Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Learn about the group that makes recommendations on how to improve existing design of public spaces accessibility standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

On this page Skip this page navigation

Background

In December 2021, the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility established the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee to undertake an evidence-based and focused review of the province’s accessible built environment standards in regulation under both the AODA and the 2015 barrier-free accessibility requirements in the Ontario Building Code.

List of members and representation

The following is a full list of the committee members including the organization or sector they are representing. Committee membership may be subject to change.

Voting members:

Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Principle, Sawchuk Accessible Solutions
Catherine Bell, March of Dimes
Debbie Gillespie, CNIB
Kevin Collins, Easter Seals Ontario
Johanna Contreras, Metrolinx
John Lane, City of St. Catharines
Kenneth Logtenberg, B. M. Ross and Associates
Ute Maya-Giambattista, Ontario Professional Planner’s Institute
Diane Morrell, Disability Community Representative
Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Canadian Hearing Services
Megan Richards, Association of Ontario Municipalities/ City of Ottawa
Ian Rogers, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Susan Ruptash, Ontario Association of Architects
Chris Stigas, Disability Community Representative
Dana Tulk, City of Toronto

Non-voting members:

Sarah Kayama, Ministry of Infrastructure
Mansoor Mahmood, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Scope and timelines

A Standards Development Committee will undertake the legislated review of the Design of Public Spaces Standard as prescribed in Section 9 of the AODA and summarized as follows:

Re-examine the long-range objectives of the standard.
If required, revise the measures, policies, practices, and requirements to be implemented on or before January 1, 2025, and the timeframe for their implementation.
Develop another proposed standard containing modifications or additions that the Committee deems advisable for public comment.
Make such changes it considers advisable to the proposed accessibility standard based on comments received and make recommendations to the minister.

The Minister has requested the committee to undertake an evidence-based and focused review of the province’s accessible built environment standards in regulation under both the AODA and the 2015 barrier-free accessibility requirements in the Ontario Building Code.

The committee’s work will carefully consider feedback and research regarding challenges and gaps in the province’s accessibility regulations. This includes user experiences for persons with disabilities and implementation issues for obligated sectors (for example, municipal requirements).

It has also been asked to leverage the expertise of its members and work collaboratively to identify priority areas for further committee discussion.

The committee has been encouraged to consider all possible solutions and tactics, including recommendations on practical non-regulatory measures to remove or prevent barriers, including recommendations related to public information and awareness or other programs that could complement a potential updated or new regulation.

They may also decide to establish technical sub-committees with representation from experts in built environment accessibility to support committee discussions and the development of its recommendations.

Guidelines for recommendations:

Review the long-term accessibility objectives of the standard and include a proposed timeframe for implementation of your recommendations.
Ensure that any recommendations the committee makes are cost-effective and make use of clear and straightforward language.
Respect and be complementary to the principles, purpose and requirements of the AODA, and support the commitment of achieving accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities on or before January 1, 2025, taking into account:
- the range of disabilities that the measures, policies, practices and requirements are intended to address
- the nature of the barriers that the measures, policies, practices and requirements are intended to identify, remove and prevent
- any technical and fiscal considerations/ impacts that may be associated with their implementation (i.e., for obligated organizations, sectors, and the province more broadly)
Focus efforts on removing and preventing barriers both now and in the future.
Consider existing Ontario legislative and regulatory frameworks, as well as measures and supports that already exist in the sector.
Consider inter-jurisdictional best practices and innovative solutions, keeping in mind the context of Ontario’s current regulatory framework specific to the built environment sector.
Consider fiscal implications and feasibility for the sector to comply.
Consider the ‘enforceability’ of the requirements to support compliance and enforcement of the proposed Standard.
Where appropriate, reflect national and international standards, legislation, regulation, codes, and best practices in Ontario, other provinces, Canada, and internationally, in the area of built environment accessibility.

Throughout the process, the members of the Accessibility Standards Advisory Council (ASAC) sitting on the committee should keep ASAC informed of the committee’s progress.

Key deliverables and timelines:

The committee will complete the following key deliverables within the specified timelines:

Meetings—The committee will meet virtually on a schedule to be identified in the agreed-upon workplan. The ministry will continue to monitor public health guidelines with respect to COVID‑19 restrictions on in-person meetings. Per diems are provided at the discretion of the Minister.
Committee work plan—The committee will prepare and provide to the Minister a draft work plan early in the development of its recommendations. The work plan will outline key milestones, activities, and timelines to achieve the deliverables described in this letter.
Proposed Recommendations for Accessibility Standards for Built Environment —Within nine (9) months or sooner of the committee’s first meeting, the committee will deliver to the Minister initial recommendations to be posted for public review.
Finalizing recommendations for revisions to the standard—As required by the AODA, a report on comments received during the public review will be prepared by the ministry and the comments collected will be given to the committee for its consideration. The committee will consider public comments, seek additional information if needed, and make changes based on public comments as the committee deems advisable. The committee will submit the final recommendations to the Minister no later than 14 weeks after receiving the report and public comments.
Meeting Minutes and Progress Reports—No later than four weeks following each of its meetings, the committee will approve and provide the Minister a copy of its meeting minutes.

Meeting minutes

Meeting 13: September 19, 2023
Meeting 12: June 28, 2023
Meeting 11: June 14 and 15, 2023
Meeting 10: June 1 and 2, 2023
Meeting 9: May 10 and 11, 2023
Meeting 8: April 4 and 5, 2023
Meeting 7: March 7 and 8, 2023
Meeting 6: February 14 and 16, 2023
Meeting 5: January 11 and 12, 2023
Meeting 4: December 14 and 15, 2022
Meeting 3: November 22 and 23, 2022
Meeting 2: October 21 and 26, 2022
Meeting 1: September 27 and 28, 2022
Orientation Meeting: April 6, 2022

Meeting 13: September 19, 2023

Letter from the chair to the minister

Date: September 29, 2023

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standards review: Meeting 13 — minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee, I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meetings held on September 19, 2023, and provide you with a brief update on the committee’s progress.

At this meeting, the committee reviewed its draft initial recommendations report. The committee made a few changes to streamline recommendations and discussed adding a section to the introduction of the report.

As we work towards finalizing our initial report, the committee plans to hold a final vote by email for its submission to government. We look forward to having this initial report posted on Ontario.ca and receiving the public’s feedback on our initial recommendations.

My thanks again for the privilege of leading this review and contributing to the goal of an accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: September 19, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Format of committee minutes and references: For the purposes of referencing committee documents and items in the minutes: ‘M’ (meeting) represents the meeting number/minute items/sections/action items. All recommendations to date are considered draft until finalized and included in the Initial Recommendations Report submitted to the minister.

Day 1 resent

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Diane Morrell, Megan Richards, Susan Ruptash, Chris Stigas

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Marta Stanczyk for Mansur Rahim attending on behalf of Coreen Chung (Ministry of Infrastructure, non-voting member), Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, non-voting member)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Melissa Thomson, Letitia Nolasque, Anna Millar, Meenu Sikand, Ebadur Rahman, Kerrie Laskoski, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin, Manish Sawhney, Jason Schroter, Mathew Varsava

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu, Vanessa Odaimi, James Ross

Captionist: Gemme Humenny

Regrets: Kenneth Logtenberg, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Ian Rogers

Day 1 meeting minutes

M 13-1 call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee to the meeting, outlined the day’s agenda and gave a land acknowledgement statement. Julie congratulated the committee on the draft initial report.

M 13-2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 13-3 video message from the Honourable Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, Raymond Cho

The Honourable Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, Raymond Cho, provided a video message to the committee thanking them for their hard work and congratulating them on creating their draft initial report.

M 13-4 opening remarks from Deputy Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, Melissa Thomson

Deputy Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, Melissa Thomson, provided opening remarks congratulating the committee on their work and addressed the importance of their work in building a more accessible Ontario.

M 13-5 review of next steps in the SDC process

MSAA staff provided a brief presentation on the next steps of the SDC’s review process and detailed the process for getting the committee’s initial report posted online for public feedback.

M 13-6 discussion on draft initial report

Julie Sawchuk led the committee in reviewing their draft initial report and discussed key areas in the report where members had identified concerns. In addition to streamlining some of the recommendations, the committee agreed on adding a section to the introduction of the report to provide greater context around the review.

M 13-7 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance. She reminded members that the finalized initial report would be sent to the committee via email for a final vote and its submission to the minister.

Meeting 12: June 28, 2023

Letter from the chair to the minister

Date: July 5, 2023

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standards review: Meeting 12 — minutes and progress report

I hope this email finds you well. On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee, I am pleased to provide you with an update on our recent progress and submit the minutes of the one-day meeting held on June 28, 2023.

I am thrilled to announce that the committee has successfully finalized all draft recommendations for the Design of Public Spaces standard and the Ontario Building Code. During our meeting, we diligently worked on drafting this last batch of recommendations, which will now be distributed to the committee members for electronic voting.

Looking ahead, our next committee meeting will be focused on reviewing the draft initial recommendations report, which will eventually be forwarded to you for posting online. I look forward to receiving public feedback on the committee’s recommendations, as I believe it is crucial to gather feedback from the community and stakeholders to ensure an accessible and inclusive Ontario.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for entrusting me with the responsibility of leading this review. It has been an honour to contribute to the noble goal of creating a more accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: June 28, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins (partial), Johanna Contreras (partial), Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Megan Richards (partial), Ian Rogers (partial), Susan Ruptash, Chris Stigas (partial)

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Marta Stanczyk (attended for Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Jennifer Durley, Kristina Grubisic, Alex Ibrahim, Christopher Paulin, Jason Schroter, Natalie Venzon

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu, Vanessa Odaimi

Captionist: Gemme Humenny

Regrets: Kenneth Logtenberg, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Mansoor Mahmood, Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, non-voting member)

Meeting minutes

M 12-1 call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee to the meeting and outlined the day’s agenda and gave a land acknowledgement statement. Julie congratulated the committee on the recommendations they had recently passed by e-vote.

M 12-2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 12-3 recommendations development

Julie Sawchuk led the committee in a review of recommendations in development with the goal of preparing them for electronic vote following the meeting. The committee reviewed and refined recommendations related to the Design of Public Spaces standard and the Ontario Building Code.

M 12-4 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance.

Meeting 11: June 14 and 15, 2023

Letter from the chair to the minister

Date: June 26, 2023

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standards review: Meeting 11 — minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee, I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meetings held on June 14 and 15, 2023, and provide you with a brief update on the committee’s progress.

At this meeting, the committee refocused its attention on finalizing draft recommendations for the Design of Public Spaces standard. The recommendations that were discussed centered on issues such as clarifying regulatory language to facilitate greater understanding and compliance with the standard, examining how to improve the current requirements for consultation, and developing the long-term goal for the standard.

As we work towards developing our initial report, the committee plans to continue discussing and developing recommendations. As always, the committee will continue to consult with its stakeholders and peers before finalizing and voting on recommendations.

My thanks again for the privilege of leading this review and contributing to the goal of an accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: June 14, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 1 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers, Susan Ruptash

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung (Ministry of Infrastructure, non-voting member)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin, Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu, Vanessa Odaimi

Captionist: Kim Johnson

Regrets: Johanna Contreras, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Kenneth Logtenberg, Chris Stigas, Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, non-voting member)

Day 1 meeting minutes

M 11-1.1 call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee to the meeting and outlined the day’s agenda, while Megan Richards gave a land acknowledgement statement from the City of Ottawa. Julie congratulated the committee on the recommendations they had recently passed by e-vote.

M 11-1.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 11-1.3 recommendations development

Julie Sawchuk led the committee in a review of recommendations in development with the goal of preparing them for electronic vote at a later date. The committee reviewed and refined recommendations related to the Design of Public Spaces standard.

M 11-1.4 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance.

Day 2 meeting information

Date: June 15, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 2 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers, Susan Ruptash, Chris Stigas

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung (Ministry of Infrastructure)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin, Jason Schroter, Natalie Venzon

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu, Vanessa Odaimi

Captionist: Kim Johnson

Regrets: Kenneth Logtenberg, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, non-voting member)

Day 2 meeting minutes

M 11-2.1 call to order and agenda review

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee and reviewed the day’s agenda.

M 11-2.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call.

M 11-2.3 recommendation development

Julie Sawchuk led the committee in a review of recommendations in development with the goal of preparing them for electronic vote at a later date.

M 11-2.4 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks. She encouraged all members to be ready for an electronic vote of the recommendations. She thanked members for their attendance and participation and encouraged the committee members to reach out to ministry staff if they have any questions or concerns.

Meeting 10: June 1 and 2, 2023

Letter from the chair to the minister

Date: June 12, 2023

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standards review: Meeting 10 — minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee, I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meetings held on June 1 and 2, 2023, and provide you with a brief update on the committee’s progress.

At this meeting, the committee continued to focus on finalizing draft accessibility standards related to the Ontario Building Code. The recommendations that were discussed focused on issues such as making public washrooms and residential buildings more accessible and providing information to assist in education and enforcement.

My thanks again for the privilege of leading this review and contributing to the goal of an accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: June 1, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 1 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, Diane Morrell, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung (Ministry of Infrastructure), Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin, Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu, Vanessa Odaimi

Captionist: Sarah Ashley

Regrets: John Lane, Kenneth Logtenberg, Susan Ruptash, Chris Stigas

Day 1 meeting minutes

M 10-1.1 call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee to the meeting, outlined the day’s agenda and gave a land acknowledgement statement. Julie congratulated the committee on the recommendations they had recently passed by e-vote.

M 10-1.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 10-1.3 recommendations development

M 10-1.4 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance.

Day 2 meeting information

Date: June 2, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 2 present

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung (Ministry of Infrastructure)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin, Meenu Sikand, Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: James Ross

Captionist: Christal Shew

Regrets: Kenneth Logtenberg, Diane Morrell, Susan Ruptash, Chris Stigas, Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)

Day 2 meeting minutes

M 10-2.1 call to order and agenda review

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee and reviewed the day’s agenda.

M 10-2.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call.

M 10-2.3 recommendation development

Julie Sawchuk led the committee in a review of recommendations in development with the goal of preparing them for electronic vote at a later date.

M 10-2.4 wrap-up and next steps

Meeting 9: May 10 and 11, 2023

Letter from chair to the minister

Date: May 25, 2023

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standards review: Meeting 9 — minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee, I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meetings held on May 10 and 11, 2023, and provide you with a brief update on the committee’s progress.

This month, the committee continued discussions on the accessibility requirements in the Ontario Building Code. Many of the recommendations developed focused on the exterior and interior circulation elements of buildings and included additional discussion on establishing more prescriptive requirements to make washrooms and emergency systems more accessible.

Looking ahead to our next meeting, the committee plans to continue discussing and developing recommendations related to accessibility elements of the Ontario Building Code. As always, the committee will continue to consult with its stakeholders and peers before finalizing and voting on recommendations.

My thanks again for the privilege of leading this review and contributing to the goal of an accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: May 10, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 1 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers, Susan Ruptash, Chris Stigas

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung (Ministry of Infrastructure)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Jennifer Durley, Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Cindy Lawrence, Harrison Luong, Anna Millar (partial), Christopher Paulin, Ebadur Rahim (partial), Jason Schroter, Meenu Sikand (partial)

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu, Vanessa Odaimi

Captionist: Christal Shew

Regrets: Kenneth Logtenberg, Diane Morrell, Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing; non-voting member)

Day 1 meeting minutes

M 9-1.1 call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee to their ninth meeting, outlined the day’s agenda and gave the land acknowledgement statement.

M 9-1.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 9-1.3 recommendations development

Julie Sawchuk led the committee in a review of recommendations in development with the goal of preparing them for electronic vote at a later date. The committee reviewed and refined their recommendations, and agreed that some members would continue developing others that were not ready to be voted on.

M 9-1.4 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance. She invited members to remain on the call to discuss if they had specific administrative questions for ministry staff.

Day 2 meeting information

Date: May 11, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 2 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards (partial), Ian Rogers

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing) (partial), Marta Stanczyk delegate for Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung (Ministry of Infrastructure)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Jennifer Durley, Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Cindy Lawrence, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin, Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu, Vanessa Odaimi (partial)

Captionist: Christal Shew

Regrets: Kenneth Logtenberg, Diane Morrell, Susan Ruptash, Chris Stigas

Day 2 meeting minutes

M 9-2.1 call to order and agenda review

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee and reviewed the day’s agenda.

M 9-2.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 9-2.3 recommendation development

Julie Sawchuk led the committee in a review of recommendations in development with the goal of preparing them for electronic vote at a later date. The committee reviewed and refined their recommendations, and agreed that some members would continue developing others that were not ready to be voted on.

M 9-2.4 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks. She encouraged all members to be ready for an electronic vote of the recommendations discussed in the coming weeks. She thanked members for their attendance and participation and encouraged the committee members to reach out to ministry staff if they have any questions or concerns.

Meeting 8: April 4 and 5, 2023

Letter from chair to the minister

Date: April 20, 2023

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standards review: Meeting 8 — minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee, I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meetings held on April 4 and 5, 2023, and provide you with a brief update on the committee’s progress.

This month, the committee welcomed presentations from the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance on recommendations for the committee’s consideration and discussed the accessibility requirements in the Ontario Building Code related to washrooms, controls and alarms, and major renovations. The committee also developed and passed recommendations related to standards for public areas of buildings in the Ontario Building Code.

My thanks again for the privilege of leading this review and contributing to the goal of an accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: April 4, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 1 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, Kenneth Logtenberg, Ute Maya-Giambattista (partial), Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers, Susan Ruptash, Chris Stigas

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing), Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Jennifer Durley, Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Cindy Lawrence, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin, Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu, Vanessa Odaimi, James Ross (partial)

Captionist: Amy Armstrong

Day 1 meeting minutes

M 8-1.1 call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee to their eighth meeting, outlined the day’s agenda and gave the land acknowledgement statement.

M 8-1.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 8-1.3 recommendations development

Julie Sawchuk led the committee in a review of recommendations in development. The committee reviewed and refined their recommendations, unanimously voted to pass several recommendations and agreed to bring some others back for further review after additional development.

Motion 8-1.1 carried — elevator communication systems

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government update the current Ontario Building Code standards for elevator communication systems with those in the latest edition of CSA/ASC B651, Accessible design for the built environment standard.

Motion 8-1.2 carried — update handrail requirements

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government harmonize the Ontario Building Code standards for handrails with the latest edition of CSA/ASC B651, Accessible design for the built environment standard, and align with National Building Code regarding the installation of second handrails.

Motion 8-1.3 carried — clearance from return wall

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government amend the Ontario Building Code standards for power door operator controls, controls for the operation of building services or safety devices to include standards for clearance from a return wall and diagrams for reference and guidance.

Motion 8-1.4 carried — accessible door operator requirements

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government amend the Ontario Building Code standards for accessible door operators to require them to be adjacent to and centred on a dimension based on accessible turning diameter.

Motion 8-1.5 carried — operating controls

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government incorporate certain aspects of the requirements for operating controls from the latest edition of CSA/ASC B651, Accessible design for the built environment standard into the Ontario Building Code.

Motion 8-1.6 carried — update door requirements

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government harmonize and update the Ontario Building Code standards for doors and doorways with requirements from the latest edition of CSA/ASC B651, Accessible design for the built environment standard for elements such as door width, space for maneuvering, thresholds, hardware, luminance and swing path protection.

M 8-1.4 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance. She invited members to remain on the call to discuss if they had specific administrative questions for ministry staff.

Day 2 meeting information

Date: April 5, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 2 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, Kenneth Logtenberg, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers (partial), Susan Ruptash, Chris Stigas (partial)

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing) (partial), Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Jennifer Durley, Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Cindy Lawrence, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin, Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu, Vanessa Odaimi, James Ross

Guests: Thea Kurdi (DesignABLE Environments), David Lepofsky (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance), ADM Meenu Sikand

Captionist: Kim Johnson

Regrets: John Lane

Day 2 meeting minutes

M 8-2.1 call to order and agenda review

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee and reviewed the day’s agenda.

M 8-2.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 8-2.3 presentation from the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance

The committee welcomed David Lepofsky of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance and his guest Thea Kurdi. They gave a presentation on recommendations for the committee’s consideration. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer session.

M 8-2.4 presentation on accessibility requirements in the Ontario Building Code

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing gave a presentation on barrier-free accessibility requirements in the Ontario Building Code related to washrooms, controls and alarms, and major renovations. The committee asked follow-up questions and discussed recommendations for consideration in their initial report.

M 8-2.5 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks. She thanked members for their attendance and participation and encouraged the committee members to reach out to ministry staff if they have any questions or concerns.

Meeting 7: March 7 and 8, 2023

Letter from chair to the minister

Date: March 13, 2023

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standard review: Meeting 7 — minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee, I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meetings held on March 7 and 8, 2023, and provide you with a brief update on the committee’s progress.

This month, the committee welcomed a presentation by Municipal Affairs and Housing staff on portions of the barrier free accessibility requirements laid out in the Ontario Building Code. The committee also passed a total of 24 recommendations through both electronic voting and in-person voting related to exterior paths of travel, accessible parking, and obtaining services.

Looking ahead to our next meeting, the committee plans to discuss and develop recommendations related to accessibility elements of the Ontario Building Code. The committee also is looking forward to an additional presentation from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and learning more about accessibility requirements of the Ontario Building Code. As always, the committee will continue to consult with its stakeholders and peers before finalizing and voting on recommendations.

My thanks again for the privilege of leading this review and contributing to the goal of accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: March 7, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 1 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Kenneth Logtenberg, Ute Maya-Giambattista (partial), Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers, Chris Stigas (partial)

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Cindy Lawrence, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin, Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu and Vanessa Odaimi

Captionist: Kimberley Johnson

Regrets: Kevin Collins, Mansoor Mahmood, Susan Ruptash

Day 1 meeting minutes

M 7-1.1 call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee to their seventh meeting and outlined the day’s agenda. Ian Rogers gave the land acknowledgement statement.

M 7-1.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 7-1.3 recommendation development process

Julie Sawchuk led the committee in a review of recommendations in development. The committee reviewed and refined their recommendations and unanimously voted to pass 11 recommendations.

Motion 7-1.1 carried — wider exterior paths of travel

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government amend current exterior path requirements to ensure new sidewalks meet a minimum clearance width of 1800 mm, or where there are infrastructural constraints, new sidewalks meet a minimum width of 1500 mm.

Motion 7-1.2 carried — changing parking requirement to Type A spaces only

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government amend accessible parking requirements to ensure that all parking spaces meet requirements for Type A spaces allowing for greater access for people with disabilities.

Motion 7-1.3 carried — clarifying application of off-street parking requirements

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government clarify and expand requirements for off-street parking so that more parking facilities are made accessible.

Motion 7-1.4 carried — additional technical requirements for accessible parking

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government add further regulation under accessible parking requirements to ensure that parking facilities meet a higher standard of accessibility.

Motion 7-1.5 carried — inclusion of diagrams for obtaining services standard

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government add diagrams and figures into the requirements for obtaining services to ensure clarity of requirements.

Motion 7-1.6 carried — requirement to use specific materials for accessible parking

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government add further regulation stipulating the types of materials to be used in the building of new parking facilities.

Motion 7-1.7 carried — provision of assistive listening devices

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government add further regulation requiring the provision of adaptive technologies to support people with disabilities in obtaining services.

Motion 7-1.8 carried — requirement to connect access aisles to sidewalks with curb cuts

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government add further regulation under accessible parking requiring that where access aisles are installed adjacent to exterior paths of travel, a curb cut be provided to ensure accessibility.

Motion 7-1.9 carried — requirements for accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging stations

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government add regulation requiring the installation of accessible EV charging stations.

Motion 7-1.10 carried — repainting parking facilities trigger the installation of accessible parking spaces

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government add further regulation requiring obligated organizations to meet the accessible parking requirements when repainting parking facilities where there are no additional infrastructure costs.

Motion 7-1.11 carried — standards for passenger loading zones

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government add further regulation requiring the installation of designated passenger loading zones at specified intervals and for specific venues such as medical facilities, event centres, schools, etc.

M 7-1.4 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance. She invited members to remain on the call to discuss if they had specific administrative questions for ministry staff.

Day 2 meeting information

Date: March 8, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 2 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Johanna Contreras (partial), Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Kenneth Logtenberg, Ute Maya-Giambattista (partial), Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers, Susan Ruptash, Chris Stigas

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansoor Mahmood (partial), Marta Stanczyk on behalf of Coreen Chung (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Jennifer Durley, Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Cindy Lawrence, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin, Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu, Vanessa Odaimi, James Ross (partial)

Captionist: Olivia Arnaud-Telycenas

Regrets: Kevin Collins

Day 2 meeting minutes

M 7-2.1 call to order and agenda review

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee and reviewed the day’s agenda.

M 7-2.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 7-2.3 presentation on accessibility requirements in the Ontario Building Code

The committee heard from staff of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing on some of the 2015 barrier-free accessibility requirements in the Ontario Building Code. After the presentation, the committee asked follow-up questions about the Code and discussed recommendations for consideration in their initial report.

M 7-2.4 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks. She thanked members for their attendance and asked that they reflect on the topics of discussion and use their networks and expertise to consider potential recommendations for the next meeting.

Meeting 6: February 14 and 16, 2023

Letter from chair to the minister

Date: February 28, 2023

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standard review: Meeting 6 — minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee, I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meetings held on February 14 and 16, 2023, and provide you with a brief update on the committee’s progress.

This month, the committee welcomed a presentation by representatives from the City of Ottawa on accessible pedestrian signals and challenges presented by related provincial regulatory requirements. As the committee did not meet quorum, the attendees completed development on recommendations for exterior paths of travel, with the intention that ministry staff would later distribute these to the committee members for e-voting.

Looking ahead to our next meeting, the committee plans to finalize and vote on outstanding recommendations for accessible parking, obtaining services, recreational trails and beach access routes. The committee also is looking forward to learning about accessible elements of the Ontario Building Code. As always, the committee will continue to consult with its stakeholders and peers before finalizing and voting on recommendations.

My thanks again for the privilege of leading this review and contributing to the goal of an accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: February 14, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 1 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Johanna Contreras (partial), Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Chris Stigas

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Jennifer Durley, Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Cindy Lawrence, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin, Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu and Vanessa Odaimi

Captionist: Gemme Humenny

Regrets: Kenneth Logtenberg, Mansoor Mahmood, Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung, Ian Rogers, Susan Ruptash

Day 1 meeting minutes

M 6-1.1 call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee to the meeting and outlined the day’s agenda. Catherine Bell gave the land acknowledgement statement. Julie Sawchuk acknowledged the passing of the Honorable David Onley.

M 6-1.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 6-1.3 presentation: Accessible Pedestrian Signals

Megan Richards & Jon Pach from the City of Ottawa gave a presentation on the city’s experience with the implementation of accessible pedestrian signals regulations under the Design of Public Spaces Standard and some of the barriers the city has experienced. Open discussion followed.

M 6-1.4 discussion: exterior paths of travel

The committee members worked in small groups to address key issues for accessible parking and obtaining services. Groups presented proposed recommendations to the committee and worked collaboratively to further refine these recommendations.

M 6-1.5 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance. She invited members to remain on the call to discuss if they had specific administrative questions for ministry staff.

Day 2 meeting information

Date: February 16, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 2 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Ute Maya-Giambattista (partial), Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Chris Stigas

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Cindy Lawrence, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin, Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu, Vanessa Odaimi, James Ross (partial)

Captionist: Kim Johnson

Regrets: Kevin Collins, Kenneth Logtenberg, Mansoor Mahmood, Mansur Rahim on behalf of Coreen Chung, Ian Rogers, Susan Ruptash

Day 2 meeting minutes

M 6-2.1 call to order, land acknowledgement and agenda review

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee and reviewed the day’s agenda.

M 6-2.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting (truncated).

M 6-2.3 discussion: external paths of travel

The committee worked collaboratively to develop recommendations to address key accessibility issues for external paths of travel.

M 6-2.4 wrap-up and next steps

Meeting 5: January 11 and 12, 2023

Letter from chair to the minister

Date: January 20, 2023

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standard review: Meeting 5 — minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee (the committee), I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meeting (“meeting 5”) held on January 11^th and 12^th, 2023, and provide you with a brief update on the committee’s progress.

The committee made significant progress on proposed amendments to the accessible parking and obtaining services sections of the standard, and unanimously passed 16 recommendations by vote.

Looking ahead to our sixth meeting, the committee intends to begin discussions and draft recommendations related to the exterior paths of travel section of the standard.

My thanks again for the privilege of leading this review and contributing to the goal of an accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: January 11, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 1 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers, Susan Ruptash and Chris Stigas

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansoor Mahmood (Non-voting member, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Susannah Bush, Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin and Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu and Vanessa Odaimi

Captionist: Olivia Arnaud-Telycenas

Regrets: Kenneth Logtenberg and Mansur Rahim on behalf of Sarah Kayama (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery)

Day 1 meeting minutes

M 5-1.1 call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee to their fifth meeting, outlined the committee’s agenda and Diane Morrell gave a land acknowledgement statement.

M 5-1.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 5-1.3 recommendation development process

Julie Sawchuk led the committee in a review of recommendations in development. The committee reviewed and refined their recommendations and unanimously voted to pass 8 recommendations.

Motion 5-1.1 carried — improving general requirements for public use eating area

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government add further regulation under current general requirements for public use eating areas including making all public eating areas fully accessible.

Motion 5-1.2 carried — extending requirements of public use eating areas to small organizations

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government extend requirements for public use eating areas to small organizations.

Motion 5-1.3 carried — inclusion of images in the design of public spaces standard

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government include images and figures in the regulation and include alternative texts where necessary to ease understanding of requirements.

Motion 5-1.4 carried — improving accessibility design requirements for outdoor play spaces

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government amend the design requirements for outdoor play spaces to include multiple elements to improve accessibility and safety.

Motion 5-1.5 carried — authoritative guidance for outdoor play spaces

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government co-develop with key stakeholders’ guidance materials to assist obligated organizations in meeting the requirements for outdoor play spaces.

Motion 5-1.6 carried — include diagrams for obtaining services

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government include diagrams in the standards detailing the technical requirements for elements associated with obtaining services under the Design of Public Spaces standard.

Motion 5-1.7 carried — accessibility of parking pay stations

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government include regulation to improve the accessibility of self-serve pay stations in parking facilities.

Motion 5-1.8 carried — authoritative guidance on accessible parking

M 5-1.4 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance. She invited members to remain on the call to discuss if they had specific administrative questions for ministry staff.

Day 2 meeting information

Date: January 12, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 2 present

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Sarah Kayama (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Susannah Bush, Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Cindy Lawrence, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin and Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs Housing staff: Michael Heitshu and Vanessa Odaimi

Captionist: Kim Johnson

Regrets: Kenneth Logtenberg and Mansoor Mahmood (Non-voting member, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)

Day 2 meeting minutes

M 5-2.1 call to order, land acknowledgement and agenda review

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee, reviewed the agenda for the meeting.

M 5-2.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 5-2.3 continued recommendation development and voting

Julie Sawchuk continued from the last meeting in leading the committee in finalizing their recommendations and unanimously voted to pass an additional 8 recommendations.

Motion 5-2.1 carried — extend accessible parking requirements to additional organizations

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government extend requirements for accessible parking to additional organizations including, but not limited to, private residential and corporate parking facilities.

Motion 5-2.2 carried — include specific requirements for on-street parking

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government review and amend current regulation to include specific technical requirements for on-street parking.

Motion 5-2.3 carried — improved general parking requirements

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government improve the general accessible parking requirements including reviewing current allocation of accessible parking spots in s. 80.36 of the design of public spaces standard.

Motion 5-2.4 carried — increased parking requirements for specific sectors

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government include regulation requiring that specific sectors (for example, medical facilities and schools) have greater accessible parking requirements than the general parking requirements.

Motion 5-2.5 carried — maintenance requirements for accessible parking

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government include a regulation requiring the maintenance of accessible parking spots and an additional regulation that repainting of parking facilities be considered redevelopment such that it would require obligated organizations to meet accessible parking requirements.

Motion 5-2.6 carried — amendments to number and location of accessible parking in multi-lot facilities

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government amend the regulations to ensure that the number of accessible parking spots be calculated based on separate lots of a multi-lot parking facility and be located to the closest accessible entrance of the facility.

Motion 5-2.7 carried — retrofitting accessible parking for specific sectors

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government require retrofits for specific sectors (for example, medical facilities and schools) to meet accessible parking requirements.

Motion 5-2.8 carried — signage for access aisles

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government include in the regulation requirements for signage of access aisles and their maintenance to ensure that people with disabilities are able to use these accessible elements.

M 5-2.4 wrap-up and next steps

Meeting 4: December 14 and 15, 2022

Letter from chair to the minister

Date: December 30, 2022

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standard review: Meeting 4 — minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee, I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meeting held on December 14 and 15, 2022, and provide you with a brief update on the committee’s progress.

At the last meeting, the Committee completed the following:

approved a process intended to improve collaboration and maximize discussion of Committee recommendations
discussed the requirements for public eating areas, outdoor play areas, accessible parking and service elements under the Design of Public Spaces Standards and developed draft recommendations

Looking ahead to our next meeting in January, the committee intends to continue building consensus on recommendations on these sections of the standard and looks forward to beginning discussions on exterior paths of travel. The committee members will continue to consult with its stakeholders and peers before meeting.

My thanks again for the privilege of leading this review and contributing to the goal of an accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: December 14, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 1 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (chair), Catherine Bell, Johanna Contreras, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Debbie Gillespie, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers and Chris Stigas

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing) and Mansur Rahim on behalf of Sarah Kayama (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Jennifer Durley, Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Cindy Lawrence, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin and Jason Schroter

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing staff: Michael Heitshu

Captionist: Gemme Humenny

Regrets: Ute Maya-Giambattista, Susan Ruptash and Mansoor Mahmood (Non-voting member, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)

Day 1 meeting minutes

M 4-1.1 call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee to their third meeting and outlined the committee’s agenda. Megan Richards gave the land acknowledgement statement.

M 4-1.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 4-1.3 recommendation development process

Alex Ibrahim gave a presentation on a proposed recommendations development process intended to provide ease of collaboration and maximize time to discuss and finalize recommendations. The committee agreed to implement this process going forward.

M 4-1.4 discussion of public eating areas and outdoor play areas

The committee worked in small groups to address key issues found in their discussions related to the requirements for public eating areas and outdoor play areas. Groups presented proposed recommendations to the committee and worked collaboratively to further refine these recommendations.

M 4-1.5 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance. She invited members to remain on the call to discuss if they had specific administrative questions for ministry staff.

Day 2 meeting information

Date: December 15, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 2 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Johanna Contreras, John Lane, Diane Morrell, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers and Chris Stigas

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Sarah Kayama (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Jennifer Durley, Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Cindy Lawrence, Harrison Luong, Michele Nunes (partial), Christopher Paulin and Jason Schroter

Captionist: Gemme Humenny

Regrets: Ute Maya-Giambattista, Debbie Gillespie, Kenneth Logtenberg, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Susan Ruptash and Mansoor Mahmood (Non-voting member, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)

Day 2 meeting minutes

M 4-2.1 call to order, land acknowledgement and agenda review

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the Committee and reviewed the agenda.

M 4-2.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting (truncated).

M 4-2.3 review of accessibility requirements for accessible parking and obtaining services

Ministry staff presented an overview of accessibility requirements for the sections covering accessible parking and obtaining services in the Design of Public Spaces standard.

M 4-2.4 discussion accessible parking and obtaining services

The committee worked in small groups to address key issues for accessible parking and obtaining services. Groups presented proposed recommendations to the committee and worked collaboratively to further refine these recommendations.

M 4-2.5 wrap-up and next steps

Meeting 3: November 22 and 23, 2022

Letter from chair to the minister

Date: November 25, 2022

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standard review: Meeting 3 — minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee (the committee), I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meeting (“Meeting 3”) held on November 22 and 23, 2022, and provide you with a brief update on the committee’s progress.

The committee revisited discussions from the previous meeting and passed a unanimous vote to redefine maintenance in the standards. Additional discussion centered on amendments to requirements for recreational trails and beach access routes to ensure ease of compliance with standards. Lastly, the committee held preliminary discussions related to the requirements for outdoor public eating areas and play spaces.

Looking ahead to our fourth meeting, the committee intends to continue building consensus on recommendations for the outdoor public eating and play spaces sections of the standard, and looks forward to beginning discussions on accessible parking and obtaining services. The committee will continue to consult with its stakeholders before the next meeting.

My thanks again for the privilege of leading this review and contributing to the goal of an accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: November 22, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 1 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Kenneth Logtenberg, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers, and Chris Stigas

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Sarah Kayama (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Mary Bartolomucci, Susannah Bush, Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin and Jason Schroter

Captionist: Sarah Ashley

Regrets: Ute Maya-Giambattista, Susan Ruptash and Mansoor Mahmood (Non-voting member, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)

Day 1 meeting minutes

M 3-1.1 call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee to their third meeting, outlined the committee’s agenda and gave a land acknowledgement statement.

M 3-1.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 3-1.3 reviews of definitions and vote on new definition for “maintenance”

Julie Sawchuk led the committee in a review of recommendations in development. The committee discussed the potential confusion of the defined term “redevelopment” in the standards as it relates the significance of alterations. The committee reviewed and refined the definition of the term “maintenance” in the standards for a vote.

Motion 3-1.1 carried – revised definition of “maintenance”

The committee passed a unanimous vote to recommend that government revise the definition of “maintenance” in the standards.

M 3-1.4 discussion of recreational trails and beach access routes

The committee worked in small groups to address key issues found in their audits related to the requirements for recreational trails and beach access routes. Groups presented proposed recommendations to the committee and worked collaboratively to further refine recommendations.

M 3-1.5 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance. She invited members to remain on the call to discuss if they had specific administrative questions for ministry staff.

Day 2 meeting information

Date: November 23, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 2 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Kenneth Logtenberg, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers, and Chris Stigas

Non-voting Standards Development committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Sarah Kayama (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Mary Bartolomucci, Susannah Bush, Kristina Grubisic, Ayaan Hashi, Alex Ibrahim, Harrison Luong, Anna Millar, Michele Nunes, Christopher Paulin and Jason Schroter

Guest speaker: Lucille Berlinguette-Saumure (partial attendance)

Captionist: Sarah Ashley

Regrets: Johanna Contreras, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Susan Ruptash and Mansoor Mahmood (Non-voting member, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)

Day 2 meeting minutes

M 3-2.1 call to order, land acknowledgement and agenda review

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee, reviewed the agenda for the meeting and gave a land acknowledgement statement.

M 3-2.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 3-2.3 presentation from City of Ottawa

Megan Richards and guest speaker, Lucille Berlinguette-Saumure, gave a presentation on accessible bilingual municipal consultations processes and the opportunities available in ensuring full bilingual engagement with Francophone communities.

M 3-2.4 review of accessibility requirements for outdoor public eating areas and play spaces

Ministry staff presented an overview of accessibility requirements for outdoor public eating areas and play spaces under the Design of Public Spaces standard.

M 3-2.5 discussion outdoor public eating areas and play spaces

Julie Sawchuk led the committee in conducting an audit of the current requirements for outdoor public eating areas and play spaces, and the committee discussed some of the barriers faced by people of various disabilities in navigating these spaces.

M 3-2.6 wrap-up and next steps

Meeting 2: October 21 and 26, 2022

Letter from chair to the minister

Date: November 11, 2022

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standard review: Meeting 2 — minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee, I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meeting held on October 21 and 26, 2022, and provide you with a brief update on the committee’s progress.

At the last meeting, the committee completed the following:

Approved a recommendation for the Definitions section in Design of Public Spaces Standards and discussed further recommendations for this section
Discussed the requirements for beach access routes and recreational trails under Design of Public Spaces Standards and the Ontario Building Code

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: October 21, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Format of committee minutes and references: For the purposes of referencing committee documents and items in the minutes: ‘M’ (Meeting) represents the meeting number/minute items/sections/action items. All recommendations to date are considered draft until finalized and included in the Initial Recommendations Report submitted to the Minister.

Day 1 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Megan Richards and Susan Ruptash

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Sarah Kayama (Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery) and Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Mary Bartolomucci, Hayden Porch, Alex Ibrahim, Kristina Grubisic, Harrison Luong, Jason Schroter and Christopher Paulin

Guest: Assistant Deputy Minister Meenu Sikand (Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility)

Captionist: Olivia Arnaud

Regrets: Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins Kenneth Logtenberg, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Ian Rogers and Chris Stigas

Day 1 meeting minutes

M 2-1.1 call to order, land acknowledgement

The chair welcomed the committee to their second meeting and gave a land acknowledgement statement.

M 2-1.2 Assistant Deputy Minister Meenu Sikand’s remarks

The Assistant Deputy Minister, Meenu Sikand, introduced herself to the committee and spoke about her career focus on dismantling ableism and racism, and her connections with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. She thanked the members for their participation in the review and noted she is looking forward to reviewing their initial report.

M 2-1.3 chair’s introduction, agenda review

The chair outlined the goals and agenda for the meeting.

M 2-1.4 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call, reviewed best practices for meeting online and explained the committee’s process for e-voting if quorum is not met.

M 2-1.5 discussion: definitions in the standard

Ministry staff gave an overview of the presentation on the definitions section of the standard, from the previous meeting and the members discussed gaps in current terminology and definitions.

M 2-1.6 wrap-up and next steps

The chair provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance.

Day 2 meeting information

Date: October 26, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 2 present

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Mansur Rahim on behalf of Sarah Kayama (Ministry of Public and Business Service) and James Ross on behalf of Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Alex Ibrahim, Kristina Grubisic, Harrison Luong, Jason Schroter and Christopher Paulin

Guest: Jennifer Durley Policy Advisor, AODA Compliance Policy and Accountability Unit (Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility)

Captionist: Ishan Howard

Regrets: Kenneth Logtenberg and Ian Rogers

Day 2 meeting minutes

M 2-2.1 call to order, land acknowledgement and agenda review

The chair welcomed the committee, gave a land acknowledgement and outlined the goals and agenda for the meeting.

M 2-2.2 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Ministry staff conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meeting online.

M 2-2.3 presentation: accessibility compliance overview

Ministry staff gave an overview of how the government assesses organizational compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, including the legislative framework, the regulated community, accessibility compliance reporting and compliance activities.

M 2-2.4 discussion and vote: definitions and maintenance

The committee continued their discussions on the definitions and maintenance sections of the standard.

Motion 2.1 carried – definitions

The committee voted to approve to recommend the following recommendation:

to research existing definitions from standards from other provinces, municipalities and organizations (for example, National Building Code, Ontario Building Code, municipal Facility Accessibility Design Standards, Canadian Standards Association) and adopt the best practices for terms and definitions for the Ontario Design of Public Spaces Standards. In addition, a review and update of terms and definitions should be considered on a yearly basis.

The vote passed unanimously.

M 2-2.5 presentation: recreational trails and beach access routes accessibility requirements

Ministry staff presented an overview of accessibility requirements for recreational trails and beach access routes in the Design of Public Spaces Standards.

M 2-2.6 discussion: recreational trails and beach access routes accessibility requirements

The committee undertook an accusations audit to identify potential issues for recommendation in the recreational trails and beach access routes sections of the standard.

M 2-2.7 wrap-up and next steps

The chair provided closing remarks. She thanked members for their attendance and asked them to reflect on the topics of discussion and to consider potential recommendations for the next meeting. The next set of meetings are scheduled for November 22^nd and 23^rd, 2022.

Meeting 1: September 27 and 28, 2022

Letter from Chair to the minister

Date: September 30, 2022

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1S5

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standard review: Meeting 1 – minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee (the Committee), I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meeting (“Meeting 1”) held on September 27 and September 28, 2022.

The Committee was pleased to hear from your Parliamentary Assistant Daisy Wai and Deputy Minister Nancy Matthews, who conveyed messages of encouragement that the Committee’s work lead government’s direction towards creating a more accessible Ontario.

As an important order of business, the Committee discussed and approved the work plan by unanimous vote. The Committee also received presentations from the Ministry and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Finally, the committee began their first discussions around the built environment, considering the maintenance requirements under the Design of Public Spaces Standards.

Looking ahead to Meeting 2, the Committee intends to continue discussions from Meeting 1 and build consensus on recommendations for the definitions and maintenance sections of the standard. The Committee will continue to consult with its stakeholders before the next meeting.

My thanks again for the privilege of leading this review and contributing to the goal of an accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Day 1 meeting information

Date: September 27, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 1 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Kenneth Logtenberg, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Ian Rogers, Susan Ruptash and Chris Stigas

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Mary Bartolomucci, Susannah Bush, Kristina Grubisic, Alex Ibrahim, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin and Jason Schroter

Captionist: Olivia Arnaud

Regrets: Kevin Collins and Megan Richards

Day 1 meeting minutes

M 1-1.1 call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the Committee to their first meeting and gave a land acknowledgement statement.

M 1-1.2 Chair’s introduction, agenda review

Julie Sawchuk outlined the goals and agenda for meeting one and the Committee gave roundtable introductions.

M 1-1.3 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Kristina Grubisic conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 1-1.4 reviews of the built environment and context of the Committee’s review

Ministry staff gave a summary of the foundational materials provided to the Committee over the summer months related to the design of public spaces standards, including key research and third-party reviews. The context of the Committee’s review was also outlined according to the Terms of Reference set out by the Minister.

M 1-1.5 Committee workplan

Ministry staff presented a draft workplan that outlined the Committee’s key deliverables, meeting timelines and milestones. The Committee was advised that it would have an opportunity to make changes and vote on the workplan during day two of the meeting.

M 1-1.6 Committee administration

Ministry staff provided information on the Committee’s administrative processes.

M 1-1.7 wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks and thanked members for their attendance. She invited members to remain on the call to discuss if they had specific administrative questions for ministry staff.

Day 2 meeting information

Date: September 28, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: virtual

Day 2 present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Johanna Contreras, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Kenneth Logtenberg, Ute Maya-Giambattista, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers, Susan Ruptash and Chris Stigas (partial)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Mary Bartolomucci, Susannah Bush, Kristina Grubisic, Alex Ibrahim, Harrison Luong, Christopher Paulin and Jason Schroter

Guests: Minister’s Parliamentary Assistant Daisy Wai and Deputy Minister Nancy Matthews

Captionist: Dalton Harris

Regrets: Kevin Collins

Day 2 meeting minutes

M 1-2.1 call to order, land acknowledgement and agenda review

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the Committee and gave a land acknowledgement statement.

M 1-2.2 Minister’s Parliamentary Assistant Daisy Wai and Deputy Minister Nancy Matthews’ remarks

Minister Cho’s Parliamentary Assistant, Daisy Wai, expressed gratitude to the Committee for their participation in the review process, noting that the expertise and efforts brought forth by the members will certainly advance the province’s goals towards removing and preventing barriers for people with disabilities. Deputy Minister Nancy Matthews provided encouraging messages to the Committee, highlighting that their work will be pivotal to advancing accessibility in the province and noted that she looks forward to receiving the Committee’s report.

M 1-2.3 housekeeping remarks and roll call

Harrison Luong conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

M 1-2.4 vote on workplan

Ministry staff reviewed the workplan and consulted the Committee for feedback to the content and timelines proposed in the plan. The Committee suggested additional meetings to review the Ontario Building Code accessibility requirements and this change was reflected in the workplan.

Motion 1-2.1 carried – workplan

The Committee voted to approve the workplan and submit it to the Minister. The vote passed unanimously.

M 1-2.5 review of Design of Public Spaces standards and Ontario Building Code accessibility requirements

Ministry staff, including staff from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, presented an overview of both the Design of Public Spaces standards and the Ontario Building Code accessibility requirements.

M 1-2.6 definitions and maintenance

Ministry staff introduced the definitions and maintenance sections of the standard as the Committee’s first topic for consideration. Committee members addressed areas of concern surrounding certain definitions, including how “redevelopment” is defined in the standard, and discussed issues related to safe and accessible paths of travel and wayfinding around construction zones.

M 1-2.7 wrap-up and next steps

Orientation Meeting: April 6, 2022

Letter from chair to the minister

April 25, 2022

The Honourable Raymond Cho
Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
5^th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 2C8

Dear Minister Cho,

Re: Design of Public Spaces standard review kick-off meeting: minutes and progress report

On behalf of the members of the Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee, I am pleased to submit the minutes of the meeting held on April 6, 2022.

The committee has completed their initial orientation and training session. We thank both you and Deputy Alexander for taking the time to attend the meeting and for your kind words of encouragement.

We look forward to receiving the comprehensive foundational and research/information materials for our review in order that we are prepared for the next meeting following the provincial election. These materials will assist the committee in the development of our first deliverable which will include our workplan outlining the path forward for the review, as outlined in the Terms of Reference.

My thanks again for the privilege of leading this review and contributing to the goal of an accessible and inclusive Ontario.

Sincerely,
(Original signed by)
Julie Sawchuk
Chair, Design of Public Spaces Standards Development Committee

Meeting Information

Date: April 6, 2022, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Location: Virtual

Format of committee minutes and references: For the purposes of referencing committee documents and items in the minutes: ‘O’ (Orientation Meeting) represents the meeting number/minute items/sections/action items.

Meeting present

Standards Development Committee members: Julie Sawchuk (Chair), Catherine Bell, Kevin Collins, Debbie Gillespie, John Lane, Kenneth Logtenberg (partial), Ute Maya-Giambattista, Diane Morrell, Noor Ratansi-Iamurri, Megan Richards, Ian Rogers, Susan Ruptash, Chris Stigas, Dana Tulk

Non-voting Standards Development Committee members: Sarah Kayama (Ministry of Government and Consumer Services), Mansoor Mahmood (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility staff: Alison Drummond, Mary Bartolomucci, Susannah Bush, Sophia Christopher, Alex Ibrahim, Christopher Paulin, Alexandria Tadman

Guests: Minister Raymond Cho, Deputy Minister Carlene Alexander

Captionist: McKaya McDonald

Regrets: Johanna Contreras

Meeting minutes

O 1.1 Call to order, land acknowledgement

Julie Sawchuk welcomed the committee and gave a land acknowledgement statement.

O 1.2 Message from the Minister and Deputy Minister

The Honourable Raymond Cho and Deputy Minister Carlene Alexander of the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility provided remarks and thanked the members for their commitment to the work of the committee.

O 1.3 Chair’s introduction, agenda review

Julie Sawchuk introduced herself, spoke about the importance of accessibility in public spaces and identified her goals as the chair of the committee.

O 1.4 Housekeeping remarks and roll call

Alexandria Tadman, Senior Policy Coordinator, Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility, conducted the roll call and reviewed best practices for meetings on an online format (Zoom) for full participation of members for the meeting.

O 1.5 Committee mandate

Mary Bartolomucci, Director, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Policy and Standards Branch, Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility, provided a walkthrough of the committee’s roles, responsibilities, and processes, including an outline of the Terms and Reference as outlined in the minister’s letter to the chair.

Members had an opportunity to ask clarifying questions about the scope of the work.

O 1.6 Member introductions

Julie Sawchuk provided an opportunity for members to introduce themselves and their experiences related to accessibility in the built environment. Each member spoke about their “biggest wish” and their own personal view of the need for improved accessibility in public spaces in Ontario.

O 1.7 Indigenous engagement

Alex Ibrahim, Manager, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Standards Development Unit, Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility, spoke about ensuring that Indigenous perspectives inform the work of the committee, and committed to bring information forward at future meetings.

O 1.8 Committee administration

Alison Drummond, Assistant Deputy Minister, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Division, Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility, discussed the work of the committee during the election writ period.

Alexandria Tadman directed members to materials regarding virtual meetings, accessibility accommodations, remuneration and communications protocols.

O 1.9 Wrap-up and next steps

Julie Sawchuk provided closing remarks — she thanked members for their attendance and noted that they would be contacted following the election when the ministry has been given direction to resume their work.

Updated: November 09, 2023

Published: December 20, 2021