How to use the Enabling Accessibility Fund Mid-sized projects calculator

Welcome to the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) online fillable Calculator tutorial.

The department developed this calculator to help determine the amount of funding you could receive for your EAF Mid-sized project. The calculator is interactive and new sections will appear based on the selections you make.

This overview will explain what the EAF Calculator is and how this tool can assist you in your application. Please make sure to follow all of the instructions on the first page and check the box at the bottom of the page confirming you have read the information.

There are three example videos available that will walk you through the process of applying for a ramp, applying for an accessible washroom and how we calculate the leveraging. These tutorials will provide you with examples to guide you through the calculation process. To move to the next page, you need to select the “Continue” button at the bottom left-hand side of the page.

You will be prompted to input your Organization name, your CRA Business number, and email address. Once you have completed this section, please select “Continue” at the bottom left side of the page.

If you need to stop at any point during the process, there is a “Save and Continue Later” function. Simply click this button, which will open up a new page asking to confirm that you wish to save and continue later. If you select “Yes”, you will be prompted to create a password, and enter your email address. Once you have entered and submitted your information, you will receive an email with a link to the Calculator. Your progress in the Calculator will be available by clicking on this link.

Please note that there is a time limit, and this function can only be used once. From the moment you pause your application, you have a 14-day limit from the time you submit your email and password to complete and submit your application. Otherwise, you will need to start over again.

This concludes the EAF Calculator Overview. 

The following three example videos will demonstrate the process of applying for a ramp, applying for a washroom and how leveraging is calculated. For any questions you might have about the Calculator, or require additional information about the Enabling Accessibility Fund program, please contact us via email at:

NC-HIP-PIP-EAF_ODI-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Welcome to the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) online fillable Calculator tutorial.

In this video we will be going through an example of how to complete the Calculator when applying for a ramp.

At the very beginning of the calculator selections, you will be asked to select your proposed projects’ activity. The calculator presents you with a list of all of the options available under the flat rate costing model. These include: Ramps, accessible doors, accessible washrooms, elevators, accessible lifts, pool lifts, multisensory rooms and stations, accessible playgrounds Accessible parking, Accessible drop-off areas and Accessible electric vehicle charging stations.

For projects activities that don’t fall under the flat rate costing options, as listed here, there is an “Other activities” option available.

Since this video is about applying for a ramp or multiple ramps, please select this option then click Continue.

A new page of the EAF Calculator will be displayed. In this section, different questions will be presented to you depending on your selections. Please refer to the ramp section in the Flat Rate Information Sheet to help you choose which options best suits your needs.

Let’s start by answering the first question: Are you renovating or creating an existing ramp, a new interior ramp, or new exterior ramp?

Let’s say you wish to add a ramp just outside of your facility’s main entrance, select “Creating a new exterior ramp". You will be asked to choose the ramp rise (height) in feet between 2 and 8 feet. In this example, we will select 2 feet for the ramp rise.

You will also need to select the material you will be using to complete this project. There are two options here: option 1 is wood and aluminum and option 2 is concrete and steel.

In this example, we will be selecting “Wood and Aluminum”. It is important that you select the correct material for your construction project. Costing estimates are based on your selection. You will note that concrete and steel ramps are significantly more expensive than wood and aluminum ramps.

The next question asks if you need a weather cover for your ramp, three options are available: a weather cover to shelter the ramp with a steel frame and metal roof, a weather cover to enclose the ramp with no insulation (walls on one side and roof), or not applicable. In this example, we will be selecting “Weather cover to shelter the ramp with steel frame and metal roof”. We are making this selection because we want our exterior ramp to be serviceable year round.

Finally, you will answer the question:

Is the ramp’s location unstable, such as in clay or sand or otherwise requires a deep foundation? You will need to select either “Yes or No” from the drop-down list. Let’s go ahead and select “No”.

In this Calculator, whether you are applying for a ramp or an accessible washroom, you will always have the opportunity to add any additional details that are relevant to your project activities, or even add a second ramp. If you choose to add another ramp, please follow the same process we just completed for ramp 1. In this example, we will be selecting “No”.

The total project costs will be displayed on the last page of the Calculator. Should you wish to revise your selections, you may do so at any time simply by selecting the “back” button found at the bottom of each page.

Once you are done answering all the questions on this page, select “Continue” at the bottom left-hand side of the page, to move forward.

Any incomplete or missing information will prevent you from continuing to the next page.

In such cases, a red shaded error box will appear at the top of the page, indicating what corrections are needed.

Once you have completed the page, select “continue” and proceed to the leveraging page. Leveraging information is covered in another video tutorial in this series.

This concludes the EAF Calculator ramp example.  There are other videos available that will follow the process of applying for an accessible washroom and how we calculate the leveraging requirement. If you still have questions about the Calculator, or require additional information about the Enabling Accessibility Fund program, please contact us via email at:

NC-HIP-PIP-EAF_ODI-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Welcome to the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) online fillable Calculator tutorial.

In this video we will be going through an example of how to complete the Calculator when applying for an accessible washroom.

At the very beginning, you will be asked to select your proposed projects’ activity. The calculator presents you with a list of all of the options available under the flat rate costing model. These include: ramps, accessible doors, accessible washrooms, elevators, accessible lifts, pool lifts, multi-sensory rooms and stations, accessible playgrounds, accessible parking, accessible drop-off areas, and accessible electric vehicle charging stations.

For project activities that don’t fall under the flat rate costing options, as listed here, there is an “Other activities” option available.

Since this video is about applying for an accessible washroom or multiple accessible washrooms, please select “Accessible washrooms” and click “Continue”.

A new page of the EAF Calculator will be displayed. In this section, different questions will be presented to you depending on your selection. Please refer to the Accessible Washrooms section in the Flat Rate Information Sheet, which is linked here, to help you choose which option best suits your needs.

Let’s start by answering the first question: Are you creating a new washroom, or renovating an existing one? In this example, we will be renovating an existing washroom.

You will now follow the next prompt by answering if you are upgrading only some components or all of the components of the existing bathroom. Let’s go with all so you get to see all of the available options. Please note, if you select “All” this now becomes a new fully accessible washroom.

The follow-up question will be "Is this a multi-stall washroom?” For this example, we are going to select “Yes”.

You now have a variety of other accessibly features that you can add to your renovated accessible stall washroom to further tailor the space to meet the needs of the clients you serve. This list includes: Accessible urinal complete with two grab bars, Barrier-free shower package, Automatic door operator with controls and electrical hookup, Power assisted adult change table with electrical hookup and the Emergency call button system. In this example, we will be selecting “Automatic door operator with controls and electrical hookup” to ensure persons with assistive devices can access the accessible washroom. Some of these other options could be applicable in specific instances.

You will proceed to the next selection which addresses construction-type renovations. If your project requires any of these modifications, you would select all that apply. We recommend consulting with a certified contractor to help you determine which of these would be required for your project. The options are: Modifications to structural walls (for example moving structural walls), Modifications to non-structural walls (for example moving non-structural walls), Modifications to existing electrical for lighting and outlets, and Modifications to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system (for example moving or rerouting ducts). We are going to select “Modifications to existing electrical for lighting and outlets” and “Modifications to non-structural walls (for example moving non-structural walls)”.

If your project includes plumbing work, there are two options to choose from. These would not apply in all cases and a certified contractor can help determine if these are applicable to your project. You may only select one option that fits with your project, please choose between Modifications to existing plumbing locations or Modifications to add new plumbing lines. We are going to select “Modifications to existing plumbing locations”.

Next, the Calculator will ask "Is this washroom part of a new building or an addition to an existing building?"

We are going to select “No” for today’s example. Should your project include a new building or an additional, a few questions will appear which allows you to select what is most appropriate for your project.

In this Calculator, whether you are applying for an accessible washroom or any other flat rate activity, you will always have the opportunity to add any additional details that are relevant to your project activities, or even add a second activity. This is also where you should include a rationale if your project is expected to cost more than the flat rate costing estimate. For example, if your project includes extra costs, such as asbestos abatement, you would describe the additional work required here. The additional costs of this work would then be added under the “other activities” section of the calculator.

If you choose to add another washroom, please follow the same process we just completed for Accessible washroom 1. Please select “Yes” or “No”. In this example, we will be selecting “No”.

Once you are done answering all the questions on this page, select “Continue” at the bottom left-hand side of the page to move forward.

Any incomplete or missing information will prevent you from continuing to the next page. In such cases, a red shaded error box will appear at the top of the page, indicating what corrections are needed. Once you have completed the page, select “Continue” and proceed to the leveraging page. Leveraging information is covered in another video tutorial in this series.

This concludes the EAF Calculator accessible washroom tutorial. There are other videos available that will follow the process of applying for a ramp and how we calculate the leveraging requirement. If you still have questions about the Calculator, or require additional information about the Enabling Accessibility Fund program, please contact us via email at:

NC-HIP-PIP-EAF_ODI-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Welcome to the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) online fillable Calculator tutorial.

This tutorial will focus on leveraging.

Once you have completed the first pages on the EAF Calculator which are, in summary, the overall instructions where you select your projects activities, selection of the appropriate components for each project activity, then you get to the leveraging section.

Leveraging refers to the percentage of the total project costs that applicants must provide in order to receive funding from EAF. For this Call for Proposal, an organization that is not exempt from leveraging must have 35% or more of the total eligible costs of their project available before the project begins.  Please refer to the leveraging section in the Funding Page or the applicant guide for more information on the leveraging requirement.

To determine if you are exempt from having to provide the leveraging requirement, you will need to provide the department with information about your organization.

You will first need to select if you are one of the following organizations: an Indigenous organization, an organization located in Region 4 or 5, an organization located in the territories, or none of the above. Please select all that apply. In this example, we will select “none of the above”.

Next, we ask that you indicate what region your project is located in: Region 1, Region 2, Region 3, Region 4 or Region 5.

The EAF Calculator includes a hyperlink to the EAF Region Tool where you can enter your postal code. This will identify the appropriate region for your project.  Once you determine your region, enter it into this section.

This page of the EAF Calculator will also help ESDC determine the amount of taxes that is applicable to your overall project costs based on your province or territory. Please indicate where your project location is from the drop-down list.  In this example, we will be selecting “Ontario”.

Some organization also qualify for a GST/HST rebate. If this the case for you, please select yes and select the applicable amount from the list provided. Otherwise, kindly select No.

Please select the “Continue” button found at the bottom left corner of the page.

This will allow the EAF Calculator to review all of the information you have entered and provide you with a breakdown of the estimated eligible costs for your project, total requested funding from ESDC, and the amount required from other funding sources. If you have more than one project activity, each activity will be shown under “activity” in the breakdown. In this example, the total eligible cost is $64,533.10

The total requested funding from ESDC would be $47,399.56 And the total amount required from other funding sources (which is the leveraging requirement) would be $25,522.84

Once you have reviewed your proposed projects summary, a mandatory two step process before returning to GCOS is mentioned at the top of the page. You will need to select the “Print/Download” button in order to add this summary page to your GCOS application as the first step. The second step will be submitting this calculator to finalize this process

Please select “Submit” at the bottom of the page 

Once your application for funding has been submitted, you will see a confirmation page which will provide you with a confirmation number. The department highly recommends you screenshot or print this page for your records. Should there be any issues with your application, you will need this confirmation number.

This concludes the EAF Calculator leveraging tutorial. There are other videos available that provide an overview of the Calculator, and how to apply for a ramp or an accessible washroom. If you still have questions about the Calculator, or require additional information about the Enabling Accessibility Fund program, please contact us via email at:

NC-HIP-PIP-EAF_ODI-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca