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StopGap Foundation is a charity that combats barriers to accessibility and supports communities to create barrier-free spaces. The organization was founded in 2011 and became a registered charity in 2013. The name 'stopgap' reflects the both temporary and immediate solution to the challenges posed by an inaccessible environment, as the ramps are a short-term solution that should be followed by long-term improvements to the built environment that make such measures unnecessary.

History
The StopGap Foundation began in 2011 as an experiment in The Junction neighbourhood of Toronto, where 13 business owners were given a free ramp. The organization was founded by Luke Anderson and Michael Hopkins. The foundation has since expanded to 40 communities and has provided over 1,000 ramps across Canada as of 2016.

In 2015, StopGap was one of the Centre for Social Innovation's Agents of Change: City Builders cohort. The Agents of Change program is described as a way to give "dreamers, doers and innovators a helping hand" and is part of CSI's programming offerings to help entrepreneurs accelerate their ideas.

Accessibility and the Law
The foundation developed temporary ramps as a cost-effective solution to make businesses with a single step accessible. An encroachment bylaw in the city of Toronto prevents permanent installations that extend into the sidewalk except with a permit; the cost of construction of a permanent installation and the permit can be a barrier to business owners and organizations.

In 2013, the City of Toronto's Disability Issues Committee found that the temporary ramps could not constitute compliance with the province of Ontario's Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. AODA aims to make Ontario barrier-free by 2025, but StopGap Foundation has been critical of the province of Ontario's sluggish pace in ensuring that the deadline is met. As well, the organization has pointed out tension when trying to develop accessible public spaces: municipalities often mandate minimum sidewalk clearance widths to ensure that there is enough space for people to navigate; yet, it also results in prohibiting obstructions, such as ramps, from projecting in the sidewalk realm.

Projects and Programs
The Foundation offers a range of programs and projects, including:


 * Request a Ramp: allows business owners to purchase a custom-fitted ramp between $250 and $550 CAD.
 * Community Ramp Project: a volunteer-led initiative to help bring the message of accessibility to communities in Canada and abroad.
 * Volunteering: the foundation engages with volunteers, such as representing the Foundation at events and assisting with ramp painting.
 * Corporate Team Building: activities can include speaking to business owners about single-stepped entryways to painting ramps. Organizations that participate in team building donate to the foundation; the funds are then used to subsidize ramps for other organizations.
 * StopGap on Tour: developed in collaboration with Tim Moxam of Broken Social Scene, StopGap on Tour is a program that partners with artists to deliver pre-designed ramps to music venues while on tour.
 * School Program: the foundation engages with students to raise awareness regarding barriers to accessibility. In 2019, Toyota announced a $100,000 investment to grow the program.

Impact
As of 2018, StopGap Foundation installed over 1,000 ramps and worked with over 50 communities.

After installing a ramp in the town of Kenora, Ontario in 2014, when the city undertook a downtown revitalization project in the following year, they raised the sidewalks to make the accessibility benefits permanent in the built environment.

Development company The Daniels Corporation introduced the Accessibility Designed Program (ADP) to address accessibility in condominium units by offering assisted mobility focused condo suites. The Daniels corporation collaborated with StopGap Foundation and other organizations to develop the program.

The success of the StopGap Foundation has been carried to Ottawa: in 2015, a group of volunteers founded StopGap Ottawa.

Additional Benefits
The foundation's temporary ramps are examples of universal design and accessible design. In addition to making businesses more accessible for people with disabilities, temporary ramps improve access for parents with strollers, people making deliveries, and seniors.

Awards
Luke Anderson has been recognized for his work to expand accessibility. In 2015, Samara Canada awarded him the Everyday Political Citizen award (recipients aged 30 years and up). Samara Canada's Managing Director, Kendall Anderson, explained that Luke Anderson was chosen because of his focus on solving problems with accessibility "at the street level." In 2016, Anderson was awarded the Jane Jacobs Prize. The award, presented by Spacing Magazine, is named after famed urbanist Jane Jacobs and "celebrates individuals who contribute to the fabric of Toronto life in unique ways that exemplify the ideas of Jane Jacobs." In 2018, Anderson was awarded the Governor General Award for Meritorious Service Decorations (Civil Division). The award recognized his efforts to draw "attention to the need to permanently eliminate barriers in our built environment." That same year, the Rotary Club of Parkdale High Park Humber recognized Anderson as a Paul Harris Fellow, an award that recognizes people for their "Service Above Self". The award is the organization's highest honour and is bestowed upon individuals who have a positive impact on their community.