Red Shirt Day & National AccessAbility Week - Easter Seals Canada
  • An immense photo collage of hundreds of individuals and groups wearing red, many of them holding up signs

RED SHIRT DAYTM

of Action for Accessibility and Inclusion

#RedShirtDay  #RedForAccessAbility

About Red Shirt Day Pledge Photos Webinars & Activities Resources Art Contest Mailing List Sponsors

Thank you CANADA for participating in Red Shirt Day 2022, and posting your photos and pledges on social media! 

Mark your calendar for the next Red Shirt DayTM on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 and National AccessAbility Week from May 28 to June 3, 2023.

Countdown to the next Red Shirt DayTM on Wednesday, May 31, 2023

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A screenshot of the news segment on Citynews reporting about Red Shirt Day

Click the start button above to watch a CityNews tv report about Red Shirt Day

What is Red Shirt DayTM?

Red Shirt DayTM (of Action for AccessAbility and Inclusion) is a day when people across Canada come together and wear red in schools, workplaces and spaces everywhere in order to create a visible display of solidarity: to show their support for persons and families who are living with disabilities, celebrate the achievements of people living with disabilities, and to pledge their commitment to help create a fully accessible and inclusive society that honours and values the contributions of people of all abilities in all aspects of life in Canada.

Red Shirt Day takes place on the Wednesday of National AccessAbility Week each year. In 2023, Red Shirt Day will take place on Wednesday, May 31 during National AccessAbility Week (Sunday, May 28 to Saturday, June 3).

Photo of a group of about a dozen people - some standing, some seated in wheelchairs. All are wearing red t-shirts and clothing and smiling.

On Wednesday, May 31, 2023, post a selfie or a group photo of you with your friends, classmates or colleagues – with your Red Shirt Day pledge and in your red shirts/attire – on social media with the hashtags:

#RedShirtDay, #RedForAccessAbility, #EasterSeals, #unstoppABLE.

Red Shirt Day is an Easter Seals initiative and was first celebrated in 2019.

By wearing red on Red Shirt Day, you also commit to making a Red Shirt Day Pledge: Click here to learn more about the Red Shirt Day pledge.
Learn more about Red Shirt Day and National AccessAbility Week

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

The next Red Shirt Day is on Wednesday, May 31, 2023

National AccessAbility Week: Sunday, May 28 to Saturday, June 3, 2023
A line drawing of a hand with a pointed finger hovering over a button

If your school, workplace, or group is planning on taking part in Red Shirt Day 2023, let us know. Join the Red Shirt Day mailing list and we will send you updates on Red Shirt Day and free resources to help you mark National AccessAbility Week and Red Shirt Day.  

Download a reminder (.ics file) to your calendar.

Like and Follow Red Shirt Day on social media!

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“Building an inclusive and accessible Canada—creating real social change—is going to take a huge collaborative effort and a significant shift in the way we approach the physical, social and attitudinal barriers that currently exist for people living with disability in this country. Easter Seals is proud to be at the forefront of this shift, and we’re excited about the awareness that the new National AccessAbility Week and Red Shirt Day will bring to these efforts.”

– Dave Starrett, President and CEO, Easter Seals Canada

THE RED SHIRT DAY PLEDGETM

Image of a blank sheet of paper with some instructions and a red paint streak on top left hand corner with the words My Red Shirt Day Pledge

Disability, accessibility and inclusion does not end with just a one-day annual event. In order to make Canada a truly accessible and inclusive society, it requires the constant, year-round commitment and efforts of all Canadians to put it into practice in order to make it real, and to also advocate and take action to increase accessibility and inclusion.

As such, by wearing red on Red Shirt Day, participants are also encouraged to make a commitment – a pledge – to educate and inform themselves on issues related to disability, and do what they can – individually and collectively – to remove physical, attitudinal and systemic barriers in their schools, workplaces and communities in order to make Canada a truly accessible and inclusive places/environments for people of all abilities.

So, on Red Shirt Day, write down your Red Shirt Day pledge on a sheet of paper (or the pledge form below), and take a selfie/group photo of yourself/your group with your pledge(s) while wearing red. Or include your Red Shirt Day pledge in the text of your social media post. Click on the following links to download the Red Shirt Day pledge form. 

Red Shirt Day pledge form (ENGLISH)   |  Red Shirt Day pledge form (FRENCH)

Sampling of Red Shirt Day Pledges from Individuals and Organizations from across Canada

Moncton, New Brunswick

“Most of what we do in OT focuses on accessibility and inclusion and we hope to use this opportunity to continue to spread awareness about OT and how our profession can be used to combat barriers related to disability, accessibility and inclusion in the community!”

Fort McMurray, Alberta

“We pledge to help make our library accessible and our programs to include our inclusive community!”

Markham, Ontario

“We pledge to keep on educating the general community of ensuring that accessibility doesn’t just mean physical access – it also encompasses our perceptions, biases and also includes those individuals living with a developmental disability.”

Prince George, British Columbia

“Holding an AccessAbility event at our school with interactive displays, resources and games run by staff from different areas participating, including Accessibility Services, Health& Wellness, Academic Advising, and the Students’ Union.”

Pointe-Claire, Quebec

“I wrote to the City requesting a resolution to declare National AccessAbility week a yearly event and the motion passed and it was proclaimed!”

Quispamsis, New Brunswick

“My family is working on building a new inclusive playground at my son’s elementary school. I am also a Resource teacher and always share ways to celebrate all abilities.”

Ottawa, Ontario

“Invite employees to join virtual AccessAbility week events, recognize Red Shirt Day, read articles about inclusive language and disability awareness and learn about disability sensitivity.”

Photos from previous Red Shirt DaysTM

  • A photo of a group of young children in a classroom smiling and wearing attires of different shades of red
  • Photo of a smiling man, wearing red and holding up a handwritten message in red.
  • Photo of a group of people all wearing red, and each holding up a sheet of paper with writing - their pledge for Red Shirt Day
  • Photo of a woman with shoulder length hair smiling. She is wearing red and holding up a sign with a handwritten message.
  • A photo of a large group of young children outside on the field. They are all wearing attires of different shades of red
  • Photo of a smiling young woman, wearing red and holding up a handwritten message in red.
  • A photo of a group of young children in a classroom smiling and wearing attires of different shades of red
  • Photo of a smiling man, wearing red and holding up a handwritten message in red.
  • A photo of a group of young children in a classroom smiling and wearing attires of different shades of red
  • Photo of a smiling man, wearing red and holding up a handwritten message in red.
  • Photo of a young woman wearing red and holding up a handwritten message in red.
  • Photo of a man and woman, both wearing red and each holding up a handwritten message in red.
  • A photo of a group of young children in a classroom smiling and wearing attires of different shades of red
  • A photo of a group of young children in a classroom smiling and wearing attires of different shades of red
  • Photo of a group of adults, some seated, most standing, wearing red. Behind them is a sign that says Kingsville
  • A photo of a group of young children in a classroom smiling and wearing attires of different shades of red
  • A photo of a group of adults in a room. They are wearing red and surrounding a man wearing a chain of office.
  • A photo of a group of young children in a classroom smiling and wearing attires of different shades of red
  • A photo of a group of young children in a classroom smiling and wearing attires of different shades of red
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Red Shirt DayTM on Social Media

  • Snapshot of Twitter post from Region of Waterloo Library showing photo of two staff members wearing red with their pledge signs
  • Screencapture of a post from REES showing a photo collage of individuals wearing red and holding up messages on sheets of paper
  • Screencapture of a tweet from the City of Ottawa of individuals holding up sheets of paper that adds up to a unified message that says Embrace inclusion and accessibilty. Disability is an essential part of human diversity.
  • Snapshot of Ms Fitzpatrick's Twitter post featuring a photo of a group of students with varying disabilities wearing red and celebrating red shirt day
  • Snapshot of VMES Home & School Facebook post showing photo of students wearing red
  • Snapshot of Twitter post from Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick featuring a photo of her wearing red in her garden
  • Snapshot of a Facebook post from West Kent Elementary school in New Brunswick showing photos of students wearing red during school assembly
  • Snapshot of Twitter post from Wab Kinew showing photo of him wearing red in support of Red Shirt Day
  • Snapshot of a Twitter post from EY Canada showing collage of several staff members wearing red
  • Screencapture of a tweet from BC Place showing a photo of the BC Place stadium lit in red.
  • Snapshot of Twitter post from Town of Newmarket featuring photo of several staff members wearing red
  • Snapshot of Twitter post from Town of Aurora showing photo collage of staff wearing red
  • Snapshot of Twitter post from Mental Health Commission of Canada featuring staff wearing red at a virtual meeting
  • Snapshot of a Twitter post by the Manitoba PC Caucus featuring photo of MLAs wearing red and standing in foyer of the legislature
  • Screencapture of a Tweet from the Vancouver Convention Centre with their building lit up in red
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RED SHIRT DAYTM RESOURCES

Posters for Red Shirt Day & National AccessAbility
Composite image of 3 posters, featuring photos of children wearing red, set against a grey background.
Recommended books for children and adults
A colourful collage of different children's books covers
Colouring sheets for children
Recommended TED Talks, movies and videos
Photo of a smiling woman looking into the distance. She is dressed in black and has red hair. The image is a screenshot from a video still, and has the words TED in red at the top corner, and Stella Young: I'm not your inpsiration, thank you very much at the bottom left corner
Podcasts on inclusive workplaces
Close up image of two persons engaged in a discussion. Between them is a microphone.
Articles on diverse topics authored by persons with disabilities
Composite image featuring a lit light bulb swinging towards 2 unlit light bulbs, against a green background. There are 3 various photos inset on the right hand set.

Check out our Resources Page for free posters, inspirational quotes from famous persons with disabilities, as well as read our recommendations of some of the best TED Talks, books, and films about disabilities, accessibility and inclusion.

View more Red Shirt Day resources

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

A poster for National AccessAbility Week and Red Shirt Day with lots of text: suggestions on how to observe the events, and artwork at the bottom featuring a classroom with various children, some with visible physical disabilities

The following are some additional suggested activities that you, your family, school or workplace can do to celebrate and observe National AccessAbility Week and Red Shirt Day.

  • On Red Shirt Day, wear red with your family members or colleagues and post your selfie or group photo on social media with the hashtags #RedShirtDay, #RedForAcccessAbility, #EasterSeals. In your post, share the reason why you have chosen to wear red and participate in Red Shirt Day, and what you pledge to do in the year ahead to enhance accessibility and inclusion in your workplace, school, and other community spaces.
  • Tell other people about Red Shirt Day and encourage them to take part as well.
  • Provide the colouring sheets in our Resources section to your children/students to encourage them to colour-in. The colouring sheets are also a great way to open up about discussion about disabilities and inclusion.
  • Together with your children/students, create positive messages of support for people and families living with disabilities, as well as your commitment to accessibility and inclusion. Put them down on construction paper and decorate them with drawings, etc, and put them up on the walls or windows of your home, classroom or school.
  • Read books or watch movies and video clips that feature characters with disabilities or which touches on disability, accessibility and inclusion. Then have a discussion with your family members, friends or colleagues about what you have read or watched. Check out the Red Shirt Day resources page for suggested books, films and other materials.
  • Get together with your colleagues, friends and family members to think about accessibility in your home, workplaces, school and community spaces. How are they accessible and in what ways are they not? What can you and your community do to help make private and public spaces, policies, programs and activities more inclusive and accessible?
  • Get Involved! Look up your local Easter Seals or other organizations serving people with disability in your communities. Sign-up to volunteer, donate or organize your own fundraising event to help enable these organizations to provide services in support of people and families with disabilities.
Easter Seals Kid holding cupcake. Celebrating 100 Years of Easter Seals In Canada
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