CAPITAL WEST ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE – TERMS OF REFERENCE, PROGRESS UPDATE & NEXT STEPS

COUNCIL REPORT

TO: Council
DATE: October 3, 2023
FROM: Sarah Jones, Corporate Officer
MEETING DATE: October 17, 2023

CAPITAL WEST ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE – TERMS OF REFERENCE, PROGRESS UPDATE & NEXT STEPS

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee Terms of Reference be received, facilitating the launch of the inaugural Accessibility Plan initiative;

AND THAT composition of the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee be clarified to indicate that participation of the named partners is for those “who may choose to participate in the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee”.

PURPOSE OF REPORT:

To provide Council with the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee terms of reference as well as a progress update and to describe next steps.

TIME CRITICAL:

A commitment was made to provide committee terms of reference in the fall of 2023. The first meeting is set for set for November 22, 2023.

BACKGROUND:

At its July 18, 2023 meeting Council approved participation in a joint intermunicipal staff accessibility advisory committee and a commitment was made to provide the committee’s terms of reference in the fall of 2023. This report provides those terms of reference as well as a progress update and next steps, including transition to a community membership composition for the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee.

Since that July meeting, Councils in the potential sub-regional partnership have also considered their approach and the following table summarizes the decisions made regarding the committee:

To summarize, an Accessibility Plan for the sub-region will be developed that includes the District of Highlands, the City of Langford, the District of Sooke, and the Town of View Royal with the staff committee to include these four partners along with a representative from the Township of Esquimalt.

Based on the responses from other municipalities, it is appropriate to clarify the Town’s July 18 motion (C-100-23) to be less specific concerning participation by other municipalities. The recommendation provides a suitable modification.

DISCUSSION:

Terms of Reference:

Schedule “A” attached to this report is the terms of reference for the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee. As described in that document, the first meeting is set for November 22, 2023.

As discussed in the July 18, 2023 staff report, it is envisioned that the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee membership transition to be community based after the first Accessibility Plan is delivered. Revised terms of reference can be prepared at that time.

Progress Made to Date:

Based on the Council direction provided on July 18, 2023, progress is being made. View Royal has:

• established a feedback tool with accessibility@viewroyal.ca;
• a webpage is in place (View Royal - Accessibility);
• the very beginnings of an accessibility plan based on the template provided through the BC Accessibility Hub has begun; and
• research on:
  • staff training opportunities,
  • website upgrades, and
  • online surveys for use in this sub-region is underway.

Currently, some staff that form the initial Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee have completed a course offered in partnership between the Rick Hansen Foundation and Athabasca University. As well, the Corporate Officer from the Town of View Royal has begun a more in-depth course – Accessibility Assessor Training – which covers Universal design principles and standards, adding a further depth of knowledge to assist in identification of and ways to remove and prevent barriers for people with impairments (be these physical, sensory, mental, intellectual or cognitive and whether these be permanent, temporary or episodic).

Next Steps:

The following is a tentative outline of next steps that can be worked on once the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee convenes:

As well, ongoing work can occur within each of the partner municipalities such as broad staff training and education, website review and improvements; and employment form review and improvements.

CONCLUSION:

With terms of reference in place, the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee can begin its work. From this work, each partner municipality can arrive at the point of applying for Provincially funded Local Community Accessibility Grants to remove identified barriers.

Upon receipt of the inaugural Accessibility Plan, transition of the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee to a community committee from a staff committee composition can occur. Terms of reference for that community committee can be considered more closely to that time.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Attachment “A” - Terms of Reference