That standard, distinct from provincial building codes, has since been replaced by CAN/CSA B651-04, Accessible Design for the Built Environment, which applied to new construction and major ‘re-fit’ projects after October 1, 2004. Changes included requirements for elevators’ floor designation signage to include: braille designations, not just raised characters; raised designations of a minimum of 0.8 mm (0.031 in.) high, compared to 0.75 mm (0.03 in.); mounting heights of 1.525 m (5 ft) to the baseline of the character; and raised stars provided immediately left of the floor designation at the main entry level. Another change affecting some tactile signage required public telephones to be lowered to 1.2 m (3.9 ft) for use by people in wheelchairs, compared to 
a previous height requirement of 1.37 m (4.5 ft).

FIP guidelines have had an impact beyond government buildings. Elements like multilingual design, the use of Helvetica as a standard font and certain symbols have made their way into best practices elsewhere, to the point of creating a ‘Canadian brand.’

Further influence of ADA and IBC
Canada is home or outpost to many multinational corporations that are striving to develop consistent signage standards. Given the close relationship between Canada and the U.S., ADA and IBC have become common resources for Canadian sign designers and fabricators.

Further, sign companies have even successfully marketed ADA-compliant wayfinding sign systems to Canadian hospitals, university campuses and other large-scale facilities, while also meeting local requirements. Other industry growth has come from selling standard-symbol signs, such as exit and restroom signs. Increasingly expansive educational campaigns have helped make accessibility signage a greater priority for new building projects.

Mike Santos is director of sales and marketing for Nova Polymers, which supplies raw materials and equipment for fabricating photopolymer signs. For more information, contact him via e-mail at msantos@novapolymers.com.