Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

2024-2029 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

• Message from the Regional Chair

  I am pleased to introduce the Niagara Region's Multi- Year Accessibility Plan for 2024 to 2029.

  This plan builds on our achievements in advancing accessibility across the region and reaffirms Council's commitment to ensuring that all Niagara Region services and facilities are accessible to everyone.
  

  Meeting and exceeding the standards set forth in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act is foundational to our goal of creating an inclusive environment for all.
  

  The plan outlines key initiatives that Niagara Region will implement over the next five years, covering essential areas such as Niagara Regional Housing projects, customer service processes, our websites, and improvements to Regional roads and crosswalks.

  This plan is a comprehensive roadmap which will help us maintain our focus on removing barriers to equal participation in all Regional services and public spaces.

  On behalf of Regional Council, I want to acknowledge and thank the members of our Accessibility Advisory Committee. These volunteers bring invaluable insight and personal experiences that help inform our decisions and enhance our services.

  Input from this committee is vital to our progress and is helping to make Niagara a better place for everyone.

  Together, we are making strides towards a more inclusive Niagara where everyone can fully participate and thrive in our community.

• Message from the Accessibility Advisory Committee

  The Accessibility Advisory Committee is honoured to have participated in the development of Niagara Region's 2024-2029 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan.

  This plan represents a significant step in Niagara Region's accessibility journey to date. It builds on the achievements of the Region's previous 2018-2023 plan while laying a foundation for the organization to identify, remove and prevent accessibility barriers for years to come.

  The 2024-2029 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan considers accessibility and participation barriers in many essential areas of living and organizational service delivery. From public spaces and customer service to digital information, and employment, this plan aims to advance accessibility throughout the region.

  The stories and experiences of people across Niagara, as well as the expert voices of the local accessibility advisory committees, helped to design this plan. A plan that will not only be effective in breaking down barriers, but that is reflective of the needs of people with disabilities.

  The Accessibility Advisory Committee is grateful for Niagara Regional Council's commitment to accessibility and to an Equitable Region.

  We are pleased to endorse the Region's 2024-2029 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan. We look forward to our continued work together to ensure that Regional services, programs and facilities are accessible, inclusive and welcoming to everyone.

• Governance and participation

  Improving accessibility and removing barriers across Niagara Region is a collective priority and shared responsibility. Regional Council, senior leadership, staff, volunteers and contractors all have an important role in advancing and promoting accessibility.

  The 2024-2029 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan applies to Niagara Region as a corporation which includes:

  • Office of the CAO
  • Office of the Deputy CAO
  • Community Services
  • Corporate Services
  • Public Health
  • Public Works

  Agencies, boards and commissions also participating include:

  • Niagara Regional Police Service
  • Niagara Regional Housing

  The Niagara Transit Commission and Niagara Conservation Authority participated in Niagara Region's 2018-2023 plan. These organizations are not participating in our 2024-2029 plan. These organizations, along with area municipalities in Niagara, develop their own multi-year accessibility plans.

Actions to advance accessibility

• Focus 1: General requirements

  Accessibility plan and policies

  • Update Niagara Region's Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
  • Update the corporate accessibility policy to reflect and renew Niagara Region's commitment to accessibility
  • Develop and adopt a digital accessibility policy to enhance the accessibility and usability of web-based services and information for all users

  Training processes

  • Coordinate procedures for corporate training on the Accessibility for Ontarians Disabilities Act
  • Centralize accessibility training completion data for employees, volunteers and contractors
• Focus 2: Barriers in customer service

  Procedures and neetings

  • Review corporate procedures related to procurement, service animals, support persons and service disruptions. Update as necessary for alignment with accessibility legislation and disability inclusion.
  • Develop and implement best practices for accessible Regional meetings, including meetings of Regional Council, and for communicating meeting accessibility features to the public

  Staff training

  • Expand training for staff, volunteers and consultants on disability, assistive devices, accessibility barriers, accessibility supports and accessibility legislation
• Focus 3: Barriers in information and communication

  Feedback processes

  • Review public feedback processes across all departments to ensure they are accessible
  • Strengthen corporate feedback processes as required for increased accessibility, increased staff response times and public awareness

  Accessible information

  • Ensure all corporate and departmental websites, social media and applications meet or exceed Web Content Accessible Guidelines 2.0 AA
  • Establish consistent web auditing and internal reporting processes across departments
  • Explore and implement, where possible, alternate document compliance testing and remediation tools for greater accessibility and efficiency
  • Continue to develop and coordinate web and document accessibility training for staff
  • Establish a digital accessibility sub-group of the staff accessibility working group
  • Review emergency and public safety communication procedures for accessibility. Update where necessary.
• Focus 4: Barriers in employment

  Recruitment, hiring and accommodations

  • Develop and implement corporate diversity, equity and inclusion resources and practices to ensure barrier-free hiring and recruitment practices, and an inclusive and welcoming workplace
  • Strengthen communication processes with applicants and employees to ensure they are aware of available disability accommodations and related procedures
  • Strengthen corporate processes for the development and maintenance of individualized employee accommodation plans

  Workplace emergency response

  • Strengthen corporate processes for the development and maintenance of individualized workplace emergency response plans for employees with a disability

  Employee support

  • Support opportunities for information sharing and collaboration for employees and Regional volunteers with a disability or accessibility needs
• Focus 5: Barriers in public spaces

  Accessible facilities project

  • Complete the necessary accessible design upgrades identified in phases one and two of the accessible facilities project
    
  • Continue phases three and four of the accessible facilities project. Conduct accessibility assessments on all remaining Regional facilities.
  • Develop plans to remove identified access barriers

  Accessible design standards

  • Construction Energy and Facilities Management to update the Facilities Accessible Design Standards for all Regional construction and redevelopment
    based on the Town of Oakville's Universal Design Standards v2.1
  • Niagara Regional Housing to develop universal design procedures for use in Niagara Regional Housing projects, including multi-unit residential buildings

  Scent and fragrance-free spaces

  • Update and implement corporate policies and staff and public education tools toward making Niagara Region owned and operated facilities scent and
    fragrance free
• Focus 6: Barriers in transportation

  Accessible paths of travel

  • Provide education for the public, consultants and staff on mobility barriers in the community, such as improper placement of garbage and recycle bins, improper use of accessible parking spaces, snow covered walkways, inaccessible paths of travel
  • Implement curb ramps, tactile walking surface indicators and accessible pedestrian signals at Regional intersections as reconstruction projects occur
  • Continue to adjust signal timings, where possible, to provide longer crossing times at intersections for pedestrians who may need more time to cross the road
  • Work with local municipalities to ensure minimum pedestrian clearway requirements are incorporated into capital reconstruction projects

  Conventional and specialized transit

  • Projects and activities related to the accessibility of conventional and specialized transit, bus stops and bus shelters are not addressed in Niagara Region's Multi-Year Accessibility Plan. They will be addressed through the Niagara Transit Commission's master and accessibility plans.

2024 Status update

Learn about the key accessibility achievements in 2024.

• General
  • Completed the 2024-2029 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
  • Niagara Region's Accessibility Advisory Committee endorsed the plan and Regional Council apprved the plan
  • Conducted community consultations across Niagara, including Niagara's accessibility advisory committees, to identify barriers to Regional services and inform the updated plan
  • Developed new training processes and resources for staff on the Accessibility for Ontarians Disabilities Act, including quarterly in-person training sessions
• Customer service
  • Published new provincial customer service training to the internal MyLearning training portal for staff
  • Provided training on the Accessibility for Ontarians Disabilities Act and accessibility across the organization, including Niagara Regional Police Service recruits
• Information and communication
  • Ongoing efforts to respond to requests for alternative forms of information and to reduce barriers during the request process
  • Ongoing efforts to ensure conformance of all Regional websites, applications and social media to WCAG 2.0 AA
  • Drafted new internal procedures and initiated updates to the corporate website to remove barriers to Niagara Region's web content
  • Initiated comprehensive web accessibility auditing process through CNIB Access Labs, a division of Canadian National Institute for the Blind
  • Developed and implemented instructor led training for Regional staff and community partners on making accessible documents
  • Developed a Making Documents Accessible desktop training resource for staff
• Employment
  • Updated the employee equity statement for job postings to encourage diverse candidates to apply, including people with disabilities
  • Updated the Human Resources Best Practices Guidebook to support diversity, equity and inclusion in recruitment, hiring and career advancement
  • Continued development of a new diversity, equity and inclusion handbook for staff and volunteers
  • Developed and delivered new diversity, equity and inclusion training modules to staff and people leaders
• Public spaces
  • Installed audible and visual fire alarms at 12 locations
  • Upgraded multiple entrances to include push door operator and fob swipe relocation providing more accessible paths of travel
  • Completed accessible parking upgrades at 12 locations
  • Completed Phase 3 of accessibility facilities project resulting in 58 of 69 Regional buildings having been audited for accessibility barriers
  • Installed accessible vestibule at child care centre at 179 Carlton St.
  • Initiated recommendations for scent-free hand products at Niagara Region Headquarters
• Transportation
  • Niagara Regional Transit attended two of Niagara Region'a Accessibility Advisory Committee meetings to provide information about, and gather information for, their transit strategy

Accessibility

• Multi-Year Accessibility Plan and Status Updates
• Accessibility Advisory Committee