The Disability Issues Community Advisory Committee is also known as the Disability Issues Committee. The following information is provided for archival purposes. See current information.

In December 1999, Toronto City Council approved the final report and action plan of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity. One of the 97 recommendations included the establishment of a city-wide advisory committee on Disability Issues.

The committee was chaired by Joe Mihevc. The committee can have up to 18 members. For information about the Disability Issues Community Advisory Committee, please call the coordinator at the bottom of this page.

The first priority for the committee in 2001-2002 has been the Ontarians with Disabilities Act. As a result of its intervention, Toronto City Council unanimously adopted a motion in March 2001 that any legislation applying to the prevention and removal of barriers for Ontarians with disabilities be mandatory and apply to all sectors.

Based on the recommendation of the Disability Committee, City Council unanimously adopted a further motion in November 2001 reiterating its call for a strong, effective and mandatory Act. This motion further reiterated Council's commitment to making Toronto a truly barrier-free city by 2008. Read the Committees' brief and report.

The Committee also appeared before the Ontario Standing Committee on Financial Affairs prior to third reading of the Bill. The committee has also prepared and submitted a brief to the Minister of Housing regarding the review of the Ontario Building Code.

The committee successfully intervened twice in the City's budget process - last year, regarding threatened cut-backs to the City's Human Rights Office and this year, to threatened cutbacks to WheelTrans.

Committee members have also been actively providing advice in the development of new accessibility guidelines and an accessibility audit of all City-owned buildings.

The Disability Issues committee took part in public hearings on the Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Read their report. Report 2 (23) "Ontarians with Disabilities Act" of the Policy and Finance Committee, adopted by Council (Feb. 13, 14, 15, 2002)

Bernita Lee from the Office of Equity, Diversity and Human Rights unit at City Hall, is the coordinator of the Disability Issues Community Advisory Committee. Contact her if you have any questions.

E-mail: blee@toronto.ca
Phone: 416-397-5251