Our commitment
This campaign is for everyone in Ward 4. That commitment is meaningless if the campaign itself — its website, its events, its materials, the way it knocks on doors — is built only for some people.
This page describes what we are doing now, what we will do on request, and what we are still working on. It will be updated as the campaign grows.
Website accessibility
We are working toward
WCAG 2.2 Level AA compliance for this website, in line with the standard expected under Ontario’s
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). That includes:
- Sufficient colour contrast for text and interactive elements
- Full keyboard navigation
- Descriptive alt text for images
- Logical heading structure for screen readers
- Captions and transcripts for video content
- Forms with clear labels and meaningful error messages
If something on this site doesn’t work for you — a page won’t load with your screen reader, a colour combination is unreadable, a video is missing captions, a form rejects your input without explaining why — please tell us. We will fix it.
To report a website accessibility issue: grant@granthigginson.ca · 365-659-0743
We aim to respond within two business days.
Campaign events
When we host or co-host an event, we commit to:
- Choosing accessible venues with step-free entry, accessible washrooms, and accessible parking or transit access wherever possible
- Sharing access information in advance in the event listing — including the venue’s specific access features and any known limitations, not vague reassurances
- Providing seating for people who cannot stand for long periods
- Avoiding strobing lights and keeping music or background noise low during speaking portions
- Keeping events free to attend. No one in this ward should have to pay to meet a candidate.
- Offering an online or hybrid option for major announcements and policy events, so attendance is not contingent on getting to a physical room
Available on request, with reasonable notice:
- ASL or LSQ interpretation
- CART (real-time captioning)
- Large-print materials
- Plain-language summaries of policy content
- A quiet space at the event
To request an accommodation, contact us at
grant@granthigginson.ca at least one week before an event where possible. Shorter notice is fine and we will do what we can — lead time just helps us deliver well.
If a venue we have booked is not working for your access needs, tell us. We would rather move an event than have you miss it.
Campaign materials
All policy documents, position papers, and major announcements will be available:
- On the website in a screen-reader-friendly format
- With plain-language summaries alongside longer documents
- In large print or audio format on request
If you need a campaign document in a format we haven’t listed, ask. We would rather adapt than assume.
Door-knocking and direct contact
Door-knocking is part of how a Ward 4 campaign meets its neighbours. But not everyone can or wants to be approached this way, for reasons that are nobody’s business but their own.
- We respect every “no soliciting” or “do not knock” sign without exception.
- If you would prefer to never be door-knocked by this campaign, contact us and we will add your address to a do-not-knock list. You will not be approached at home.
- If you would like to talk but the door isn’t the right format, we can do it by phone, email, video call, or written exchange — whichever works for you.
Phone and text outreach
We use phone and text messaging for some campaign outreach. Both can be opted out of, immediately and permanently:
- Reply STOP to any campaign text and you will not be contacted again.
- Tell any caller “please remove me from this list” and the request will be honoured.
- If you would prefer to be reached only by one specific channel — only email, only mail, only door, or none — let us know and we will note that preference across our records.
What we are still working on
We are not going to claim this campaign is fully accessible. We are a small team, and there are real gaps we have not yet closed. Specifically:
- Materials in languages other than English are currently provided on a request basis, not by default
- ASL and LSQ interpretation are on-request rather than standing features at every event
- Audio versions of policy documents are produced on request; we are working toward audio-recorded versions of all core platform content
If you see a gap we should be filling, please tell us. The commitments on this page are the floor, not the ceiling.
Voting accessibility
Accessibility
at the polls is the responsibility of the City of St. Catharines, not this campaign. Information on accessible voting in the 2026 municipal election — including accessible polling locations, voting assistance, and alternative voting options — will be published by the City Clerk’s Office closer to the election date at
stcatharines.ca/elections.
If you have trouble accessing that information when it is published, contact us and we will help you find what you need.
Contact for accessibility
Accessibility Lead — Grant Higginson
Email:
grant@granthigginson.ca
Phone: 365-659-0743
Mail: 80 King Street, Main Floor, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, L2R 7G1
This page was written as a starting point. It will be revised based on feedback from Ward 4 residents, local disability advocacy organizations, and people with lived experience of the gaps it currently has. If anything here falls short, tell us — and we will update this page, and the campaign, accordingly.
