Kapuskasing Accessibility Plan

Section 1

1. The Plan

The purpose of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA) is to improve opportunities for people with disabilities and to provide for their involvement in the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to their full participation in the life of the Province. To this end, the ODA mandates that each Municipality prepare an annual accessibility plan.

The Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2001 requires that the accessibility plan include:

• a) a report on the measures the municipality has taken to identify, remove and prevent barriers;
• b) the measures in place to ensure that the municipality assesses its proposals for bylaws, policies, programs, practices and services to determine their effect on accessibility;
• c) a list of the by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services that the municipality will review in the coming year in order to identify barriers;
• d) the measures that the municipality intends to take in the coming year to identify, remove and prevent barriers; and
• e) make the accessibility plan available to the public.

1 (i) Obligations to Consult

The ODA specifies that organizations with annual accessibility planning obligations consult with people with disabilities or with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario in the preparation of their plans.

Section 2

2. The Committee

Functions of the Committee

• a) Establish an accessibility working group.
• b) Commit to accessibility planning.
• c) Review recent initiatives and successes in identifying, removing and preventing barriers within the services offered by the Town of Kapuskasing.
• d) Identify (list/categorize) barriers that may be addressed in the coming year.
• e) Set priorities and develop strategies to address barrier removal and prevention.
• f) Specify how and when progress is to be monitored.
• g) Write and endorse the plan.
• h) Submit to Council for approval, implementation, publishing and communicating the plan.
• i) Review and monitor the plan.

2 (i) Structure of the Committee

The Advisory Committee for Transportation of Disabled Persons will become the Accessibility Advisory Committee. Members are appointed by Town Council.

People with disabilities are encouraged to submit their names to sit on the Committee. The Committee will ensure there will be adequate representation from the Disabled Community. Consultation with people with disabilities when conducting assessment will be mandatory.

Section 3

3. Accessibility Achievements

Historical Review

Historically, the Town of Kapuskasing has had no formal process in place to identify, remove and prevent barriers to people with disabilities accessing its services. As issues arose, or barriers were identified, they were removed at the time with available resources or dealt with during planned renovations or rebuilds. In most occurrences, the removal of barriers in the past has been a result of the Town of Kapuskasing meeting legislative requirements including those of the Provincial Building Code.

As part of the Municipality’s commitment to create a caring, safe community, the Municipality has already implemented a number of initiatives to make the community and our local government and services more accessible.

Section 4

4. Addressing Barriers

• a) The Town of Kapuskasing will use the Government of Ontario barrier-free design guidelines that promote accessibility for people with disabilities to buildings that the Municipality buys, leases, builds or significantly renovates. The barrier free design guidelines used will ensure the level of accessibility of Municipal government buildings is at least as good as or better than the level of accessibility required by the Building Code Act.
• b) Council will accommodate the employment-related accessibility needs of people with disabilities who apply for jobs with the municipal government, as required by the Human Rights Code.
• c) The Town of Kapuskasing will accommodate the accessibility needs of its employees as required by the Human Rights Code.
• d) The Town of Kapuskasing will make sure that its managers and supervisors have access to information necessary to meet the government’s duties to employees with disabilities.
• e) The Town of Kapuskasing will review by-laws passed since January 2000 to identify barriers to programs, practices and services
• f) The municipality will take into account how accessible any equipment, supplies or services to be bought by the municipality, for use by itself, its employees or the public, is to people with disabilities.
• g) The municipality will examine municipal services for barriers.
• h) The municipality will look into enforcing new penalties for counterfeiting and misuse of Disabled Person Parking Permits.
• i) The municipality will look at increasing the minimal penalty for misuse of designated parking under municipal by-laws.
• j) The municipality will recommend accessibility requirements when granting business licences.

Section 5

5. Making the Plan Available

The Town will make this Plan available on Kapuskasing’s web site, and have hard copies available at the Municipal office, in both official languages. A public notice advising the general public that the plan is available for their perusal and review will be issued.

The Municipality invites you to submit your comments on the Plan as these will help the Municipality in making our Community, local government and services more accessible.

How to Contact Us

Clerk

By Mail: Marc Dupont
Resource Person/Town Treasurer
88 Riverside Drive
Kapuskasing, Ont
P5N 1B3

By Fax: 705-337-1741

By Phone: 705-337-4257 ( Marc Dupont )
705-337-4254 ( Barbara Major )

Section 6

6. Conclusion

The Accessibility Advisory Committee along with volunteers from the disabled community will review all services and individual buildings, structures or facilities owned or rented by the Town of Kapuskasing, as identified in the plan, in order to identify additional barriers to people with disabilities and make recommendations to Council to make structures barrier free. Making the Town of Kapuskasing an accessible Town will be an ongoing process. The Municipality has already been engaged in identifying and removing barriers - particularly physical barriers. With the requirements of Accessibility for Ontarrians with a Disability Act, the Municipality has a better understanding about the range of disabilities and is better equipped to focus on other barriers.

Achevements:

2007 - Review snow removal policies, Language and proper terminology policies, Assess Handi-trans bus booking system, Evaluate and make recommendations on purchase of new bus.

2008 - Complete development of Policies and Procedures for Accessible Bus Operation to include contract operator, drivers and riders; Review Accessible Bus Booking System, Develope recommendations regarding public notices and Municipal billings.

2009 - Complete development of Policies and Procedures for Accessible Bus Operation to include contract operator, drivers and riders; Review Accessible Bus Booking System, Review Municipal Policies, Practices and Procedures on providing goods and services to ensure reasonable efforts are made to accommodate people with disabilities.