Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
Consultation has concluded
The 2023-2025 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan was approved by Council on Nov. 10, 2022.
The City of Kingston is committed to creating an inclusive environment for residents of all abilities. The Multi-Year Accessibility Plan is what the City of Kingston follows to prevent and remove barriers to accessibility and is required under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The plan builds on the City’s success of meeting the legislative requirements and vision of going above and beyond to make municipal services and facilities accessible and inclusive.
The current plan ends in 2022, and we are asking for input on two key components:
- ideas the City could implement to remove barriers for people with disabilities
- feedback from residents, community groups and City staff on the draft plan
Keep in mind, the City of Kingston Multi-Year Accessibility Plan covers only City facilities, services, and public places. Private businesses, their physical layout, and services, are under the jurisdiction of the province under the AODA and the Ontario Building Code.
View the 2023-2025 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan.
Accessible public engagement
- Offer feedback here on Get Involved Kingston.
- Request an alternate format of any communications and public engagement documents by calling 613-546-0000 or emailing contactus@cityofkingston.ca
- Offer your feedback by mail. Call 613-546-0000 to request a postage paid and pre-addressed envelope.
- Offer feedback by phone by calling 613-546-0000 and speak to a Customer Experience Agent.
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What ideas do you have to help make municipal services and facilities accessible? Share them with us! When sharing, consider the five standards of the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation and how your idea would help the City – and you – make services and facilities universally available.
- Information/Communication
- Employment
- Transportation
- Design of public spaces
- Customer Service
Ideas will be shared with City staff for consideration and included in the public engagement summary for the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan.
Feedback ends Friday, April 1 at 4 p.m.
View All Ideasabout 2 years ago
Ride-share program for enclosed mobility scooters
For a lot of disabled folks, cars are a mobility aid. It takes so much longer to get to appointments using public transit which is itself an access barrier when you live with chronic fatigue, picking up packages or carrying groceries can be a logistical nightmare if you use a wheelchair, cane or crutches, and being exposed to extreme heat, cold and other weather conditions can directly exacerbate many immune and chronic pain conditions. At the same time, disabled people disproportionately live in poverty and many of us simply cannot afford our own vehicles. Having a vehicle-share program that offers access to enclosed mobility scooters around the city would improve access to transportation for disabled folks, while being cheaper and more environmentally friendly than a standard car-share service.
about 2 years ago
Wayfinding and cognitive access supports
Demographic shifts locally and deinstitutionalization policy provincially means disabled people are living independently in the community more frequently than ever, and thus, we need more accessible wayfinding in the city. Coordinating between bus routes and schedules, “routes” or trails that may be inconsistently marked, and keeping track of where one is in space, while remaining vigilant of fast-moving vehicles around is a complicated task. Instead of expecting disabled people to have someone to shuttle them around in a car around such access barriers, the city needs to consider how those of us outside of cars navigate these places. Examples of considerations include our relative pace, our line of vision from seated or from afar, the time it takes to get from one landmark to the next, and the differing reaction times people have. Additionally, the formats available matter. Some need to print and take a map with all the info on one page, some need to use a magnifier or a speaker on an app, or use tactile surfaces to identify location while on the trail. We cannot continue to allow end-of-driving to mean end-of-independent-living. Dementia-friendly and Age-friendly Community Design are interesting concepts, and in the spirit of 880 cities, design that is essential for some of us is beneficial to all of us!
about 2 years ago
Turn the driving range at Belle Park into an off-leash dog park!
This area is a bit more 'interesting' for dogs than the barren field at Memorial Park and the infrastructure is already there. The field is already fenced so there would be minimal cost for repairs. There is sufficient parking to support people who live further away and it is close enough to many local dog owners who can walk. While the hill may be challenging for some people with disabilities, there can be benches put at the bottom (as well as at the top, to offer a rest break), and the entrance to the fence can be repaired to make it accessible for wheelchairs. Maintenence of the field (and hopefully planting a few trees to add variety) would employ citizens of Kingston. This would be a wonderful gathering place for dog lovers in the community!
about 2 years ago
Universal Basic Income (UBI)
UBI would help so many people. It would help disabled people who aren't disabled enough to qualify for disbility, anyone who wants to go back to school, anyone who has anything change in their life so they can leave a bad workplace, homeless people, and lots more. I know there was a pilot program and it did really well. You should bring it back for all people in Kingston.
about 2 years ago
Telephone Barriers
For those in the community who have difficulty getting in touch directly and quickly with medical professional the wall of defenses put up by those in the medical world is daunting to say the least and should be removed or at the very least made much easier to get to speak with the desired professional and not have to wade through a myriad of button pushing on the phone to get a simple question answered. It takes a multiple of prompts to get to speak with a clerical person then the defenses get stronger if you request to speak with a nurse or doctor. A lot of senior people in the community just cant handle this onerous procedure.
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