1.                   ACCESSIBILITY LENS

 

OPTIQUE SUR L’ACCESSIBILITÉ

 

 

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS AS AMENDED

 

That Council approve:

 

1.   That staff be directed to immediately include a section called “Accessibility Impacts” in all reports to Committee and Council that would describe all actions taken to ensure that staff review proposed projects, prior to Council approval, for any potential positive or negative impact on People with Disabilities and seniors.

 

2.   That by the end of 2011, Accessibility Office staff work with the Accessibility Advisory Committee to develop an “Accessibility Impacts Checklist” to assist staff when writing committee reports to determine the impact of their work on People with Disabilities.  This is to be accomplished within existing budgets.

 

 

RECOMMANDATIONS MODIFIÉES du ComitÉ

 

Que le conseil approuve:

 

1.      Que l’on demande aux membres du personnel d’ajouter immédiatement dans tous les rapports adressés au Comité et au Conseil une section intitulée « Incidence sur l’accessibilité » dans laquelle seraient décrites toutes les mesures prises pour veiller à ce que le personnel examine les projets proposés avant leur approbation par le Conseil dans le but d’établir leurs effets positifs ou négatifs sur les personnes handicapées et les aînés;

 

2.      Que d’ici la fin de l’année 2011, le personnel du Bureau de l’accessibilité collabore avec le Comité consultatif sur l’accessibilité pour élaborer une « liste de vérification des incidences sur l’accessibilité » pour aider les membres du personnel qui rédigent des rapports au comité à évaluer les effets de leur travail sur les personnes handicapées. Cette tâche doit être accomplie dans les limites des budgets actuels.

 

 

 

DOCUMENTATION

 

1.      Accessibility Advisory Committee report dated 23 August 2011 (ACS2011-CMR-AAC-0006).

 

2.      Extract of Finance and Economic Development Committee Minutes of 4 October 2011.

 


Report to/Rapport au:

 

Finance and Economic Development Committee

Comité des finances et du développement économique

and Council / et au Conseil

 

23 August 2011 / le 23 août 2011

 

Submitted by/Soumis par : Accessibility Advisory Committee / Comité consultatif sur l’accessibilité

 

 

Contact Person/Personne resource:Carole, Legault, Coordinator, Standing Committee / Coordonnatrice, Comité permanente

City Clerk & Solicitor Dept

613-580-2424 x28934, carolea.legault@ottawa.ca

 

City Wide / À l’échelle de la Ville

Ref N°:ACS2011-CMR-AAC-0006

 

SUBJECT:    ACCESSIBILITY LENS  

OBJET :         OPTIQUE SUR L’ACCESSIBILITÉ

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

That the Finance and Economic Development Committee recommend Council provide funding for the development of a Universal Design Accessibility Lens that will enable staff in all Departments to review proposed projects, prior to Council approval, the potential positive or negative impact on People with Disabilities and seniors.

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité des finances et du développement économique recommande au Conseil de fournir les fonds nécessaires à l’établissement d’une optique de conception universelle sur l’accessibilité permettant au personnel dans tous les services d’examiner les répercussions positives ou négatives éventuelles des projets proposés sur les personnes handicapées et les aînés, et ce, avant l’approbation du Conseil.

BACKGROUND

At the July 20, 2011 meeting, the Accessibility Advisory Committee discussed the importance and need to re-introduce the accessibility lens.  After discussion, the Committee approved the following motion:

 

WHEREAS City Council has previously approved that staff investigate and develop a Universal Design Accessibility Lens to be used in assessing the impact of proposed projects on people with disabilities and seniors;

 

AND WHEREAS recent high profile projects have overlooked basic design elements that have resulted in creating physical, attitudinal, and systemic barriers adversely affecting Persons with Disabilities and seniors;

 

AND WHEREAS the recent release of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) regulations and imminent release of the Accessible Built Environment Standard will result in changes to review procedures for all project planning and development for the City;

 

AND WHEREAS with the application of Universal Design principles, a greater percentage of the population will be included as potential beneficiaries of all municipally funded projects;

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council provide funding for the development of a Universal Design Accessibility Lens that will enable staff in all Departments review proposed projects, prior to Council Approval, and the potential positive or negative impacts on People with Disabilities and seniors.

 

 

RURAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no specific rural implications associated with this report.

 

CONSULTATION

City Operations

City Operations – Accessibility Office:

 

CONSIDERATIONS:

 

In the past several years, staff in the Corporate Accessibility Office and across the corporation has taken a holistic approach to addressing barriers and service access issues for persons with disabilities.  This approach has been one of creating a range of tools and resources that are available to all staff to assist them to assess the impact of service and planning decisions on people with disabilities and seniors.  Each year, as part of our legislated commitment, the City publishes a City of Ottawa Municipal Accessibility Plan (COMAP) which identifies and highlights accessibility initiatives and services from every department in the corporation. The Accessibility Office monitors and reports to Council on COMAP yearly. Over 50 accessibility initiatives/programs are highlighted in the 2011 COMAP, which was presented to Council in April 2011: http://www.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/csedc/2011/04-05/18%20-%20ACS%202011-COS-ODP-0004_COMAP%202010-11_FINAL.htm 

 

In terms of seniors, most recently staff in the Organizational Development and Performance Department have been working on a Council directed Older Adult Plan for the City of Ottawa.  Phase 1 of this plan, a full demographic and environmental scan, has been completed.  Phase 2, a community consultation process with seniors and older adults, will be launched on October 3, 2011, with the Mayor’s Seniors Summit.  Consultations will then continue throughout the fall, 2011.  These consultations will contribute to the creation of an Older Adult Action Plan in 2012 that will include recommendations for how services can be enhanced or modified to better serve the growing seniors population now and into the future.  This work will identify initiatives that will benefit both seniors and people with disabilities.

Ref: http://ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/cpsc/2011/08-18/07%20-%20ACS2011-COS-ODP-0013%20Older%20Adult%20Plan%20EN.htm.

 

Although a specific Accessibility Lens does not presently exist, since 2003, several notable service initiatives and tools have been developed with a view to making our services more accessible.  They can be viewed as a toolbox of service initiatives that can work together to address issues of accessibility. Examples of these are: the Accessibility Working Group, the Equity and Inclusion Lens; the City’s corporate Building Accessibility Retrofit Program and significantly, the implementation of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, (AODA). 

 

The City currently has an Accessibility Working Group, facilitated by the Corporate Accessibility Office, which is comprised of staff from across the corporation, including membership from AAC.  This group works diligently to develop the City’s COMAP, plan for implementation of the AODA and quickly resolve issues from the public.  This team also includes four dedicated accessibility specialists from key service areas such as, Parks, Recreation and Culture, Ottawa Public Library, Transit Services and Infrastructure Services.

 

The Equity and Inclusion Lens is a tool to assist all staff to be responsive to community needs and engages staff at all levels to consider diversity and issues of exclusion in all aspects of their work, such as when developing policies, planning consultations or serving the public. It is a tool that identifies barriers and helps to eliminate all forms of discrimination.  Diversity Snapshots were also developed as a companion to the Lens to provide information to staff about specific groups at risk of exclusion.  The groups include, women, youth, seniors, aboriginal peoples, people living in poverty, immigrants, visible minorities, Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual and Transgender people, rural residents, francophones, and people with disabilities.  These Snapshots were developed in partnership with members of these groups and organizations working with these groups.  All City staff is encouraged to use the Lens and Snapshots. Initiatives such as training for all management and front-line staff, customized training to departmental teams and use of the Lens in Human Resources planning are underway. 

 

Staff is planning Equity and Inclusion Lens workshops throughout 2011, 2012 and beyond for all City staff and will be working with corporate communications to ensure ongoing messages and bulletins to staff to raise awareness about inclusion in everything they do. Although the Equity and Inclusion Lens is broader in focus, Persons with Disabilities are a key focus area for these training initiatives.

 

The Accessibility Office has also developed an Accessible Events Planning Toolkit which includes a guide for departments on how to ensure all aspects of their events or meetings, including everything from registration to physical spaces and volunteers to signage and speeches are accessible to all residents.  

 

Since 2003, City Council has invested in its Corporate Building Accessibility Retrofit Program, increasing the program’s budget in 2010 from 1 million to 2 million dollars in 2011. To date, the City has invested $8.5 million to support a wide assortment of facility modifications and adjustments such as, the installation of power-assisted door operators, tactile improvements, ramps, passenger loading areas and door width enlargements. These upgrades assist residents who would encounter visual, hearing and mobility barriers within our facility’s washrooms, public reception areas, elevators and facility grounds, thus rendering our programs and services more physically accessible.   This retrofit program addresses much needed improvements to the City’s owned build environment/infrastructure.

 

Implementing the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities act, 2005, (AODA) has been the focus of staff for the past several years, and has provided both the impetus and opportunity to create tools and resources to improve how we provide service to the community of people with disabilities. 

 

Under the AODA, private, public and non-profit organizations are required to identify, remove and prevent barriers in order to make the Province accessible for all people with disabilities by 2025. Through the AODA, the provincial government has identified five key areas for the development of “common” accessibility standards intended to set requirements across all organizations and sectors:

 

1.    Customer service (direct services and policies)

2.    Information and communications (public-facing, written and electronic)

3.    Built environment (new construction and major renovations)

4.    Employment (recruitment, retention and succession planning)

5.    Transportation (provincially mandated, and taxis)

 

The first AODA Standard enacted in 2008 was the Accessibility Standards for Customer Services Regulation, which had a compliance deadline of January 1, 2010. The City met this compliance obligation, as reported to Council in April, 2010 (report # ACS2010-COS-ODP-0005).  Key deliverables were met, which include the following:

 

1.      Approval and implementation of a Corporate Accessible Customer Service Policy and a review of departmental policies, practices and procedures in line with the Standard

2.      11,784 City staff and 1,843 volunteers/third party contractors trained on how to deliver accessible customer service

3.      Development and implementation of training materials and monitoring of records (including official SAP records);

4.      Posting of new or updated information on Ottawa.ca and signage placed in 330 locations across the City inviting feedback, and informing the public of the City’s commitment to accessible customer service

5.      Creation and implementation of a feedback procedure which enables staff and residents to provide information on the accessibility of City services

6.      Development and implementation of a compliance maintenance plan.

 

Compliance with the Customer Service Regulation has been maintained and is ongoing with over 19 000 staff volunteers and third party contractors now trained, and more than 300 service requests handled through our feedback mechanism since late 2009.

 

In June 2010, the Ministry of Community and Social Services released the Integrated Accessibility Regulation prescribing standards in the areas of Employment, Information and Communications and Transportation.  On June 23, 2011, the City’s Senior Management Committee approved staff’s multi-year AODA implementation plan which will see the City of Ottawa complete a large majority of the requirements ahead of Provincial compliance dates. This plan includes the development, implementation of policies by the middle of 2012 governing how the organization achieves or will achieve accessibility. This policy work will include a statement of organizational commitment to meet the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner.

 

It is not known when the Province will release the final draft AODA Regulation  relating to the Built Environment, however the Accessibility Office will begin convening a corporate committee this fall to review the draft standards and how the City work is aligned to those upcoming standards. The Planning and Growth Management department this fall will be creating workshops and a built environment accessibility checklist for Planning and Growth Management staff.  This will promote accessibility in the built environment processes and eliminate potential barriers before they happen.  These workshops will be done in consultation and participation with the AAC around the site plan review processes and will cover:

 

·         what is in existing planning guidelines and policies with respect to accessibility

·         a review other accessibility best practices

·         a review of accessibility case studies adopted by other cities, and

·         the City’s Building Accessibility Retrofit Program.

 

It should also be noted that the Province has communicated that tools, templates and other documents are currently being created that will assist municipalities to implement the AODA Integrated Accessibility Regulation. These tools may include an accessibility lens. 

 

In summary, City staff, with assistance from the Corporate Accessibility Office, takes a holistic approach to addressing issues and barriers related to accessibility of City services and facilities.  Several tools and initiatives have been created or are in progress to improve or increase accessibility, such as:

 

1) Corporate Accessibility Office team and four dedicated departmental accessibility specialists;

2) Accessibility Working Group (interdepartmental staff and AAC member);

3) City of Ottawa Municipal Accessibility Plan;

4) Equity and Inclusion Lens and Accessible Events Planning Toolkit

5) Building Accessibility Retrofit Program;

6) Implementation of the five standards under the AODA; and

7) Accessible built environment workshops and checklist.

 

Staff considers these efforts and tools as working together to create a holistic, corporate toolbox of accessibility resources.  Staff will continue to work in this manner to enable a more consistent and universal approach to service delivery.

 

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no legal implications associated with this report.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There is no budget for the initiative identified in the recommendation.

 

DISPOSITION

Following Committee and Council approval, staff are to undertake the appropriate action outlined in this report.


ACCESSIBILITY LENS

OPTIQUE SUR L’ACCESSIBILITÉ

ACS2011-CMR-AAC-0006          city-wide / À l’Échelle de la ville

 

That the Finance and Economic Development Committee recommend Council provide funding for the development of a Universal Design Accessibility Lens that will enable staff in all Departments to review proposed projects, prior to Council approval, the potential positive or negative impact on People with Disabilities and seniors.

 

MOTION No. FED 10/1

 

Moved by Councillor M. Taylor

 

WHEREAS  The mandate of the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC), as defined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), is to advise Council in order to ensure that persons with disabilities have the same level of access to municipal services and programs as do those without disabilities; and

 

WHEREAS the AAC has submitted a motion to Finance and Economic Development Committee requesting that Council approve funding for the development of a Universal Design Accessibility Lens that will enable staff in all departments to review proposed projects, prior to Council approval, for the potential positive or negative impact on People with Disabilities and seniors; and

 

WHEREAS City staff have at their disposal many tools and resources to ensure that they are not creating barriers for residents with disabilities; and

 

WHEREAS City staff are currently implementing the AODA Integrated Accessibility Regulation which will include amending the current City of Ottawa Accessible Customer Service Policy into a broad City of Ottawa Accessibility Policy addressing the legislated areas of Customer Service, Information and Communication Supports, Transportation and Procurement; and

WHEREAS the Province has made a commitment to provide tools and resources for the use of Municipalities in the upcoming year; and

 

WHEREAS the Provincial AODA Built Environment Regulation has not yet been enacted, thereby making the implementation of a Universal Design Accessibility Lens premature; and

 

WHEREAS the AAC has indicated that they will accept a friendly amendment to their motion, as long as the goal of consistent, proactive application of tools and resources to avoid creating barriers for People with Disabilities is respected;

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that staff be directed to immediately include a section called “Accessibility Impacts”” in all reports to Committee and Council that would describe all actions taken to ensure that staff review proposed projects, prior to Council approval, for any potential positive or negative impact on People with Disabilities and seniors; and

 

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that by the end of 2011, Accessibility Office staff work with the Accessibility Advisory Committee to develop an “Accessibility Impacts Checklist” to assist staff when writing committee reports to determine the impact of their work on People with Disabilities.  This is to be accomplished within existing budgets.

 

 

Committee heard from the following public delegation:

·         Mr. Bob Brown, Accessibility Advisory Committee

 

Any written submissions provided by the delegation are held on file with the City Clerk.

 

Following the public delegation, staff responded to Council member’s questions.

 

The report recommendation was then put to Committee and CARRIED as amended by Motion FED 10/1.

That the Finance and Economic Development Committee recommend to Council

 

1.                  That staff be directed to immediately include a section called “Accessibility Impacts” in all reports to Committee and Council that would describe all actions taken to ensure that staff review proposed projects, prior to Council approval, for any potential positive or negative impact on People with Disabilities and seniors.

 

2.                  That by the end of 2011, Accessibility Office staff work with the Accessibility Advisory Committee to develop an “Accessibility Impacts Checklist” to assist staff when writing committee reports to determine the impact of their work on People with Disabilities.  This is to be accomplished within existing budgets.

 

                                                                                                CARRIED as amended