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THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF YORK

 

 

REPORT NO. 1

OF THE REGIONAL

ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MEETING HELD ON FEBRUARY 25, 2009

 

 

For Consideration by the

Community Services and Housing Committee of

The Regional Municipality of York

on March 11, 2009

 

 

                                   

Chair:               Regional Councillor V. Spatafora

 

Members:          J. Cameron

                        M. Gaukel

                        C. Gorlewski

                        K. Hill

                        D. Hardaker

                        D. Hordo

                        W. Morley, Vice Chair

                        T. Robichaud

                        Regional Councillor J. Taylor

                        Regional Councillor D. Wheeler

                        Regional Chair B. Fisch (ex-officio)

 

Staff Present:    C. Abankwa-Harris, D. Basso, H. Beairsto, B. Bridle, I. Buchanan,

                        L. Davies, M. Gallant, L. Gonsalves, T. Grover, M. Herder,

                        J. Hulton, T. Paleczny, C. Raynor, D. Seetaram, P. Thiru, D. Trojan.

 

The Accessibility Advisory Committee began its meeting at 4:12 p.m. on February 25, 2009.

 

 

1  UPDATE - COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS

 

The Accessibility Advisory Committee advises the Community Services and Housing Committee of the following matters having been considered by the Accessibility Advisory Committee with the following action:

 

 

ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR

 

1. Regional Councillor Vito Spatafora was elected Chair and Wilf Morley was elected Vice Chair of the Accessibility Advisory Committee for 2009.

 

 

[The following links open .pdf files of the Presentations]

 

PRESENTATIONS

 

1. Michelle Herder, Program Manager, Corporate Customer Service Strategy, and Heather Beairsto, Program Manager, Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, regarding 'Update: AODA Customer Service Regulation'.  Received. 

 

2. Ian Buchanan, Manager, Natural Heritage and Forestry Services, Roads Branch, Transportation Services Department, regarding 'Accessibility of York Regional Forest Trails'.  Received.

 

 

[The following links open .pdf files of the Communications]

 

COMMUNICATIONS

 

1. Connie Phillipson, Executive Director, Regional Municipality of York Police Services Board, dated November 27, 2008, regarding 'The Regional Municipality of York Police Services Board – Report of the Regional Solicitor – Update on the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005.'  Received.

 

2. Connie Phillipson, Executive Director, Regional Municipality of York Police Services Board, dated February 5, 2009, regarding 'The Regional Municipality of York Police Services Board – Report of the Chief of Police – Update on the Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2001 and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005.'  Received.

 

3. Memorandum from Barb Bridle, Committee Co-ordinator, Regional Clerk's Office, dated February 19, 2009, forwarding a report from the Regional Transit Committee entitled 'York Region Transit Mobility Plus Appointments to Eligibility Appeal Panel'.  Received.

 

4. Memorandum from Loretta Chandler, Manager, York Region Emergency Management, dated February 17, 2009, regarding 'Response from York Region Emergency Management regarding York Region Accessibility Advisory Committee's recommendations'.  Received.

 

5. Copy of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Member Communication Alert No. 09/008 and a letter from AMO to the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, Minister of Community and Social Services, dated February 3, 2009 regarding 'The Initial Proposed Standards for Accessible Information and Communications'.  Received.

 

6. Copy of letter from the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO) to the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, Minister of Community and Social Services, dated January 30, 2009 regarding 'Proposed Accessible Information and Communications Standard'.  Received.

 

7. Copy of letter from the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA) to the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, Minister of Community and Social Services and the Honourable Dwight Duncan, Minister of Finance, dated January 26, 2009, regarding 'Proposed AODA Information and Communications Standard'.  Received.

 

 

OTHER BUSINESS

 

1. Lisa Gonsalves, Manager, Program and Policy Development, Community and Health Services Department, provided a brief update on the 'Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005'. 

 

The Committee requested that staff conduct an analysis and report back in the fall with revised cost estimates for the Region to implement the Customer Service Regulation.

 

2. Lois Davies, Program Manager, ODA/AODA, Community and Health Services Department, provided a brief update on the 'Development of the York Region 2009 Accessibility Plan'. 

 

Received with direction that the Chair of AAC correspond with Regional Council to request that May 24 – 30, 2009 be recognized as National Access Awareness Week.

 

3. Marg Gaukel invited Committee members to participate, along with Council members from the Town of East Gwillimbury, in a Wheelchair Rally to be held on Saturday, June 6, 2009 at their local Community Centre.  Marg will bring more information to the April Committee meeting. 

 

4. Marg Gaukel noted that Southlake Regional Health Centre is using the City of Toronto accessibility guidelines versus the York Region accessibility guidelines. 

 

Staff will be attending a meeting with the municipal group, which includes the hospitals, in March and will investigate and report back to the Committee.

 

5. Wilf Morley questioned Mobility transfer points between Durham and York Regions.  It was confirmed that Markham Stouffville Hospital is a designated transfer point and that Metrolinx is working to ensure connecting points within all the GTA and are cognizant of the lack of transfer points between York and Durham Regions.

 

6. Wilf Morley raised concerns expressed by the Mayor of Scugog regarding costs for implementation of the AODA standards, and their proposal to host a workshop for interested municipalities. 

 

Staff was requested to investigate this further and report back to the Committee.

 

 

 

The Accessibility Advisory Committee adjourned at 5:43 p.m.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

February 25, 2009                                                                               V. Spatafora

Newmarket, Ontario                                                                            Chair

 

 

Barbara Bridle

Tel. (905) 830-4444 x 1303