Vancouver’s best, Missy D and DJ Slippee, along with OCF Operations Manager Chris Elms, took advantage of the Quiet Tent at the 2024 festival.

Equipped with a comfy couch, changing table and privacy walls, the Quiet Tent was open to anyone looking to escape the busy festival atmosphere.

Principles

The Ottawa Children’s Festival is committed to ensuring all shows, services, and programs are provided in a manner that:

• Accommodates all disability-related needs of visitors*
• Upholds the principles of dignity and independence for people with disabilities. 
• Promotes accessibility as a core value in every aspect of the festival, from planning and design to execution, ensuring that no one is excluded due to a disability.
• Fosters an inclusive and welcoming environment, where diversity is celebrated, and all individuals, regardless of ability, feel valued and included.
• Prioritizes continuous improvement by regularly assessing and addressing accessibility barriers and ensuring that feedback from individuals with disabilities is heard and acted upon.

*Accommodate refers to the modifications made to the delivery of services, programs, and goods to ensure that they are accessible to persons with disabilities.

Accessible Washrooms

Public washrooms, including accessible washrooms, are located on all levels of the Museum. 

In addition, there are accessible, private, all-gender washrooms intended for a single user, with sufficient space for a companion or attendant, located throughout the Museum.

Communication

If you or someone in your group requires a translator or sign language interpreter, let us know—we’re here to help. With advance notice, we will do everything we can to arrange these accommodations, ensuring an inclusive and enjoyable experience for all. 

Support Persons

Individuals with disabilities who rely on a support person are invited to attend the Ottawa Children’s Festival with their support person.

The Ottawa Children’s Festival is a participating Access 2 Program venue. Upon presentation or verbal confirmation with OCF staff, you will pay regular admission and your support person will receive free admission.

Email [contact@ottawachildrensfestival.ca] for assistance purchasing tickets online. This policy is designed to ensure that people with disabilities can fully participate in the festival experience.

The definition of a “support person” under the Guide to the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07 is as follows:
“support person” means, in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies him or her in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods or services (8).

The Access 2 Card is accepted at a wide range of entertainment, cultural and recreation venues, as well as festivals, concerts, and special events in all 10 provinces, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Click on the link below for a list of participating venues. 

Assistive Devices

Individuals with disabilities are welcome to use their assistive devices at all times while accessing goods, services, and performances provided by the Ottawa Children’s Festival. We encourage the use of any necessary assistive technology that enables a full and equal experience of our festival offerings.

Service Animals

The Ottawa Children’s Festival welcomes individuals with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are permitted on the festival grounds and within all public areas of the event, including the Festival Box Office. No pets allowed. 

Environment

Please be aware that some shows and exhibitions may feature strobe lights, loud noises, crowds, and other visual/ audio stimuli. We encourage visitors who may be adversely affected by these elements to look into the performance summaries (including audio/visual), consult with their doctor if necessary, and plan accordingly. 

Training for Staff

The Ottawa Children’s Festival will provide basic training, information, and resources to all employees, volunteers and all other personnel that will be on site. This will help ensure that our team is well-informed about accessibility, inclusion, and customer service for people with disabilities.

Training will cover the following topics:

• An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and its customer service standard requirements.
• OCF Accessibility Policy and how it applies to our operations.
• Best practices for interacting and communicating with people with various types of disabilities.
• Guidance on how to engage with individuals who use assistive devices, require the support of service animals or need assistance from a support person.
• Steps to take if a person with a disability encounters difficulty accessing OCF goods, services and performances, ensuring that all barriers are addressed.

Through this initiative, we aim to ensure that our team is prepared to offer the best possible experience for all guests, regardless of ability.

Feedback Process 

Visitors who wish to provide feedback on how the Ottawa Children’s Festival can provide better services to people with disabilities can do so by contacting us over the phone, in-person, or via email. All feedback will be directed to Kathleen Lecuyer [Kathleen@ottawachildrensfestival.ca].

Confirmation will be given within 48 hours of initial receipt. Complaints will be addressed according to the OCF’s regular complaint management procedures.