The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutMACAI 2024-06-20 Agenda.pdf City of Maple Ridge MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSIVENESS AGENDA – REGULAR MEETING Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 4:30 pm Meeting Access Information Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness (MACAI) meetings are held in a hybrid format. Members of the MACAI and the public are asked to join the meeting in person in the Blaney Room at Maple Ridge City Hall or remotely using the following access information: Join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone https://mapleridge-ca.zoom.us/j/89168929281 Or join the meeting using your phone Dial: +1 778 907 2071 Meeting ID: 891 6892 9281 1. CALL TO ORDER 1.1. Territory Acknowledgement - The City of Maple Ridge carries out its business on the traditional and unceded territories of the Katzie (q̓ic̓әy̓) First Nation and the Kwantlen (qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼәn̓) First Nation. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA – June 20, 2024 3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES – April 18, 2024 4. DELEGATIONS 5. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS 5.1. New Chair Selection 5.2. MACAI award discussion 5.3. Rick Hansen Foundation • Update on Accreditation Scoring and Next Steps • Discussion – Gold Standard Accreditation for New Buildings 5.4. Update on Accessibility and Inclusiveness implementation plan and feedback 5.5. Update on the new Accessible and Inclusive Community Garden at Garden Street & Brown Ave. 6. LIAISON UPDATES 6.1. Staff Liaison 6.2. Council Liaison 6.3. SD42 Liaison 7. SUBCOMMITTEE AND TASK FORCE UPDATES 7.1 MACAI Awards Planning Task Force 8. QUESTION PERIOD FOR THE PUBLIC 9. ROUNDTABLE 10. ADJOURNMENT Next Meeting: September 26, 2024 Agenda Submission Deadline: September 12, 2024 QUESTION PERIOD Question Period provides the public with the opportunity to ask questions or make comments on subjects that are of concern to them. Each person will be given 2 minutes to speak. Up to ten minutes in total is allotted for Question Period. City of Maple Ridge Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness Meeting Minutes April 18, 2024 The Minutes of the Regular Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness Meeting held virtually and hosted in the Blaney Room at Maple Ridge City Hall on April 18, 2024, at 4:30pm. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT Councillor Ahmed Yousef Council Liaison Carolina Echeverri, Vice Chair (Virtual) Family Education and Support Centre Representative Elizabeth Foreman (Virtual) Member at Large Kim McLennan Fraser Health Representative Kevin Priebe, Chair Member at Large STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT Petra Frederick Staff Liaison, Community Coordinator Kelly Hills Committee Clerk ABSENT Jenn Boone Member at Large Hudson Campbell School District 42 Board Trustee 1.CALL TO ORDER – 4:30 pm 1.1. Territory AcknowledgmentK. Priebe called the meeting to order and provided the territory acknowledgment. 2.APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA R/2024-MACAI-011 It was moved and seconded That the April 18, 2024, Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness agenda be adopted, as circulated. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 3.0 Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness Minutes April 18, 2024 Page 2 of 5 3. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES 3.1. Regular Meeting – February 15, 2024 R/2024-MACAI-012 It was moved and seconded That the minutes of the Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness regular meeting dated February 15, 2024, be adopted, as circulated. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 3.2. Special Meeting – March 21, 2024 R/2024-MACAI-013 It was moved and seconded That the minutes of the Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness special meeting dated March 21, 2024, be adopted, as circulated. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 4. DELEGATIONS 5. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS 5.1. Accessibility and Inclusiveness Strategy – next steps P. Frederick provided members with an update and next steps on the Accessibility and Inclusiveness Strategy (the ‘Strategy’). Topics discussed included: Council’s review of the Strategy earlier in the month. Council suggested obtaining more public input from the LGBTQ2S+ community. The next steps were for staff to build an implementation plan, which would include roles and responsibilities, links to existing strategies and policies, a timeline, and funding if needed. Before the end of 2024, Staff planned to return to Council with the completed Strategy and implementation plan. Committee members engaged in discussion and asked questions. 5.2. Rick Hansen Foundation Accreditation – update P. Frederick provided members with an update on the Rick Hansen Foundation (the ‘RHF’) Accreditation. Staff said a RHF grant was received for accreditation of three municipal building sites, which meant the grant would be applied to deficiencies. To date, three building sites had been assessed and two building sites scored. The scores may insignificantly change after the scores were adjudicated. Once the adjudicated process was completed for the three building sites, the accreditor would provide the top three (3) recommendations for improvement at each site. Staff would also review the ratings and provide recommendations. All three buildings are not eligible for RHF Gold Certification as they do not meet the required prerequisites. The feedback for building site locations, included: improved inclusive signage, lowered customer counter heights, universal Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness Minutes April 18, 2024 Page 3 of 5 washrooms, tactile warnings at the tops of stairs, and accessible parking improvements for over height vehicles. Committee members engaged in discussion and asked questions. 5.3. Accessibility Professional Network – Conference K. Priebe, and P. Frederick, provided an overview and summary on the Accessibility Professional Network Conference. K. Priebe said they learned about key insights, best practices, and the latest advancements in accessibility in the built environment. They attended workshops on the following topics: neurodiversity and the built environment; accessibility in environmental, social and governance planning; heritage and accessibility; accelerating access in municipalities; outdoor spaces; understanding access, and research on accessibility standards; accessible housing; mind-friendly environments in practice. A key take away was accelerated access in municipalities, which included setting an accessibility standard when planning new buildings, such as the Rick Hansen Foundation (the ‘RHF’) Accreditation Certification. K. Priebe said that the City of Vancouver had a policy, and the City of Surrey issued a proclamation that all new buildings must comply with the RHF Gold Certification. Note: Councillor Yousef left the meeting at 4:49 pm. The Committee watched a video on the Inclusion Housing Unit in Alberta, which displayed accessibility features in a new housing unit building. Committee members engaged in discussion and asked questions. The Committee discussed accelerated access in municipalities, by requesting that Council issue a proclamation for the RHF. The proposed proclamation would be similar to the City of Vancouver’s policy and/or the City of Surrey’s proclamation that all new buildings must comply with the RHF Gold Certification. The purpose of the proclamation would be to set out a standard on accessibility and to bring awareness to the development community to include accessibility improvements. R/2024-MACAI-014 It was moved and seconded That the Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness request that Council issue a proclamation that all future developments meet the Rick Hansen Foundation Gold Certification. DEFEATED C. Echeverri, E. Foreman, K. McLennan, and K. Priebe were OPPOSED Committee members discussed bringing the City of Vancouver’s policy and the City of Surrey’s proclamation on setting accessibility standards to the next meeting of the Committee for further discussion. Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness Minutes April 18, 2024 Page 4 of 5 5.4. Low–Cost Community Programming Resource - Overview and task group P. Frederick provided an overview of the proposed Lost-Cost Community Programming Resource, which included creating a printed and digital resource for families and individuals looking for low-cost active recreation and sport options in the community. R/2024-MACAI-015 It was moved and seconded That the Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness approve the formation of a Low-Cost Community Programming Resource Taskforce, led by E. Foreman and C. Echeverri to research and compile printed and digital resources on low-cost community programming with the conclusion of the Taskforce on or before the last meeting of 2024. CARRIED 6. LIAISON UPDATES 6.1. Staff Liaison P. Frederick updated the Committee about events in the community including the Alouette Men’s Shed, the 2024 farmers market commencing April 20, 2024, and Earth Day celebrations in April. 6.2. Council Liaison – NIL 6.3. School District 42 Liaison – NIL 7. SUBCOMMITTEE AND TASK FORCE UPDATES 7.1. MACAI Awards Planning Task Force P. Frederick provided an overview of the history of the Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness Awards (the ‘MACAI Awards’), which recognized difference makers within the City of Maple Ridge, who strived to remove barriers that prevent individuals from fully participating in all aspects of community life. The MACAI Awards would recognize two difference makers with an award in the form of a glass etched plaque on July 1, 2024. Committee members engaged in discussion and asked questions. R/2024-MACAI-016 It was moved and seconded That the language for the nomination forms for the Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness Award be changed and approved as follows: “The Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness (MACAI) is seeking nominations for Community Champions that provide inclusive and diverse services. Awards are given to outstanding businesses, individuals and organizations that go the extra mile within our community. Municipal Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness Minutes April 18, 2024 Page 5 of 5 R/2024-MACAI-017 It was moved and seconded That the motion be amended by removing the phrase “the extra mile” and inserting the phrase “above and beyond” in the same place. The Amendment was then PUT and CARRIED The Main Motion was then PUT and CARRIED R/2024-MACAI-018 It was moved and seconded That a budget of up to $750 be approved for the MACAI awards. CARRIED 8. QUESTION PERIOD FOR THE PUBLIC – NIL 9. ROUNDTABLE Committee members provided updates and reports on issues and activities relating to accessibility and inclusiveness in the community. 10. ADJOURNMENT – 5:54 pm Kevin Priebe, Chair /kh