Vancouver City Council |
REPORT TO COUNCIL
Date:
October 10, 2003
Author:
Paul Tubbe, Chair
T. Hildebrandt, CCO
Phone No.:
604.873.7268
RTS No.:
3794
CC File No.:
3053-1
Meeting Date:
December 2, 2003
TO:
Vancouver City Council
FROM:
The Special Advisory Committee on Disability Issues
SUBJECT:
2002 Annual Report
RECOMMENDATION
THAT this report be received for information.
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager submits the foregoing for INFORMATION.
PURPOSE
To provide Vancouver City Council with a report on the activities of the Special Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (SACDI) for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2002.
BACKGROUND
The Special Advisory Committee on Disability Issues was established by Council on November 22, 1977.
Objective
The objective of the Committee is to make the City more liveable for its disabled residents by removal of physical and social barriers, which impede their full participation in all aspects of City life.
Terms of Reference
The Committee:
· advises on matters presently under consideration which affect persons with disabilities;
· monitors City programs to ensure that the needs of persons with disabilities are considered;
· works co-operatively with Civic Departments, Boards and Commissions whose activities affect persons with disabilities;
· provides advice and information to Civic Departments, Boards and Commissions;
· disseminates information on civic matters affecting persons with disabilities;
· encourages and facilitates feedback through existing channels from persons with disabilities on civic matters affecting them;
· brings to the City Council matters identified by it as requiring action by the City;
· deals with any matters concerning persons with disabilities, which may be referred to the Special Committee by Council.DISCUSSION
1. Guest Presenters
Ryan Harding, Service Planner
TransLink
Future of Trolley Buses and Community Shuttle in the City of Vancouver
City of Vancouver:
· Lorna McCreath, Director
Equal Employment Opportunity Program
· Mark Lau, Project Manager
Facility Design
· Gret Sutherland, Manager
Facility Development,
· Geoff Wright, Ergonomist
Employee Health & Safety
Rotunda Accessibility
John Lane, Physical Access Coordinator
UBC
City of Winnipeg's Universal Design Policy; Province of Ontario's Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA)
Fred Cummings, Manager
Engineering and Project Services
TransLink
Frank Hill, Project Facilitator
City of Vancouver
Residential/Commercial Development at 600 Granville Street (Skytrain Station)
Doug Louie, Downtown Transportation Engineer
City of Vancouver
Downtown Transportation Plan Report
Ernie Baatz, Executive Director
Spectrum Society for Community Living
Deanne Ziebart
Developmental Disabilities Association
Community Living in Vancouver for the Developmentally Disabled
City of Vancouver:
· Pam Hayes, Vehicle for Hire Inspector
Police Services - Traffic Section:
· Constable Paul Adams
· Constable Kevin BarkerRalph Konstaninovic, Acting Manager
Vancouver Taxi
Taxi Consumer Complaint Form
Handling of Taxi Driver Complaints and Suspensions
2. Significant Activities:
a. Governance
To address SACDI concerns on governance issues, Syd Baxter, City Clerk, addressed SACDI regarding alternatives for the committee's meeting procedures and participation policies.
b. Transportation
Transportation issues continue to be a significant focus of the committee. The committee has worked with city staff to assess various ideas for transporting cyclists and pedestrians over the Burrard Bridge. The committee has also been asked for their expertise and opinion on accessible trolley issues. The committee continues to follow plans impacting the currently inaccessible Granville Skytrain Station and has reviewed recent proposals for a residential/commercial development at 600 Granville Street. This past year SACDI also heard an update on the Downtown Transportation Plan initiative on which city staff have been consulting with the committee. SACDI views advocating on accessibility issues, which affect transportation in Vancouver, as a significant benefit to the population the committee represents.
c. Housing
SACDI has continued its endeavours to promote suitable and affordable housing for persons with disabilities in Vancouver. During this past term, the committee heard a report on community living in Vancouver for the developmentally disabled.
d. Economic Sustainability
Economic sustainability is a vital aspect of the reality of living with a disability. An informative presentation on the ABLED (Advice and Business Loans for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities) program, given by a VanCity representative, provided much needed insight on this topic.
e. General Accessibility
The committee heard an informative presentation on the accessibility initiatives undertaken by the City of Winnipeg. Information was also provided on the Province of Ontario's new ODA (Ontarians with Disabilities Act). Locally, the city consulted with SACDI on accessibility issues concerning the new information Rotunda installed in the lobby of City Hall.
3. Future Directions
SACDI has targeted the following overlying goals and initiatives, encompassing both its present and future operation:
a. Establish committee short and long term priorities
b. Increase community knowledge base and resources
c. Refine SACDI's mode of operation
d. Establish communication and develop a network with other civic disability associations in the Lower Mainland
e. Develop strategic skills among SACDI members
CONCLUSION
The foregoing information is presented to Vancouver City Council for information.
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