HomeMy WebLinkAboutGRAAC - 2023-11-23 Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee
Date: Thursday, November 23rd, 2023
Location: Zoom Meeting
Present: Carrie Speers, Tamara Cooper, Heather Clark-Harris (Co-Chair), Councillor Jason Deneault (City of
Kitchener), Alyssa Clelland, Amy Ross (City of Waterloo), Candice Greenley (Township of Wilmot), Trevor
Tamlin, Sarah Cunneyworth, Janis McKenzie (City of Kitchener), Lolita Paroski (City of Kitchener), Teresa
McQuillin (Co-Chair), Councillor Chantal Huinink (Region of Waterloo), Jolene MacDonald, Farshid
Sadatsharifi, Jennifer Walker (Region of Waterloo), Katherine Waybrant, Alex Smyth (Township of Woolwich),
Paula Saunders, Emily Moore (Region of Waterloo), Heather Gillespie
Regrets: Robyn Jackson, Christine Nishiwaki, Councillor Sandra Hanmer (City of Waterloo), Ashley Sage
(Township of North Dumfries)
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. Approval of October Minutes and November Agenda
motioned to accept November Paula agenda; Jolene seconded; All in favour.
Teresa motioned to accept October minutes; Farshid seconded; All in favour.
3. Declarations of Pecuniary Interests
None
4. City of Kitchener, 2023 Status Update to the Accessibility Plan
Accessibility Policy
• The City of Kitchener Accessibility Policy was, updated in May 2017 and continues to be reviewed and
updated as required. The Accessibility Policy is available to the public on the city website.
Accessibility Plan
• In 2023, Council approved The City of Kitchener Multi-Year Accessibility Plan for 2023-2027. The
Accessibility Plan is available to the public on the city website. The annual status update is presented to
the City of Kitchener's Accessibility Advisory Committee at the end of each year. The annual status
update is available to the public on the city website.
Procurement
• Staff at the City of Kitchener are provided with the Guide to Accessibility Requirements and the Guide
for Purchasing Goods, Services for the City of Kitchener available to them on the staff intranet. Staff
can contact procurement with questions or request 1-1 training. Procurement 101 training is planned to
be revised and offered "on demand". All applicable purchasing documents include an AODA clause.
Project Managers incorporate accessibility design criteria and features in project specifications, where
applicable.
Training
• Mandatory eLearning accessibility training is provided to all new staff.
• The corporate training brochures for staff and volunteers, updated in October 2017.
• Continue to update and provide new resources for staff on the intranet.
• Provide the training brochures to staff leads to distribute to city affiliates and volunteers.
Standards Commitments:
Information and Communications Standards
• Completed work to remediate existing PDF on the website to ensure they were accessible.
• Facilitated 60+ staff members to take training in creating accessible documents.
• Developed staff reference resources around creating accessible documents.
• Identified vendors for staff and consultants to hire to create accessible documents.
• Continue to use quality assurance question and answer tool to identify accessibility issues.
• Working on a plan for ongoing staff training, including annual training and on-demand training.
Employment Standards
• City of Kitchener job postings notify employees and the public about the availability of accommodations
for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment processes.
• Inform all current and new employees through the IASR training brochure and through the mandatory
accessibility eLearning module of procedures used to support employees with disabilities.
• Accessible formats and communication supports are available for all employees, upon request.
• Continue to provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have
a disability. Implemented prior to 2013, posted on the staff intranet and part of AODA training.
• Continue to have in place a written process, for the development of documented individual
accommodation plans for employees with disabilities through the Corporate Workplace Accommodation
Program.
• Continue to have in place a return-to-work process and plan for employees who have been absent from
work due to a disability through the Corporate Workplace Accommodation Program.
• Management staff are trained and updated on policies and practices with respect to recruitment, hiring
and interviewing. A refresh version of hiring at Kitchener for all leaders was launched in October 2023.
Design of Public Spaces Standards
• City of Kitchener staff consult with GRAAC, before constructing new or redeveloping existing municipal
recreational trails, outdoor play spaces, and exterior paths of travel, rest areas and on-street parking
spaces. GRAAC has developed an accessibility comments sheet for each of these areas to help staff
with accessibility considerations.
• City of Kitchener public consultations are open to all members of the public.
• The City of Kitchener's `Accessibility Standards for the Built Environment' document, approved by
council in May 2017 was prepared to assist in implementing the Design of Public Spaces Standards,
and is used under the City of Kitchener's Site Plan Approval process.
• Annually review and update the City of Kitchener procedures for preventative and emergency
maintenance of the accessible elements in public spaces and procedures for dealing with temporary
disruptions when accessible elements are not in working order.
Customer Service Standards
• The customer service standards are included in the Accessibility Policy.
• The corporate training brochures for staff and volunteers include the customer service standards.
• The mandatory accessibility training for staff includes the customer service standards.
• Staff resources related to customer service standards are available on the staff intranet. The Province
of Ontario reviews all standards, which may require updates to existing policies, training, manuals,
bylaws etc. Because of the reviews, revisions to current standards or new standards may be introduced
by the Province of Ontario, which will include new requirements and compliance deadlines. Those
revisions and any actions related to them will be captured in the City of Kitchener annual status update.
No revisions to the current standards were introduced in 2023.
Consultation with the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC):
As municipal projects arise, the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee review site plans and
provide suggestions on how to best improve and achieve accessibility. In 2023, GRAAC advised on:
• Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre exterior ramps
• Vision Zero
• Westchester Park Basketball Court, Love My Hood project.
• Kiwanis Park water wheelchair
• Kitchener benches and picnic tables standards
• Accessibility Audit, Kitchener Auditorium
• Accessibility Audit, Kitchener Operations Facility
• Accessibility Audit, 24 Gaukel Street
• New City Hall Service Centre
• City Hall, main floor wayfinding
• New Customer Service booking system testing
• Removal of street sign on young street
• Downtown Kitchener Vision
• Cycle track/sidewalk accessibility feedback (onsite at 3 locations)
• New smart parking system and pay station.
• Centreville Chicopee Community Centre exterior renovations
• Accessibility Mat
• Rockway Centre consult
• Centre in the Square washroom renovations
• Centre in the Square future theatre renovations
• Facility Accessibility Design Standards Guide feedback and engagement session.
Comments/Feedback
• Thank you to staff for putting a list together of all the accomplishments, it was well received and thanks
to everyone for all the hard work both to staff and the committee members.
5. Region of Waterloo, Accessibility Status Report
Design of Public Spaces Standard
The Region strives to remove barriers to accessing our public spaces to ensure that residents and staff feel
welcomed and safe in regional facilities.
Goal: Continue auditing regional facilities for accessibility, prioritizing facilities with highest occupancy and
public visitors.
Actions:
• Accessibility audits were completed at 22 Regional buildings in 2023. Over 80 Regional buildings have
been audited in the past five years.
Goal: Update the Region of Waterloo Accessible Design Standards and inform applicable program areas of
changes made to the design standards.
Actions:
• Design standards are updated when new requirements become available. A comprehensive review of
the design standards document is planned for during the 2023-2027 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan cycle.
Goal: Incorporate accessibility practices and principles into the optimization and redesign of our regional
buildings for office and public spaces.
Actions:
• Accessibility design standards continue to be incorporated into renovation and new construction
projects.
• Accessibility improvements are implemented within existing spaces based on accessibility audit
findings.
Customer Service Standard
The Region strives to deliver services that meet the needs of our residents. The Region plans to rethink and
redesign our services using human-centred and equity-based principles, and by leveraging digital capabilities
to better meet the community's service expectations and needs.
Goal: Evolve the existing Client Experience Program based on human-centred and equity-based design
principles for a consistent approach for service delivery across the organization and to better meet the needs
of residents in our community.
Actions:
• Released the digital service transformation report and developed draft service standards.
• Assessed selected services across the organization to identify possible gaps in accessibility to inform
the Client Experience Framework and service standards.
• Conducted service design and redesign initiatives of selected services using human centred-design
principles to improve accessibility and equity.
Goal: Continue supporting Community Services clients with improving employment opportunities through
distribution of refurbished computers, referrals to community agencies for technology literacy, and increasing
access to chiropractic care for musculoskeletal illness in the Health2Work project.
Actions:
• Within the last year, 759 participants have accessed re-furbished laptop computers.
• Within the past year, 53 participants have received chiropractic care.
Goal: Increase the number of accessible housing units available for people with disabilities through the
Waterloo Region Housing Master Plan that goes beyond the minimum requirements.
Actions:
• The Waterloo Regional Housing (WRH) Master Plan projects achieve results above the minimum
accessibility requirements. WRH continues to exceed the Building Code requirement, that 15 percent of
units must be accessible within each building. For example:
➢ The WRH Kingscourt Drive building has made 25 percent of its units accessible. Accessibility
features within the site further surpass the Building Code design requirements by utilizing stricter
opening and path-of-travel widths, specific hardware types and heights, slip resistant surfaces, knee
and toe space at countertops, and many other components.
➢ The WRH Wilson Street senior's building has 23 percent of its units designed as accessible with
enhanced barrier-free options. In addition, the entire building meets Accessible Design standards.
➢ Additional ongoing and planned housing projects are designed with similar accessibility principles.
Information and Communications Standard
The Region strives to meaningfully engage diverse members of the community for feedback and advice on
regional programs, services, and facilities, and ensures that information provided by the Region to the public is
accessible.
Goal: Review, evaluate and update guidelines on creating accessible social media content (e.g. text, images,
videos) on an ongoing basis to stay current on best practices.
Actions:
• Developed social media best practice guidelines based on the most current requirements for all
communications staff.
Goal: Continue auditing communication distribution channels (e.g. Canva, YouTube,lnstagram, Facebook) and
documents for accessibility and plain language.
Actions:
• Modifications were made this year to the placement of name keys within corporate videos so they
would not interfere with captioning.
Goal: Review, update and continue training communications staff on accessible social media content, writing
in plain language and creating accessible PDF documents (e.g., Adobe) to stay current on best practices.
Actions:
• All new communications staff receive the most current AODA training on how to create accessible
documents, such as Word and PDF.
• All Regional staff have access to updated resources on the employee portal that offer guidance around
creating accessible social media content, writing in plain language, and creating accessible PDF
documents.
• Corporate communications provided a workshop to all social media communications staff on how to
create accessible social media posts.
Employment Standard
The Region strives to recruit and retain diverse staff who feel that their knowledge and skills are valued.
Goal: Review, evaluate and update Human Resources policies to embed accessibility into the policies for each
stage of the employee lifecycle.
Actions:
• A review of Human Resources policies is in progress.
Goal: Conduct a comprehensive review of existing Abilities Management processes, including short- and long-
term abilities management protocols and work accommodation program to provide a seamless employee
centric service when disability management support is required.
Actions:
• A comprehensive review of the existing Abilities Management process was completed. The
corresponding work accommodation program is currently under review.
Goal: Review and expand Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) training, including accessibility, for
regional staff to increase DEIB knowledge, awareness and practical application of concepts.
• Implement disability, neurodiversity and accessibility training, which includes introductory concepts, a
review of the AODA, and frameworks for disabilities, neurodiversity and enhancing accessibility in the
workplace.
Actions:
• 2,012 Regional employees completed essential literacy training.
• 191 Regional employees attended a five-part Disability, Neurodiversity and Accessibility training
program.
Goal: Continue to implement a comprehensive mental health strategy for employees, which includes:
• Delivering the Working Minds Training through the Mental Health Commission of Canada to create a
supportive work environment.
• Continuous assessment of mental health benefits.
• Access to resilience and coping sessions, skill-building sessions focused on mental health and a
wellbeing app.
• Implementing the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace
for employees.
Actions:
• The Working Mind Training has been offered since 2018 to regional staff and leaders. To date, 118
staff sessions and 43 leader sessions have been held. About two-thirds (66%) of leaders have
completed the training.
• Employee mental health benefits have increased to provide a minimum of$1,250 in mental health
coverage per calendar year. Mental health benefits were expanded to provide access to many different
mental health professionals including, psychologists, social workers (MSW), psychotherapists, clinical
counsellors and family therapists. The People Connect program was introduced, offering discounted
mental health services to employees.
• A total of 63 Resilience and Coping training sessions were hosted for employees. Approximately 300
employees participated in sessions targeted towards the needs of different groups, leaders, caregivers,
employees experiencing grief and bereavement, and all staff. Employees also received access to
additional resilience and coping resources through the mental health and wellbeing app.
• Approximately 500 employees participated in 20 skill-building sessions hosted by Homewood Health
(offered January 2022-September 2023). Recordings of the training are made available to employees
on the Region's internal portal to review and access for a month following the session.
• The Wellbeats Holistic Health and Wellbeing platform was launched in 2022 and continues to provide
employees and one additional user with access to fitness, nutrition and mindfulness content 24/7 from
any opportunities to engage in a wide variety of health and wellbeing content. Almost 900 employees
have registered for the platform.
• Work is underway to evolve the workplace mental health programming to include a peer support team
within Paramedic Services and a network of institutional trainers for 2024.
Transportation Standard
The Region strives to prevent and remove barriers to transportation services for residents and visitors.
Goal: Develop and implement a plan for accessible taxi vans provided by local taxi services for the community,
including assessing the number of accessible vans required in the bylaw to meet local needs, conducting a
safety audit of accessible vans and evaluate and update driver training.
Actions:
• Licensing and Enforcement services presented a report to the Licensing and Hearings Committee on
the program's intention to assess the number of accessible taxis required in the bylaw, the dispersal
formula for the fund to assist accessible cab owners, service requirements with MobilityPLUS and to
meet bylaw compliance.
• Addition of two bylaw officers will allow for a return to a complete inspection schedule for safety audits
of accessible taxis, including the equipment used to secure mobility devices and a planned assessment
of current drivers.
Goal: Implement the Grand River Transit (GRT) Business Plan recommendations to determine service levels,
expansion plans and update the bus stop design guidelines to improve accessibility features.
Actions:
• The scope of work for CRT's 2024 business plan is in development and will be finalized in 2024.
Goal: Assess the wheelchair curbside to airport terminal entrance gate service at the Region of Waterloo
International Airport and transfer responsibility from the airline providers (e.g., West Jet) to the airport authority
(the Region) when there are at least 200,000 passengers at the airport per year for two years.
Actions:
• The Region of Waterloo International Airport is expected to meet the criteria set out in legislation on
December 31, 2023. Implementation of established requirements will take place throughout 2024, with
a goal of being fully compliant in 2024. This will involve changes to signage, pet relief stations, visual
paging, wheelchair operations and passenger assistance call buttons. An update on progress will be
provided to GRAAC.
6. Region of Waterloo, MobilityPLUS Form Redesign & feedback
Staff and Public input sessions put together to discuss and build on ideas. What is working well and what is
not working well. Completing the application can be challenging.
Comments/Feedback
• Add instructional and accessible videos on Mobility plus and the process.
• Improved notification process
• More holistic onboarding support
• Focus on open ended questions and less rigidity.
• Application experience feedback available after completing application.
Comments/Feedback
• Renewal process cumbersome
• Give customers notice that their membership is expiring and some grace period to get the application
completed.
• If your disability is permanent, no matter if you have moved out of the area, why is there a need to be
removed from the system.
• Combine the application processes PAL Card etc.
7. Region of Waterloo, Grand River Bus Stop Design Guidelines
Purpose
• Provides direction for planning/designing on-street bus stops.
• Clear, consistent and contextual guidance for variety of stop types.
• References to accessibility, physical constraints, supporting land uses.
• Reflect current and emerging condition.
• Flexibility and professional judgement will continue to be exercised on a case-by-case basis.
Accessible Transit System
• Update GRT's standards for accessible design as best practices evolve.
• At minimum, meet the guidance of the AODA and the Integrated Accessibility Standards.
• Prioritize accessible amenities and enhancements at stops where warranted.
Next Steps
• Circulation of Final Draft internally—October 2023
• Presentation to Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee — November 2023
• Presentation to Planning & Works Committee for Approval —January 2024
Comments/Feedback
• Concerns about placing bus stops at round abouts as they are not accessible to people with visual
disabilities. Guidelines talks to how far away the bus stop should be away from a roundabout.
• Electric buses need to have a sound to them as it is important to be able to hear them.
• Operator struggles to deploy the ramp as the people getting on the bus are in the way of the ramp—
could there be a yellow line or something that people must wait behind.
• Bicycle lanes that are to be raised could have the potential to be dangerous for those utilizing in a
wheelchair.
• Priority boarding for those using mobility devices.
• Emergency procedures need to be addressed for those with mobility issues. Still exploring different
procedures.
• Special Event rerouting stops should be accessible and posted ahead of time. If a bus is full, an
operator should be notifying a supervisor in order to ensure pick of the customer waiting.
8. BREAK
9. City of Waterloo, Multi-Year Accessibility Plan Feedback
• Accessible and Inclusive Engagement Strategy
o Honoraria for persons with lived experience to compensate who provide their subject matter
expertise.
• Accessible and Inclusive Program and Service Delivery
o Provide opportunity for meaningful participation, such as offering priority registration for youths
with disabilities.
• Employment & Labour Relations
o Roll out of foundational learning model for all staff, including AODA refresher.
• Increased Representation on Council and Leadership Positions
o Providing accessibility and inclusion guidelines for candidates/Councilors
• Accessibility throughout Governance and Structure
o Incorporating accessibility and inclusion as an ongoing agenda item in department, senior
leadership meetings
• Increased Accountability
o Setting a line item in the budget to increase accessibility for both staff and public needs.
Time Line
• November 23 —overview draft priorities
• December 21 — requesting approval of draft.
• March 28 — review implementation plan draft
• April 25 — requesting implementation plan draft.
Comments/Feedback
• Priority should be supports rather than programming.
• Snow clearing needs to be a priority.
• Built Environment needs to be a priority.
• Council meetings should be hybrid.
• Curb cuts should also be a priority.
• Mobile accessible washrooms should be utilized for Special Events.
• Roll out grass mats also a priority for Special Events.
10. Built Environment Sub Committee Updates
• Region of Waterloo Breslau Library
o Pros and Cons
o Downstairs of their Community Centre
o Lift to get down to the area as well as, stairs.
o Not ideal as a key required.
o Handrail is only on one side.
o Carpet blends in — no contrast
o Adult change table in the accessible washroom but not capacity for lift
o Self-checkout kiosks utilized in the future.
• Facility Accessibility Design Standards Engagement Session
0 1St session with GRAAC members, held on Nov 17, 2023, at Stanley Park Community Centre
o Excellent job done by staff starting the process.
o Good discussion.
o Looking forward to the 2nd session in January 2024 to continue the discussion.
11. Committee of Council evening Updates
• Paula attended two sessions, City of Waterloo, and City of Kitchener
• Accessibility is part of all committees so was happy to present last to pull it all together.
• Revelation for staff and other committees.
• Staff training important.
• Other committees want GRAAC to help with their committees but already maxed out.
• GRAAC is unique, as a Committee of Council for 7 municipalities.
12. Councillor Reports
• Councillor Jason Deneault— supportive of shutting down King Street, will continue the discussion.
13. Co-chair/Staff Reports
Co-chair report
• Is there any interest in going back to a Hybrid version for future GRAAC meetings?
Yes, there are some members that would like to attend in person and others would like to continue
virtual.
• Working on the GRAAC member social and will be held sometime in January.
Next Regular Meeting —Thursday January 25, 2024, at 1:30pm, ZOOM