Building a more inclusive Vaughan!
The City approves its 2023-2027 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
The City of Vaughan is paving the way to a more accessible and inclusive city! This commitment is reflected in the 2023 to 2027 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (PDF), which was approved by Mayor Steven Del Duca and Members of Council during the Tuesday, Nov. 14 Council meeting. This comprehensive five-year plan outlines the City's strategic approach to advancing accessibility and inclusion, and how we will create a barrier-free community for all residents, visitors and businesses.
The City’s goal is to create a fully accessible community by 2050 and make Vaughan a model city for inclusion. Offering universal access to City programs, implementing new services, creating accessible play spaces, using accessible technology, implementing accessible employment practices and building accessible facilities, the new Multi-Year Accessibility Plan will help achieve that.
The plan was designed following extensive consultations with community members, stakeholders, accessibility experts and government partners at the regional, provincial and federal levels. It also aligns with the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Drawing from the feedback received, the City has derived the following five guiding principles that shape this plan: Health and Safety, Clear and Accessible Information, Inclusion and Equity, Accessible City, and Continuous Improvement.
Here are some of the City’s key commitments and actions as outlined in the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan:
Training
The City is committed to enhancing employee knowledge and providing accessible customer service. As such, inclusive AODA training is required for all City employees, including volunteers, public appointees and officials who are responsible for providing goods and services or operating facilities. Accessibility training will cover how to serve and interact with people living with various types of disabilities, including mental health or cognitive conditions, and invisible and episodic disabilities.
Procurement
The City is committed to integrating accessibility considerations into the procurement process, ensuring all procured products and services meet or exceed accessibility standards. As such, language in bidding documents and contracts will be revised to incorporate accessibility and training requirements.
Information and Communications
The City is committed to ensuring equal access to information for all users and establishing accessibility standards for all external meetings. That is why the City has initiated the Information and Communication Accessibility Project to ensure the usability of all web-based services and information. This includes an accessibility compliance evaluation and training for all staff.
Customer Service
The City is committed to improving accessibility in its services for people with disabilities and creating an inclusive city by regularly engaging with people with disabilities. To achieve this, the City will work towards ensuring equal access to any services, goods or facilities for residents and visitors of all abilities. This includes updating the Accessible Customer Service Policy and launching a Wayfinding and Accessibility Pilot Program in partnership with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
Employment
The City is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion, creating an inclusive workplace with accessible formats and communication supports, and expanding employment and co-op opportunities for people with disabilities. As part of these efforts, an Accommodation Policy and Guide will be developed, accessibility guidelines for all virtual, hybrid and in-person meetings will be created, and partnerships with community agencies to enhance co-op and employment opportunities for people with disabilities will be leveraged.
Transportation
The City is committed to advocating and promoting accessible methods of transportation to provide inclusive options for individuals with disabilities. As such, the City will ensure its transportation system is accessible and implement standardized AODA requirements in design criteria relating to sidewalks, cycling facilities and roadways.
Design of Public Spaces
The City is committed to improving the accessibility of its municipal facilities and infrastructure, and advancing compliance in public spaces. A comprehensive Accessibility Improvement Plan will be implemented with regular audits and upgrades, building upgrades will be completed based on a Building Accessibility Assessment, and new signage will be created for recreational trails, facilities, parks, playgrounds and more.
For a full overview, read the 2023 to 2027 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (PDF).
The City’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan is a living document designed to be flexible and adaptive to the evolving needs of the Vaughan community. The plan will be reviewed, assessed and updated regularly to ensure its continued effectiveness and relevance.
QUOTES
“One of the fundamental goals of the City of Vaughan is to ensure our community is vibrant, diverse, inclusive and equity-based for everyone, regardless of age or ability. As an organization, we are committed to treating everyone in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and fair access for residents, visitors and employees with visible or non-visible disabilities. Our newly approved 2023 to 2027 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan is key to this endeavour, as we work together to ensure Vaughan is a place where people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds can thrive.”
- Mayor Steven Del Duca
“As the Chair of the City of Vaughan’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, I am honoured to play a role in the development and implementation of the City’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan. This comprehensive strategy is designed to pave the way for a more inclusive and accessible Vaughan, where every resident can actively participate in our vibrant community. The plan encompasses a wide range of initiatives, each aimed at breaking down barriers and ensuring people of all abilities can enjoy equal access to the resources and opportunities our City offers. I am committed to working closely with stakeholders, disability advocates and residents to ensure this plan remains effective, adaptive and reflective of our community’s diverse perspectives.”
- Accessibility Advisory Committee Chair and Ward 5 Councillor Gila Martow
QUICK FACTS
The City of Vaughan’s 2023 to 2027 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan was approved by Vaughan Council at the Tuesday, Nov. 14 Council meeting.
The updated Multi-Year Accessibility Plan provides a five-year outlook on how the City will advance accessibility and inclusion, and create a barrier-free environment for all residents, visitors and businesses.
The updated Multi-Year Accessibility plan is focused around the following five guiding principles: Health and Safety, Clear and Accessible Information, Inclusion and Equity, Accessible City, and Continuous Improvement.
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