about
Partnership for Access Awareness Nova Scotia (PAANS)
The PAANS committee is a cross -sectoral committee made up of partners from nonprofit organizations, corporate organizations, governments, academica, and the disability community. PAANS comes together each year to celebrate and commemorate the annual Access Awareness Week Nova Scotia and have been doing it for 39 years!
Thank you to all our partners from within our community who come to the table to craft events and awareness activities. The PAANS partners also provide supports and toolkits to regions and communities around the province who also want to deliver programs and activities.
2026 PAANS
Partners
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How You Can Participate
Recognize Access Awareness Week Nova Scotia by getting involved locally, in your communities with organizations working to remove barriers to inclusion, including their local municipalities. Learn about the many ways to take action on access awareness.
History
Past Access Awareness Weeks Nova Scotia Events
For 38 years, Nova Scotians have organized community events, press conferences, forums, concerts and lectures during Access Awareness Week to bring attention to the importance of removing barriers for people with disabilities.
Check out past events from the past few years below.
2024 Events
Proclamation Ceremony and the Mel Hebb Hourglass Action Awards Presentation
Date: May 27, 2024 | Time: 9:00-11:00 AM | Location: Halifax City Hall (1841 Argyle St, Halifax, NS)
Flag Raising
Date: May 27, 2024 | Time: 1:00 PM | Location: Province House, (1726 Hollis St., Halifax)
Stumbling into Advocacy: Stories from Accidental Activists | Online Event
Date: May 29, 2024 | Time: 12:00 – 1:30 PM | Location: Online via Zoom
Scholarship Luncheon
Date: May 31, 2024 | Time: 12:00 – 2:00 PM | Location: Atlantica Hotel, (1980 Robie St. at Quinpool, Halifax)
National AccessAbility Week Nova Scotia – reachAbility
Multiple Dates and Time | Location: In-Person and Online Events
Inverness County | Access Awareness Week Events
Multiple Dates and Time | Location: Multiple Locations
Acadia University: National AccessAbility Week Events
Multiple Dates and Times | Location: Multiple Locations at Acadia University
Flag Raising and Proclamation Reading
May 27, 2024 | 10:00 AM | Location: Centenial Park (35 Church Street Middleton B0S 1P0)
The Municipality of the County of Richmond | Access Awareness Week Ceremony
May 27, 2024 | 10:30 – 11:30 AM | Location: Municipal Building – 2357 Highway 206, P.O. Box 120, Arichat, Nova Scotia B0E 1A0
Antigonish Access Awareness Week Proclamation Ceremony
May 27, 2024 | 12:00 – 1:00 PM | Location: East Coast Credit Union Social Enterprise Centre (75 St. Ninian Street, Antigonish, NS B2G 2R8)
Proclamation and Flag Raising
May 27, 2024 | 2:00 PM | Location: 181 Coldbrook Village Park Drive, Coldbrook, NS
Town of Pictou Access Awareness Week Proclamation Ceremony
May 27, 2024 | 4:00 PM | Location: Market Square, 19 Church St, Pictou, NS
Access Wolfville Open House
May 27, 2024 | 5:00 – 6:30 PM | Location: L’Arche Homefires (341 Main Street, Wolfville)
Equity and Accessibility
May 28, 2024 | 12:00 – 1:30 PM | Location: Online via Zoom
Mall Display
May 29, 2024 | Location: Mayflower Mall Sydney (800 Grand Lake Rd)
SURGE Workshop: Accessibility Ready
May 29, 2024 | 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM | Location: Atlantica Hotel Halifax, 1980 Robie Street
5 Ways to Disrupt Ableism at Work Skill Builder
May 29, 2024 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM | Location: Online
Art for Accessibility: Cartooning for Beginners
May 29, 2024 | 2:30 – 4:00 PM | Location: Antigonish Town and County Library
Human Rights, Disability and Accessibility
May 30, 2024 | 12:00 – 1:30 PM | Location: Online via Zoom
Wheelchair Tennis (Demonstration Event)
May 30, 2024 | 5:30 – 7:00 PM | Location: Cougar Dome (72 North Street, Truro)
Panel Discussion: Our Hearts Aren’t Disabled
May 30, 2024 | 7:00 – 8:30 PM | Location: Online (Zoom)
Academic Ableism and Its Alternatives
May 31, 2024 | 12:00 – 1:00 PM | Location: Online via Zoom
Giving Colour for Accessibility and Inclusion – Children’s Colouring Competition
June 1, 2024 | 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Location: 230 Larry Uteck Blvd, Halifax
Silent Disco
June 1, 2024 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Location: Multiple Locations and Online
Accessibility Awareness Day
June 2, 2024 | 1:00 – 4:00 PM | Location: Bridgetown Regional Community School, (25 Cromwell Court Bridgetown NS)
2023 Events
Flag Raising and Proclamation Ceremony and the Presentation of the Mel Hebb Hourglass Action Awards
May 29th, 2023
9:00am – 11:00am
Grand Parade and Halifax Hall
Municipal Accessibility Across Nova Scotia
May 30th, 2023
12:00pm-1:30pm
Virtual on Zoom
Scholarship Luncheon
June 1st, 2023
12:00pm-2:00pm
Halifax Tower Hotel
Access Awareness Week: Municipality of the County of Richmond and the Village of St. Peter’s
May 29, 2023 – May 31st, 2023
Multiple Locations
Taste & Talk with Neil Squire Nova Scotia Team
May 29, 2023 – 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
River Run Cafe: 115 Provost Street, New Glasgow
SHOOTING STARS
May 30th, 2023 – 6:00-8:00 PM, Doors open at 5:30 PM
Halifax Central Library: Spring Garden Rd. Paul O’Reagan Hall
Community BBQ
May 31st, 2023, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Prescott Group: 3430 Prescott Street Halifax
Accessibility Confident Employers: Recruiting and Hiring
May 31st, 2023, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Virtual
ReDesigning Access for Social Change
May 31, 2023 – 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Virtual (Zoom)
After Popular Attention Washes Away: Check‑in Post‑Fiona
June 2, 2023 at 12:00 PM
Virtual (Zoom)
Celebrating AccessAbility At reachAbility
June 2, 2023 at 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
reachAbility: 3845 Joseph Howe Drive, Suite 201
2022 Events (coming soon)
Coming Soon
2021 Events (coming soon)
Coming Soon
2019 Events (coming soon)
Coming Soon
2018 Events
Flag Raising Ceremony
Monday, May 28th Parade Square, Halifax
Proclamation Ceremony/Mel Hebb Awards
Monday, May 28th Province House, Halifax
Achieving an Accessible Nova Scotia Public Engagement Sessions
Kentville
Date: Monday, May 28
Time: 6 pm – 8:30 pm
NSCC Kingstec Campus 236 Belcher St.
Stellarton
Date: Tuesday, May 29
Time: 6 pm- 8:30 pm
NSCC Pictou Campus 39 Acadia Ave.
Scholarship Awards Luncheon
Friday, June 1st – Atlantica Hotel, Halifax
2017 Events
Flag Raising Ceremony
May 29th Parade Square, Halifax
Proclamation Cermeony/Mel Hebb Awards
May 29th Province House, Halifax
Scholarship Luncheon
June 2nd, Halifax Marriott Harbourfront
White Cane and Dog Guide Walk
Canadian Council of the Blind
Access Sketching Trip
Team Possibles/Halifax NS Down Syndrome
Flag Raising Ceremony
Town of Antigonish
Flag Raising Ceremony
County of Antigonish
8Th Annual Golf Classic
Landmark East Foundation
Scholarship Luncheon
Town Crier, Will Brewer
Scholarship Presentations/Open House
Cape Breton Island Employment
Accessible Zumba event
SCRI Society: The Club
Walk-a –Thon
Defeat Depression