Accessibility Advisory Committee

Agenda 3

Tuesday, 18 June 2019
6:30 pm

Champlain Room, 110 Laurier Avenue Ouest

Carole Legault, Coordinator
613-580-2424 x28934
CaroleA.Legault@ottawa.ca

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

Minutes 1 – April 16, 2019

Special Meeting Minutes 2 – May 28, 2019

REFERRAL

1.

AVAILABILITY AND PROTECTION OF ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACES IN OTTAWA

CITY WIDE

That the Accessibility Advisory Committee review the following motion approved by the previous Accessibility Advisory Committee:

WHEREAS the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) notes that for many Ottawans with disabilities, travelling by personal vehicle is the most accessible mode of transportation for them; and

WHEREAS the AAC believes that the availability and protection of accessible on-street parking spaces is crucial to building an accessible Ottawa by 2025 and beyond; and

WHEREAS the AAC is particularly concerned about the availability and protection of those on-street parking spaces available to Accessible Parking Permit (APP) holders, and especially on-street parking spaces designated “No Parking” and “No Stopping”; and

WHEREAS over the course of its current term, the AAC has raised concerns about the loss of APP on-street parking spaces in Ottawa, especially in favour of cycling infrastructure; and

WHEREAS the AAC believes that APP on-street parking spaces in our City are not adequately protected; and

WHEREAS when constructing or redeveloping existing on-street parking spaces, the City has a statutory duty under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) to consult with the Accessibility Advisory Committee on the need, location and design of accessible on-street parking spaces;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the AAC requests that the City of Ottawa adopt formal policies and practices that will promote and protect the availability of APP on-street spaces in Ottawa, by, amongst other things,

A)   Requiring that usage studies be completed prior to the removal of APP on-street spaces to properly evaluate the impacts of the loss of those spaces on the disability community;

B)   Requiring that lost APP on-street parking spaces be relocated to nearby streets; and

C)   Requiring that APP on-street parking spaces can be removed only as a last resort.

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the AAC should be consulted prior to the removal of any APP on-street parking spaces, and that such consultation should include usage study information for the targeted APP on-street parking spaces; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this motion be referred to the newly appointed Accessibility Advisory Committee in 2019.

COUNCILLOR’S ITEM

COUNCILLOR LULOFF

2.

ST. JEAN STREET – NO PARKING VERSUS NO STOPPING

ORLÉANS (1)

That the Accessibility Advisory Committee review the proposed changes to parking on St. Jean Street and provide input as appropriate.

3.

O’CONNOR STREET BIKEWAY PHASE 2

SOMERSET (14)

That the Accessibility Advisory Committee receive the staff presentation and provide input as appropriate.

4.

OTTAWA PUBLIC LIBRARY AND LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA JOINT FACILITY

CITY WIDE

That the Accessibility Advisory Committee receive the staff presentation and provide input as appropriate.

COMMITTEE BUSINESS

5.

PROPOSED COMMUNICATIONS WORKING GROUP

CITY WIDE

That the Accessibility Advisory Committee consider the following proposed motion:

Moved by Member B. Wade

WHEREAS the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) during the last term of council and passed a motion recommending that the City of Ottawa be more inclusive in its communications as it noted that materials produced by the city, especially those used at public consultations, lacked the visibility and depiction of persons with disabilities or the use of mobility devices and accessible features;

WHEREAS the AAC met with staff from the Service Innovation and Performance Department/Public Information and Media Relations (SIPD/PIMR) and this single meeting resulted in an image of person with a disability being included on the cover of the 2018 City of Ottawa Budget document;

WHEREAS the AAC appreciates the efforts of staff from Ottawa Elections in producing communications that were inclusive and specifically directed to people with disabilities;

WHEREAS the AAC believes that the City of Ottawa does not do enough to educate residents and visitors on the various accessible services, features and privileges provided to those residents and visitors; and

WHEREAS the AAC notes that the “Accessibility Services” page on Ottawa.ca is buried within the footer under the “About Us” category and is not intuitive for residents or visitors to click on this link to learn about the special parking privileges in public parking areas and on public roadways to holders of a valid Accessible Parking Permit (APP);

THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Accessibility Advisory Committee request that a working group be created with representatives from the Accessibility Advisory Committee, the Accessibility Office and staff from SIPD/PIMR that will meet on a regular basis to discuss and implement strategies to produce more inclusive communications as well as strategies to communicate the City of Ottawa’s accessibility features, services and privileges to residents and visitors;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the AAC recommends that a centralized collection of images depicting and representing people with disabilities as well as city accessibility features be created and made available to all staff to use in their communications; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the AAC recommends that the “Accessibility Services” page on Ottawa.ca be more visible. 

6.

WORKING GROUP UPDATES

CITY WIDE

That the Accessibility Advisory Committee receive the updates for information.

NOTICES OF MOTIONS (FOR CONSIDERATION AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING)

INQUIRIES

OTHER BUSINESS

ADJOURNMENT

NEXT MEETING

Tuesday, September 17, 2019