Barrier Free Ottawa: Can it really become the most accessible capital city in the world?

December 1, 2011

Slug-Accessibility

By FELICIA PACENTRILLI

Ottawa

Barrier Free Ottawa
Can it really become the most accessible capital city in the world?

On a sunny day in late October, Mayor Jim Watson proclaimed that Ottawa was working to become the most accessible capital city in the world.

Dressed in a bright red jacket, with a maple leaf on his chest, Watson told a crowd of supporters in front of City Hall that $8 million dollars will be spent to ensure that Ottawa’s buildings are accessible for everyone.

Rick Hansen, one of Canada’s most recognizable advocates for disabilities, sat to Watson’s left. The mayor was speaking in recognition of the 25th anniversary of Hansen’s “Man in Motion” tour, where he travelled the world in a wheelchair to raise money for people who suffered from spinal cord injuries.

Despite the support of Rick Hansen and enthusiasm of the crowd, some disability advocates say there’s still a lot of work to be done in Ottawa and Ontario, and it’s not just about fixing up buildings.

On January 1st, 2012 new accessibility regulations will come into effect in Ontario. All private businesses, non-profit organizations and other service providers will be required by law to provide accessible customer service. These legislative requirements are set out in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) – a framework for province-wide mandatory accessibility standards, passed in 2005.  

This means businesses will need to have trained all their staff on the AODA Customer Service Standard, put policies and procedures in place, and be offering alternative formats and mechanisms for feedback, among other requirements, in a month’s time.

Edie Forsyth is the director of Accessibility Experts, a company that specializes in providing accessibility training and consulting so that businesses meet AODA standards. Forsyth doubts that the 360,000 private businesses that have to comply will be prepared this New Year’s Day.

“There are a lot of misunderstandings,” says Forsyth who points out that the business sector still thinks they have to put in ramps and accessible washrooms right away. “The first standard is the Customer Service Standard and it’s all about the way we interact with people with disabilities and allow them to have access to the same goods and services as everyone else.”

Forsyth says businesses need to think about things as simple as offering information in large print for those with low vision, having an easy-grip pen for a person with arthritis and making sure there are chairs for those who can’t sit for long periods of time.

The Accessible Customer Service standard was the first standard to become a regulation in Ontario. The provincial government is now focusing on five areas for continued regulations: Accessible Customer Service, Accessible Information and Communications, Accessible Built Environment, Employment Accessibility and Accessible Transportation.

The goal of these standards and the AODA is for the province to become fully accessible and barrier-free by 2025. Right now, one in seven Ontarians has a disability and the number will continue to rise over the next 20 years as the population ages.

Forsyth says the public sector has done a phenomenal job implementing the Accessible Customer Service Standard, which came into effect for them two years ago, but knows it won’t be so easy with the private sector.

“I really believe the private sector is doing a wait and see kind of game.” They are pretending ignorance at this point until they hear more,” says Forsyth who hopes that a business will be “made an example of.”

Businesses which don’t implement the Accessible Customer Service Standard will have a steep price to pay. The government will apply fines of up to $50,000 per day for Directors and Officers and fines of up to $100,000 per day for corporations.

While Forsyth commends Mayor Watson for addressing accessibility and working to eliminate physical barriers in Ottawa, she also reminds him it’s not just about cutting curbs and fixing ramps.

Nathan Hauch knows this first-hand. He has cerebral palsy, severe to profound hearing loss and some learning disabilities. He’s lived in Ottawa his whole life and rates the city as being fairly accessible, but with plenty of room to improve.

Hauch, a coordinator with the Canadian Paraplegic Association, is pleased that Ottawa has invested $8 million towards retrofitting existing municipal buildings, but says that’s not his biggest concern.

The real problem in the city is transit. Hauch says he waits up to an hour some days before he can finally get onto a bus. He says buses often pass him by because they are too full and he can’t squeeze in with his scooter.

Para-Transpo is another problem. The door-to-door transportation service, funded by the city and administered by OC Transpo, has been a long-standing challenge for the disabled community in Ottawa. 

It provides service for people with disabilities who are unable to use transit. However, Hauch says it’s often very difficult to book a ride, with passengers having to call 24 hours in advance. Even when a ride has been arranged, wait times remain long.

Mayor Watson has acknowledged that Para-Transpo is a problem because “the demand far exceeds the supply in Ottawa.” However, Watson promises the entire Para-Transpo fleet will be refurbished in the next couple of years, starting in 2012.

City council also recently approved a new pricing structure for disabled residents in rural areas of Ottawa. It used to cost these residents three times more to use Para-Transpo, but Watson says that problem is now fixed.

Hauch says one thing the city can be proud of is its Taxi Rebate program. It allows residents who are eligible for Para-Transpo to purchase taxi coupons and ride for 40 per cent off the regular fare.

But in terms of accessible capital cities, Hauch says Vancouver rates first in his books.

 “I marvelled at the accessibility of the transit system there, it was wonderful, very easy to get around,” says Hauch. “And part of having that accessibility is the trickle-down effect of awareness in people. People were much more attuned to making way for me to be able to move about.”

Hauch says awareness and attitudes about accessibility in Ottawa need to continue to improve. He reminds people that if they notice certain businesses aren’t accessible, people should ask why and speak to the owners.

OpenFile, a community based news organization, which writes stories based on reader suggestions, posted an article called “Inaccessible Ottawa” in August. Readers pointed out and took pictures of several places in Ottawa that were inaccessible.

The photos showed many private businesses still had steps at their entrance and no ramps. There were also businesses with ramps that seemed accessible from the outside but then had barriers on the inside, such as narrow elevators, bathrooms without automatic door openers and sinks that were too high to use. One only needs to take a walk in the Byward Market or the Glebe to see more examples.

The $8 million that Watson has set aside from this year’s capital budget will be spread out evenly. Two million dollars will be spent per year for four years to ensure that all of Ottawa’s municipal buildings are in compliance with the AODA.

Mayor Watson says he’s confident with his goal of making Ottawa the most accessible capital city in the world for a few reasons.

 “Unlike a lot of other G8 capitals, we’re a younger capital and we don’t have as many old buildings,” he explains. “So we have that advantage, plus we have provincial legislation that is amongst the most stringent and well-thought out in the world.”

David Lepofsky, chair of the AODA Alliance, a non-partisan advocacy group which works to ensure that accessibility standards in Ontario are effectively implemented and enforced, commends Mayor Watson’s actions.

Mayor Watson’s goal of making Ottawa the most accessible capital city in the world is realistic, says Lepofsky, but there is competition.

Lepofsky says we need to play catch-up to capitals like Washington, DC. The U.S. city has one of the most accessible public transportation systems in the world. Each metro station has elevators to train platforms, extra-wide fare gates for wheelchair users and wheelchair lifts, as well as their own version of Para-Transpo, called MetroAccess.

Almost all of their major attractions are wheelchair accessible including all Smithsonian museums, all memorials, the National Theatre and the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts. Scooter and wheelchair rentals are also widely available across the city.

Again, Lepofsky says the mayor needs to look beyond buildings. Right now, the AODA Alliance is fighting for internet and telephone voting to make elections fully accessible.

Each municipality is able to choose its own voting machines and standards, although there are some provincial regulations. The small town of Cobourg, Ontario has been hailed as a pioneer in accessible voting with residents able to vote by phone or over the Internet in municipal elections since 2006.

In fact, the town was so pleased with electronic voting in 2006, that only cell phone and Internet voting were offered in their fall 2010 municipal election. They reported that the cost of their election significantly decreased while voter turnout increased. It was also fully accessible.

Markham, Ontario is another city that has used electronic voting since 2003. They’ve found that voter turnout has increased by 30 per cent. Elections Ontario is planning a pilot program for next year, but it still needs a push from the Legislature.

Ontario was the first province in Canada to implement accessibility laws, but strong leadership is now needed at the local level.

While Watson is moving in the right direction, his next steps should be to implement internet and telephone voting for municipal elections and ensure that transit, websites, tourist spots and affordable housing are just as accessible as city buildings.