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Findings and Recommendations: Role of Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committees

The terms of reference also directed me to examine the role of Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committees (MAACs). Background information on MAACs was presented in the Introduction and input from the consultation process was summarized in the What the Review Heard section.

Throughout the review I met with a broad range of municipalities and many members of MAACs from large urban municipalities, regional governments, and northern and rural communities across the province. I also met with representatives from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and from the Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers (AMCTO).

In discussions with representatives from MAACs and municipalities it was evident that MAACs have evolved differently and are at various stages of maturation and effectiveness. Municipalities that have made progress in improving accessibility tend to have more experienced MAACs. This seems to be the result of a combination of commitment and leadership from the municipality at the council and mayoral levels, as well as strong MAAC members.

The Strength and Potential of MAACs

I was struck by the number of examples of best practices from municipalities and MAACs that were cited throughout the consultations. There does not, however, appear to be any formal process for documenting or making these examples available to other municipalities. In fact, the consultations for the review provided an opportunity for representatives from various municipalities and MAACs to come together to discuss how they were approaching the new responsibilities under the AODA, as well as innovative ideas their communities had developed and the challenges they were facing.

Municipalities ranging in size from large urban to small rural provided examples of innovative and comprehensive accessibility plans. I was told of one interesting initiative from the City of Thunder Bay. Twice a year the MAAC brings together representatives from the local hospitals, colleges and universities to share opportunities, best practices and challenges with respect to the broader public sector’s responsibilities under the ODA and the AODA.

Now that the private and not-for-profit sectors are also covered by accessibility requirements, informal local collaborative structures can support them in meeting their new obligations. I see tremendous strength and potential for MAACs to effect change at the community level and to support the work of the more informal advisory committees set up by many hospitals, colleges, universities and school boards, and over time the efforts of the private and not for profit sectors. In particular, the MAACs can serve as an excellent resource for the chambers of commerce in their communities. I see this as a key factor in supporting the province to meet its 2025 goal for accessibility, as the provincial government alone cannot effect the level of change required.

Input from Consultations

The key messages from the consultations on the role of MAACs can be summarized as follows:

• There is value in having municipal accessibility advisory committees. They are an important part of the process to improve accessibility and achieve the AODA vision for 2025 at the local and community level.
• It is necessary to clarify the role of MAACs with respect to their responsibilities under the ODA and AODA in the context of the ODA repeal strategy.
• Training is needed for municipal staff, MAAC members and future members about their respective roles, municipal governance principles and the AODA framework of accessibility standards and compliance.
• There is a need for formal and informal networks to share best practices among MAACs and municipalities.
• The ADO should play an ongoing role in training and educating MAACs and municipalities about their responsibilities under the AODA.

Next Steps

I am convinced that the MAACs do, and should continue to, play an important role in improving accessibility at the community level and in implementing the AODA. I see the role of the MAACs as a continuing work in progress as they build their capacity and gain expertise across the province.

Overall, I did not hear of any major concerns or gaps that require changes at this time with respect to role of the MAACs. As noted, MAACs do need better support so that they can fulfil their responsibilities under the ODA and the AODA and help Ontario achieve the goal of accessibility by 2025.

The role of the MAACs must be considered in the context of the proposed ODA repeal strategy outlined above. It is important that the process for preparing and releasing accessibility plans under the ODA and compliance reports under the AODA be streamlined and merged to avoid duplication. This is essential to ensure that the efforts and resources of the MAACs are focused on implementation and compliance with the new accessibility standards.

I have found a strong need for a mechanism for MAACs and municipalities to share best practices in a structured way. This would help MAACs to continue to evolve so that they can support further improvement in accessibility under the AODA. In spring 2009 the ADO brought together members of a number of MAACs in a series of regional forums planned in cooperation with MAAC chairs. These events were very positively received and provided a useful way for members of MAACs to share best practices and approaches to enhancing accessibility in their communities. Another idea suggested was to develop an online repository of municipal and MAAC success stories that would be easy to access province wide.

I believe that AMO and AMCTO can also play an important role in this regard through their annual meetings and the various conferences and roundtables they sponsor. The ADO should work closely with both organizations on all of its local government accessibility initiatives.