on accessibility standards for the following:

  • General design requirements
  • Exterior and interior circulation
  • Exterior and interior spaces
  • Washrooms and sanitary facilities, and
  • Student residences

Once completed, this will be an important guidance document for implementing accessibility within the university’s facilities across campus, setting new standards that work towards disability inclusion.

Support services for people with disabilities

McMaster’s Accessibility Hub is a one-stop shop for all services and supports related to accessibility at the university including wayfinding, academic and workplace accommodation, assistive technologies, and peer communities’ support.

The AccessMac program is dedicated to advancing accessibility and disability inclusion at the university. The program ensures the Universiy is in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and provides disability education and workshops to McMaster staff, faculty, students and the wider community.

Through the AccessMac program the University’s Equity and Inclusion Office reported that more than 7,500 participants attended disability education workshops and consulted 381 community members requested consultation about accessibility issues during the 2022-23 academic year.

McMaster University ensures that our campus is accessible and welcoming to everyone by offering numerous accessible parking spaces conveniently located near key facilities, alongside automatic door openers and ramps at entrances throughout the campus. We continually assess and update our infrastructure to comply with accessibility standards, striving to make navigation and transportation as seamless as possible for individuals with disabilities.

Our dedication to continuous improvement in accessibility is detailed in annual reports.

  • 2025 Compliance Reporting: Finalizing the review of the 2025 AODA Environmental Scan. Informed by the Environmental Scan results, complete the 2025 AODA Reporting Compliance template, and submit the report to the Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility before December 31, 2025. 
  • Accessibility Plan: Finalize a new Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Strategic Framework and Action Plan, a succession to the 2012- 2015 Accessibility Plan. 
  • Accessibility in Teaching and Learning Roadmap Project: Begin the Roadmap implementation phase, including determining a project information dissemination plan, sustaining the faculty support model, and expanding cross-unit and sector partnerships. 
  • MacFADS: Work will begin responding to the priority areas identified in the accessibility audits. Launch a new MacFADS committee and begin using the MacFADS within building projects and operations. 
  • Compliance and Consultations: Continued consultations and reviews within priority areas across the University that require specific accessibility and disability inclusion improvements. 
  • Training: Produce specific training materials, e.g. customer service, to support AODA compliance. With new training enrollment and renewal.
  • processes in place, we will monitor a new wave of completion of the mandatory AODA and Human Rights training course. 
  • Collaboration and Engagement: Continued collaboration and engagement through McMaster’s diverse accessibility committees and networks. 

The 2023 – 2024 Annual Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update is now in its 7th year of publication, collecting and highlighting accessibility and disability-inclusion-related projects, activities, networks, research, and scholarship generation carried out by McMaster students, staff, and faculty in any given year.

Containing 56 submissions from across faculties, administrative units and student communities, the report shines a light on the dynamic efforts of McMaster community members in driving accessibility and disability-centred scholarship, service, and advocacy-related work across the University. The publication continues to be shared in an accessible format, please access the following table of contents to learn more about collective work being carried out across the institution in different areas:

An Accessibility Resource Card has been designed to support student, staff and faculty in navigating accessibility services and supports more efficiently and centrally. In this first edition, you will find on these cards the majority of the units on campus that provide accessibility services in some capacity with contact information (websites to learn more), who is eligible to access their services, and a small description of what each of the units offer.

AccessMac Program in the Equity and Inclusion Office

  • For all student, staff, and faculty
  • Navigational support of accessibility / disability services on campus, education and implementation support of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act via consultation, accessibility workshops, partnerships, and annual reports and community publications.

Employee Accessibility Network

  • For staff, and faculty with self-identified disabilities
  • Peer support, consultation, and strategizing related to: workplace accommodations, employment equity, accessibility in the workplace, negotiating disability/disclosure at work, and beyond.

Library Accessibility Services

  • For students, staff and faculty
  • Supports include: captioning, braille, alternative formats, assistive technology, and a Campus Accessible Tech Space (CATS) that is accessible for students with disabilities and which has tech for loan.

Disability access schemes

MacStart is a free summer program designed to help you transition to university learning. Our goal is to support the needs and interests of incoming students with disabilities.

This orientation program is offered in a choose-your-own-journey style. This means that you register once for the whole program and attend only the workshops that interest you. Through this program, you will have a chance to make connections and become acquainted with like-minded peers before you even start classes.

Maccess is a peer support, advocacy, and community centre for students who experience disability, chronic illness, mental health concerns, or inaccessibility.

Various groups and communities exist to support faculty, staff and students with disabilities at the University through peer support and networking, mentorships, intellectual discussion, and professional development opportunities.

2023 Celebrating December 3rd: International Day of Persons with Disabilities

To commemorate and celebrate December 3rd, campus and community partners, including the Equity and Inclusion AccessMac Program, the MacPherson Institute, MSU Maccess, the Employee Accessibility Network, Student Accessibility Services, Library Accessibility Services, Student Success Centre, Student Wellness Centre, School of Graduate Studies, and Human Resources are working to co-organize a three-week line up of events and training, spanning from November 14th-December 8th, 2023. Events include:

  • Maccess DisVisibility Week
  • Disability Resource Fair
  • Celebrating Disability Pride
  • Art Workshop
  • Employee Accessibility Network Meeting

Our dedication to continuous improvement in accessibility is detailed in annual reports.

  • Student and Alumni Accessibility Council (STAAC) (October 2023 – present): To inform ATL Roadmap project work, a council of 20 students and alumni representing all faculties, all levels of undergraduate and graduate studies, and both full- and part-time enrollment was created. 49 applications were received in Year 1. This initiative was supported by the Student Success Center’s CAPS program and participants received a small stipend.
  • Accessible Education Fellows (AEF) Program (August 2023 – present): The AEF program seeks to build a community of accessibility-informed educators interested in collaborating to develop research projects which implement promising accessibility practices, analyze their efficacy, and create new knowledge for dissemination to peers. In Year 1 of the program, 26 individuals from all faculties and 5 central units applied, and 20 completed the program. Feedback from participants in the STAAC and AEF has been largely positive, and demonstrates activities’ effectiveness at cultivating a culture of accessibility and disability inclusion in our teaching and learning community.

Disability accommodation at McMaster

McMaster continuously demonstrates a commitment to providing a supportive and accessible environment for staff, students, and visitors with disabilities. The university has implemented robust academic accommodation and workplace accommodation policies, which are part of our AccessMac Program to ensure that persons with disabilities receive the necessary support to fully participate in the community.

Our dedication to continuous improvement in accessibility is detailed in annual reports.  One can review the McMaster University Annual Accessibility Plan, which outlines the specific steps the university is taking to eliminate barriers on campus.

The university supports projects that aim to enhance teaching and learning through inclusive practices, including the development of resources to better accommodate students with disabilities. IDEAS grant is an award dedicated to McMaster instructors who are actively orchestrating sustainable change in the areas of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.

McMaster’s Student Accessibility Services (SAS) is open to eligible students who seek high school to university transition support and testing and exam accommodations, as well as those who require assistive technologies, or need help developing effective learning strategies.

We also offer financial support to undergraduate and graduate students, in the form of scholarships and bursaries.

General across campus actions to support an inclusive and accessible environment as required by the AODA:  

  • Temporary Notices: Posting Notices of Temporary Disruptions of Service in a timely fashion where appropriate and when necessary. Access the template and guidance on posting notices of temporary disruptions.   
  • Accessible Feedback: Ensuring that there are accessible feedback/  contact options available to McMaster employees and community members with disabilities, upon request (e.g., provisions of accessible formats, communication supports, etc.).  
  • Web Accessibility: Web developers, designers, and digital content creators (Employees or external contractors) responsible for web content must ensure that websites are compliant section 14 of the AODA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0). Additionally, information and feedback on University websites must be offered in alternative formats or provided upon request.