The Task Force on Community Access and Equity has not completed its mandate but is no longer active. The following information is provided for archival purposes.

The Task Force on Community Access and Equity was absorbed by the Roundtable on Access, Equity and Human Rights.

Vol. 1 No. 2 October, 1998

Task Force on Community Access and Equity
Community Newsletter and Information Source

Message from the Chair

Dear friends,
Since coming together earlier this year, the Task Force on Community Access and Equity have met with more than 40 community organizations, service agencies, advocacy groups, staff with the City, etc., to look into the two areas of our mandate. We wanted to learn how best the new City of Toronto can support communities concerned about access and equity. We also examined how best access and equity values and principles can be integrated into the City's role as policy maker, advocate, provider and regulator of services, contractor and employer.

Yes, the City of Toronto needs to continue with policies and programs that aim to remove barriers and encourage full participation of its residents in every aspect of the city. Such policies and programs will promote Toronto internationally as a first-class, vibrant and liveable global urban centre.

Diversity enriches a society and the people who live there. It is to the benefit of the City of Toronto to value and tap into the wealth of resources diversity has to offer, whether it be in the arts, culture, or business development.

The Task Force has put together an interim report, recommending a vision statement and seven principles on access and equity for City Council to adopt and integrate into all aspects of the City's policies, programs and services. We're also recommending a political, a community involvement and a departmental structure on addressing access and equity issues in the City.

In October, we are holding a series of consultations to check back with our diverse communities on whether we have heard them correctly, and whether they feel the commended vision statement, principles and structures reflect and address their opinions.

I encourage you all to take the time to review our recommendations and provide your valuable feedback on the proposals. Plan to attend a meeting, write or call, or e-mail us on the internet.

Please spread the word in your community, among your colleagues, neighbours, clients and friends. Together, we can make the City work.

(original signed by Joe Mihevc)

Joe Mihevc (Councillor, York Eglinton)
Chair

Task Force Launches Stage II Consultations

The Task Force on Community Access and Equity is launching its second phase of community consultations, and is asking the public to comment on its interim report, "A Work in Progress."

The report outlines the Task Force's recommendations on a vision statement, access and equity principles, and proposed political, community involvement and departmental structures for the new City.

During its initial phase, the Task Force on Community Access and Equity consulted with various community organizations, service agencies, advocacy groups, City staff as well as representatives from agencies, boards and commissions to consider a number of strategic directions that will impact on: community and institutional partnerships, mechanisms for city Council monitoring and advocacy, and administrative responsibilities and accountability.

Now, entering its second phase, a series of consultation meetings have been scheduled between October 19 and 27. Interested individuals can comment on the report at these meetings, or provide feedback via other channels. [please see story We want to hear from you].

You can e-mail AccessandEquity@toronto.ca to request a copy of the full report in English, or its executive summary in English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Greek, Polish, Ukrainian, Tamil and Somali. The executive summary is also available in braille,large print, audio cassette and computer disk.

You can also access the full report and its executive summary on the City of Toronto's web-site at www.toronto.ca.

Membership of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity

A Vision Statement for a New City
A vision statement will guide the City in incorporating access and equity in all its activities.

The Task Force proposes that Council adopt the following mission statement:

"The population of the City of Toronto is made up of people from diverse communities and equity-seeking groups, i.e., women, people with disabilities, ethno-cultural and racial minorities, immigrants and refugees, Aboriginal peoples, lesbian, gay, bisexuals and transgenders.

The City of Toronto will support positive changes within its workforce and communities to achieve access and equality of outcomes for equity-seeking groups and create a harmonious environment for all City residents as well as a City workforce and community that is free from harassment and discrimination."

Principles will guide City's policies and programs

The Task Force is proposing that the City incorporate the following principles into its policies, programs, services and operation:

Principle One -- City Governance
The population of the City of Toronto and all its diversity should be reflected and represented through every aspect of its governance structures, including political, administrative and service delivery levels.

Principle Two -- Delivery of Services and
Programs in the new City
All residents should be entitled to services and programs which meet their needs and, which are culturally and linguistically appropriate, accommodate disability, and adequately resourced to ensure equitable access and outcomes.

Principle Three -- Participation in the City
All residents of the City should have access to full and meaningful participation and consultation in decision-making, policy development, planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of services and programs.

Principle Four -- City as an Employer
The Council of the City should implement employment equity and set as a goal the achievement of a workforce which represents the population. Representation shall be at all levels including Agencies, Boards, Commissions and Committees.

Principle Five -- The City as a Contractor
City Council should establish procedures for contracting goods and services to ensure equitable access and allocation for the provision of goods and services.

Principle Six -- City Support for Community-Based
Organizations and Activities
City Council should commit adequate resources to community based, non-profit organizations for the advancement of the principles of equity, access, anti-racism and full participation. Furthermore, Council should take a leadership role and allocate adequate resources to eliminate hate-motivated activity.

Principle Seven -- The City in Partnership
The City should work in partnership with external agencies, institutions and community groups with the objective of strengthening and building community capacity.

Structures help champion access and equity in the new City

How can the City of Toronto, in its political and administrative structures, encourage community involvement and incorporate access and equity principles?

Here are the Task Force's suggestions:

Political Structure

• Council will establish a standing committee, called Access and Equity Committee. The committee will include City Councillors, one representative from each of the City's other standing committees, the Police Services Board, the Toronto Hydro Commission, and the Toronto Transit Commission, as well as representatives from each Advisory Committee.
• The Mayor will be an ex-officio member.

Structure for Community Involvement

• The City establish Advisory Committees on issues on access and equity. Each committee will include community representatives and one City Councillor.
• The following Advisory Committees will need to be established as soon as possible:


• Committee on the Status of Women;


• Committee on Action for People with Disabilities;


• Committee on Aboriginal Affairs;


• Committee and Ethno-Cultural and Multifaith Issues;


• Committee on Racial Minority Community Issues;


• Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues;


• Committee on Immigration and Refugee Issues;


• Committee on Poverty and Literacy Issues;


• Committee on Seniors Issues (to be discussed with the Seniors' Task Force).


• The committees will be supported by staff from the Access and Equity Centre.
• The Advisory Committee on Aboriginal Affairs will develop options for Council on how to address the implications of Aboriginal self-determination and relations between this community and the new City.
• Working Groups will be formed to address issues such as Anti-Racism and Anti-Hate; Policing; Business Development; and Employment Equity. Each working group will comprise at least one member from each advisory committee, and representatives from the community concerned about these issues.

Departmental Structure

• The City will establish an Access and Equity Centre to coordinate the work of the City on access and equity. The Centre will be headed by an executive staff position reporting directly to the Chief Administrative Officer.
• The Centre will provide policy, secretariat and research support to the Mayor, Council, Standing Committees, the Access and Equity Committee, as well as the Advisory Committees and Working Groups.
• The Centre will provide advice and support to City departments, agencies, boards and commissions, especially in the development and implementation of access and equity plans.
• The Centre will conduct research on corporate-wide and key community access and equity issues, and initiate public education activities.
• The Access and Equity Centre will establish offices to address the following issues:


• Women;


• Disabilities;


• Aboriginal Peoples;


• Ethno-Cultural and Multifaith Communities;


• Racial Minorities;


• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender;


• Immigrants and Refugees;


• Poverty/Literacy;


• Seniors (to be discussed with the Seniors' Task Force).


• The city will establish an audit and monitoring function on access and equity implementation within the City Auditor's office. This function will act as an ombudsman to undertake audits and investigations of City programs, services and decision-making. The Auditor will report to the Access and Equity Committee.
• Departments, agencies, boards and commissions will report to the Auditor's office annually on the complaints they have received and their disposition.
• A Human Rights Office will be established to manage human rights complaints by City staff and communities.

Across departments

• Each City department, agency, board and commission will need to identify access and equity issues within their policies, programs, services as well as staffing, and develop and implement access and equity plans to address these areas. These access and equity plans will include responses to the issues and concerns identified by the Task Force on Community Access and Equity.
• Access and equity action plans will be submitted to the Access and Equity Centre for review and comment, and then, forwarded to the Access and Equity Committee and City Council for approval.
• The City establish an Access and Equity Working Group, chaired by the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), and including senior staff from each department, to coordinate access and equity plans and identify corporate issues.

We want to hear from you

What is your reaction to the recommendations contained in the Task Force's interim report "A Work in Progress?" Do you agree or disagree with these proposals?

The Task Force is organizing a series of consultation meetings in October to gather community feedback to its recommendations. Tell us what you think at one of these meetings:

October 19 10 a.m. to noon Native Canadian Centre 16 Spadina Road 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Regent Park Community Centre 203 Sackville Green October 20 7 to 9 p.m. Metro Hall, 27th Floor 55 John Street/ 7 to 8:30 p.m. West Scarborough Comm. Centre 313 Pharmacy Road October 22 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Masaryk-Cowan Comm. Centre 220 Cowan Avenue October 26 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (2 meetings) Rexdale Community Microskills Development Centre** 1 Vulcan Street 3 to 5 p.m. Scarborough Civic Centre 150 Borough Drive

October 26 7 to 9 p.m. Thistletown Service Centre 925 Albion Road 7 to 9 p.m. East York Civic Centre 850 Coxwell Avenue 7 to 9 p.m. York Community Services 1651 Keele Street October 27 7 to 9 p.m. North York Community House 1200 Lawrence Avenue W. 6:30 to 9 p.m. York Community Services** 1651 Keele Street 7 p.m. Masaryk-Cowan Comm. Centre** 220 Cowan Avenue

** These sessions will focus on low income issues. Additional consultations will be held at Regent Park Community Centre (203 Sackville Green), Driftwood Community Centre (4401 Jane Street), Scarborough Highland Creek area and Lawrence-Galloway area. For further information on these consultations only, please call 392-1203.

All venues are wheelchair accessible.

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