Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee Minutes

June 26, 2024, 2:00 PM Council Chambers & Electronic Meeting

PRESENT: M. Miles, Manager of Legislative Services - Acting Chair D. Hopkins, Corporate Officer, Esquimalt S. Jones, Corporate Officer, View Royal T. Hansen, Corporate Officer, Metchosin M. Lalande, Corporate Officer, Colwood

ABSENT: M. Watmough, Corporate Officer, Langford J. Bagnall, Corporate Officer, District of Sooke

ATTENDING: K. Dube, Senior Manager of IT & GIS R. Gillich, Systems Administrator, Information Technology N. Johnston, Legislative Services Administrative Coordinator

Meeting available by teleconference.

1. TERRITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

M. Watmough, Corporate Officer, City of Langford, Chair, was absent for the meeting. M. Miles, Manager of Legislative Services assumed the role of the Chair.

M. Miles, Manager of Legislative Services and Acting Chair of the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee, read the City of Langford's Territorial Acknowledgment.

2. VICE CHAIR APPOINTMENT

2.1 Election of Vice-Chair

The Acting Chair noted that the need for a new Vice-Chair has arisen due to a staffing change.

MOVED BY: Sarah Jones SECONDED: Deb Hopkins

THAT Sarah Jones, Corporate Officer, Town of View Royal be appointed as the Vice Chair of the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee.

Motion CARRIED.

3. CALL TO ORDER

The Acting Chair called the meeting to order at 2:10 pm.

4. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

MOVED BY: Deb Hopkins SECONDED: Marcy Lalande

THAT the Committee approve the agenda as presented.

Motion CARRIED.

5. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES

5.1 Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee Minutes - April 24, 2024

MOVED BY: Sarah Jones SECONDED: Deb Hopkins

THAT the minutes of the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting held Wednesday, April 24, 2024 be adopted as circulated.

Motion CARRIED.

6. REPORTS

6.1 Membership Updates

T. Hansen, Corporate Officer, District of Metchosin joined the meeting at 2:14 pm.

The Acting Chair read the membership update as written in the agenda. The District of Highlands will notify the Committee when a new Corporate Officer has been selected.

6.2 Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee Meeting Dates and Times

The Acting Chair provided an overview of the report and opened the floor for comments and questions. The Committee noted the following:

Dates and times were carefully selected when the Committee was forming to not impact the Council and Committee meetings of the member municipalities.
Hesitant to make changes to the schedule as this may make the schedule confusing for the public. Openness and transparency were a concern.
Changes may come to the schedule when the Committee brings on citizen representatives and there are not many meetings left in the calendar year.

MOVED BY: Sarah Jones SECONDED: Deb Hopkins

THAT the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee take no action in respect to amending the Terms of Reference pertaining to meeting dates and times.

Motion CARRIED.

6.3 SPARC BC Local Community Accessibility Grant Update

The Acting Chair provided an overview of the grant application. At this time, no action is required of the Committee.

6.4 Results of Request for Proposal (RFP) - Accessibility Engagement Consultant Update

S. Jones, Corporate Officer, Town of View Royal provided an overview of the Request for Proposal process. The following was noted:

"Changing Paces" will be awarded the contract and will deliver two virtual sessions and four in person that are to be completed by August 9, 2024.
Committee members should be expecting further communication regarding this contract soon.
Special meeting for the Committee will be taking place on September 4, 2024 at 2pm to hear from the consultant.

6.5 Next Steps - Discussion

The Acting Chair reviewed the upcoming meeting schedule and opened the floor to comments from the Committee. The following was noted:

The Special Meeting on September 4, 2024 at 2pm is in addition to the Regular Meeting scheduled for September 25, 2024 at 2pm.
The Federal Government (Employment and Social Development Canada) has released a new grant program titled the "Enabling Accessibility Fund." They are hosting informational webinars for eligible organizations to learn more and sign up is ongoing. Some members attended a session earlier in the day and shared the following information:
- There are a few application options that municipalities could use.
- Items like ramps, hearing loops, accessible doors, and washrooms are covered by this grant.
- 75% of the funding for these projects can come from the grant with 25% coming from the municipality.

6.6 Member Municipality Feedback Received

The Acting Chair asked for member municipalities to share their feedback received and the following was noted:

Esquimalt:

Request for wheelchair swings at playgrounds.
Received an "accessibility hunt" undertaken by locals that notified the municipality of numerous accessibility concerns such as inaccessible sidewalks, lack of braille in Township facilities, lack of emergency buttons, and issues with/lack of automatic door openers.

Langford:

European Accessibility Standards have been adopted at the federal level in Canada.
Interest in moving the podium or providing an alternative option for those who may experience difficulties using the current setup.
Those considering moving to Langford are using the accessibility email to ask questions about accessibility in the City.
Residents are recognizing the accessibility email as a resource and it is being used as a first point of contact (for example, people reaching out to us regarding School District 62 and accessibility because they are unsure who to speak with). Staff have been redirecting these inquiries appropriately.
Interest in including further accessibility related website features for use by the public such as interactive maps.
Interest from local retirement/care homes in having any upcoming community engagement come to them for an afternoon.
When policies are developed, make sure there are multiple options for providing feedback to make the process accessible.