Proposed Intermunicipal Accessibility Committee - IAACDI

From: Kim Jordison kjordison@colwood.ca Sent: April 2, 2023 7:24 PM To: Mayor & Council mayorandcouncil@colwood.ca; Marcy Lalande mlalande@colwood.ca; council@esquimalt.ca; deb.hopkins@esquimalt.ca; mmiles@highlands.ca; kwilliams@highlands.ca; mayor@langford.ca; kguiry@langford.ca; charder@langford.ca; mmorley@langford.ca; lszpak@langford.ca; mwagner@langford.ca; kyacucha@langford.ca; mayorandcouncil@metchosin.ca; thansen@metchosin.ca; cmushata@sooke.ca; council@sooke.ca; Mayor And Council Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca; Info Address info@viewroyal.ca Subject: Proposed Intermunicipal Accessibility Committee - IAACDI

Dear Mayors, Councillors and Corporate Officers,

As a member representative for the City of Colwood, on the Intermunicipal Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (IACDI), I am writing to advocate for IACDI and its current membership to be the committee to represent the municipal requirements for the provincially legislated Accessible BC Act.

I appreciate the amount of work that each municipal Corporate Officer has put into the many reports that have been brought to each respective Council for consideration, and I mean no disrespect when I say this but I am disappointed that most forgot to check in with the very committee that has been doing this work for the community and for each municipality since 1989. We do not have to reinvent the wheel as we already have a Committee committed to this work.

I feel that IACDI should be given the opportunity to update its Terms of Reference to meet the requirements of the provincial legislation. I spoke with Marnie Essery, the current Chair of IACDI and I offered to revamp IACDI's current Terms of Reference to adhere to the great work that the Town of View Royal has already provided.

Due to timing, I have not yet been able to connect back with Marnie and I am leaving for vacation tomorrow. So please keep in mind that this draft and suggested changes/updates have not yet been reviewed by IACDI. Marnie has suggested that this would be an item on the next agenda and AGM of IACDI on Thurs April 20th. In any event, Colwood Council has referred the reports back to IACDI for their comment/review.

Also please note that I believe SPAAC (Saanich Peninsula Accessibility Advisory Committee) for District of Central Saanich, District of North Saanich and Town of Sidney appear to be moving forward with using their current accessibility committee to conform to the requirements of the provincial legislation.

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City of Colwood Motion

The motion the City of Colwood put forward was:

• THAT in response to the new Provincial requirement to establish an accessibility committee by September 1, 2023;
• THAT the City of Colwood particpate in a joint sub-regional accessibility committee comprised of seven municipalities; the City of Colwood, the Township of Esquimalt, the District of Highlands, the City of Langford, the District of Metchosin, the District of Sooke,and the Town of View Royal;
• AND THAT the current membership of the Intermunicipal Committee on Disability Issues (IACDI) form the foundation for this Accessibility Committee;
• AND THAT the City of Colwood contribute $10,000 to retain a consultant to prepare an accessibility plan which member municipalities will apply to their own accessibility initiatives;
• AND THAT the City of Colwood be prepared to allocate its share of annual operating funds for committee expenses;
• AND THAT the draft committee terms of reference, provided as Attachment "D" to this report be supported;
• AND THAT if necessary, the City of Colwood participate in a joint accessibility committee advertisement seeking members for this committee;
• AND FURTHER THAT the City of Colwood establish an email address to receive public comments as set out in the legislation.

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Colwood Council approved the contribution of $10,000 to retain a consultant to prepare an accessibility plan which member municipalities will apply to their own accessibility initiatives and requested IACDI be consulted prior to making a decision on proceeding forward.

Attached is the suggested draft logo/rename of the Committee, the history of IACDI and the draft Terms of Reference with comments throughout.

I would really appreciate it if we all worked together with IACDI in respect of all the great work they have done to date and to give them an opportunity for comment before proceeding with establishing a new committee.

"Nothing about us, without us"

Thank you for your time and consideration on this important matter,

Kim

Kim Jordison Councillor City of Colwood