What an RHFAC rating looks at
The Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) is a rating system for meaningful access in the built environment. It considers people with disabilities affecting their mobility, vision and hearing.
The current version, v4.0, can rate a site across up to 12 categories. These include the approach and entrance, interior circulation, washrooms, wayfinding, emergency systems and, where they apply, residential units. Version 4.0 also added categories for mind-friendly environments and technology.
Ratings are carried out by RHFAC Professionals, who are trained and accredited through the program. A rating of an existing site includes an on-site visit.
Beyond certification, a rating gives owners a recognized way to describe a building's accessibility. It also gives the design and operations teams a shared picture of where the building works well and where it doesn't.
Where the certification lines fall
A rating produces a percentage score. The score, together with a set of prerequisites, decides the result.
- Below 60%: not certified.
- 60–79%: RHF Accessibility Certified, when the certification prerequisites are met. These include an accessible public entrance and access to key functional spaces.
- 80% or more: RHF Accessibility Certified Gold, when the additional Gold prerequisites are also met. Examples include elevator or lift access to the floors in use, at least one universal washroom and, for multi-unit residential buildings, accessible or adaptable units of each unit type.
Ratings before construction
Projects still in design can get a Pre-Construction rating. An RHFAC Professional reviews the plans and drawings and gives a provisional result.
Once the building is complete, the site needs to be rated again for official certification. For new multi-unit housing, an early rating shows which design choices affect the score while changes are still easy to make on paper.
How RHFAC scores connect to MLI Select
As of October 2026, RHFAC v4.0 is one of the recognized pathways to MLI Select accessibility points. A score of 60–79% counts toward Level 1, worth 20 points. Gold (80% or more) counts toward Level 2, worth 30 points.
Both levels also require every unit to be visitable and common areas to be barrier-free under CSA B651:23. RHFAC is one option among several: accessible units and universal design units are other pathways. You can compare them with the MLI Select points estimator.
A rating describes a building. It is not a promise of financing. CMHC and lenders make MLI Select decisions, and CMHC rules can change.
Planning for a rating
The features a rating looks for are easier to include early than to add later. PRISM's founder, Payton Ruth, is an RHFAC Professional and helps teams understand the rating before design decisions are locked in.
A useful first step is a walk-through or drawing review with the rating categories in mind. It shows where a building is strong, which prerequisites may be at risk and which changes are likely to matter most.
If you're weighing RHFAC against other accessibility pathways, get in touch and we'll talk it through.