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HomeMy Public PortalAboutBy-law 2023-50 Adopt Accessibility Policy and PlanCORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF TWEED BY-LAW NO. 2023-50 Being a By-law to Adopt an Accessibility Policy and Plan for the Municipality of Tweed, and to Repeal By-law No. 2003-29 Which Adopted an Accessibility Plan and By-law No. 2020-16 Which Adopted a Multi -Year Accessibility Plan. WHEREAS Section 6 (1) of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, S. 0. 2005, c.11, as amended, (the "AODA") authorizes the Lieutenant Governor in Council to make regulations establishing accessibility standards; AND WHEREAS Section 3 (1) of the Ontario Regulation 191/11: Integrated Accessibility Standards, as amended, (the "IASR"), established under the AODA requires that every obligated organization, which all municipalities are defined as an obligated organization, shall develop, implement and maintain policies governing how achieve or will achieve accessibility; AND WHEREAS Section 3 (3) of the IASR requires a document describing the policy established under Section 3 (1) and making the documents publicly available and upon request in an accessible format; AND WHEREAS Section 4 (1) of the IASR requires designated public sector organizations to establish, implement, maintain, and document a multi -year accessibility plan and post on the website and updated the plan at least once every five years; AND WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Tweed deems it expedient to establish an Accessibility Policy and Multi -Year Accessibility Plan for the Municipality of Tweed to serve as a road map to help us meet the legislative requirements and remove accessibility barriers; NOW THEREFORE the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Tweed hereby enacts as follows: 1. Purpose of Accessibility Policy 1.1 The purpose of the Accessibility Policy is to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities in the Municipality's by-laws and in its policies, programs, practices, and services. This Policy describes the measures to be undertaken to identify, remove and prevent barriers to people with disabilities who utilize the facilities and services of the Municipality of Tweed, including staff. 2. Objectives of the Policy 2.1 The objectives of the Accessibility Policy are as follows: a) Describe the process by which the Municipality of Tweed will identify, remove and prevent barriers to people with disabilities;. b) Review earlier efforts to remove and prevent barriers to people with disabilities; c) List the facilities, policies, programs, practices, and services the Municipality will review to identify barriers to people with disabilities; d) Describe the measures the Municipality will take to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to people with disabilities; and e) Describe how the Municipality will make the Policy and Plan available to the public. 3. Description of the Municipality 3.1 The Municipality of Tweed is an amalgamated municipality within the County Page 2 of 3 — By-law No. 2023-50 of Hastings, comprised of the former Village of Tweed, Township of Hungerford, and Townships of Elzevir and Grimsthorpe. The Municipality has a population of approximately 6,100 persons, with 25% of the population residing in the urban centre; the balance of the Municipality consists of a large rural/farming area, five smaller populated hamlets, as well as many acres of vacant land, both privately and Crown owned. Total number of households per Municipal Property Assessment Corporation of 3,246. The Municipality has the following facilities which are used by staff and members of the public, including service groups and individuals: f) Administration building, which houses the Council Chambers and municipal offices; g) Firehall; h) Arena; i) Seven (7) parks, which host washroom facilities, playground equipment, pool and pool changerooms, splashpads, soccer and baseball fields, pickle ball courts, canteens, bleachers, volleyball beach courts, outdoor stage and ball hockey arena; j) Five (5) community halls, two (2) in the Village and three (3) of the hamlets; k) Library; I) Parks and public works facilities in Village behind Library; m) Four (4) public works yards; n) One (1) active aggregate pit (with three (3) inactive pits rarely used); and o) Waste disposal site and recycling depot. 4. Council Commitment 4.1 The Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Tweed is committed to; a) The continual improvement of access to all municipally owned facilities, premises and services or persons with disabilities; and b) The provision of quality services to all members of the community with disabilities. 4.2 The Council has authorized the CAO of the Municipality to prepare an accessibility plan which will enable Council to meet these commitments. 5. Barrier Identification 5.1 Council shall establish an Accessibility Working Group from time to time with at least two (2) Council representatives, two (2) staff representatives and at least two (2) public representatives. 5.2 The Accessibility Working Group shall complete annual identification of barriers to accessibility in facilities, services, and programs. Barriers may be identified through the following methods: a) On site inspections; b) Public surveys; c) Staff surveys; and d) Public Accessibility Feedback Forms. 5.3 The annual barrier identification report shall be reported to Council and shall be made public at the Municipal Office and on the municipal website. The Municipality shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that the Accessibility Policy and Plan are provided in an accessible format. 5.4 The Accessibility Working Group shall annually review, update, and summarize all completed accessibility improvement initiatives. The summary shall be reported to Council and shall be made public at the Municipal Office and on the municipal website. The Municipality shall take all reasonable steps Page 3 of 3 -- By-law No. 2023-50 to ensure the initiative summary is provided in an accessible format. 5.5 The Accessibility Working Group shall integrate identified barriers from Section 5.3 of this By-law into the Multi -Year Accessibility Plan. 6. Multi -Year Accessibility Plan 6.1 The Accessibility Working Group shall annually review and update the Multi - Year Accessibility Plan. The Multi -Year Accessibility Plan shall include timing of all legislated accessibility improvement deadlines as well as integrate the identified barriers from Section 5.3 of this By-law. 6.2 The Multi -Year Accessibility Plan shall take the form of Schedule `A' to this By- law, or as replaced from time to time. 7. Accessibility Feedback Form 7.1 The Municipality of Tweed shall provide an Accessibility Feedback Form to the public at the Municipal Office, Library and on the municipal website. 7.2 The Accessibility Feedback Form is attached as Schedule 'B' to this By-law, or as replaced from time to time. An electronic version of this form will be provided on the municipal website. 8. Review of Process 8.1 The Accessibility Policy shall be reviewed at least once per Council term. 8.2 The Multi -Year Accessibility Plan shall be reviewed annually. 9. Communication of Accessibility Policy and Plan 9.1 The Municipality of Tweed Accessibility Policy and Multi -Year Plan shall be made available on the municipal website as well as at the Municipal Office. Every reasonable effort will be made to make the policy and plan available to those with disabilities. 10. Repeal of By-laws 10.1 THAT By-law No. 2003-29 and By-law No. 2020-16 are hereby repealed in. their entirety. 11. Effective Date 11.1 THAT this By-law shall come into force and take effect immediately upon the passing thereof by the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Tweed. 12. Short Title 12.1 THAT this By-law may be cited as the "Accessibility By-law". Read a first, second, and third and final time, passed, signed, and sealed in open Council this 13th day of June, 2023. DEPUTY MAYOR )11 CLERK )(i)17 - - CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF TWEED BY-LAW NO. 2023-50 SCHEDULE 'A' This is Schedule 'A' to By-law No. 2023-50 to Adopt an Accessibility Policy and Plan for the Municipality of Tweed. LEGISLATED GENERAL REQUIREMENTS — ACTION PLAN OR COMPLIANCE IASR/IDENTIFIED BARRIERS STATUS DATE JANUARY 1, 2010 DECEMBER 31, 2010 JULY 1, 2011 JANUARY 1, 2012 JANUARY 1, 2012 JANUARY 1, 2012 JANUARY 1, 2013 DECEMBER 31, 2013 JANUARY 1, 2014 JANUARY 1, 2014 Provide accessible customer service (train staff and volunteers to serve customers of all abilities, keep a written record of the training, welcome service animals and support persons, create accessible ways for people to provide feedback, and put an accessibility policy in place, so your employees, volunteers and customers can know what to expect) File Accessibility Compliance Report Provide accessible taxi services (if licence taxicabs, make sure drivers do not charge people with disabilities extra for a trip or for storing mobility aids in their cabs) Provide accessible emergency and public safety information (when asked, provide publicly available emergency information like evacuation plans or brochure, in an accessible format) Provide accessible emergency information to staff (when necessary, provide accessible and customized emergency information) Provide taxi registration and identification in accessible formats (if licence taxicabs, make sure drivers provide their vehicle registration and identification information in accessible formats for passengers with disabilities) Provide accessible transportation services (consult with municipal accessibility advisory committees on bus stops and shelters and the need for on -demand accessible taxicabs) File Accessibility Compliance Report Create accessibility policies and multi- year plan (create policies and multi -year accessibility plan to help achieve accessibility goals, tell employees and customers about policies, post multi- year plan on website in accessible format) Buy goods, services or facilities that are accessible (where possible, incorporate accessibility design, criteria and features when purchasing new goods, services or facilities for organization, when it is not possible, explain why) Complete Complete N/A — do not licence taxicabs Ongoing when requested Ongoing when requested N/A — do not licence taxicabs N/A — do not provide bus transportation services Complete Completed March 25, 2020 Updated 2021 Updated 2023 Ongoing with annual procurement procedures JANUARY 1, 2014 JANUARY 1, 2014 JANUARY 1, 2015 JANUARY 1, 2015 JANUARY 1, 2015 DECEMBER 31, 2015 JANUARY 1, 2016 JANUARY 1, 2016 DECEMBER 31, 2017 DECEMBER 31, 2019 JANUARY 1, 2021 DECEMBER 31, 2021 DECEMBER 31, 2023 DECEMBER 31, 2025 Include accessibility features when purchasing or designing self-service kiosks (includes interactive electronic terminals that people use to pay parking fees, validate tickets, buy groceries and renew licences) Make websites accessible (includes only new websites and old websites you significantly update and new web content you create) Train staff on Ontario's accessibility laws (train all employees and volunteers on the accessibility requirements that apply to their job duties and organization) Make it easy for people with disabilities to provide feedback when asked (includes surveys or comment cards) Make employment practices accessible (make hiring, retaining and providing career development opportunities accessible and document processes for developing individual accommodation plan and return -to -work plans) File Accessibility Compliance Report Make public information accessible when asked (work with person who is asking to figure out how to meet their needs as soon as possible) Make new or redeveloped public spaces accessible (recreational trails and beach access routes, outdoor public use eating areas, outdoor play spaces, public outdoor paths of travel, on an doff street parking areas, service counters, fixed waiting lines, and waiting areas with fixed seating) File Accessibility Compliance Report File Accessibility Compliance Report Make all websites and web content accessible File Accessibility Compliance Report File Accessibility Compliance Report File Accessibility Compliance Report Used only during elections, provided accessible station Complete Complete Complete To update HR policies to include documented accommodation plan processes when needed — NONE REQUIRED as at May 11, 2023 Complete Ongoing when requested Ongoing as spaces are redeveloped established Complete Complete Complete Complete or CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF TWEED BY-LAW NO. 2023-50 SCHEDULE `B' This is Schedule `B' to By-law No. 2023-50 to Adopt an Accessibility Policy and Plan for the Municipality of Tweed. Accessibility Feedback Form Thank you for visiting the Municipality of Tweed. We value all our customers and strive to meet everyone's needs. 1. Please tell us the date and time of your visit: 2. Did we respond to your customer service needs today? (Circle one) Yes No (Please explain below) 3. Was our customer service provided to you in an accessible manner? (Circle one) Yes No (Please explain below) 4. Did you have any problems accessing our goods and services? (Circle one) Yes (Please explain below) Somewhat (Please explain below) No 5. Please add any other comments you may have: 6. Would you be interested in participating in the Municipality's Accessibility Working Group to help identify barriers and review the Municipality's Accessibility Policy and Multi -Year Accessibility Plan? (Circle one) Yes (Contact information is required) No Contact information (optional): ("1 The Municipality of Tweed thanks you for your input.