Reflections

We know technology wins a lot of the time, but no tech can connect to humans the way our four-legged working friends do, as they steadily lead us along in their trusted Guide Dog harness, encouraging us to get out there with confidence and ease. Beth Deer takes us through her personal (and sentimental) guide dog experiences. Beth’s husband, Cody, will join Beth to introduce their family, their pet...

Since I was a child, I’ve had a fear of fires that has fostered a healthy respect for fire safety. Lithium-ion batteries have created a dose of awareness recently as they become part of a growing Concern. Division Chief Marla Friebe Public Education and Professional Development at Toronto Fire Services, informs us as to what’s currently happening with this disturbing trend and lays out a road map...

Grant Hardy helps us take a closer look at the reality of life on disability assistance, following a recent report in the mainstream media about turmoil at BC’s Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. Helaine Boyd, Executive Director at Disability Alliance BC speaks about DABC’s position on the recent story, and how attitudinal barriers impact marginalized people. Student and Researc...

What is an inter-abled relationship? Ahead of Valentine’s Day, Feature Reporter Joeita Gupta wanted to learn more about inter-abled relationships, the stereotypes, the risks of caregiver abuse, and celebrate the love that any two people share, regardless of their different backgrounds or abilities.  Joeita turned to her trusted friend, Brock Richardson, and his wife Megan to help her challenge som...

Are people still hanging out at malls? We shop online and socialize differently, so how are malls being affected? Nisreen Abdel-Majid finds out if malls are on their way out or if they still serve an important purpose. Bruce Winder is a Retail Analyst, and he paints a picture of the North American retail landscape, describing how malls fit into our current shopping norms, lifestyles, and community...

Many of us are shopping on a budget, so let's learn how to shop even smarter. From coupon clipping to unexpected discount discoveries and dumpster diving, Kelly MacDonald explores how we can stretch our dollar even further and engage in the conversation around accessible deal-finding. Social Media Influencer Cassandra Marques shares savvy shopping tips and tricks that her followers appreciate, eve...

On January 25th, 2026 the Greater Toronto Area received almost 60 centimetres of snow in a storm that many people have dubbed historic. While most of us may have been hunkered down in our homes for the storm, what was going on in the City of Toronto?  Joeita Gupta speaks to representatives from organizations across the city, and residents to gather their stories and capture a snapshot of Toronto l...

The CCRW’s second annual Untapped Talent Summit takes place online February 10, 2026. It provides resources for job seekers and employers on inclusive employment. The theme, Disability in Action: Navigating the School-to-Work Transition, is particularly welcome this year with an uncertain job market and some of the lowest rates of employment for youth with disabilities that we’ve seen since the CO...

Countries are racing to regulate big tech and keep kids safe from the harms of social media, but the fight isn’t over. Grant Hardy examines how far countries like Australia are willing to go to legislate in hopes of a safer internet. Lifestyle and Tech Expert Andy Baryer provides his perspective on Australia’s new social media laws, and whether there’s an appetite to bring them to Canada. It’s unc...

We know we’re tired. We talk about burnout constantly. And yet, when we finally slow down, rest can feel uncomfortable. Nisreen Abdel-Majid explores why rest so often feels like failure, and how we can take small steps towards embracing rest and reassessing our needs. Susi Niazi is a senior corporate executive navigating leadership responsibilities and a nonstop pace at work. She's also a mother o...

Joeita Gupta finds some helpful tips to navigate a complicated relationship with food from culinary expert Mary Mammoliti, Master Chef winner and restaurant owner Christine Ha, and Dietician Gena Hamshaw.  Learn to be gracious with yourself, approach your diet with moderation in mind, and find ways that work for your season of life to make those weeknight dinners less stressful. To find support fo...

It takes a bit of thought and a bit of change, but not as much effort as we believe, to create and maintain a sustainable lifestyle. Kelly MacDonald brings us along as he learns how our small choices impact how we care for our Earth. Laura Newton, Founder of The Kind Matter Company, is an expert on sustainable living, and shares how we can move to clean purchases and clean products, without it hav...

Generally speaking, there's an honour system when it comes to using public transit, but when it comes to priority seating on buses, trains, and planes, it can get grey. Nisreen Abdel-Majid explores this topic. Suzanne Holder is the Customer Experience Manager at MiWay, Mississauga, Ontario's major transport system. She shares how riders with invisible disabilities can identify themselves through t...

Returning to the office due to new mandates? The adjustment isn’t being taken well by all, and there are some serious accessibility issues to address. Joeita Gupta is answering all our burning questions around which employers are insisting workers come back to the office and why. What role is the Canadian government playing in all of this? And how are people with disabilities being affected?  Opey...

London, Ontario was designated as Canada's first UNESCO City of Music in 2021, recognizing its vibrant music scene and commitment to cultural development, and Kelly MacDonald was thrilled to commemorate. Mario Circelli, Founder and Chair of The London Music Hall of Fame, introduces us to this special music community, and helps us explore what the UNESCO title means for London's growth. We hear abo...

Last fall, a group of eleven blind hikers traveled to Tanzania to tackle Mount Kilimanjaro. Grant Hardy speaks with climbers Peter Quaiattini, David Brown, and Tammy Adams about the triumphs, challenges, and highlights of their hiking journeys. The trip was made possible by Nana Safaris. It’s a mainstream tour and travel company based in Arusha – Tanzania that incorporates accessibility into its t...

What’s the first moment when life after vision loss starts to feel possible again? Nisreen Abdel-Majid explores the small, powerful breakthroughs that reshape independence, the moments that may look ordinary from the outside but carry deep emotional weight for the people experiencing them. Through firsthand stories, Ariana Noughira shares what it meant to regain confidence with her guide dog by he...

The memoir genre is booming, disability memoirs specifically. But what makes these books so entertaining, informative, powerful, or groundbreaking? Is it pressure from publishers? Or is it the translation of a person's lived experience into a digestible, easy-to-read format? Andreae Callanan is a writer and researcher who studies neurodiversity and the disability memoir. Andreae provides her persp...

Grant Hardy is joined by tech experts Shaun Preece, Andy Baryer, and John Biehler to compare and contrast the benefits of the smart home with the perils of planned obsolescence and tech troubleshooting. Let's figure out if the smart home is really worth it. Andy Baryer from Handy Andy Media shares what he’s most excited about in his smart home for 2025, as well as his thoughts on futureproofing. D...

Are older employees in the workforce wrongfully keeping work away from young people who are fresh out of school? Is AI taking over older workers' jobs first? Are aging employees too expensive to keep around? Let's get to the bottom of these questions. Kelly MacDonald speaks with Lisa Taylor, Founder and CEO of Challenge Factory, a Canadian research and advisory firm focused on the future of work,...

From crowded buses and train stations to classrooms, gyms, and healthcare settings, we’re constantly negotiating hygiene in shared spaces. Nisreen Abdel-Majid explores how to approach the tricky conversations of hygiene, addressing environment, expectation, and access. Kindergarten teacher Melinda Morbi shares how hygiene is introduced early in classrooms and how those messages can follow us into...

What are some of the common touchstones in the blind community?  Do they create a shared sense of culture? Joeita Gupta was curious and decided to invite some of the smartest people she knows to share their input on whether a blind culture exists. Joined by Andrew Leland, Barbara Pierce, Marcia Yale, and Michelle McQuigge, Joeita will explore the shared traits among the blind community, the stigma...

To put a bow on 2025, Kelly MacDonald gathered stories about the unwrapped gifts that have stayed with us, in memory and impact. ESPN and Sportsnet's Dan Shulman nudges us about the gifts of advice and the giving of time. Artist Lucas Haneman remembers how just one gift lead to a lifetime of blessings. Angela Bonfanti, President and CEO of CNIB, shares how her childhood attempts to run away from h...

Grant Hardy introduces us to the Mayday Club’s Amplify: Sound, Voice, and Radio course that took place this fall, in partnership with Disability Alliance BC. The sixteen-week course provided neurodivergent youth with hands-on experience in the fields of voice acting and radio hosting, including the opportunity to create an original radio series. Nicole Provost, the Founder of Mayday Club, shares w...

For many artists, legitimacy is imagined as a single moment, when someone finally says, “you’re in.” This episode follows emerging indie pop artist Laura Ulmer as she confronts the music industry gate keeping, able-ism, and internalized self-doubt that kept her hovering on the fringes, despite her ever-growing talent and repertoire. Alongside music publicist Eric Alper, we ask who really gets to d...