1. To effectively develop ability of all Regional staff to effectively and proactively identify and address accessibility barriers
  2. To improve accessibility of municipal programs, services and facilities
  3. To address policy issues and optimize advocacy efforts
  4. To build public awareness and knowledge of accessibility issues

1. To effectively develop ability of all Regional staff to effectively and proactively identify and address accessibility barriers

Actions Tasks Department Accomplishments
to-date
Barrier Type Time Frame
  1. Build an effective training and development curriculum, including customized training modules and tools for specific operational needs
Establish a training and development curriculum, including customized training modules and tools for specific operational needs Corporate Services
  • Accessibility Planning Specialist shared information at the Access Peel Customer Service Facility staff meeting regarding Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards in serving customers with disabilities.
Attitudinal and Information Completed
  • Access Peel staff member attended a Learning Disabilities presentation in April 2005.
   
  • Procedure has been developed to serve persons with disabilities through Access Peel.
   
Executive Office
  • All staff members were encouraged to attend one of the sensitivity workshops hosted by the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) and the Accessibility Planning Office. Over half of staff attended a workshop.
Information Completed
Housing & Property
  • CSA Standard “Accessible Design for the Built Environment” was distributed to Development and Construction (DEVCON) staff
Information Completed
People, Information & Technology
  • Pilot sensitivity training was provided for managers and supervisors.
Information Completed
Public Works
  • Staff representative attended accessibility workshop “Designing Sidewalks and Trails”
Information Completed
Social Services
  • Accessibility Planning Specialist presented to staff at Wolfedale Child Care Centre on accessibility issues.
Attitudinal and Information Completed
  • Staff Awareness sessions were conducted to promote National Access Awareness Week. Sessions were held at 3 regional offices and included presentations about physical disabilities, mood disorders and learning disabilities.
   
  • Staff awareness sessions on learning disabilities were conducted in two Ontario Works sites (Millcreek & Coventry).
   
  • Ontario Works staff attended various training sessions such as “Working with the Mentally Ill” and “Assist”.
   
  • Ontario Works staff sessions have been organized and will involve the following organizations: CCACs, Transhelp, Disabilities Plus, Heart & Stroke, Diabetes Association, Red Cross, Legal Clinics, Mobile Crisis and Street HelpLine with a focus on resources for people with disabilities.
  Completed & on-going
  • Ontario Works’ representative attended the provincial Access II conference in Burlington.
  Completed
  • Ontario Works’ representative attended 5 accessibility workshops which included topics on Universal Design, site Design, Universal Design for the cold, Accessible Community, Home Safety and Egressibility.
   
  • Resource teacher from Children’s Services participated with other agency staff to develop and facilitate ‘Inclusion Training’ for the Ontario Early Years Centres in Peel, to ensure these programs are accessible to all children and families.
   
Implement sensitivity training for Regional Council and the Executive Management Team        
  1. Develop specific accessibility standards and guidelines for publications.
Develop and implement a corporate-wide communication and education strategy Corporate Services
  • Presentation by Accessibility Planning Specialist to Corporate Services Expanded Management Team on new on-line reporting form allowing all Regional employees to report accessibility barriers.
Information & Communication Completed
  • Legal support for Regional Council reporting on Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005.
   
Housing & Property
  • Working with and educating Ambulance Client on accessibility issues to ensure that consideration is given to accessible options on any ambulance renovations/ reconfigurations.
Communication & Information On-going
  1. Develop specific accessibility standards and guidelines for publications.
Review existing publications and standards and provide recommendations. Corporate Services
  • Information on accessibility standards and guidelines pertaining to customer service facilities were reviewed by switchboard staff and will be considered during renewal of new brochures.
Communication & Information Completed
  • Regional Councillor Pat Saito’s newsletter was published in a larger typeface to make it more readable.
   
  • Provided guidelines to Executive Management Team on internal publications, including the suggestion of incorporating the principles of plain language and design.
   
  • Review of alternate means of displaying and reviewing site plans/architectural plans by the AAC, addressing issues related to information format and accessibility.
   
Housing & Property
  • Reviewing CSA Standards and comparing to Mississauga and Brampton accessibility plans.
Communication On-going
Public Works
  • Developed accessible format for pamphlets by increasing font sizes, changing the type of paper used, and revising layout format.
Communication & Information Completed
 

2. To improve accessibility of municipal programs, services and facilities

Actions Tasks Department Accomplishments
to-date
Barrier Type Time Frame
  1. Ensure effective process in place to integrate AAC advice.
Clarify roles and responsibilities of AAC and staff. Corporate Services
  • Prepared AAC Brochures
Information Completed
  • Elimination of the use of acronyms during meetings, addressing concern raised by AAC members on behalf of persons with learning disabilities
Attitudinal & Policy/Practice Completed
Housing & Property
  • Commercial Property Management engaged with AAC members, architects, and program managers to review design options and requirements for front entrance ramp to 10 Peel Centre Dr..
Information Completed
  • AAC members toured and provided feedback on
   
Establish process to report on achievements & progress. Corporate Services
  • The Barrier Identification and Tracking tool (BITT) was developed and is now being used. This on-line tool receives, consolidates and manages the accessibility barriers identified by all Regional employees.
Communication Completed
Finance
  • The department’s Program Support Analyst has been confirmed as the new Accessibility Coordinator.
Communication Completed
  1. Strengthen organizational processes that will support accessibility
Adopt CSA standards where available and applicable.

Research and document departmental best practices and share with other departments

Health
  • The Access and Information Services Team is now responsible for facility management related projects, which involves the consistent review of barrier-free guidelines.
Policy/Practice Completed &
on-going
  • A Certificate of Appreciation was awarded to Cathy McCall, Support Coordinator, from the Joint Peel-Caledon AAC, to recognize her presentation on the Meadowvale Clinic. The presentation included a description of how the Clinic space was designed through the use of barrier-free guidelines.
Information Completed
Housing & Property
  • Reviewing and updating design guidelines for affordable housing.
Policy/Practice On-going
Social Services
  • Ontario Works Client Services increased the availability of home visits and telephone participation updates for clients who have mobility or other issues that inhibit their ability to visit an Ontario Works office.
Policy/Practice Physical Completed
  • Scripts being read to Ontario Works applicants over the phone were rewritten into simpler language to allow for greater understanding.
Policy/Practice Completed
  • New sensory/tactile materials and equipment were purchased through the Special Needs program for the directly-operated child care centres. This allows for enhanced programming for children with special needs.
Information Completed
  1. Develop a process for the reporting of barriers and accessibility initiatives
Research potential approaches and provide recommendation. Corporate Services
  • Accessibility Planning Specialist provided a demonstration of the BITT reporting form on Pathways, the Region’s intranet source.
Information Completed
  1. Integrate accessibility into key planning documents
Ensure accessibility is included in the strategic plan. Executive Office
  • Accessibility was integrated into the Corporate Planning Process, and is addressed in the Region’s Strategic Plan under Strategic Action 5.4 “Contribute to creating a receptive, accessible community that ensures full participation of individuals with disabilities.”
Policy/Practice Completed
  • Quarterly updates on all Strategic Actions, including 5.4, were tabled before the Executive Management Team
   
People, Information & Technology
  • Accessibility was identified in the Content Management Business Case for renewal of the Pathways intranet and the external Regional Website.
Policy/Practice Completed &
on-going
Ensure accessibility plans incorporated into departmental Service Strategy Business Plans (SSBP). Corporate Services
  • Under the process section of the Service Strategy and Business Plan (SSBP), the Accessibility Planning Program was identified.
Policy/Practice Completed
  • Under the projects section of SSBP, “Implementation of Accessibility SSBP” was identified as a project in Corporate Services SSBP.
   
Executive Office
  • Issue of accessibility was considered in the creation of the 2006 Executive Office SSBP.
Policy/Practice Completed
Health
  • Developing and implementing an Access and Equity Strategy, which is part of the department’s SSBP 2006.
Policy/Practice Completed &
on-going
  • According to Objective #1.1 of the Long-Term Care SSBP 2006, the department has and will continue to upgrade existing infrastructure to enhance the quality of life and reduce risks to people with disabilities (eg., by ensuring accessibility to public events and meetings).
   
Housing & Property
  • Under SSBP 2005, accessibility has been and will continue to be incorporated into project planning and for the corporation as a whole.
Policy/Practice Completed &
on-going
People, Information & Technology
  • Accessibility was identified in Human Resources SSBP
Policy/Practice Completed &
on-going
  • In Information & Technology Services SSBP, accessibility was identified as an emerging trend and key strategic issue affecting current programs in the Content Management Initiative.
   
Public Works
  • Under “Monitoring and Measuring the SSBP”, one of the objectives is to develop and foster a healthy, committed and capable workforce by reducing accessibility barriers (Section E.1.1).
Policy/Practice On-going
Ensure accessibility integrated into human services component of Regional Official Plan renewal. Planning
  • The human services amendment within the Regional Official Plan (ROPA 11) added and amended 13 policies to address accessibility (including transportation, social and special needs housing, and long-term care facilities).
Policy/Practice Completed
Ensure transportation needs of persons with disabilities included as a component in transportation demand studies. Housing & Property
  • During site plan reviews of proposed new buildings, staff will continue to work with various municipalities and agencies to ensure bus stops are situated as close as possible to the buildings.
Physical Completed &
on-going
Planning
  • A draft of The Long Range Transportation Report has been finalized. This report is a policy guide and a culmination of four sub-studies (including the Transportation for Persons with Disabilities study). It was also the referral tool in developing the Regional Official Plan’s human services amendment.
Policy/Practice Completed
Social Services
  • A Transportation Accessibility Specialist was hired.
Information Communication Completed
  • Transhelp’s scooter policy was revised to allow clients the option of staying on their scooter to board the bus when using the lift.
Physical Completed
  1. Ensure accessibility while organizing corporate events and meetings
Create a checklist to support decision-making and publish at Pathways. Corporate Services
  • Tested, selected and purchased a portable wheelchair ramp for access to areas normally not accessible to a person in a wheelchair. A notification will be sent through Pathways to advise staff of its availability.
Physical Completed &
on-going
Executive Office
  • Accessibility requirements were considered in event planning for the Together We’re Better Awards (TWBA), the Commissioners and Directors (CD) Meeting, and the Commissioners, Directors, Managers, Supervisors (CDMS) meeting. Attendees were invited to advise event organizers of such requirements in order to accommodate their needs.
Policy/Practice and Physical Completed
Health
  • When planning committee/workgroup meetings with community partners, the department ensures that the accommodation needs of all internal and external committee members are met.
Policy/Practice Completed &
on-going
Public Works
  • Hosted a public information forum on the construction permit process which was accessible to people with disabilities.
Information and Communication Completed
  1. Ensure effective process in place to address facility and architectural barriers
Research and prepare guidelines and standards for site managers to assist in identifying barriers in existing and new facilities. Corporate Services
  • Members of the AAC attended a focus group session at the Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga . Feedback was provided on how to enhance accessibility and accommodation for persons with disabilities within a hospital setting.
Physical Completed
Finance
  • Identified and are continuing to identify accessibility barriers for wheelchair users in a number of key passage corridors with the help of Property Services. For example, a printer stand and shelving units have been relocated to another floor to provide greater wheelchair accessibility.
Physical Completed &
on-going
Health
  • Fully met the Equal Access Program Standard (#2) under the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care’s 1997 Mandatory Health Programs and Services Guidelines (e.g. “When planning to use facilities and sites for mandatory public health programs, the board of health shall select those which are barrier-free and have suitable access”.
Physical Completed
  • Guidelines and standards for identifying barriers are taken into consideration by the Access and Information Services Team when planning for the development of new facilities.
Architectural & Physical Completed &
on-going
Housing & Property
  • Caledon Community Services (CCS) obtained $75,000 grant from the provincial government for accessibility retrofits for seniors’ buildings. The Region of Peel will be working with CCS on this.
Architectural & Physical Completed
  • Review of construction/ accessibility needs was incorporated into Request for Proposals (RFP), which allows items and barriers previously raised to be addressed prior to the construction of new buildings.
  Completed
  • Reviewing current building inspection forms to add identification of any barriers encountered.
   
  • AAC reviewed Summerville Pines and drafted improvement recommendations for incorporation into design guidelines.
  Completed
  • A Barrier Free Questionnaire on physical structures has been incorporated into the Building Condition Assessments conducted by staff on all regional buildings managed by the department.
   
Public Works
  • Audible pedestrian signal equipment was installed at the intersection of Derry Road and Rosehurst/Lisgar Drive in the City of Mississauga.
Visual Completed
 
  • Incorporated accessibility into new construction projects including Battleford Community Recycling Centre (CRC), the Peel Integrated Waste Management facility, and future projects. Accessibility will continue to be incorporated into the construction of future facilities.
Architectural, Physical & Policy/Practice Completed &
on-going
  • Constructed accessible ramp to gazebo in learning garden of Brampton CRC.
   
  • Modified sequence of operation for accessible door at main entrance to Wolfedale Yard.
   
  • New access control card readers at Copper Yard have been mounted in compliance with CSA standard.
   
  • Washroom made accessible at Bolton CRC.
   
  • Accessibility was given thorough consideration at newly leased facility at 11 Indell Lane.
   
  • Reviewed accessibility requirements at water treatment facilities and future administration buildings.
   
  • Conducted accessibility audit of Battleford CRC.
   
Social Services
  • Guidelines and standards to identify barriers have been incorporated into plans for renovations at a number of directly-operated child care centres (Valley, Collegeside, Malton, Chinguacousy) and other centres (Infant Therapeutic Program, new office at 2 County Court Blvd). All plans were approved.
Policy/Practice Physical Completed
  • A standard process is in place to ensure site plans and drawings are reviewed by AACs at the Regional and Municipal levels.
Policy/Practice Physical Completed
  • Reception counters in two Ontario Works sites were lowered to accommodate people with disabilities.
Physical Completed
  • Construction of Peel Youth Village included accessibility considerations such as accessible entrances, elevators, doorways, washrooms.
   
  • Renovations completed at the Valley Child Care Centre, which is now wheelchair accessible.
   
Review and advise on detailed plan for Joint Use Facility (JUF). Health
  • Staff from the Access and Information Services Team have provided advice.
Information Completed
Housing & Property
  • Reviewing CSA standards in the context of the JUF. This review, which will point out areas where standards were met and/or exceeded, will be brought forward to the AAC.
Policy/Practice Information On-going
 
  • The design features of the facility, which are based on design guidelines provided by the department, will be reviewed by the AAC.
   
 

3. To address policy issues and optimize advocacy efforts

Actions Tasks Department Accomplishments
to-date
Barrier Type Time Frame
  1. Undertake policy development approach
Develop a barrier free policy for the Region of Peel to address barrier removal and prevention.        
  1. Establish strong partnerships with other governments and organizations
Participate in existing networks.

Corporate Services
  • A meeting was held between communications specialists regarding accessibility.
Information & Communication Completed
Housing & Property
  • PATH (Peel Access to Housing) has established working relationships with community agencies, supportive housing providers and health care agencies to better identify and address the housing needs of applicants requiring special needs housing.
Information & Communication Completed &
On-going
Social Services
  • Partnered with other special needs agencies in Peel to create a single point of access for children with special needs from birth–6 years. Program called ‘Child Care Special Needs Access Point-Peel’ or ‘Child Care SNAP-Peel’. Official Launch of program was April 5, 2005 . One staff hired as Specialist, Special Needs Referrals (this position is based with the Region).
Communication Completed
  • Children’s Services has strong working partnerships with community agencies – e.g. Peel Preschool Special Needs Resourcing group.
   
  • Ontario Works’ specialized teams have become more directly involved as liaison on client’s behalf with community agencies, health practitioners and the Disability Adjudication Unit and Ontario Disability support Program offices.
   
Establish a network of Peel professionals responsible for implementing ODA. Corporate Services
  • Accessibility Planning Coordinators from Peel, Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon met regularly.
Information Policy/Practice On-going
Housing & Property
  • There are a number of committees that meet to discuss existing barriers and initiatives taken to remove barriers within their division.
Information On-going
Social Services
  • Introduction of a “Myths and Barriers Policy and Procedure” working group to review existing and new policies and procedures to ensure better services to clients with disabilities.
Information On-going
  1. Pursue advocacy opportunities with the province
         
 

4. To build public awareness and knowledge of accessibility issues

Actions Tasks Department Accomplishments
to-date
Barrier Type Time Frame
  1. Create opportunities for public involvement
Post AAC agendas and minutes on external Website. Corporate Services
  • Internet posting of all AAC meeting agendas and minutes.
Information & Communication Completed
Host a community event/forum Corporate Services
  • Organization of first Joint meeting between the Region of Peel, Town of Caledon, City of Brampton and City of Mississauga Accessibility Advisory Committees. This meeting addressed communication barriers in the area of inter-regional transit.
Information Completed
  1. Implement an external communication and education strategy
Develop approach to engage stakeholders in renewal of plan. Corporate Services
  • Enhanced community representation on the AAC by adding an elected official from the City of Brampton, City Councillor Sandra Hames, to the AAC.
Information Completed
Develop an external and internal communication strategy. Corporate Services
  • Acquisition of Microsoft module to allow e-mailing of Word files with track changes removed. Word files are preferred over scanned files for visually impaired persons using readers.
Information & Communication Completed
Health
  • Featured achievements and success stories regarding accessibility through departmental SSBP communication materials (eg, posters/plaques/brochures).
Information & Communication Completed
Social Services
  • Ontario Works has created new letters to help communicate additional financial and community services available for people with disabilities.
Information & Communication Completed
Develop and maintain external accessibility planning page.  
  • Information addressing information/attitude barriers have been updated on the Region of Peel Website’s Accessibility Resource Pages.
   
Provide regular updates and news/ information to media.