People with disabilities will not get free entry to the Canadian National Exhibition starting next year, the fair’s board of directors decided Wednesday as it accepted recommendations to improve accessibility.

The recommendation was one of six submitted by the CNE Advisory Council on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, which focused on ways to improve accessibility at the fair.

“Any organization needs time to evolve their culture to become more inclusive so what we’ve recommended to the CNE are a number of steps that will help the culture of the organization evolve to be more inclusive of people with disabilities,” said Bob Stark, who chaired the committee and is a disability advocate and former CEO of ServiceOntario.

The independent advisory council was made up of volunteers from diverse backgrounds, including experts and some people with disabilities themselves, and was created last year.

“The CNE is announcing a range of new accessibility and inclusivity initiatives that reflect best practices across our city and province,” said Virginia Ludy, CNE CEO in a press release. “We thank the Advisory Council for their recommendations. With their support we will position the CNE as a leader in accessibility and inclusivity.”

After rigorous debate and consulting with experts and the public, Stark said, the committee “arrived at a place where the entire group had consensus on the recommendations that went forward.”

Though Stark said the committee acknowledged there are people with disabilities who may not be able to afford admission, he said the majority are able to pay full fare.

“There certainly are individuals who find it quite demeaning that the organization or that the world thinks they need handouts,” he said. “They are whole people they want to be seen as whole people they want to be treated as whole people and any implication they are less than that is demeaning.”

The CNE has instead opted to give 50 per cent discounts for people with disabilities who have an Access2 Entertainment card and free admissions for their attendants, said spokesperson Tran Nguyen, who noted it’s the same policy used at the Toronto Zoo.

In 2018, the CNE will also be distributing 20,000 free admissions through organizations like the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and United Way to those who cannot afford to attend, she said.

But beyond the question of admission fares, Stark noted the primary goal was to create a culture that’s more inclusive at CNE.

The committee’s other recommendations include hiring “permanent and temporary staff to include persons with disabilities at proportional levels to the community served” and to train all staff to have “high awareness of appropriate sensitivities, language and specific accommodation needs for persons with disabilities.”

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The report also recommends creating a more inclusive physical environment for people with disabilities and becoming a destination for people with disabilities and their families, which could include having an exhibition experience that addresses barriers they face.

“Success here is about the inclusive culture over a period of time,” said Stark. “It’s about a pride in Canada of being more inclusive and accepting of individuals that have diverse backgrounds and that’s the opportunity.”