Accessibility Advisory Committee

Vacancies, how to apply, and current committee membership

Information regarding vacancies, how-to apply and current committee membership is available on the boards and committees page.

Meetings

Alternate formats are available as per the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act by contacting the Clerks Office at 519-822-1260 extension 5603.

About the Committee

Each year Guelph City Council appoints community members to sit on the Guelph Accessibility Advisory Committee (GAAC). The role of the Guelph Accessibility Advisory Committee is to provide vision and direction to staff and Council regarding the removal of barriers that exist within Municipal services, practices and programs.

The Guelph Accessibility Advisory Committee consists of a maximum of 15 members:

A majority of these members (one half of total members, plus one) must be persons with disabilities.  These Committee members must be representative of gender, ethnicity and different types of visible and invisible disabilities noted in the “ODA 2001” such as persons with physical (visual, speech, hearing, deaf, brain injury, use of wheelchair or assistive device); cognitive (intellectual impairments); perceptual (learning disability) and mental health issues;

  • the remaining positions may be filled by individuals who may not have a disability.  These members may include:
    • persons representative of children with disabilities (ex. Parent)
    • persons representative of organizations involving persons with disabilities; or
    • persons interested in issues related to persons with disabilities

The length of term for a persons first appointed to the Guelph Accessibility Advisory Committee shall be one year. Incumbent members may serve for another three years, in accordance with City Council’s policy.

The City of Guelph’s Administrator of Disability Services will act as a resource to the Guelph Accessibility Advisory Committee but will not be a voting member.

The Guelph Accessibility Advisory Committee meets every other month on the 3rd Tuesday from 3 to 5 p.m. at Guelph City Hall, 1 Carden Street.

  • Guelph meetings are open to the public.
  • The location is wheelchair accessible.
  • If individuals attending require special accommodations (i.e. ASL), arrangements must be made at least one month in advance. For assistance and information please contact the Accessibility Coordinator ([email protected]T 822-1260 x 2670, TTY 837-5688).

Terms of Reference

Current Operating Terms of Reference (2022) In effect April 2022. Amended, City Council approved, February 2022.

1.0 Preamble

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) recognizes the history of discrimination against persons with disabilities in Ontario, the purpose of this Act is to benefit all Ontarians by,

  1. developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards in order to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures and premises on or before January 1, 2025; and
  2. providing for the involvement of persons with disabilities, of the Government of Ontario and of representatives of industries and of various sectors of the economy in the development of the accessibility standards.

Under the AODA, municipalities with populations over 10,000 must appoint an Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) to help them by advising on several topics covered in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) was developed with the goal of making the province of Ontario fully accessible for all people with disabilities by 2025. It includes accessibility standards that businesses and organizations with one or more employees in Ontario must follow. These standards are part of the Act’s Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation. Currently, there are five accessibility standards, and they apply to key areas of day-to-day life for Ontarians. These are:

  • General requirements: plans, policies, procuring goods, services or facilities, self-serve kiosks, and training
  • Information and Communications
  • Employment
  • Transportation
  • Design of Public Spaces; and
  • Customer Service

The contents of this “Terms of Reference” may be modified as the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities act is adapted, and changes are made.

2.0 Definitions

Within this Terms of Reference the term:

“the organization” refers to The City of Guelph and may refer to the City’s Agencies, Boards and Commissions. It is intended that the Accessibility Advisory Committee shall advise comprehensively upon issues for an inclusive and equitable Guelph which may entail forwarding recommendations to the City’s Agencies, Boards and Commissions and/or other outside organizations.

“the AAC” refers to the Accessibility Advisory Committee.

“barrier” means anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of their disability, including a physical barrier, an architectural barrier, an information or communication barrier, an attitudinal barrier, a technological barrier, a policy or practice (“obstacle”)

“disability” means:

  1. any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes, mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device;
  2. a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
  3. a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
  4. a mental disorder, or,
  5. an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997; (“handicap”)

3.0 Mandate

In accordance with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Chapter 32, Statutes of Ontario, 2002, the AAC shall advise and assist “the organization: in promoting and facilitating a barrier-free Guelph for citizens of all abilities (universal accessibility), including persons with disabilities. This aim shall be achieved through the review of municipal policies, programs and services and the identification, removal and prevention of barriers faced by person with disabilities.

4.0 Duties

The Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) shall report to City Council through the appropriate Council Committee on a no less than annual basis. The AAC shall be responsible for the following:

Duties Required by the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005)

  • advise Council about the requirements and implementation of accessibility standards and the preparation of accessibility reports and such other matters for which the council may seek its advise within this section;
  • review in a timely manner the site plans and drawing described in section 41 of the Planning Act that the committee selects; and
  • perform all other functions that are specified in the regulations.

be prepared to advise Council on their duty to:

  1. seek advice from the committee on the accessibility for persons with disabilities to a building, structure or premises, or part of a building, structure or premises,
  2. that the council purchases, constructs or significantly renovates;
  3. for which the council enters into new lease; or
  4. that a person provides as municipal capital facilities under an agreement entered into with the council in accordance with Section 110 of the Municipal Act, 2001.

5.0 Membership

Voting Members

A maximum of 15 members consisting of:

  1. The majority of the members, in accordance with the AODA shall be persons with disabilities. These Committee members shall be representative of gender, ethnicity and different types of visible and non-visible disabilities.
  2. The remaining positions may be filled by individuals who may not have a disability. These members may include:
    • persons representative of children with disabilities (example: a parent)
    • persons representative of organizations involving persons with disabilities; or
    • persons interested in issues related to persons with disabilities.

Quorum will consist of one half of the membership plus one member AND of those present, a majority must be persons with a disability.

The total length of term for each Guelph AAC member will be up to eight (8) consecutive years beginning with a period of one year for the first appointment.

The Guelph Accessibility Advisory Committee may form sub-committees and working groups as may be necessary to address specific issues. These sub-committees and working groups shall draw upon members from outside resource members as deemed necessary. The Chair of a sub-committee shall be a voting member of the Accessibility Advisory Committee.

Staff Support Group

The City of Guelph Accessibility Coordinator will act as a City Liaison to the AAC but will not be a voting member.

All staff and members of the public will coordinate their deputation to the AAC through the Accessibility Coordinator.

Resources to assist in these deputations are available through the Accessibility Coordinator.

Meeting archive (2004 to 2019)

2019

Meeting date Agenda Minutes
December 17, 2019meeting location details Agenda Minutes
August 20, 2019meeting location details Agenda Minutes
June 18, 2019meeting location details Agenda Minutes
April 16, 2019meeting location details Agenda Minutes
February 19, 2019meeting location details Agenda Minutes

2018

Meeting Date Agenda Minutes
December 18, 2018meeting location details Minutes
October 16, 2018meeting location details Minutes
December 18, 2018meeting location details Agenda
October 16, 2018meeting location details Agenda
August 21, 2018meeting location details Agenda Minutes
June 19, 2018meeting location details Agenda Minutes
February 20, 2018meeting location details Agenda Minutes

2017

Meeting date Agenda Minutes
December 19, 2017meeting location details Agenda Minutes
October 17, 2017meeting location details Agenda Minutes
August 15, 2017meeting location details Agenda Minutes
June 20, 2017meeting location details Agenda Minutes
April 18, 2017meeting location details Agenda Minutes
February 16, 2017meeting location details Agenda Minutes

2016

Meeting date Agenda Minutes
October 18, 2016meeting location details Agenda Minutes
August 16, 2016meeting location details Agenda Minutes
June 21, 2016meeting location details Agenda Minutes
April 19, 2016meeting location details Agenda Minutes
February 16, 2016meeting location details Agenda Minutes

2015

Meeting date Agenda Minutes
December 15, 2015meeting location details Agenda Minutes
October 20, 2015meeting location details Agenda Minutes
August 18, 2015meeting location details Agenda Minutes
June 16, 2015meeting location details Agenda Minutes
April 21, 2015meeting location details Agenda Minutes
February 17, 2015meeting location details Agenda Minutes

2014

Meeting date Agenda Minutes
December 16, 2014meeting location details Agenda Minutes
October 21, 2014meeting location details Agenda Minutes
August 19, 2014meeting location details Agenda Minutes
June 17, 2014meeting location details Agenda Minutes
April 15, 2014meeting location details Agenda Minutes
February 18, 2014meeting location details Agenda Minutes

2013

Meeting date Agenda Minutes
December 17, 2013meeting location details Agenda Minutes
October 15, 2013meeting location details Agenda Minutes
August 20, 2013meeting location details Agenda Minutes
June 18, 2013meeting location details Agenda Minutes
April 16, 2013meeting location details Agenda Minutes
February 19, 2013meeting location details Agenda Not applicable

2012

Meeting date Agenda Minutes
December 18, 2012meeting location details Agenda Minutes
October 16, 2012meeting location details Agenda Minutes
August 21, 2012meeting location details Agenda Minutes
June 19, 2012meeting location details Agenda Minutes
April 17, 2012meeting location details Agenda Minutes
February 21, 2012meeting location details Agenda Minutes

2011 Accessibility Advisory Committee Minutes

2010 Accessibility Advisory Committee Minutes

2009 Accessibility Advisory Committee Minutes

2008 Accessibility Advisory Committee Minutes

2007 Accessibility Advisory Committee Minutes

2006 Accessibility Advisory Committee Minutes

2005 Accessibility Advisory Committee Minutes

2004 Accessibility Advisory Committee Minutes