Mississauga’s 13th Accessibility Plan Annual Report Highlights Progress

Improvements to parks and trails, transportation and infrastructure highlight the progress the City of Mississauga is making to create an accessible community.

Diana Simpson, the City’s Accessibility Coordinator, reported the achievements of Mississauga’s 13th Annual Accessibility Plan to the General Committee of Council.

Highlights included:

• Mississauga hosted the Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Games goalball, powerlifting and wheelchair rugby events
• The City also hosted a ParaSport Try It Event as part of National Access Awareness Week
• Malton Village Park was developed with accessible seating, an accessible picnic table, wide paved pathways, tactile warning plates at curb cuts and accessible parking
• Six trails received paving construction and reconstruction
• Over 79 parks received accessible seating and benches
• Accessibility improvements were incorporated into building renovation projects at City Centre Transit Terminal washrooms, Civic Centre stairways, South Common Parks Depot, Mississauga Central Library, Frank McKechnie Community Centre, Huron Park Recreation Centre and Mississauga Valley Community Centre
• MiWay installed 200 new bus pads throughout Mississauga to make transit more convenient and accessible
• MiWay improved its alert system by issuing real-time alerts to customers about service disruptions
• Twenty-six adult volunteers with developmental disabilities participated in the Summer Work Experience Program (SWEP) and Secondary School Project
• The City revised its Documentation Standards Policy to include an Accessibility section that provides standards to be applied to all City documents
• An Accessibility video was produced that highlights City of Mississauga accessibility successes and includes features such as closed captioning and descriptive narration to accommodate those with visual and hearing disabilities

The City also launched a new Inclusion Resource Team in partnership with Community Living Mississauga to support adults with developmental disabilities.

Mississauga’s Accessibility Plan was developed with the Accessibility Staff Working Group made up of staff from all departments, in consultation with the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC).The AAC includes representatives from the disability community, stakeholder community groups and two members of City Council; Councillor Matt Mahoney, Ward 8 and Councillor Pat Saito, Ward 9.

The Accessibility Plan is updated every year.

“Mississauga is a place where everyone belongs,” said Councillor Saito. “A lot of good work has been done over the past year to prevent and remove barriers throughout the city. This has a positive impact not just for persons with disabilities, but for anyone who lives, works or travels in Mississauga.”

“2015 was a banner year for the City in ensuring communities are more accessible,” said Councillor Mahoney. “From hosting the Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Games, to completing facility and park renovation projects, we have worked successfully with our community partners to improve accessibility for everyone.”
Background

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) was enacted on June 13, 2005. The AODA requires the development of accessibility standards with the goal of an accessible Ontario by 2025.

Mississauga’s Accessibility Plan focuses on implementing a range of new provincial accessibility standards. The standards are included in a number of regulations made under the AODA.

For more information, please contact Diana Simpson, Accessibility Coordinator, at 905-615-3608, TTY 905-616-3411 or diana.simpson@mississauga.ca