Accessibility Advisory Committee

Mandate	Composition	Term of Office	Appointment Policies/ Applications
Meetings	Remuneration	Staff Contact	ACCAC Website

Role

While it is the legislative mandate of the Municipal Council to make the final decision on all matters that affect the Municipality, the role of an advisory committee is to provide recommendations, advice and information to the Municipal Council on those specialized matters which relate to the purpose of the advisory committee, to facilitate public input to City Council on programs and ideas and to assist in enhancing the quality of life of the community, in keeping with the Municipal Council’s Strategic Plan principles. Advisory committees shall conduct themselves in keeping with the policies set by the Municipal Council pertaining to advisory committees, and also in keeping with the Council Procedure By-law.

Definitions

"the organizations" refers to:

the City of London and may refer to the City's Agencies, Boards and Commissions, to be determined subject to the Ontarians With Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA 2001) and its regulations. It is intended that the Accessibility Advisory Committee shall advise comprehensively upon issues for a barrier-free London which may entail forwarding recommendations to the City's Agencies, Boards and Commissions and/or other outside organizations;

"barrier" means:

anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability, including a physical barrier, an architectural barrier, an information or communication barrier, an attitudinal barrier, a technological barrier, a policy or a practice ("obstacle");
anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability, including a physical barrier, an architectural barrier, an information or communication barrier, an attitudinal barrier, a technological barrier, a policy or a practice ("obstacle");

"disability" means:

any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device;
a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability;
a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
a mental disorder; or
an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997; ("handicap").

Mandate

The Accessibility Advisory Committee (ACCAC) shall advise and assist "the organizations" in promoting and facilitating a barrier-free London for citizens of all abilities (universal accessibility), including persons with disabilities. This aim shall be achieved through the review of municipal policies, programs and services and the identification, removal and prevention of barriers faced by persons with disabilities.

The Accessibility Advisory Committee reports to Municipal Council, through the Community Services Committee.

The Accessibility Advisory Committee is responsible for the following:

Duties Required by the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA 2001)

participating in the annual development and/or refinement of "the organizations" Accessibility Plan(s) which are intended to improve the quality of life for all Londoners, including persons disabilities;
advising "the organizations" on the implementation and effectiveness of the City's annual Accessibility Plan to ensure that it addresses the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in "the organization's" by-laws, and all its policies, programs, practices and services;
selecting and reviewing in a timely manner the site plans and drawings for new development, described in section 41 of the Planning Act;
reviewing and monitoring existing and proposed procurement policies of "the organizations" for the purpose of providing advice with respect to the accessibility for persons with disabilities to the goods or services being
procured;
reviewing access for persons with disabilities to buildings, structures and premises (or parts thereof) that the City purchases, constructs, significantly renovates, leases, or funds for compliance with the City of London's Accessibility Design Standards (FADS);

Other Duties
advising "the organizations" on issues and concerns (barriers) faced by persons with disabilities and the means by which "the organizations" may work towards the elimination of these barriers;
advising "the organizations" on universal transportation issues and how to enable barrier-free access for persons with disabilities. Issues related to universally accessible forms of transportation, conventional transit and taxi services, specialized services such as Para-transit, sidewalk design (curb cuts), traffic signalization, etc. shall be considered;
advising, consulting and reporting findings and recommendations to "the organizations" on matters related to the status of persons with disabilities. The Committee shall be informed on matters of government policy
(municipal, provincial or federal) affecting persons with disabilities and shall inform "the organizations" about the impact of these policies on London;
annually reviewing and recommending changes to the City of London's Facility Accessibility Design Standards (FADS);
reviewing and making recommendations on barriers faced by persons with disabilities to existing facilities owned, leased, or operated (in full or part) by the City of London;
reviewing public works policies and standards (sidewalks, snow removal, etc) and advising "the organizations" on the accessibility for persons with disabilities;
coordinating the immediate and ongoing dissemination of information in various formats to the disabled community, etc. and to the public at large regarding issues faced by persons with all types of disabilities and
regarding the work undertaken by the Accessibility Advisory Committee; and
supporting, encouraging and being an ongoing resource to "the organizations", individuals, agencies and the business community by educating and building community awareness about measures (such as the availability of employment, leisure and educational choices) for improving the quality of life for persons with disabilities, through the removal of physical barriers, incorporation of universal design standards, and education to overcome attitudinal barriers to make London an accessible, livable City for all people.

Composition

Voting Members

A maximum of thirteen members consisting of:

a majority of the members (minimum 7) shall be persons with disabilities. The Committee members shall be representative of gender, ethnicity and different types of visible and invisible disabilities noted in the "ODA 2001" such as persons with physical (visual, speech, hearing, deaf, brain injury, use of a wheelchair); cognitive (intellectual impairments); perceptual (learning disability) and mental health disabilities; and
a maximum of six members who may have a disability:
- one member (parent) representing children with disabilities; and
- five members at large, interested in issues related to persons with disabilities

Non-Voting Resource Group

One member from each of the following ten specific sector organizations;

Two representatives from the Boards of Education
One representative from the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA) Regional Committee
One representative from Ability Awareness Training
One representative from Partners in Employment (PIE)
One representative from the seniors’ community of London
One representative from the housing and development sector
One representative from the architectural sector
One Health Care or Wellness Practitioner
One representative from the Association for the Elimination of Hate
One representative from Western Ontario Therapeutic Community Hostel (WOTCH)

Staff Resources
Policy Analyst
Facilities Planning
Environmental and Engineering Services Department
Housing Division
Purchasing Division
Recreation Division
Dearness Services
Building Division

Sub-committees and Working Groups

The Advisory Committee may form sub-committees and working groups as may be necessary to address specific issues; it being noted that the City Clerk's office does not provide secretariat support to these groups. These sub-committees and working groups shall draw upon members from the Advisory Committee as well as outside resource members as deemed necessary. The Chair of a sub-committee and/or working group shall be a voting member of the Advisory Committee.

Term of Office

Concurrent with the term of the Municipal Council making the appointment.

Appointment Policies

Appointments shall be in keeping with Council Policy.

Qualifications

Each voting member of the Committee is an independent representative to the Committee and does not represent the concerns of only one disability or group. The members of this Committee shall work together for the purpose of developing a common approach which is reasonable and practical.

Members shall be chosen for their special expertise, experience, dedication and commitment to the mandate of the Committee in promoting and facilitating a barrier-free London to persons of all abilities. Non-voting representatives from local resource groups shall be members or employees of the organization they represent.

Conduct

The conduct of Advisory Committee members shall be in keeping with Council Policy.

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Meetings

Meetings shall be once monthly at a date and time set by the City Clerk in consultation with the advisory committee. Length of meetings shall vary depending on the agenda. Meetings of working groups that have been formed by the Advisory Committee may meet at any time and at any location and are in addition to the regular meetings of the Advisory Committee.