Date



March 9, 2014

Susan Mader

Executive Director

White Paper Consultation

Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation

Susan.mader@gov.bc.ca

RE: Disability White Paper

Dear Ms. Mader,

I am writing on behalf of SPARC BC to thank you for the opportunity to provide input into the government’s consultation around strategies for reducing barriers and increasing accessibility for people living with disabilities in British Columbia.

As you may know, SPARC BC is one of a number of organizations responsible for the delivery of the Parking Permit Program for People with Disabilities. Through our work, we are also engaged in working to promote increased accessibility and inclusion through the development of partnerships as well as through education and outreach with local communities.

We are an independent non-profit organization and federally registered charity with a mission to work with communities across BC to build a just and healthy society for all. In responding to your request for submissions, we asked our permit holders and members to provide us with feedback on areas that would help to make our communities more accessible and more inclusive. We received a number of responses to this request that we would like to share.

Community accessibility is about inclusion in all aspects of community life.

From our work with communities, we know that community accessibility applies to all aspects of community life- social, economic, recreational, and cultural. In looking at how we can make our communities more accessible and more inclusive, it is important to look at ways to promote genuine accessibility and inclusion in all aspects of community life –where we live, where we work and where we play. This includes the way we design our housing, our parks, our transportation, our streets, our shops, our services and service stations as well as local community gathering places. This can include considerations about the way we design our communities going forward and about potential changes or retrofits in existing spaces and places to ensure that all people have access and a sense of inclusion. Some of our permit holders have identified specific challenges around different modes of travel – air, rail public transit and ferry travel. In particular, they have noted that outside of the Lower Mainland many of the train platforms are not wheelchair accessible which means that the ability for individuals to travel by rail in the smaller communities is more limited. However, this even includes communities like Abbotsford. It has also been noted that when travelling by air, many people with disabilities find it difficult to navigate the long line-ups that are often involved as they pass through security check-points and other areas. It would be good to look at best practices that have been adopted in other jurisdictions to see if it is possible to make little changes that could make a big difference. Full service gas stations are another necessity for many people with disabilities. However, the need for these services is often overlooked by those who do not face this type of challenge in their life and some gas stations no longer offer this service. For some people with a disability, access to a full service gas station is a necessity. There is the need for more education and outreach around what makes a community truly accessible and to work to reach a new standard in accessibility in BC.

Accessible communities promote the active participation and engagement of all

Public places and community gathering places with wheelchair ramps, automatic door openers, as well as designated parking for people with disabilities can do a lot to enable real participation and real inclusion. Too many offices, businesses or stores still have physical design limitations which mean that they are not fully accessible. Past programs like the funding provided under the Province’s Measuring Up program helped to engage communities in conversation and action about what could be done to make their communities more accessible and inclusive and helped to encourage communities to think about accessibility in a new way.

The funding that was available through this program also helped to leverage new ways of thinking and new ways of seeing including the development of “best practices” and resource guides that could be shared across other groups and organizations interested in making their communities more accessible and inclusive. Investments in adaptable and accessible housing as well as investments in the physical and social infrastructure can go a long way in helping to promote true accessibility and inclusion including the active participation and engagement of everyone.

In reflecting on the different needs across communities, it is also important to take into consideration difference across different regions including some of the specific challenges faced by people with disabilities in smaller, rural communities or Aboriginal communities where the communities and those living in the community may not have access to the same resources or economic opportunities as larger communities.

Accessible communities ensure opportunities for everyone

Through our work in communities, we know that too many people with disabilities live in poverty and that income assistance rates have continued to fall behind other Provinces as well as behind the cost of living in BC. This has resulted in difficult choices for many people with disabilities who rely on this assistance to help them get by.

We know that as a caring Province we can do better and must do better. We believe that it is important for the Province to look at ways to ensure that all people with disabilities have access to the services and supports that they need to live a full and complete life – accessible and affordable housing, adequate income and appropriate supports.

I would also like to conclude by expressing my appreciation for the opportunity to provide input into your consultation process. Attached please find a sample of responses received from our members and permit holders about specific ways that the province could help to promote greater accessibility and inclusion.

Sincerely,

Lorraine Copas,

Executive Director, SPARC BC

Accessibility Enhancements: Entrances, Washrooms, Infrastructure and Pathways

1. As our population ages there will be increased pressure on existing handicap parking spaces. I am permanently confined to a wheelchair, and I cannot stand or walk. I could not find a free space at my doctor's office and had to park in a regular spot, risking getting boxed in when another car parked beside me. When I left my doctor's office to get my prescription filled I was faced with the same problem. There has to be more accessible parking spaces made available including van accessible parking.

2. There is often not enough parking in shopping malls and the spaces that are available are often not close to entrances or accessible. The BC Building Code should be reviewed and updated to increase the number of accessible parking spaces and to bring it more in line with demand. Under the current BC Building Code a parking lot with 100 spaces only requires one disability parking space. In comparison, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requires four.

3. Parking fines need to be higher.

4. There should be funding to support infrastructure improvements (i.e. the transition from road to sidewalks and/or entrances to stores).

5. Municipalities and municipal bylaw officers should be able to enforce and ticket people who parking in disability parking spaces without a permit on private property. This would include private pay lots and shopping malls.

6. The rules of use in strata tenure developments should be reviewed. In some cases, it appears that strata councils and developers are selling accessible parking spaces once developed to people without disabilities. Therefore while they might have the appropriate number of spaces based on the rules set out under the BC Building Code (at the time of development), these spaces are no longer available for use once the building is operational.

7. There should also be the requirement that public parking lots provide parking ticket purchase sites that are wheelchair assessable and/or waive the parking fee for people in wheelchairs if they do not have the appropriate ticket purchasing machines.

8. I wish they would remove curbs on the street where there is handicap parking. It is challenging for people with mobility limitations to get from the car to sidewalk and into a wheelchair. Nobody else can park in these spots - so why do they have curbs?

9. Walk signals can be a challenge for people with disabilities who are trying to cross the street. There was a story of a senior who had to call a taxi just to cross the street because she could not get across in time.

10. Local accessibility committees have done a good job of raising awareness around accessibility issues. However, BC and Canada lack wheel in shower accommodations in motels and hotels. Perhaps incentives and/or legislation is needed to encourage these types of changes.

11. Many buildings and offices still require retrofitting –i.e wheelchair ramps, automatic door openers and curb cuts. Some ramps that are erected are also too steep for wheelchairs. I am aware of friends who give up going to places because the ramps are too challenging.

12. Every store should have accessible public washrooms. All businesses should have handicapped buttons to open doors - all doors - heavy or not. Curbs should be designed to accommodate walkers and wheelchairs. More handicap permits stalls in parking lots are needed, as these are often full.

13. Accessibility has improved so much, however, many of the blue painted wheelchair signs in parking spaces are very faded and people don't notice them. More erect (standing) signs would be of benefit. We still need to educate others about NOT PARKING IN these designated spaces and/or strengthen enforcement. It would also be good if the fines were higher and if there was more enforcement both on public and private lots. This may need legislative changes but the rules should be the same for everyone and there should be real fines and penalties for people who misuse designated parking spaces.

14. Maybe there should be a Province-wide campaign called “don’t even think about it” that shows the consequences of someone parking in the designated parking spaces who do not need the space. For them, it is just five (5) minutes to run an errand. For someone with a disability, it might mean that they cannot run their errand or that they are at risk crossing the parking lot if they park in a non-designated space. The campaign should accompany an announcement of higher fines or penalties for people who misuse or abuse designated parking spaces.

15. I don't use my permit too often because I no longer drive but I sure appreciate it when I'm out with my walker and am able to park close to a building. Many buildings are inaccessible to me on my scooter. I recently got stuck in the washroom in a new building as there was no access button to open the door for me to get out.

16. Some communities like the City of Abbotsford has found ways to make their community infrastructure more accessible like traffic islands and crossing signals. However, it can be difficult to get around the community when road work is being done or when there is no sidewalk.

17. Changes like the move to “community mail boxes” could create a real challenge for seniors and people with disabilities. Decisions like this should have to pass an accessibility test before they are allowed to be imposed on people and communities and compromises should be made if it can be demonstrated that the decision will result in hardship for a senior or someone with a disability. Access to public transit or BC Ferries should also have to pass a similar test including fare reductions for seniors or people with disabilities who require someone to accompany them to appointments and/or for people with disabilities who are low income.

18. BC has so many places that are truly beautiful. However, many of them can also be inaccessible. The Province should look at ways of ensuring that the Province’s natural beauty is available to everyone and should work with local attractions to help ensure that these places can be enjoyed by people with disabilities of all age.

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