The Accessibility Advisory Committee is a volunteer committee established pursuant to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (the “Act”) to provide accessibility expertise and advice regarding the prevention and removal of all types of barriers to people with a disability.
Meetings
The Committee meets monthly, or at the discretion of the Chair. Upcoming meeting dates can be found on our meeting calendar. For more information read the committee's agendas and minutes to stay informed.
The Committee shall conduct its meetings in accordance with and otherwise comply with the City of St. Catharines simplified meeting procedures for advisory bodies.
Purpose
The Committee shall assist and advise City Council and staff about the requirements and implementation of accessibility standards and the preparation of accessibility reports and will:
- Endorse an accessibility plan, which quantifies the need, establishes priorities and achievable objectives related to the removal and prevention of barriers to people with a disability;
- Support compliance with Ontario’s accessibility legislation;
- Act as an expert resource to departmental staff in areas relating to accessibility;
- Review and advise with regard to relevant by-laws / policies;
- Promote municipal accessibility endeavours and successes;
- Review pertinent site plans and make recommendations regarding accessibility;
- Increase awareness on the benefits of an inclusive community.
Members
- Bob Asham
- Petra Bucek
- Diane Foster
- Matthew Goodman
- Rosemary Hale
- Sasha Ley
- Holly Lockhart
- Stan Pagonis
- David Reed
- Michelle Sanders
- Kate Wiley
- Bob Cornelius, Human Resources Consultant - Disability Management (staff liaison)
The membership term for the committee lasts for the term duration of City Council or as determined by Council.
Composition
The Accessibility Advisory Committee is comprised of up to 12 members as follows:
- A majority of the membership shall be persons with disabilities;
- Members shall be representative of a various range of disabilities, visible and invisible, as defined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act;
- Up to one representative from the Older Adult Advisory Committee;
- At least one other member shall be 65 years of age or older;
- At least one member shall be a caregiver of children or adolescents with disabilities;
- Other members shall be experts relating to disability, such as but not limited to, professional skills and personal experiences.
In some cases, members may fulfill more than one role.
Reporting structure
The Accessibility Advisory Committee is a statutory committee reporting directly to Council.
Administrative support to Committee shall be provided by Corporate Support Services, which shall assign a Staff Liaison to the Committee. Additional staff resources as required from time to time will be provided by the applicable departments.