Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee Minutes

Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at 2:00 P.m. - 3:00 P.m.

Council Chambers & Electronic Meeting

PRESENT:

• S. Jones, Corporate Officer, View Royal (Vice-Chair)
• D. Hopkins, Corporate Officer, Esquimalt (Remote)
• T. Hansen, Corporate Officer, Metchosin
• M. Lalande, Corporate Officer, Colwood
• A. Irving, Corporate Officer, Highlands
• H. Power, Deputy Corporate Officer, Sooke

ABSENT:

• M. Watmough, Corporate Officer, Langford

ATTENDING:

• M. Miles, Manager of Legislative Services
• B. Agland, Systems Administrator, Information Technology
• N. Johnston, Legislative Services Administrative Coordinator

Meeting available by teleconference.

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1.

TERRITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

M. Miles, Manager of Legislative Services read the City of Langford's Territorial Acknowledgment.

2.

CALL TO ORDER

The Vice-Chair called the meeting to order at 2:02 pm.

3.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

• THAT the Committee approve the agenda as presented.

4.

ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES

4.1

Minutes of the Special Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee Meeting - September 4, 2024

• MOVED BY: Deb Hopkins
  SECONDED: Marcy Lalande

  THAT the minutes of the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting held September 5, 2024 be adopted as circulated. 

  Motion CARRIED.

5.

REPORTS

5.1

Membership Updates

The Vice-Chair welcomed Heather Power, Deputy Corporate Officer, District of Sooke to the Committee. 

5.2

Committee Terms of Reference - Proposed Amendments

The Vice-Chair provided an overview of the report and walked the Committee through the proposed Terms of Reference amendments. Committee members discussed the merits of the Terms of Reference Amendments as presented and suggested additional amendments for consideration. 

• MOVED BY: Marcy Lalande
  SECONDED: Deb Hopkins

  THAT the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee approve the Terms of Reference amendments as presented in the report dated September 25, 2024 with the following amendment:

  4.1 The Committee will meet electronically a minimum of four (4) times per year at 2:00 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the following months: February, May, September and November or as established by the Committee in consultation with the host municipality.

  AND

  THAT the amended Terms of Reference be distributed to all member municipalities prior to their effective date of January 1, 2025.

  Motion CARRIED.

5.3

2025 Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee Meeting Schedule 

The Vice-Chair noted this item had been sufficiently covered by the item prior. 

5.4

Township of Esquimalt - Request for Letter of Support SPARC BC Grant

The Vice-Chair opened the floor to D. Hopkins, Director of Corporate Services, Township of Esquimalt. D. Hopkins, Director of Corporate Services, Township of Esquimalt provided an overview of the grant application to the Committee. 

The Committee discussed the application and noted that more grant applications will likely be coming forward to the Committee for consideration. 

• MOVED BY: Sarah Jones
  SECONDED: Marcy Lalande

  THAT the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee provide a letter of support to the Township of Esquimalt to be included with their SPARC BC Local Community Accessibility Grant Application to install an inclusive and accessible swing at the Esquimalt Adventure Park adjacent to 527 Fraser Street. 

  Motion CARRIED.

5.5

Accessibility Plan Update

The Vice-Chair provided an overview of the materials presented within the agenda. The Committee discussed the following: 

• Introduction, conclusion, and appendices will be considered a shared document. 
• The middle will include the individual plan specific to each municipality. 

M. Miles, Manager of Legislative Services, City of Langford provided an overview of Langford's timeline. The following was discussed: 

• Accessibility Plan coming to the second Council meeting in October 
• Collaboration occurring internally with senior management team to ensure Strategic Plan alignment. 
• Public feedback will be collected by the City for the month of November. 
• Feedback will be incorporated in December to be presented at the first 2025 Council meeting.

The Vice-Chair discussed the template for the Accessibility Plan provided. 

• MOVED BY:
  SECONDED: Marcy Lalande

  THAT the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee forward the Draft Accessibility Plan to the member municipalities' Councils for receipt and make the document available for public input. 

5.6

Accessibility Feedback Received

The Vice-Chair provided an overview of accessibility feedback received. The Vice-Chair noted that municipalities may be receiving accessibility related feedback through other channels and email addresses, encouraging member municipalities to inform their staff that relevant communications can be forwarded to the established feedback mechanisms for the municipality. 

6.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

6.1

Citizen Recruitment Timeline

The Vice-Chair noted that each member municipality will be running their own recruitment process for their one (1) citizen representative. 

• MOVED BY: Deb Hopkins

  THAT the partner municipalities of the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee each undertake their unique recruitment processes for one (1) citizen representative and report back to the host municipality by early 2025.

  Motion CARRIED.

6.2

Revised Citizen Representative Application Form & Promotional Materials 

The Committee reviewed the draft promotional materials and had no further revisions. 

6.3

Accessibility Plan Design Development Cost Estimate Revision

The Committee discussed the quotes provided for the Accessibility Plan design. The City of Langford will return to the Committee with sample documents and further information regarding templates, accessibility features, and editing. 

7.

ADJOURNMENT

• MOVED BY: Tina Hansen
  SECONDED: Marcy Lalande

  THAT the Capital West Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting adjourn at 2:43pm.

  Motion CARRIED.