Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is a provincial law that sets out a process for developing and enforcing accessibility standards. The main goal of the AODA is to achieve an accessible province of Ontario that is free from discrimination and barriers, and where all people have equal opportunity to participate in their community. It is important to understand that people’s body and mind differences are not barriers to participation or independence. Barriers develop in our environment when the needs of people with disabilities are not considered. It is important to first identify any barriers to accessibility, and to be cognizant that we are not creating any new barriers along the way. 

Assessments for barrier identification will involve evaluation of all possible forms, including: 

• Attitudinal – behaviours, perceptions, and assumptions that discriminate against persons with disabilities. 
• Physical or Architectural – occurs in the built environment and often prevents access for people with disabilities. The built environment includes more than buildings. It refers to anything that municipalities design and/or build such as parks, green spaces, and playgrounds. 
• Systematic – organizational barriers, often policies or procedures, that unfairly discriminates and possibly prevents persons with disabilities from fully participating. 
• Technological – occur when technology or the way it can be used does not consider the needs of people with disabilities. 
• Communication – arise when consideration is not given to how persons with disabilities receive or send information, or when persons with disabilities cannot easily receive and/or understand information that is available to others. 

It is the City of Belleville’s responsibility to establish, implement, and maintain a Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (MAP) that outlines the strategies to remove and prevent barriers and articulates how we will meet the standards and requirements of the AODA. 

Disabilities can often be visible, such as a person using a walker, or invisible such as someone with an acquired brain injury. It is common when considering disabilities and accessibility to think only of those who may use a wheelchair or who have a visible physical disability. It is important when discussing accessibility to consider the wide range of disabilities, which can include, but is not limited to, mobility, vision, hearing, developmental, learning, communication, and mental health disabilities.  

This MAP will hold the City of Belleville accountable to City Council and staff members, the residents in our community, and the province of Ontario at large. Therefore, it is the intention of this document to be a relatable explanation of accessibility policies and procedures to encourage public awareness and participation in this accessibility and inclusion culture shift.

The Council and staff of the City of Belleville continue to be guided by the values and goals indicated in our Vision and Mission statements and recognize that achievement of either would not be possible without due consideration of accessibility as a priority.

The Council and staff of the City of Belleville will continue to work in collaboration with the Accessibility Advisory Committee regarding planning and decision making throughout the 5 areas addressed through the AODA, under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR): Customer Service, Information and Communications, Employment, Transportation, and the Design of Public Spaces.

Beyond the standards and requirements of the AODA and IASR, we strive to achieve innovation and excellence and be a municipal leader in accessibility. To accomplish this, we will be responsive to the needs of our community, establish best practices, and be proactive in addressing accessibility planning.

Community Vision: The City of Belleville will be a healthy, progressive, diverse and economically vibrant community that invests in its future in a financially sustainable and environmentally responsible manner.

Community Mission: We, the Council and staff of the City of Belleville, are committed to excellence and openness in local government by ensuring accessible and responsive representation, providing innovative and efficient services in support of our community’s vision.

As Mayor of the City of Belleville, I recognize the significant role that the municipal government plays in the planning and development of our community. On behalf of myself and Belleville City Council, I pledge our continued commitment to being proactive in identifying, removing, and preventing barriers to accessibility and inclusion. We continue to incorporate accessibility principles into our guiding policies and decision-making. We strive to adhere to the accessibility laws and standards and continue to develop action plans and progress reports that help make our city more accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities.

The Corporation of the City of Belleville welcomes any feedback regarding accessibility and inclusion in our community. With the valued input from the Belleville Accessibility Advisory Committee, we will work towards Ontario’s shared goal of a barrier free province, where all people regardless of ability have equal opportunity to participate in their communities and benefit from the goods, services, and facilities. It is important that we work toward reaching the deadline to make Ontario completely accessible by 2025. This is not an easy task. We must all work together with all organizations, businesses, and communities, so that all levels of government in Ontario can reach this important goal.

We are pleased to present you with The Corporation of the City of Belleville Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2023 – 2027. We welcome your participation and support as it will guide us on our path to full accessibility and inclusion by 2025 as mandated through the AODA.

Sincerely,

Neil Ellis, Mayor, City of Belleville

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) has been in existence since 2005. The Act establishes standards for customer service, information and communications, employment, transportation, and public spaces through the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR). The purpose of the Act is to mandate that all levels of Government, the private and public sector, and non-profits in Ontario follow standards to become inclusive and accessible to all people with disabilities. The goal is to have the province fully accessible by 2025…..the clock is ticking…so how are we doing? The AODA stipulates that a review must occur every three years. Rich Donovan has been appointed to complete the fourth review in 2023. In his interim report Donovan uses powerful language to show the frustration and disappointment of people with disabilities in the provincial government’s upholding of the principles of the AODA. An important part of all the reviews, as stated in the act, is consultation with people with disabilities. Donovan states that “The AODA begins with these words: “Recognizing the history of discrimination against persons with disabilities in Ontario. It is clear to the Reviewer that this implied “history” of discrimination is still the lived experience of millions in Ontario”. Donovan does not mince words saying that “Both Persons With Disabilities (P.W.D.) and senior leaders in business and government told the Reviewer that changing behaviours to incorporate disability is not a priority. In the words of many P.W.D. consulted for this review, it is all talk, no action from government and businesses”.

Belleville has come a long way to making sure that everyone in our city that lives with both visible and invisible disabilities feels included, BUT there is always more that we can do, and we have a lot of work to do. So many great accomplishments have been realized, however, we know that during COVID-19 things came to a halt. Now we have some catching up to do. The purpose of the Belleville Multi-year Accessibility Plan (2023-2027) is to examine what the municipal government has done to facilitate accessibility planning to remove barriers to participation and ensure that providing accessible goods, services and facilities is a priority for the City of Belleville.

The Accessibility Advisory Committee has a mandate to help advise and educate City staff, the public and private sector on how to remove barriers to participation for people with disabilities. These barriers can pose limits in what P.W.D. and their families and friends can do, the places they can go, and the attitudes and stigma that they experience. The committee is comprised of members of the public that can share their lived experiences and councillors that can bring the agenda for change to Council. The AODA coordinator brings forth accessibility initiatives that departments are working on for committee members’ feedback.

Accessibility principals and standards must continue to be incorporated in all City departments when decisions and plans are being made and implemented. As an advisory committee I see our role as offering input and education not only to City staff but to our community. We need to determine where we are at with meeting the IASR standards and plan to address where we have gaps and are lagging. The City of Belleville needs to set the expectations for accessibility in our community.

Once we see where our focus needs to be we can develop a plan for public information, awareness, and engagement, as well as recognizing community organizations and businesses for creating an environment of inclusion and accessibility.

Now that we are in 2023, 2 years to 2025, we need to update our Multi-Year Accessibility Plan to promote and realize our long-term goal of a fully accessible and inclusive Belleville.

Message from the BAAC Chair,

Councillor Barb Enright-Miller

Background

Creating a barrier free community where everyone has an equal opportunity to participate is important for all people, businesses, and daily community life. Donovan questions the ability of the province to meet the goal of an accessible Ontario by 2025. “Despite the stated goal of making Ontario accessible by 2025, those affected by disability (Persons with Disabilities (PWD) and those who directly know PWD) report continuous failures”. There is a lot of work that still needs to be done to meet the standards set out in the IASR. The City remains dedicated to ensuring that it meets, and when possible exceeds the compliance standards and legislated responsibilities. For more information on the the AODA please visit Ontario's web page about accessibility laws or contact our Accessibility Coordinator.

Since Ontario adopted the AODA as law in 2005, with IASR compliance requirements beginning as of January 1 2010, for us as a municipality, all standards are already in effect. This does not mean that most of the work for an accessible Ontario is done, but rather that the expectations have been set to guide our continued progress to remove barriers and create equal opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in their communities.

Purpose

To promote the culture shift in our community and to see the City of Belleville reach its full potential, accessibility must become a way of life and business. The City of Belleville's Corporate Accessibility Policy states that “We will work to remove barriers and take a proactive and inclusive approach to the provision of municipal goods, services, programs, and facilities so residents and visitors to our City can enjoy a thriving, accessible community life”. It is the intent of this document to address the planning requirements for the municipality under the AODA, and to serve as a resource that will guide and connect all City of Belleville departments and employees in pursing improvements to accessibility and equal opportunity for all people. This plan will detail accessibility initiatives currently in progress and provide a five-year outlook to the future. Initiatives will cover aspects throughout the five standards designated in the IASR.

A key difference between the current and past MAPs is a focus on digital document and website accessibility and particularly the Information and Communications standard. It is important for the MAP to reflect changes in technology and how people access information about City services, programs, and facilities. Increasingly, people are accessing this information digitally and this information must be available to all Belleville citizens,

The creation of this 2023 – 2027 MAP will promote the long-term goal of a fully accessible City of Belleville and Province of Ontario at large. Municipal governments play a crucial role in the planning and development of our communities. Accessibility matters must be considered during all stages of planning, decision making, and implementation within the City. Through this plan, the City of Belleville will adapt its operations with accessibility fully integrated in the way we do business, our policies, and our procedures, and not just as a provincial legislation with which we must comply.

Methodology

In addition to referencing the legislative requirements of the AODA and IASR, accessibility planning in the City of Belleville, including the creation of this document, involves many different stakeholders. This includes City Council, City of Belleville employees from various departments, the Belleville Accessibility Advisory Committee, and the public. Representatives from these groups have dedicated their time and expertise to the development and review of this plan.

A department accessibility report was used to collect information from the various departments (Appendix A). This information was then collated and categorized into the five IASR standards. In addition to the information collected for the MAP this exercise also prompts departmental managers to consider current and future accessibility goals for their departments.

A public review was held on-line for two weeks, and the comments received were funnelled back to the appropriate departments to determine if goals needed to be created or new goals added.

Provincial and National

The national disability rate in 2017 for individuals 15 years and older was 22.3%, with Ontario being a little bit higher at 24.1%. In other words, 6.2 million Canadians and 2.9 million Ontarians have at least one disability. The rate for children (0 to 14 years) whose parent reported that their child had an activity limitation due to a difficulty or long-term condition was 13.5%. As the Canadian population ages the disability rate increases to 47.4% for individuals 75 years and older. It should be noted that the data collected does not represent individuals with disabilities living in institutions such as group homes and long-term care. In considering rates of disability, it is important to realize that these differ in terms of age, gender, type and severity of disability and whether individuals have multiple disabilities.

The employment rate for Canadians with disabilities aged 15-64 years is much lower (59%) than for those without disabilities (80%), and this discrepancy increases as the severity of disability increases. Data shows that amongst individuals with severe disabilities that they are more likely to work part-time compared to those with less severe and no disability. It is important to realize that reduced hours of work can be a requested workplace accommodation. The employment rate is linked to level of education, and this is lower for those with disabilities and, especially those with a higher level of severity. In Canada approximately 645,000 individuals with disabilities have the potential to work, if workplaces are inclusive, accessible and provide required accommodations. What is striking is that data shows that individuals with severe disabilities with a university education are less likely to be employed compared to individuals without disabilities who have a high school education or lower. This points to people with disabilities, and especially more severe disabilities, experiencing significant barriers to entering and staying in the workforce. Studies show that across factors such as job performance, attendance, safety, and turnover rate people with disabilities far out rank their colleagues without disabilities. People with disabilities represent a large untapped source of skilled workers, which could solve many employer needs in Ontario and Belleville.

It is important to understand the significant impacts of the pandemic on the employment stability of persons with disabilities. Two-thirds of individuals with a disability or long-term condition reported being employed before the pandemic compared to 55% in 2020 (Statistics Canada, 2020). More than 36% lived through job loss or reduced hours since March 2020. The changes in employment were more likely to affect those with severe disabilities and younger adults.

A critical concern is the higher proportion of people with disabilities living in poverty, with this rate increasing with level of severity. Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy recognizes that individuals with disabilities are at an increased risk of living in poverty. The data substantiate this claim as Canadians 25 to 64 years are more likely to live in poverty if they have more severe disabilities (28%) compared to those without disabilities (10%) or with milder disabilities (14%). The newly passed Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) Act focuses on tackling the high poverty rate amongst the disability community by introducing a new benefit for working-age adults with a disability. Barriers to education and employment, reliance on government income-support programs and increased costs related to medication, supports and aids can lead to these differences. It is important to help people with disabilities to access all the supports and financial entitlements for which they are eligible. The poverty rate is higher in single-parent households, which are predominantly headed by women. A quarter of the Canadian population with disabilities spend more than 30% of their total income on shelter costs.

There is evidence supporting the impacts of barriers on the lives of Canadians with disabilities. A lack of specialized transportation for those Canadians with disabilities aged 15 and older (17.8%) was the reason they considered themselves housebound. Of Canadians with disabilities aged 15-64 years looking for work, 24.7% indicated that a lack of transportation was a key barrier. At least one information, communication or technology related barrier was the reason that 18.2% of persons with disabilities did not use the internet. Rich Donovan in his interim review of the AODA (2023) emphasizes that societal attitudes towards disability remain a significant barrier.

Technology was also found to help address these barriers with 11.7% of Canadians with disabilities using a cellphone, smartphone or smartwatch with specialized features or a computer, laptop or tablet with specialized software or adaptations because of their disability. These individuals used a variety of software including 39.3% that used text-speech, speech-text or voice recognition, 30% used screen magnification, and 16.4% used screen readers.

Besides the workforce and poverty, it is essential for government and business to realize that people with disabilities and their families have significant spending power of $40 billion annually across Canada (Retail Council of Canada, 2019). The Ontario government has noted that “Improving accessibility can create up to $9.6 billion in new retail spending and $1.6 billion in new tourism spending in Ontario over five years”. It has been conclusively demonstrated that adopting inclusive hiring and business practices has a positive effect on consumers, and thus business profits. This fact is very important to Belleville when promoting the City not only as a great place to live and work, but as a place to establish and grow local businesses.

Local

The population of Belleville is 55,071, and the population of the Quinte Region is 220,000. Using the Ontario disability rate means that approximately 13,272 people in Belleville and 53,020 people in Quinte live with at least one disability. Belleville’s population has been increasing at a faster rate than other eastern Ontario cities and the region generally. This growth in new households from 22,744 (2016) to 24,582 (2021) is mainly due to children moving out on their own and new families and individuals moving into the city. According to the City of Belleville’s Strategic Plan (2012- 2032) the population will increase to 60,000 by 2030, with annual growth rates estimated between 0.7% and 1.2%. By 2051 the city’s total population is expected to be between 70,000 and 81,000 residents (Watson and Associates Economists LTD, 2022).

The aging of Belleville’s population, like many Canadian cities, means that the disability rate will increase.  Belleville’s population is already older than the provincial average, and the average age of residents is expected to increase. According to a past Municipal Comprehensive Review (Watson and Associates Economists Ltd, 2022), population growth in Belleville can be attributed mainly to persons over the age of 55. This review projected that by 2036, the 55+ age group will represent 47% of Belleville’s population. Most notably, the percentage of population in the 75+ age group (older seniors) is forecast to almost double from 11% in 2021 to 19% in 2051. With the Canadian disability rate for 65 years and older being 37.8% that means that this population will also be increasing. From an accessibility perspective, and given the data above, the implications of this trend are quite significant.

Belleville’s poverty rate as measured by the low-income cut-off is 9.2%, with Hastings County at 6.7% and Ontario at 9.8%. The breakdown in the Parkland and Recreation Master Plan shows that the number of people living in poverty is not even across the city. The areas of the city with the highest proportion of individuals living in poverty were mostly focused Downtown, between Palmer Street and Sidney Street, and along Station Street between Downtown and Herchimer Avenue. There is an important relationship between disability and poverty, and research shows that these individuals are more likely to have poor health outcomes. City facilities and services must be accessible to all people with disabilities and recognize the additional barriers facing those living in poverty.

Belleville is a great place to live, work, play, and invest. This statement on our City’s website should remain true for all citizens and visitors of Belleville regardless of age, income, or ability. When we put accessibility considerations as a priority, we make Belleville a better place to live, work, play, and invest for everyone. Only when we do this can we see the City of Belleville reach its potential and flourish into a vibrant and inclusive community.

What Do The Numbers Tell Us?

To provide appropriate and effective accommodations and barrier reductions it is essential to understand the characteristics of people with disabilities, and how their experiences may differ due to age, gender, type and severity of disability, income, and household characteristics. Data can help identify priorities and focus priorities. Given a lack of data at the local level it is important to understand the National and Provincial profile to estimate the number of people with disabilities living in Belleville, and the characteristics of this population.  

Here are some key points that help to summarize the data:

• 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 6 children within the Belleville area have a definable disability.
• The rate of disability is increasing due to an aging population, and medical improvements in the detection, assessment, and treatment of long-term health conditions.
• Employment amongst all persons with disabilities lags and does so despite increased job vacancy and employment needs in the country, province and local area.
• The relationship between disability and poverty must be addressed by all levels of government. A lack of employment and inability to access financial supports and entitlements impact the poverty rate. It is also well known that living in poverty and the lack of health equity in terms of things such as inadequate access to housing and nutritious food, inability to pay for supports and aids, can impact health, leading to disability and more challenges living with a disability.
• Lack of accessible transportation is an important barrier to alleviate for people with disabilities.

Since the City of Belleville’s last Multi-year Accessibility Plan, several exciting milestones have been achieved. Here are some highlights of our achievements we have completed so far.

Customer Service

• Ordered new skate aids and educated skate staff on accessible aids that are permitted on the ice and updated our public skate rules hand out to better explain accessibility around public skating.
• Purchased two specialized wheelchairs for the pool area at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre.
• Purchased sci-Fit equipment designed for people with mobility issues and wheelchair clients for our Workout Studio at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre.
• Program staff, customer service and volunteers participated in Dementia Awareness Training through the Alzheimer’s Society.
• Partnered with Kerry’s Place Autism Services over the March Break 2019, where they provided staff to train our leaders on autism and then their staff remained in the camp for the week to provide additional services for the families who required these supports.
• Contacted the Canadian Hearing Society for in-person interpreter services, as requested by clients.
• A back-up battery was purchased for the accessible lift to avoid potential outages for clients.
• Annual Summary Reports for different departments available in AODA compliant format.
• Tours of water and wastewater facilities modified for accessibility needs.
• Creation of the Workplace Inclusion Charter and adoption by Council in March 2023 to remove barriers to inclusion in the workplace. 16 businesses and organization have already committed to the Charter.
• The Planning and Approvals section of Engineering and Development Services offers Public Information Centres to provide an accessible location for in-person consultation and feedback and uses various communication channels i.e., radio station, print and web to provide information to the public in different formats.

Information and Communications

• February 2023, Information and Communications Guide approved by City Council, sent to all staff and can now be sent to contractors and consultants.
• Office 365 has been rolled out to all staff increasing access to improved accessibility checking and tools.
• Adobe licenses have been purchased to provide modern accessibility and document remediation tools.
• Captioning added to videos for social media.
• City’s monthly newsletter in AODA compliant format.
• ASL interpreter arranged for many public and speaking events.
• Early 2023, communications staff were given access to and trained on Monsido. Monsido is a website compliance tool which provides reports and recommendations for meeting compliance.
• Development of a Website Governance Guide which outlines roles and responsibilities, processes, and tools available for making PDFs and webpages accessible.
• Communications uses a number of channels to communicate in the event of an emergency including: media releases, radio, website alerts, social media, road signs, phone alerts, live media conferences (with ASL interpreters) and more.
• Communications staff received accessible graphic design (InDesign) training.

Employment

• The Economic and Strategic Initiatives Department implemented monthly one-on-one meetings with staff in late 2022 with a reporting template that asked staff to indicate areas where they might need support and to trigger conversations that might identify accessibility issues to foster an inclusive, barrier free culture.
• Enhanced Trauma Services under Employee Assistance Plan for first responders in Fire Department.
• All current and future staff will be given a HR Downloads account and assigned an AODA training bundle that covers training requirements in the AODA (see Appendix C for description of webinar courses).

Transportation

For further details regarding accessibility and our public transportation systems please reference Belleville Transit’s Multi-year Accessibility Plan (2023-2027).

• Established a training system for drivers to receive appropriate training including completing AODA and Human Rights Code courses, developing and implementing a new Specialized Transit training manual, enrolling Mobility Bus drivers in a wheelchair securement course and having them show trainers their technique and approach to secure mobility aids and their users.
• 2 accessible vans purchased for the use of transit supervisors when responding to an emergency.
• Forms revised for vehicles for hire. Includes a checklist with suggestions for accessibility training and a driver attestation.

Built Environment

• Incorporation of AODA Design of Public Spaces standards for accessible parking requirements into Building Zoning Bylaw March 2023. Currently by-law is submitted for public consultation.
• Continued progress in upgrading to audible and visual safety alarms and signals across the city.
• Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre- additional accessible parking spaces, push activated accessible doors, accessible drinking water fountain and water fill station, and sliding doors.
• Completed construction of accessible washroom at Zwick’s Centennial Park.
• Completion of Field of Ability- A completely rubberized baseball diamond surface to support Challenger Baseball.
• Renovations and upgrades to Parkdale Community Centre washrooms to support the Field of Ability.
• Front sliding door installed at the Belleville Public Library.
• Installation of doorbell at the front exterior door and back exterior door of the Human Resources building.
• Accessibility concerns raised by the public about summer patios downtown resulted in the City, in partnership with the Belleville Downtown District Business Improvement Area, implementing a pop-up patio program for downtown businesses in the summer. The objectives of the program are to uphold and enhance universal accessibility and public safety and encourage inclusive use and enjoyment of local businesses and community spaces.

Customer Service

• Continue budget line to hire inclusion staff for summer camps (unfortunately, recruitment efforts were unsuccessful in 2023)
• Integration of inclusion in the Business Recognition Award categories.
• Continue implementation of the Workplace Inclusion Charter.
• Revising municipal emergency plan to ensure AODA compliance.
• Continue to ensure that new staff receive AODA training through HR Downloads.

Information and Communications

• January 1 2024, all new content posted to the website must be WCAG 2.0 AA compliant. Departments will continue working on the accessibility of existing documents and their webpages.
  Work towards WCAG 2.1 AA standard.
• Explore the feasibility of adding a screen reader plug-in for the City’s website.
• Move towards using form builder instead of PDF fillable forms when possible. For departments such as planning that require submissions with a stamp the webpage will direct users to an email address to request a PDF.
• Develop a plan for regular review of website content using Monsido reporting tool and determine process for helping departments ensure their pages are compliant.
• Train new communications staff on open captioning to be able to add it to all videos going forward.
• Ensure that all application forms on the website (such as the Environmental Compliance Approval) are compliant.
• Investigate the use of Artificial Intelligence for document remediation and to improve communications.
• Work with AODA coordinator to secure budgeting for ASL interpreters at all public meetings and events.
• Finance Department commits to having all financial documents (budgets, asset management plans, reports) be compliant.
• The Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) and the Communications department will work together to prepare a list of agencies, organizations and groups that serve people with disabilities. This list will be used to share information about accessibility supports and services in the community. This is important given that not everyone, especially those living in poverty, has access to social and traditional media sources. The AAC will put together the list and contact the agencies, organizations, and groups to obtain their support for this initiative. The Communications department will help craft the messaging.

Employment

• Streamline accessibility in employment practices by integrating AODA standards into City of Belleville policies (ex. recruitment, emergency procedures, accommodation plans).
• Review of recruitment policy, amend to remove any systematic barriers and reflect AODA regulations.
• Develop and implement workplace Inclusion Charter for the staff at the City of Belleville.
• Improve internal accessible customer service for staff. An employee portal will be developed to replace the use of employees using email to access tax documents, payroll slips, etc.
• Economic development is a direct function of the City (which it performs in collaboration with other municipalities in the region). As noted in section 6.0 employment among people with disabilities is below the general population rate and declined even more with the pandemic. Several businesses and firms have cited that they are unable to meet their business goals due to a shortage of trained employees. The City will work with other business groups such as the Quinte Employment Council and Belleville Chamber of Commerce to advocate for the training and hiring of people with disabilities to fill these job vacancies. The Government of Ontario in the document titled The Path to 2025: Ontario’s Accessibility Action Plan states that “The challenge is getting business – particularly small- and medium-size firms that are largely responsible for new job creation – to step up and give qualified candidates with disabilities a chance to compete on a level playing field. The biggest hurdle we need to overcome is the misconceptions businesses hold about employees with disabilities”. Advocating for the employment of people with disabilities is a timely issue. The province is transitioning the organization and goals of a range of historically federal, provincial, and municipal employment supports. The new initiative is known as the Ontario Employment Services Transition Program. The City will work with the new Service Manager for this area to set local goals that prioritize employment supports for persons with disabilities.

Transportation

• $600,000 allocated for bus stop improvements.
• 3 more mobility buses purchased 1 has arrived and is in service and 2 more are expected to arrive in the Q4 of 2023. All new buses are equipped to meet AODA requirements. These three buses will be replacements for Mobility Buses that are at the end of their life cycle. This will greatly reduce breakdowns and having buses that cannot be used.
• Expand Mobility Bus service beyond our obligations to match conventional service, we have expanded to ward 2 where there is no conventional service.
• Shelter improvements and new signage at bus stops. New bus stop signs that are reflective, new shelters at several stops that are illuminated.
• 2024 Mobility transit service review by staff. Needs and gaps identified. User experiences will be collected and analyzed. The Accessibility Advisory Committee is a stakeholder and will be consulted as a stakeholder.

Built Environment

• Hillcrest Park improvements will include universal and accessible washrooms, the universal washroom will feature the city’s first height adjustable adult changing table and a lift. There will also be an accessible splashpad, sensory gardens, and paved walking paths at the park. Funding received from the John M. and Bernice Parrott Foundation, Inc.
• Continue phased improvements to sidewalks and curbs.
• Continue phased in replacement of pedestrian signals to audible and visual signals.
• Issue tender for the accessibility improvements to the Belleville Library including-removal of the stairs at the Pinnacle and Campbell street corner as stairs are not one height throughout, installation of ramp along the south side of the staircase and building which will then allow easy access from Campbell street parking, review of operators on entrance doors, change location of accessible washroom door on first floor and rework interior as required to provide clear access to enter. Door is currently off from a narrow corridor, review and installation of stair nosings.
• Installation of additional sliding doors and power-operated doors at the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre
• Reviewing stair nosings at various locations
• Design of accessible washroom building at Glanmore National Historic Site (see Glanmore’s MAP for more detail)
• Review of fire alarm devices (ensuring strobes and horns are at each of our buildings) at various locations.
• Commence future wayfinding program at the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre including outside signage.
• Review construction of new facilities with Parks as per the Parkland and Recreation Master Plan.
  With the implementation of CityView later this year, letter and memo templates will be created allowing for a consistent layout and an accessibility document master.
• Draft Development Guidelines and Development Manual are currently out for public comments. The public feedback will be incorporated, and it will be sent to City Council for final approval. This includes requirements for accessible parking spots for new builds. The requirements exceed those of AODA with the by-law requiring the IASR standards plus 1%.
• There will also be a recommendation for the City to conduct a comprehensive study of accessible parking needs within the City of Belleville as such study could be used to justify future updates to the accessible parking provisions within the Consolidated Zoning By-law. The purpose of this study is to collect use data at different locations, days and times of day. Further, the accessible parking provisions will require access aisles on both sides of all accessible parking spaces.

There are two key initiatives currently underway that will impact all departments and demonstrate the City is “incorporating accessibility principles into our guiding policies and decision-making” (Mayor’s Statement).

One initiative that will impact all standards is to strengthen the wording of the AODA. section in Request for Proposals and Request for Tenders. This bidding process is used for projects costing more than $20,000. This will involve a collaboration between the Finance department and the AODA coordinator; the Accessibility Advisory Committee will provide feedback. One of the main ways we are accomplishing this is to use lessons learned from the expert trainer hired by the City and ensure that we not only state that accessible documents are required but also that:

• vendors must use an approved accessibility checker to show document compliance
• if a document is not accessible then it is the vendor’s responsibility and cost to fix it
• source files must be provided to support accessibility when changes are needed to the document.

Wording for the other standards will also be strengthened. This is essential for vendors to know the exact accessibility requirements for when they bid on a proposal or tender. It is also important for City staff to be able to push back on vendors that do not comply with the accessibility stipulations in the RFP or RFT.

The second initiative involves digital document and website accessibility. Two tools are available to City staff to assist in ensuring documents are accessible. The first is the Information and Communications Standard Policy adopted in 2019, and which is up for review and renewal. The key piece of information in the policy is that departments are responsible for ensuring the accessibility of documents and their page on the website. The second is the Information and Communications Guide which was approved by council in March 2023. The guide sets out all the requirements for word, PDFs and form-fillable PDFs to be accessible. All staff were sent an email with the policy and guide attached which explained the importance of document accessibility.

The Communications Department hired GHD Inc. to run a navigation audit of Belleville.ca to improve the navigation, usability and searchability of the website. A Website Manger Working Group has been developed, allocating representatives from each section in terms of who posts to the website. The goal is that by January 2024 that all new material posted on the City’s website will be compliant and that departments will continue to address legacy documents. The Working Group will meet quarterly to discuss best practices, look at content and accessibility, and take part in ongoing training.

The creation of a new website governance manual is ongoing. The manual's goal is to provide a detailed maintenance schedule for the website. This uses Monsido to create reports concerning accessibility; currently a process is being determined for how to use these reports with the working group. Roles and duties, training, content development and approval, and systems for ensuring material is audited and updated continually are all outlined in the document.

The City hired a third-party vendor to provide training. It had been several years since digital document and website accessibility training was offered, and there has been a lot of staff turnover. The decision was made to offer a fresh approach by providing on-line training, comprised of a webinar and working through exercises with the facilitator. First a webinar was held titled “AODA, WCAG and Digital Accessibility: Laws, Regulations and Obligations”, with over 70 staff attending including several members of upper administration. Twenty content contributors from the Working Group received 3 full-days of training in digital document and website accessibility including accessible word and PDFs, and form-fillable PDFs. These staff members will become accessibility champions for their departments ensuring that their department’s webpage is compliant. All training materials, including all webinars, are available on a common drive so that all staff can access the materials. The next group that will receive training is the content managers responsible for approving webpage content for their departments.

Achieving the goals set out in this multi-year plan will require the commitment of all employees and volunteers from the City of Belleville, as well as support from all residents. The City of Belleville is comprised of many different departments that all play a critical role in achieving success and establishing ourselves as an innovative leader in accessibility.

By working together towards a shared vision and being aware of the role each department plays, we can ensure our collaborative efforts are efficiently and effectively responding to the needs of our community. To promote the full culture shift it is essential for accessibility considerations to be integrated into all aspects of how we operate as your municipal government. To this end, each department within the City has provided a statement of commitment to accessibility and inclusion:

“As stated in the City of Belleville’s Mission Statement, we will ensure that all City departments are accessible by the public in order to obtain information and receive assistance and guidance. We will strive to ensure all citizens are treated equally in the manner we deliver services and programs and endeavor to provide barrier-free access to all of our facilities. In collaboration and consultation with individuals with diverse disabilities we will focus on service excellence by understanding and anticipating the needs of all our citizens and be proactive in addressing our community’s needs,” Chief Administrative Officer, Rod Bovay.

“The Corporate Services Department is committed to the continuous improvement of accessibility, understanding that we play an integral role in creating an accessible and inclusive community under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR): Customer Service, Information and Communications, Employment, Transportation, and the Design of Public Spaces. Our Department includes the Clerks and Deputy Clerks Office, Parking services, Property services, Information Systems and Accessibility services; all of which have the ability to impact not only our corporate requirements but more importantly the needs of our community members in a positive way from an improved access perspective in a respectful and dignified manner," Director of Corporate Services / City Clerk, Matt MacDonald.

“Communications is committed to: bringing the website to and then maintaining WCAG AA compliance through ongoing review, updates and training, growing and improving our communications methods to be more inclusive through establishing a process for open captioning on pre-recorded videos, properly formatted PDFs and Word documents and providing the option for additional accessibility supports in all communications, working with departments and the Accessibility Coordinator to contract ASL interpreters when requested, and engaging the community in improving our accessibility efforts by creating and promoting our online website feedback tool," Communications Coordinator, Jenna Leslie. 

“The Economic Development Division of the CAO’s office is committed to providing services that are accessible. We understand that we play a critical role in creating an accessible and inclusive community and we will work cooperatively with City staff and the local business community to ensure everyone understands the benefits of creating an accessible, inclusive community.  In our work with local business, business organizations and other City departments we will continue to ensure we improve accessibility in our community," Economic & Strategic Initiatives Manager, Heather Candler.

“The City of Belleville will continue our ongoing work to identify, prevent, and remove barriers for those with disabilities. The City is committed to complying with accessibility legislation and evolving our approach to achieve the best results we can for the residents of Belleville," Environmental Services General Manager, Perry Decola.

“The City of Belleville is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusive, barrier- free recruitment and selection processes and work environments. We will accommodate the needs of applicants under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process," Human Resources Manager, Marie Doherty.

“We commit to upholding the rights outlined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). I will actively work towards creating an inclusive and accessible environment, ensuring equal opportunities, and respecting the dignity of individuals with disabilities. I will strive to remove barriers, promote accessibility, and foster a culture of inclusivity in all aspects of my actions and decisions," Information Technology Manager, Marc Coyle.

“The Transportation and Operation Services Department is committed to improving accessibility, and understand we play an integral role in creating an accessible and inclusive community under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR): Customer Service, Information and Communications, Employment, Transportation, and the Design of Public Spaces. Our Department includes City Transit Services, Parks & Open Spaces and Transportation Services such as roads, traffic and pedestrian services; all of which is committed to improvements to accessibility needs within our community," Transportation & Operational Services General Manager, Joseph Reid.

“To accomplish this, the Community Services Department and all staff and volunteers, will continue to provide inclusive and accessible services and facilities where everyone is welcome. The Department will be proactive and responsive in addressing our legal obligations and the diverse needs of the community.  It will always work hard to create a positive and respectful experience for those using our facilities, programs and services," Community Services Director, Dean Hustwick.

“The Finance department serves both internal customers comprised of the staff working for the City, and external customers including the public, contractors, consultants and third-party vendors. Throughout daily operation the Finance Department is careful to offer responsive and accessible customer service, including providing any public information with communication supports or information in alternate formats upon request. We maintain a commitment to incorporate accessibility features and design criteria when purchasing and procuring goods and/or services on behalf of the City of Belleville and will do so in consultation with the Accessibility Advisory Committee. The department is working diligently on ensuring that all financial documents including budgets and reports are WCAG. 2.0 level AA compliant. This is essential to serve both our internal and external customers," Finance / Treasurer Director, Brandon Ferguson.

“Belleville Fire and Emergency Services are committed to enhancing accessibility, as it is our desire and civic duty to create an accessible and inclusive community under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR). This approach would include Customer Service, Education and Communications as well as employment accommodation considerations," Fire & Emergency Services / Fire Chief Dan Smith.

The Belleville Accessibility Advisory Committee (BAAC) is comprised of members of council, staff representatives (such as the Accessibility Coordinator), and members of the community. According to the AODA the majority of community members on the committee have lived experience with at least one disability. The mission is for the City of Belleville to be a barrier-free and inclusive community, where all people have equal opportunity to participate fully with dignity and independence. The main responsibility is to support the Corporation of the City of Belleville in compliance with the standards and regulations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. This is done by:

• Conducting site reviews, and potentially site visits, to identify barriers and support accessibility planning.
• Reviewing and providing recommendations on the accessible and inclusive provision of municipal goods, services, programs, and facilities.
• Reviewing and providing recommendations on the revision or creation of municipal policies, procedures, or by-laws as needed to remove systematic barriers.
• Consulting on procurement projects to ensure accessible design and inclusive use considerations.
• Monitoring and advising City Council and staff about any updates to provincial or federal legislation regarding accessibility.
• Liaising with local stakeholders, service agencies, and other community groups.
• Assisting with establishing the City’s Multi-year Accessibility Plan.
• When needed the chair and councillors on the committee will liaise with City staff, departments and council to promote and communicate recommendations from the committee.

During the time period for this MAP the BAAC will be focusing on three key priorities. These are meant to support the three themes identified in the summary of the data in 6.3 (poverty, employment, specialized transit). Goals for employment and specialized transit have already been discussed. More goals for transit can be found in Transit’s Multi-year Accessibility Plan (Appendix D). A recent report from Prosper Canada, 2021 states that “Canada has many income benefit programs that many Canadians find difficult to navigate, however benefit application processes for people with disabilities are the most challenging of all”. As a result, people with disabilities in our community are missing out on crucial financial entitlements. There is a partial system of existing tax clinics in Belleville, and these should be supported or expanded. The BAAC is advocating for a comprehensive set of clinics which is widely known and promoted such as those that exist in Prince Edward County and Muskoka. The BAAC will work with the City to investigate the viability of holding free tax clinics specifically for individuals with disabilities. The BAAC will work with the Communications department (see last bullet for Goals for Information and Communications) to ensure that information about the tax clinics is shared via social and traditional media and by using organizations, agencies and groups that interact with people with disabilities in our community.

An education and advocacy working group will be established to help businesses understand AODA requirements and ways to comply with all five IASR standards. It is important to recognize local businesses and groups that are going above and beyond best practices. The goal of the Accessibility Excellence Award is to motivate businesses, not-for-profits, and individuals to become “champions” and improve accessibility in Belleville. This will help to promote the full culture shift that needs to occur for us to achieve the goal of complete accessibility and inclusion in our community. While recognizing the improvements it is equally important to recognize that significant barriers still exist. The working group will develop a sensitivity training awareness tool for local businesses. This will benefit businesses themselves in terms of increasing the number of customers with disabilities and their friends and families. It will support the goal of increasing the number of people with disabilities employed in Belleville. Finally, it will increase the number of businesses that everyone can access and enjoy.

The other mandate of this working group is to work with the School Board and schools in providing curriculum enriching resources on disability, inclusion and accessibility. These resources may include having people with lived experiences speaking at assemblies, providing links to television shows, movies, YouTube videos and podcasts, and even classroom visits. Helping the community know about the BAAC and our mandate is also crucial. One thing we are exploring is creating a display that can be shared at festivals, libraries, and other public gatherings.

We want to hear from you! We encourage the public to submit feedback regarding any accessibility matters in our community. Generating feedback is an important tool to help identify barriers and guide Council and staff in our daily operations. There are several ways you can submit feedback:

• By Phone: 613-967-3200 ext. 3502 or TTY using 613-967-3768
• By Email: accessibility@belleville.ca
• In Person or By Mail: The City of Belleville, City Hall 169 Front St. Belleville, Ontario K8N 2Y8 (please indicate MAP 2023-2027 on envelope)
• Online through the Accessibility Feedback Form