Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC)
Agenda

Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 3:00 P.m. - 5:00 P.m.

Hybrid in-person and virtual meeting

In-person meeting available in Meeting Room C at Guelph City Hall

Virtual meeting available through Microsoft Teams

• To join by computer or phone:

  • • Click here to join the meeting

• To join by phone call (audio-only):
  • • Dial toll-free phone number: [phone]
    • Enter the 'Phone Conference ID': 436 757 904# 

Privacy notice: Public meetings of the Accessibility Advisory Committee are video recorded and posted online. These video recordings and associated agendas and minutes are maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public. If you speak at or attend a meeting, you may appear in the video recording of the meeting and your name may appear in the meeting agenda and minutes. If you have questions regarding the City’s collection, use and disclosure of personal information, please contact the City’s Information and Access Coordinator at 519-822-1260 extension 2349 or

• Accessibility-related accommodations available upon timely request to Sarah Boghossian, 519-822-1260 extension 3536; TTY 519-826-9771 email:
• Delegation requests must be received by 10 a.m. on the Friday prior to the meeting in accordance with the City Procedure By-law.

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1.

Call to Order

1.1

Indigenous Territorial Acknowledgement

As we gather, let us take time to reflect on our privilege to live and work in Guelph; a city built over rich Indigenous histories. We are guests here, and we should reflect upon the responsibility to care for this land, the people who live here today, and the generations to come. If our actions today can move us towards reconciliation, we should take pause and make those decisions with intention and gratitude.

This place we call Guelph has served as traditional lands and a place of refuge for many peoples over time, but more specifically the Attiwonderonk, and the Haudenosaunee. This land is held as the treaty lands and territory with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Guelph lies directly adjacent to the Haldimand Tract and is part of a long-established traditional hunting ground for the Six Nations of the Grand River. Many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples who have come from across Turtle Island call Guelph home today.

• Learn more about the Indigenous Territorial Acknowledgement

1.2

Disclosure of Conflict of Interest and General Nature Thereof

1.3

Approval of Agenda

• Recommendation

  That the April 16, 2024 Accessibility Advisory Committee Agenda be approved.

1.4

Approval of Minutes

• Recommendation

  That the February 20, 2024 meeting minutes be approved.

2.

Consent Agenda

The following reports have been prepared to facilitate the AAC's consideration of various matters and are suggested for consideration. If a member of the committee wishes to address a specific report in isolation of the Consent Agenda, please identify the item. It will be extracted and dealt with separately as part of the Committee Items.

• See ACOC Memo from February 20, 2024 for more information about Consent Agendas

• Recommendation

  That the April 16, 2024 AAC Consent Agenda identified below be adopted. 

2.1

Seasonal Patio Program Follow-Up

2.2

Follow up regarding Single Use Items Letter

2.3

Site Plan Internal Review Report

3.

Committee Items

The Committee Item times listed on the Agenda are estimates only.

3.1

Municipal Election Follow-Up

3:10 - 3:50 p.m. (10 minutes staff presentation, 30 minutes AAC discussion)

For Recommendation - Jennifer Slater - Manager Information, Privacy and Elections/Deputy City Clerk and Carrie Murray-Sprague - Council and Committee Coordinator, City Clerk's Office

• Recommendation

  1. The AAC does not support the staff recommendation that vote from home and vote by mail be offered as the only alternative voting methods for the 2026 election. We believe that this leaves insurmountable barriers to accessibility and denies many members of the community access to a confidential, independent, and verifiable voting method. Failure to provide a voting method to disabled individuals serves to disenfranchise a vulnerable population.

  The AAC recommends that council move forward with online voting and remote accessible vote by mail as the main alternative voting options, with vote from home and vote by mail remaining available as supplementary accessible options.

• Recommendation

  2.The AAC recommends that Chair Root present their opinions on accessible voting options to council at the May 7, 2024 council meeting.

3.2

Downtown Waste Project - Design Guideline

3:50 - 4:10 p.m. (5 minutes staff presentation, 15 minutes AAC discussion)

For Recommendation - Rob Reid - Project Manager, Solid Waste Resources, Environmental Services

• Recommendation

  1.That Staff proceed with the Downtown Waste Project Design Guideline using the universal design and accessibility considerations summarized in this report.

3.3

Guelph Transit: Introduction of Chime Sound on Conventional Buses

4:10 - 4:30 p.m. (5 minutes staff presentation, 15 minutes AAC discussion)

For Engagement - Laura Catalano-Bragues - Supervisor, Scheduling and Service Planning, Guelph Transit

• Recommendation

  1.That the Accessibility Advisory Committee receive the report named “Introduction of Chime Sound on Conventional Buses” provided by Laura Catalano-Bragues. And, that the Accessibility Advisory Committee recommend that staff do further investigation into more variety of accessible tones, looking across the spectrum of hearing related disabilities and neurodivergence.

3.4

Heritage Conservation District Boundaries

4:30 - 4:50 p.m. (5 minutes staff presentation, 15 minutes AAC discussion)

For Information - Jack Mallon - Planner I, Heritage, Planning Services

• Recommendation

  1.That the Accessibility Advisory Committee receive the staff report titled “Introduction to Downtown Guelph Heritage Conservation District Study” dated April 16, 2024.

3.5

Tuesday, May 21 - AAC Special Meeting

4:50-4:55 p.m. 

For Information - Sarah Boghossian - Accessibility Coordinator

4.

Adjournment

• Recommendation

  That the Accessibility Advisory Committee be adjourned at 4:41 p.m.

5.

Next Meetings and Future Topics

Next Meetings:

Tuesday, May 21 from 3-5 p.m.

Tuesday, June 18 from 3-5 p.m.

Tuesday, August 20 from 3-5 p.m.

Tuesday, October 15 from 3-5 p.m.

Tuesday, December 17 from 3-5 p.m.

Future Topics:

• Recreation Inclusion Programming
• Playground Replacement Project
• Heritage Conservation District Project plan and guideline