On October 17, we hosted Map Mission Day 2026 across Canada, with mapping happening in five cities: Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary, and Sudbury. Here’s a little recap of how it went and the impact we had.
What is a MapMission?
The AccessNow app is powered by people like you, who share reviews about the places in their neighbourhoods and cities. A MapMission is a group event that puts that power in your hands. Think of it like an accessibility scavenger hunt: people come together to review the accessibility of places in real time, on the AccessNow app.
Every review helps someone else better understand where they can go with confidence, and what barriers they may or may not face. Whether or not you have a physical or invisible disability, accessibility information benefits us all.
The impact, by the numbers
- 110 reviews added in Canada on October 17
- 172 reviews added in Canada during MapMission week (October 12 to 18)
- 211 reviews added worldwide that week
- 8 captains and 6 ambassadors led the way
- 5 cities: Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary, and Sudbury
The momentum carried beyond Canada. In the week after Map Mission week (October 19 to 25), reviews from outside Canada more than tripled. This is why every review counts. Each person who takes the time to leave a review, or use any feature in the app, is adding accessibility information that someone else can rely on. A review may take only a minute or two, but the impact lasts much longer.
Hear from our community
- Mara in Toronto shares what the day meant to her
- Anne in Vancouver shares her experience
- Watch the Map Mission Day recap
MapMission Day also got some love from the press. Read the CBC coverage.
Meet our Captains and Ambassadors
A huge thank you to the folks who led the way this year:
Captains: Rick Watters, Emily Watters, Ellen Rowe, Vicente del Solar Gunn, Daryl Yuen, Alex Wist, Kelcie Miller Anderson, and Naomi Kuryk
Ambassadors: Mara Lauren, Becky, Jay Baldwin, Heather Hutchison, Anne Mok, and Victoria Fast
Community spotlight
Naomi organized her own MapMission in Sudbury, bringing the movement to her community.
Thank you, Naomi, for your leadership! Your work is a great example of what community-led mapping looks like.
Thank You!
Thank you to all of our participants, captains, and ambassadors, to our community partners, and to the Government of Canada for helping us move forward on accessibility initiatives.
Want to keep mapping?
Want to keep mapping or learn more about accessibility in your community? Download the AccessNow app on the Apple Store or Google Play, and add a review the next time you’re out.
Do you want to host a MapMission? Check out the MapMission Guide to learn how to run one yourself, or email us at hello@accessnow.ca and we’ll help you plan one, whether you’d like our support or want to run it independently.
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