Whether you’re an architect, general contractor, engineer, urban planner, design-builder, or anyone interested in accessibility in the built environment, qualifying for an RHFAC Professional designation will provide you with the knowledge and practical skills needed to rate a building for its overall accessibility under the RHFAC program.
Once you obtain the RHFAC Professional designation, you can be publicly listed on the RHFAC Professional Directory.
See the list of upcoming training courses below.
How to become an RHF Accessibility Certification Professional and maintain your designation
1. Pass the RHFAC Training Course.
This course teaches individuals how to use the RHFAC methodology to rate buildings on their level of meaningful access. Upon successful completion and passing the subsequent RHFAC Professional exam, individuals will obtain their RHFAC Professional designation, qualifying them to conduct RHFAC ratings within existing buildings and pre-construction plans.
Participants in this course will learn about:
- The impact of the social and physical environment on people with disabilities;
- The relevant legislation, regulations, and standards needed when planning and executing an assessment;
- The Universal Design principles and standards when planning and executing an assessment;
- How to interpret and navigate a set of construction drawings; and
- How to communicate and support assessment findings to clients, and prepare a recommendation report of the assessment findings, reflecting compliance and gaps related to relevant human rights and accessibility legislation, regulations, and Universal Design standards.
Prerequisites include the following:
- A diploma of technology in architecture, engineering, urban planning, interior design or a related program; or
- A Journeyman Certificate of Qualification in a designated trade related to building construction; or
- You are an engineer or are eligible for registration as an engineer; or
- You are an architect or are eligible for registration as an architect; or
- A minimum of five years’ experience related to accessibility in the built environment.
- An equivalent combination of lived experience and built environment knowledge will be considered
If you do not have these prerequisites but would like to take the course, you can register to audit the online course offering at Athabasca University. You can also take Accessible Spaces 101, a self-paced online course we developed with Athabasca University which examines the impact of the social and physical environment on people with disabilities and introduces the application of universal design for creating meaningful access.
Tuition Funding Available for Persons with Disabilities
Do you have a disability and meet the prerequisite requirements of the RHFAC Training course? Rick Hansen Foundation has funding opportunities for tuition subsidies for course offerings across the country. If you are interested, please get in touch with us by emailing a copy of your resume and cover letter to access@rickhansen.com. We look forward to hearing from you. Please note this funding is for the RHFAC Training course only, not Accessible Spaces 101.
Upcoming RHFAC Training Courses
To complete the RHFAC Training, please register directly with the educational institution offering the course.
Accessible Spaces 101 is a new online course brought to you by RHF and PowerED™ by Athabasca University (AU). This course has no prerequisites. Learn to identify barriers and create accessible spaces that are inclusive of all people, including those with varying disabilities affecting their mobility, vision, and hearing. This course can be completed at your own pace and is especially relevant for those working in human resources, diversity, inclusion, physical and occupational therapy, or property management.
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Institution |
Dates |
Location |
Registration |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Athabasca University |
January 30, 2023 - April 9, 2023 |
Online |
|
|
Athabasca University: Accessible Spaces 101 |
On Demand | Online | Register Online |
|
Vancouver Community College (VCC) |
September 19 - November 30, 2022 |
Online |
Register by Phone: 604.443.8484 |
|
Nova Scotia Community College |
October 13 - November 24, 2022 |
Online |
|
|
Carleton University |
October 24 - November 3, 2022 and June 12 - 22, 2023 |
Ottawa, ON and Online |
|
|
George Brown Continuing Education |
November 14 - December 9, 2022 | Online | Register Online |
|
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) |
November 7, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023 and February 21- March 30, 2023 | Online | Register Online |
For course-specific information, including delivery and registration, please contact the listed institution directly.
The RHFAC Training course is formally recognized for continuing education units (CEUs) by the following professional bodies: The Alberta Association of Architects (AAA) and The Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC).
Students can self-report CEUs to Engineers and Geoscientists BC (EGBC), Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA), Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO), Engineers Nova Scotia (ENS), Manitoba Association of Architects (MAA), Ontario Architects Association (OAA), Nova Scotia Association of Architects (NSAA), Architects Association of Prince Edward Island (AAPEI), Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT), ARIDO (Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario) and the Architects’ Association of New Brunswick (AANB). If your professional body is not listed above and you believe the RHFAC Training course would be eligible for course credits, please contact us.
2. Pass the examination.
The RHFAC Professional Exam must be taken within 12 months of completing the above Training Course. This exam is designed to test your understanding of the general concepts and principles taught in the Training Course, but is administered separately through the CSA Group and its third party test provider, Kryterion.
The exam is computer-based and can be taken at one of 45 test centres across Canada, or online with remote monitoring. You must register for the exam, pay a fee, and take the exam before you can qualify for the RHFAC Professional designation. To register and pay for the exam, please visit the CSA Store.
The RHFAC Professional Designation Guide provides information on how to prepare for the exam.
3. Apply for RHFAC Professional designation and sign up to the RHFAC Registry.
Once you have completed steps 1-2 above, you can apply directly to RHF for the RHFAC Professional designation by emailing the following to access@rickhansen.com:
- Official transcripts from the institution demonstrating you have passed the RHFAC Training Course;
- Official letter (PDF) from CSA Group demonstrating you have passed RHFAC Professional Exam (not an email with preliminary results); and
- For individuals who completed their training prior to July 2018: a signed confirmation letter from your Assessor supervisor using the Field Experience Template Letter.
Once awarded your RHFAC Professional designation, RHF will provide you with
- a membership letter and ID; and
- information on how to request access to the RHFAC Registry and be publicly listed as a designated RHFAC Professional on the RHFAC Professional Directory.
4. Uphold your designation.
Your RHFAC Professional designation has no expiry date. To uphold the designation, you must:
- Maintain Accessibility Professional Network membership (Course attendees will receive free membership for the remainder of the calendar year)
- Meet continuing education requirements (8 CEUs per year)
- Follow RHFAC Professional Code of Ethics and Branding Guidelines
Have a question about the RHFAC program?
Please email access@rickhansen.com, or view the Professional Designation Guide.