Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee
The full agenda, as filed
All 12 items in the clerk’s order. Each carries the city’s own words: the staff recommendation, what the body decided, and its status. Nothing below is written by us.
DI11.1received
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, Chair, Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee will give a presentation to the Committee on recent initiatives and updates.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee received the item for information.
DI11.2amended
Toronto Public Health's Response and Efforts Related to COVID-19
Dr. Eileen de Villa, Medical Officer of Health will give a presentation on Toronto Public Health's Response and Efforts Related to COVID-19.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends to the Executive Committee that: 1. City Council request the Medical Officer of Health to report to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee in the second quarter of 2021 or sooner on strategies and outcomes on how current health programs are reaching target demographics, including persons living with disabilities, in order to ensure their needs are being met. 2. City Council request the Medical Officer of Health to develop public health guidelines and recommendations to minimize the transmission of COVID-19 to people with disabilities living independently outside of congregate settings, and report back to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee in the second quarter of 2021 or sooner, such recommendations to include: a. expanding access to affordable, or free, personal protective equipment; b. increasing access and delivery of the influenza vaccine via mobile medical units; c. working with the Toronto Transit Commission and Wheel-Trans on flexible programs, and times, to accommodate medical appointments; and d. a communication plan that takes into consideration the needs of all members of the disability community, including deaf people and people with developmental disabilities. 3. City Council request the Province of Ontario to work in partnership with Toronto Public Health to authorize paramedics or other emergency medical service providers to deliver COVID-19 testing. 4. City Council request the Province of Ontario to accelerate and expand the availability of mobile medical programs to include access to COVID-19 testing and the delivery of the influenza vaccine to populations disproportionately affected by COVID-19 including women, racialized and low-income populations, and people living with disabilities.
DI11.3amended
Justin Lewis, Director, Infrastructure Planning and Development, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration will give a presentation on Supporting People with Disabilities in Toronto During and Beyond COVID-19. The presentation is a joint endeavour with the Housing Secretariat and will outline supports to vulnerable people with disabilities in Toronto during and beyond COVID-19.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends to the Economic and Community Development Committee that: 1. City Council direct the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, in collaboration with the General Manager, Shelter Support and Housing Administration to bring forward a report in the first quarter of 2021 to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee, outlining an intersectional approach to support equity-seeking groups, including persons with disabilities experiencing homelessness to access housing with appropriate supports.
DI11.4amended
COVID-19 Response and Accessibility - Parks, Forestry and Recreation Programs
Howie Dayton, Director, Community Recreation, and Sharon Butler, Manager, Community Recreation, Parks, Forestry and Recreation will give a presentation on COVID-19 Response and Accessibility related to various Parks, Forestry and Recreation programs. The presentation will include information on SwimTO, CampTO and any new or existing recreational programs and initiatives, detailing any efforts and modifications to accommodate persons with disabilities, and any employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends that: 1. City Council request the Medical Officer of Health to review Toronto's public health guidelines regarding access to public washroom facilities, and to work with the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management to support safely re-opening washrooms in all open community centres and parks. 2. Economic and Community Development Committee recommend that City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in collaboration with the Chief Communications Officer, to update the City of Toronto website to include all City recreation programs operating through the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating which programs are accessible, and communicate changes through all appropriate City channels, and report back to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee in the first quarter of 2021.
DI11.5amended
Equity Responsive Budgeting at the City of Toronto
Sarah Blackstock, Manager, Social Policy, Social Development, Finance and Administration Division will provide a presentation on the City's Equity Responsive Budgeting initiative.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends to the Executive Committee that: 1. City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, in collaboration with the Chief People Officer, to provide a report to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee, identifying how the City's Equity Responsive Budgeting initiative will align with the City's Data for Equity Strategy and support the use of sociodemographic data in the development of the Operating Budget in the fourth quarter of 2021.
DI11.6amended
CaféTO and CurbTO - Accessibility
Jodi Callan, Project Manager, Policy and Innovation Unit, Transportation Services will give a presentation on CaféTO and CurbTO. The presentation will focus on the development and implementation of these programs as a rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including information on accessibility considerations.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends to standing committee that: 1. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the General Manager, Municipal Licensing and Standards, and accessibility stakeholders, to develop accessibility guidelines and workshops, on the CurbTO and CaféTO programs, and report back on these initiatives to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee by the end of the second quarter of 2021 or prior to implementation, such guidelines to include: a. uniform standards on the use of asphalt ramps; b. inspection and enforcement schedule; and c. standards of design of curb lane patios.
DI11.7amended
Becky Katz, Manager, Cycling and Pedestrian Project, will give a presentation on ActiveTO as a rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The presentation will focus on the development and implementation of this program with a focus on the ActiveTO cycling network acceleration accessibility components and to seek feedback on future accessibility considerations and improvements.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee that: 1. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with accessibility stakeholders, to develop accessibility guidelines, workshops, and harmonized standards in the delivery of an expanded cycling network and report back to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee by the end of the third quarter of 2021.
DI11.8amended
Wheel-Trans Update on Public Consultation and COVID-19 Response
Dwayne Geddes, Head of Wheel-Trans, TTC, will provide an update on the public consultations held for customers to receive feedback from parents travelling with infants and strollers and the potential use of skype for appeals. The presentation will include an overview of TTC's service modifications as a response to COVID-19.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends to the Executive Committee that: 1. City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission Board to request Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission to deploy and schedule larger fleet vehicles when providing Wheel-Trans ride share to facilitate physical distancing and other public health guidelines where needed and to incorporate verbal and visual announcements requesting passengers practice physical distancing while riding the TTC and report back to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee in the first quarter of 2021. 2. City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission Board to request Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, to consult with accessibility stakeholders on options for remote participation in the Wheel Trans appeals process as well as establish public guidelines, in compliance with current Toronto Public Health recommendations, to promote in-person and remote appeals and to ensure accommodations are available as requested, and report back to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee in the third quarter of 2021.
DI11.9adopted
Communicating COVID-related Information and Impacts to People Living with Disabilities
The Chief Communications Officer is reporting back on measures in place and changes to process moving forward to help communicate COVID-related information and impacts to persons living with disabilities, as requested by the Committee on July 3, 2020.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee: 1. Received the report (November 3, 2020) from the Chief Communications Officer for information.
Staff recommendation as filed
The Chief Communications Officer recommends that: 1. The Toronto Accessibility Committee receive this report for information.
DI11.10amended
Remote Participation in Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee Meetings
The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the remote electronic participation amendments to the Simplified Procedures for Advisory Bodies which govern the meetings of Council Advisory Bodies, including the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee, as requested by the Committee. At present, the amended Simplified Procedures permit any member of an Advisory Body to participate in meetings by electronic means, and be counted for quorum. As it stands, these amendments will remain in place for a period of one year following the termination of the municipal emergency related to COVID-19.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends to the Executive Committee that: 1. City Council amend the Simplified Procedures for Advisory Bodies to permit remote electronic participation in perpetuity. 2. City Council request the Chief Technology Officer, in consultation with the City Clerk, to explore options for improving accessibility for all participants in remote meetings of Council and Committees, such as captioning, and to report back to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee by the second quarter of 2021.
Staff recommendation as filed
The City Clerk recommends that: 1. The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee receive this report for information.
DI11.11adopted
Request for an Update on the Suspension of the Fair Pass Transit Discount Program
According to an article in the Friday September 25th, 2020 edition of the Toronto Star, the City of Toronto's Social Development, Finance and Administration Division suspended the Fair Pass Transit Discount Program on March 17th, 2020, leaving vulnerable transit users unable to renew their discounted passes and submit new applications. As highlighted in the article, City Council approved the Fair Pass Transit Discount Program in 2016 as a transit equity improvement initiative as part of its poverty reduction strategy. The City of Toronto's Fair Pass Transit Discount Program is available for eligible adult recipients of either the Ontario Disability Support Program, Ontario Works or a City of Toronto Child Care Fee Subsidy. The Fair Pass Transit Discount Program provides a $1.10 discount on a single adult TTC fare and a $32.75 discount on a monthly adult TTC pass. The suspension of said program is problematic as it amplifies the economic hardship already experienced by persons with disabilities and violates the spirit of Council's efforts to reduce poverty, especially during the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The fact that no target date has been set for the resumption of the program only heightens the anxiety that exists within the disability community that this program has been permanently terminated.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends that: 1. City Council request the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to present an update on the suspension of the Fare Pass Transit Discount Program to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee no later than the end of the first quarter of 2021.
Staff recommendation as filed
Michael Miceli recommends that the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommend that: 1. The Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration be requested to present an update on the suspension of the Fare Pass Transit Discount Program to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee no later than the end of the first quarter of 2021.
DI11.12adopted
Request for a Presentation on the Customer Experience Transformation and Innovation Program
According to a City of Toronto news release dated December 13, 2019, the City transitioned its Civic Innovation Office to a newly formed Customer Experience Transformation and Innovation (CXi) program effective January 1, 2020. This news release details the initiatives of the Civic Innovation Office to increase civic engagement with underrepresented people, which included testing a digital translation application tool to help citizens overcome language barriers to public participation in city services and governance. This office also championed Human Centred Design at the City as a means of approaching innovation and public engagement differently. Lastly, this news release notes that the CXi program was established as a means of unifying the City's customer service initiatives with a focus on improving the user experience and ensuring that residents have the best experience possible when they access City services.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends that the General Government and Licensing Committee: 1. Request the Program Director, Customer Experience Transformation and Innovation to make a presentation to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee no later than the end of the first quarter of 2021 on the Customer Experience Transformation and Innovation Program, including any current and future initiatives related to people with disabilities.
Staff recommendation as filed
Michael Miceli recommends that the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommend that: 1. The Program Director, Customer Experience Transformation and Innovation be requested to make a presentation to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee no later than the end of the first quarter of 2021 on the Customer Experience Transformation and Innovation Program, including any current and future initiatives related to people with disabilities.