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ABILITIES ALLIANCEA proposal submission to the BC government for the Disability White Paper
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ABILITIES ALLIANCEA proposal submission to the BC government for the Disability
White Paper
Why do you think it’s important that we reduce barriers and increase accessibility for people living with disabilities in B.C.?
It is important to reduce barriers because, People are our most valuable resource in BC; not water, not coal, not salmon, not timber, but people. The disabled community is a diverse and valuable resource. Dealing with varied and complex challenges, most of us have risen against all odds to function, adapt and lead productive lives. Many have succeeded in their chosen careers or have made meaningful contributions in other ways. Yet for many that is not the case, our society would be well served by increasing accessibility and facilitating more of us in leading purposeful and fulfilling lives.
There will always be people with disabilities, whether it is from birth, disease, injury or accident. A world in which the talent, skills and abilities of the disabled are fully engaged would be a world of true equality - it will be richer in every sense of the word. Only then will the barriers attached to disability be removed. British Columbia is a wonderful place to live and Vancouver’s climate and services are excellent. We can continue to develop and model leadership in this area, and then can we claim – equality and accessibility for all.
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What can British Columbians do to welcome the contributions of people with disabilities? What barriers can we remove?
The most important thing we can do, as British Columbians is to integrate people with disability more into the entire spectrum of community-life. One significant factor those with disabilities face is the complexity of daily living challenges, which for many necessitates the need for home care and or a care-aid. Currently there are inconsistent and inadequate resources of in-home care available. Some of the barriers we could remove would include: better access to the various programs such as C.E.C.I.L., realistic funding for disabled client, better RCA training and standards, wages and benefits that make a home-care professional’s job a valuable career option - and on par with other health care professionals.
The next significant barrier to remove would be to provide desirable and varied accessible housing. Ideally this would be housing not in single-use buildings, but rather mixed amongst the general population and multifamily settings. We feel it should be mandatory for municipalities to require housing development to include a certain number of accessible units (“Universally Accessible”). Buildings that have accessible amenities and infrastructure would provide a needed continuity between work and home life. The more we integrate people with a disability with the rest of the population; the sooner stigma and isolation will fade away.
Employment is also a huge issue, and we need to build disability awareness within schools, universities and businesses. There could be more media attention and education focusing on the stories of individuals with disabilities and how they have increased productivity and performance, like at Tim Horton’s. An owner of several franchises of this brand has integrated the talents and skills of the disabled community for over a decade with impressive increases in productivity, loyalty and profits. In another example a Toronto business Stop-Gap.ca engaged the local community and donations to build portable ramps for inaccessible street businesses. This increased off the street business traffic significantly. There are countless other success stories.
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What would make it easier for you to make contributions to the community? What needs to be in place?
Universal Accessibility - Currently there is no standard for Universal Accessibility in Canada, and their needs to be. Most of us differently-able, encounter some or many barriers throughout the day, we never know what we’re going to encounter - heavy doors on washrooms, no access to hygiene products, no emergency call buttons in washrooms, curbs or stairs with no option to enter, elevator buttons-too high, inaccessible public buildings, all of which tax our dignity and limit our access and effectiveness.
Disability standards for access are broadly based on paraplegic function; where in fact, for the most part the disabled community has very different needs and requirements. The current building codes and practices are not based on relevant criteria and are without consistent standards or enforcement. Advisory committee’s with proper representation from the community who are disabled should be mandatory in the establishment of national standards and codes involving accessibility protocols. All public buildings should have Universal Access, and realistically and ideally have design informed by those who use it.
Describe what B.C. would be like as the most progressive place in Canada for people and families living with disabilities?
The most progressive move that British Columbia could make; to be a leader here - and in the world - would be to establish Universal Accessibility standards and protocol for business, industry, institutions housing, and civic centers. In addition, we feel very strongly that there needs be Community Resource Centers that are designed and possibly designated for people with different abilities. There is a lack of access and services in existing community centers for a person with disabilities, which excludes them from becoming involved in community events, quality of life exercise programs and facilities. It is difficult for us to gather and share resources as a group without a fully equipped facility, which could include a fully accessible gym, recreation room, as well as culture, education and employment supports. Camaraderie, that is encouraged amongst the community of differently able
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people through interaction and contact can help mentor and support individuals who are having difficulty, as well as offer leadership and resources. SCI-BC, or Spinal Cord Injury BC does a great job of doing this from an office location in the lower mainland but mostly virtually. They also have expressed support for our concept of developing a community center and resource facility designed for people with disabilities. These could be developed within new civic centers or housing developments. The British Columbia government could be the first ever initiative to develop community centers that are designated for people with disabilities.
Abilities Alliance has prepared this document in order to establish a collective voice of the disabled community. We are: Maureen DeLandreville, Mary-Jo Fetterly, Melissa De Genova, Dannielle Hayes, Marcia Smith, Sydney Spraggs. [email protected]
Contact email: [email protected]
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Figure 1-Inaccessible Broadway Businesses
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Figure 2 -The only fully accessible community gyms in Vancouver, soon to be closed.
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Figure 3-The only fully accessible ‘community gym’ is located at GF Strong. It is outdated and slated to close sometime soon.
Figure 4- The only truly accessible pool in the lower mainland. It is part of the George Pearson extended care facility slated for re-development.
Disability White Paper, PO Box 9936 Stn Prov Gov, Victoria BC, V8W 9R2.
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