Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee
The full agenda, as filed
All 7 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.
DI8.1received
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.
DI8.2amended
City of Toronto COVID-19 Response and Accessibility
The City of Toronto has undergone rapid changes, over the past three months, brought on by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent declaration of a State of Emergency. This situation is unprecedented, and the Emergency Operations Centre - led by Mayor Tory, Medical Officer of Health Eileen de Villa, and Toronto Fire Chief Matthew Pegg - has moved swiftly to bring forward new programs to safeguard public health and safety, and aid in economic recovery. The need for accelerated, emergency action is understandable, however it must also be acknowledged that the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee (TAAC) has a mandated role in providing advice to City staff, regarding policies, programs and services affecting people with disabilities. Several City of Toronto initiatives have come forward in recent weeks, which due to canceled meetings this Committee have not had an opportunity to review nor be consulted on. These initiatives include transportation programs such as ActiveTO, CurbTO and CafeTO. The City has also formed the new Office of Recovery and Rebuild, focussed on supporting economic resilience. People with disabilities contribute a unique perspective on transportation, use of public space, employment, and economic resilience. As such, TAAC must be meaningfully engaged in reviewing these new initiatives and allowed to provide critical advice, as our mandate requires. As normal City business begins to resume, City staff will now have the opportunity to bring forward presentations for TAAC review. It is important, therefore, that this committee identify priorities, make recommendations to request presentations from specific City Divisions and programs of interest, and advocate to improve any service enhancement or change that will impact the city life of people living with disabilities. TAAC must continue to fulfil its mandate of ensuring that any new or existing programs or initiatives are able to receive advice that will enhance their inclusivity of people with disabilities. This is particularly important during this current time of social and economic upheaval, when historically disadvantaged groups are left particularly vulnerable.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends to the Executive Committee that: 1. City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat to bring forward presentations on how the City is specifically supporting vulnerable people with disabilities in Toronto during and beyond COVID-19, to the September 24, 2020 meeting of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. 2. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, to bring forward presentations on CurbTO, ActiveTO, CafeTO, and any other new transportation programs and initiatives to address COVID-19, to the September 24, 2020 meeting of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. 3. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to bring forward presentations on SwimTO, CampTO, and any other 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, to the September 24, 2020 meeting of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. 4. City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, and the Chief People Officer, in collaboration with the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, and in consultation with accessibility stakeholders, to develop guidelines for businesses to support the needs of persons living with disabilities including: a. Access to clear face shields, and any alternatives including notepads, to facilitate lip reading, visual facial cues and communication with persons living with disabilities. b. Support persons who can assist in navigating smaller spaces to support physical distancing for people living with disability. c. Ensuring that cash remains an accepted legal tender across businesses. 5. City Council direct the Chief People Officer, in collaboration with the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and leveraging existing partnerships and programming, to explore opportunities to better support access to safe outdoor day programming for persons living with disabilities and any employment opportunities for persons with disabilities as part of a pilot strategy within the City's COVID-19 Recovery and Rebuild and report back in the first quarter of 2021. 6. City Council direct the Chief People Officer, in collaboration with the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the General Manager, Toronto Employment and Social Services, and in consultation with accessibility stakeholders, to develop an outreach model and determine an appropriate pilot strategy, for the purpose of providing support and referrals to relevant services, to inform persons living with disabilities, on opportunities for safe and accessible day programming and report back to the November 16, 2020 meeting of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. 7. City Council request the Toronto Transit Commission Board to direct the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission to bring forward presentations on new or existing initiatives, detailing any efforts and modifications to accommodate persons with disabilities, as a response to COVID-19 response and recovery, to the November 16, 2020 meeting of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. 8. City Council direct Strategic Communications along with any other applicable city divisions to consolidate and disseminate information on supports and services for persons living with disabilities, highlighting any services changes, additions or disruptions of new or existing services and report back by the November 16, 2020 meeting of Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. 9. City Council request the Medical Officer of Health to provide a presentation to the September 24, 2020 meeting of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee on Toronto Public Health's response and efforts related to COVID-19. 10. City Council direct the Toronto Office of Recovery and Rebuild to designate a staff person to be the liaison to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. 11. City Council request the Province of Ontario and the Federal government to increase the frequency and amount of funding opportunities for qualifying individuals and families, including those receiving the Disability Tax Credit, to better support their ongoing needs including: a. Access to protective personal equipment, including masks and gloves, for themselves and their personal support worker. b. Access to technology including wifi, computers and webcams to combat isolation and improve mental health. c. Access to recreation activities as many day programs, and respite centres are closed.
Staff recommendation as filed
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam recommends that: 1. City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, and the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat on Community and Social Services to bring forward presentations on how the City is specifically supporting vulnerable people with disabilities in Toronto during and beyond COVID-19, to the September 24, 2020 meeting of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. 2. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, to bring forward presentations on CurbTO, ActiveTO, CafeTO, and any other new transportation programs and initiatives to address COVID-19, to the September 24, 2020 meeting of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee.
DI8.3received
Saäd Rafi, Chief Recovery and Rebuild Officer, will provide a presentation on the role, activities and plans of the Toronto Office of Recovery and Rebuild.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee received the item for information.
DI8.4adopted
Options for Assistive, Remote Participation to Improve Accessibility
I would like the City Manager's Office to consider piloting assistive, remote access options for Committee participation for one or more members who may not be able to attend due to a mobility or other concern, but may otherwise be able and willing to participate. This is supported by: a. current and future health and human rights concerns and obligations. b. Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee's willingness to volunteer to be the pilot. By legislation, Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committees must be comprised of majority people with disabilities (PWD). Many PWDs may have health considerations limiting their mobility. An assistive remote access option, would remove what would otherwise be an arbitrary barrier to an obligation of equal access to participation.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends to the Executive Committee that: 1. The City Manager, in consultation with the City Clerk, review options for allowing remote participation by Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee members when an accommodation is required, and provide an update to the Committee on its November 16, 2020 meeting.
Staff recommendation as filed
Michael McNeely recommends that the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommend that: 1. The City Manager, in consultation with the City Clerk, review options for allowing remote participation by Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee members when an accommodation is required, and provide an update to the Committee on its November 16, 2020 meeting.
DI8.5adopted
Applying an Accessibility Lens to Improve Access and Inclusion in City Budget and Other Processes
According to multiple media reports, Mayor John Tory announced that the City of Toronto may be forced to implement "terrible and devastating" service cuts to a multiplicity of essential city services including emergency, fire, recreation, shelter and transit services, as well as reducing spaces in city-run long-term care facilities as early as Fall 2020 in response to a $1.5 billion dollar financial shortfall brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please see the below CBC news report for further details: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-covid-19-may-22-1.5580045 These "terrible and devastating" service cuts will have significant implications for people with disabilities and seniors in particular as the cuts include a 73.6 per cent reduction of the TTC's Wheel-Trans service resulting in a loss of more than four million rides and a 50 per cent reduction of spaces in city-run long-term care facilities, leading to the elimination of 1,321 spaces. People with disabilities have already been disproportionately affected and made more vulnerable to a greater extent than others during the COVID-19 pandemic due to limitations in physical distancing, the loss of personal support workers and the crisis in long term care exposed by the Canadian military, and the inequities experienced will only be exacerbated by these proposed service cuts.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends to the Executive Committee that: 1. City Council direct the City Manager and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to ensure that people with disabilities are consulted and/or have opportunity to provide input prior to Fall 2020 on any decisions related to service cuts. 2. City Council direct the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to apply a disability policy lens to all City of Toronto budget processes to ensure that accessibility and inclusion become central to budget planning and that accommodation costs and resources are addressed organizationally as per human rights legislation and Ontario Human Rights Commission Policy on Ableism 9.3: "…The costs of accommodation must be distributed as widely as possible within the organization so that no single department, employee, customer or subsidiary is burdened with the expense. The appropriate basis for evaluating the cost is based on the budget of the organization as a whole, not the branch or unit where the person with a disability works or has made an application…" 3. City Council direct the City Manager and the City Clerk to review options that improve accessibility to decision-making and save costs such as allowing for remote participation in Committee and consultation meetings and investigating other digital inclusion strategies. 4. City Council request the Mayor to champion and highlight the needs of people with disabilities when lobbying the Federal and Provincial Governments for financial assistance in addressing the budget shortfall expected this year.
Staff recommendation as filed
Michael Miceli recommends that Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommend that: 1. City Council direct the City Manager and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to ensure that people with disabilities are consulted and/or have opportunity to provide input prior to Fall 2020 on any decisions related to service cuts. 2. City Council direct the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, to apply a disability policy lens to all City of Toronto budget processes to ensure that accessibility and inclusion become central to budget planning and that accommodation costs and resources are addressed organizationally as per human rights legislation and Ontario Human Rights Commission Policy on Ableism 9.3: "…The costs of accommodation must be distributed as widely as possible within the organization so that no single department, employee, customer or subsidiary is burdened with the expense. The appropriate basis for evaluating the cost is based on the budget of the organization as a whole, not the branch or unit where the person with a disability works or has made an application…" 3. City Council direct the City Manager and the City Clerk to review options that improve accessibility to decision making and save costs such as allowing for remote participation in Committee and consultation meetings and investigating other digital inclusion strategies. 4. City Council request the Mayor to champion and highlight the needs of people with disabilities when lobbying the Federal and Provincial Governments for financial assistance in addressing the budget shortfall expected this year.
DI8.6adopted
Access and Waiting Areas at City Hall for People with Disabilities
Changes to the security screening at City Hall earlier this year, changed waiting areas and access to the building for people with disabilities. For example, a formerly accessible public entrance at Elizabeth and Hagerman is changing to a staff entrance, potentially disadvantaging people with disabilities and removing one more accessible entrance/shelter that allowed people to wait for WheelTrans. I would like TAAC members to discuss the viability of designating a permanent location to be a WheelTrans pick-up area at City Hall, including ensuring that it is suitable for all makes of wheelchairs.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee: 1. Requested representatives of Corporate Security to provide an overview at the September 24, 2020 meeting on changes to access at City Hall, including waiting areas for people with disabilities.
Staff recommendation as filed
Michael McNeely recommends that: 1. The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee request representatives of Corporate Security to provide an overview at the September 24, 2020 meeting on changes to access at City Hall, including waiting areas for people with disabilities.
DI8.7amended
Economic Advancement Opportunities for Persons Living with Disabilities
Striving to obtain, and sustain meaningful employment is a barrier regularly faced by people living with disabilities. A supportive and ongoing employment program is essential for the vitality and longevity of persons with disabilities who are seeking to access employment and training opportunities for their daily living goals and achievements as citizens within our society. An exploration into the feasibility of a partnership with the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto to allocate a socio-economic development strategy for persons with disabilities in relation to job creation and advancement opportunities would greatly impact the success of these individuals. Obtaining meaningful transformations of inclusion, diversity and accessibility to employment opportunities for persons with disabilities through funded support and interventions can bridge the gaps and challenges that persons with disabilities face every day. As advocates of social change and equity, funding job creation and avenues of mentoring, internships, skills training, skills development, and practice, we can help to lift the weight of being in a state of "not enough" for persons with disabilities living below the poverty line.
The Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee recommends to the Economic and Community Development Committee that: 1. City Council direct the City Manager, in partnership with Economic Development and Culture and Toronto Employment and Social Services, to examine the City of Toronto's role in, and provide a report on, opportunities to support the economic advancement for persons living with disabilities, including but not limited to: a. Support services and vendors relevant to the safety, success, and well-being of persons with disabilities for employment provisions which have been researched, and reviewed. b. Internal employment opportunities to help foster inclusion, diversity and accessibility for persons with disabilities by providing internal job vacancies with the City of Toronto. 2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, and the Chief People Officer, in collaboration with the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, and in consultation with accessibility stakeholders, to develop an outreach model and determine an appropriate pilot strategy, for the purpose of providing support and referrals to relevant services, to inform workers with disabilities of their employment rights, and report back to the November 16, 2020 meeting of the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee. 3. City Council request the Province of Ontario to examine partnership opportunities for economic advancement of persons living with disabilities including mentoring, internships and skills training as well as job creation.
Staff recommendation as filed
Committee Member Miranda Fray recommends that: 1. City Council direct the City Manager in partnership with Economic Development, and Employment and Social Services examine the City of Toronto's role in and provide a report on opportunities to support the economic advancement for persons living with disabilities. Including but not limited to: a. Support services and vendors relevant to the safety, success, and well-being of persons with disabilities for employment provisions which have been researched, and reviewed. b. Internal employment opportunities to help foster inclusion, diversity and accessibility for persons with disabilities by providing internal job vacancies with the City of Toronto. 2. City Council request the Province of Ontario examine partnership opportunities for economic advancement of persons living with disabilities including mentoring, internships and skills training as well as job creation.