Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA) - Submission of a
City of Toronto Accessibility Plan

Back to Accessibility Plan report - Table of contents
green bullet Purpose green bullet Conclusion
green bullet Financial Implications and Impact Statement green bullet Contact
green bullet Recommendations green bullet Appendix 1
green bullet Background green bullet Appendix 2
green bullet Comments green bullet View the full report (PDF 273 Kb)

Appendix 2

green bullet Vision Statement on Access, Equity and Diversity
green bullet Executive Summary
green bullet Legacy of Accessibility Programs in the City of Toronto
green bullet The City of Toronto's Accessibility Plan
green bullet Participants in the Development of the Accessibility Plan
green bullet The City's Commitment to Accessibility Planning
green bullet A Summary of Initiatives to be undertaken in 2004
green bullet Future Reviews
green bullet Communication of the Plan
green bullet Appendix I - Terms of Reference for the Disability Issues Advisory Committee
green bullet Appendix II - Members of the Disability Issues Advisory Committee
green bullet Appendix III - City of Toronto Departments
green bullet Appendix IV - Departmental Accessibility Plans

Appendix 2 - The City of Toronto's Accessibility Plan

This report describes the measures that the City has already undertaken and will take in the year 2004 to identify, remove and prevent barriers to people with disabilities in gaining access to the City's facilities and services.

The Review Process:

In the development of the Accessibility Plan, we recognize the need to deal with accessibility issues in a comprehensive manner. We will continue to learn, develop, test and adjust our approaches in order to integrate accessibility into the everyday thinking of municipal government action. The review of accessibility issues and initiatives and addressing barrier prevention/removal are ongoing practices of many of the City's departments, agencies, boards and commissions as part of their day-to-day service responsibilities.

The Accessibility Plan provides a framework and direction that supports and strengthens the City's commitment and efforts to respond to the needs of people with disabilities in its role as employer, service provider, grants provider, purchaser of goods and services and in its role in providing equality of access, opportunity and outcomes for all members of Toronto's population.

A corporate review was undertaken in the spring of 2003, as part of the development of the City's Accessibility Plan. The Accessibility Plan was prepared in cooperation with a corporate coordinating team (the inter-departmental staff team on access and equity), who prepared departmental accessibility plans. Future annual accessibility plans will also involve the City's agencies, boards and commissions. The City of Toronto's Community Advisory Committee on Disability Issues was consulted throughout the development of the Plan.

Back to the top of the page

Appendix 2 - Participants in the Development of the Accessibility Plan:

Community Advisory Committee on Disability Issues:

In February 2002, Toronto City Council directed that the Community Advisory Committee on Disability Issues be appointed as the City's accessibility advisory committee.

The Community Advisory Committee on Disability Issues, established in January 2001, is one of (5) five community advisory committees on access, equity and human rights.

The Terms of Reference for the Community Advisory Committees state:

"The Community Advisory Committees shall use their knowledge and expertise to provide advice to City Council, through the standing committees of Council, and act as a liaison with external bodies on barriers to participation in public life and to the achievement of social, cultural and economic well-being of the City's residents.

Each Community Advisory Committee shall also address the specific issues facing particular communities, develop options for Council's consideration and make recommendations for positive changes that shall improve the quality of the lives of the members of the City's diverse communities."

In order to fulfill their role under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Terms of Reference of the Disability Issues Advisory Committee has been amended to include:

"The Community Advisory Committee on Disability Issues shall advise City Council in each year about the preparation, implementation and effectiveness of its accessibility plan."

The Interdepartmental Staff Team on Access and Equity:

This report has been compiled by an inter-departmental staff team whose members were designated by the Commissioners of each City department. This team functions as a corporate co-ordinating group for the Accessibility Plan and other access and equity initiatives. From time to time, sub-groups are established to deal with specific elements of the Accessibility Plan. In this first plan, a sub-group was formed to prepare the implementation strategy of the Accessibility Design Guidelines.

The inter-departmental staff team is led by staff reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer who oversees the implementation of the City's Plan of Action, the implementation of the recommendations of the Final Report of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity and the development of the action planning guide.

Back to the top of the page

Appendix 2 - The City's Commitment to Accessibility Planning:

The City is committed to providing access for all residents and in building an inclusive society. Toronto City Council has been a leader in bringing forward public policies and programs aimed at removing barriers and which prohibit prejudice, stereotyping and discriminatory actions against people who are protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code, and in particular, the provision of protection against discrimination for people with disabilities.

Some of these policies and programs include: the policy on non-discrimination; workplace human rights and harassment policy; policy on the elimination of hate activity; employment equity policy and workforce survey; access and equity grants program; immigration and settlement policy framework; multilingual services policy; same sex spousal benefits and the principle of same sex marriage. An employment accommodation policy and accessibility design guidelines are currently in development and considered key aspects of the Accessibility Plan.

The central focus of the Accessibility Plan is to make city facilities, information and activities more accessible; to identify and eliminate disparities; and to create an accessible workplace.

Back to the top of the page

Appendix 2 - A Summary of Initiatives to be Undertaken in 2004:

The City of Toronto's goal is to optimize accessibility for people with disabilities. The City's departments have reported on the ongoing strategies undertaken to improve accessibility in policy, programs and service delivery; as well as, future planned strategies and initiatives. Departmental accessibility plans can be found in Appendix II.

The following list identifies the components of the City of Toronto's Accessibility Plan.

(1) To achieve the full implementation of the recommendations of the Final Report of the City of Toronto's Task Force on Community Access and Equity.

(2) To pursue its goal of access, equity and diversity through the implementation of the Plan of Action for the Elimination of Racism and Discrimination.

(3) To develop effective consultation strategies with the City's Advisory Committee on Disability Issue, so that they can fulfil their responsibilities under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

(4) To organise planned and systemic reviews by establishing or continuing departmental accessibility advisory committees and working groups to address accessibility issues, develop strategic plans and co-ordinate reports for the annual accessibility plans.

(5) To complete an Action Plan Guide on access, equity and diversity to be used by departments and agencies, boards and commissions in developing action plans.

(6) To explore the role and options for an Office of Disability Issues.

(7) To complete the Accessibility Design Guidelines for submission to Council in 2004. The Accessibility Design Guidelines are based on Universal Design principles and will provide practical examples of solutions for optimising accessibility. The Guidelines will guide the design, planning and construction of public space and buildings and the preparation of accessibility audits.

(8) To implement a Building Condition Assessment to assess shelter facilities for barrier-free adaptation.

(9) To implement the City's Official Plan and ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are considered during the zoning by-law review and preparation of amendments.

(10) To develop a protocol to ensure that accessibility issues are addressed in new development projects.

(11) To develop an accessibility audit of Parks, Recreation and Culture facilities and programs.

(12) To review customer services operations for accessibility and continue to be responsive to the changing needs of our diverse communities and of the City's workforce.

(13) To address accessibility issues when issuing business licences with the goal of barrier elimination;

(14) To increase accessibility for 2003 and develop a comprehensive municipal election strategy to provide accessibility for electors with disabilities.

(15) To seek and maintain improvements to accessibility for all public meetings and events hosted by the City of Toronto.

(16) To complete the employment equity workforce survey and report on the results of the survey.

(17) To complete a policy and guidelines on workplace accommodation.

(18) To continue to improve access to purchasing process and enhancing business opportunities for people with disabilities.

(19) To identify stakeholders and potential community partners in developing new service delivery models, which address accessibility for people with disabilities.

Back to the top of the page

Appendix 2 - Future Reviews:

The Community Advisory Committee on Disability Issues and the Inter-departmental Staff Team on Access and Equity will continue a systemic review of accessibility issues and the objectives of this report in the fall of 2003.

Many of the City's departments will be establishing or have established departmental working groups with representation from their respective divisions to review objectives, monitor progress and develop their annual accessibility plans as well as implement the City's corporate access and equity policies and programs. These efforts will inform the City's review of its accessibility plans.

In 2004, the Accessibility Plan will review the targets achieved and work which has been completed. In addition, there will be an update of plans for future years. As the City moves forward in eliminating existing barriers and in establishing preventive measures such as departmental Access and Equity planning and also in the implementation of the Accessibility Design guidelines, accessibility for people with disabilities will be strengthened and optimized.

In future, the City's agencies, boards and commissions will also be invited to participate in developing annual accessibility plans.

People with disabilities deserve fair and equitable treatment in all areas of their lives. The City of Toronto has shown leadership in these areas but also understands the need to approach these issues in a comprehensive manner. In this context, we will continue to develop, test and adjust our approaches and strive to imbed and integrate accessibility into the everyday thinking of municipal government.

Back to the top of the page

Appendix 2 - Communication of the Plan:

The Accessibility Plan can be found on the City's website. Copies of the Accessibility Plan or alternate formats can be requested by contacting us at:

Chief Administrator's Office
Strategic and Corporate Policy/Healthy City Office
100 Queen Street West
City Hall, 11th Floor, East Tower
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2

Voice: 416-392-8592
TTY: 416-338-0889
Fax: 416-696-3645
Email: diversity@toronto.ca

For Multilingual services, please call: 311

Or website: www.toronto.ca/diversity

"High profile statements ...remain mere paper commitments if they are not incorporated into all aspects of the City's operations. This is why the City is translating its commitments and plans into actions. The City is not only moving forward with its responsibility for ensuring physical access to its facilities and properties but also in implementing an array of initiatives in its role as an employer, a service provider, a grants provider, a purchaser of goods and services, and in its role in outreaching, involving and strengthening the civic community."

Councillor Joe Mihevc, Diversity Advocate and Chair, Community Advisory Committee on Disability Issues.

Excerpt from the City of Toronto's Submission on Bill 125, The Ontarians with Disabilities Act to the Legislative Assembly, Standing Committee on Financial and Economic Affairs, November 2001.

Back to the top of the page