Multi-year Accessibility Plan

At the City of Vaughan, we are committed to treating everyone in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and fair access for residents, visitors and employees with visible or non-visible disabilities. 

Vaughan must be barrier-free, and our goal is to become a completely accessible municipality. The City wants to ensure Vaughan is welcoming, inclusive and a place where people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds can thrive. 

Planning for this goal is no small task – it’s an essential part of Vaughan’s future, and we are dedicated to working with our partners and residents to ensure we can achieve it. We are stronger together, and it’s only together that we can accomplish our ambitious goals. 

Our Multi-Year Accessibility Plan charts our path forward and will keep us on the right track.

Steven Del Duca
Mayor of Vaughan

As the Chair of the City of Vaughan’s Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC), I am honoured to play a role in the development and implementation of our City’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan. This comprehensive strategy is designed to prepare the way for a more inclusive and accessible Vaughan, where every resident has the opportunity to actively participate in our vibrant community.

Our vision is grounded in the belief that inclusivity enhances the overall well-being of our residents and visitors and serves as a cornerstone of our diverse city. The Multi-Year Accessibility Plan encompasses a wide range of initiatives, each aimed at breaking down barriers and ensuring people of all abilities can enjoy equal access to the resources and opportunities our city offers.

The plan covers many facets of accessibility, including the creation of user-friendly public spaces, improvements in transportation services, and the development of more accessible communication channels. It also emphasizes the importance of inclusive employment practices, support for accessible workplaces, and the provision of recreational and cultural programs that cater to the diverse needs of our community.

To bring this plan to life, we rely on the dedication and collaboration of our City staff, local businesses, and community partners. As Chair of the Vaughan AAC, I am committed to working closely with stakeholders, disability advocates and residents to ensure the Plan remains effective, adaptive and refective of our community’s diverse perspectives.

Together, let us strive to make Vaughan a shining example of accessibility and inclusivity, where every individual has the chance to contribute to our city’s success and enjoy a fulflling life.

Councillor Gila Martow
Chair, Accessibility Advisory Committee

The City of Vaughan is committed to creating a barrier-free community and workplace with universal access to its programs, services and facilities.

The 2023-2027 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan builds on the successes of the 2019-2022 Accessibility Plan (PDF) and reinforces the City’s priority to foster an active, engaged and inclusive community, as outlined in Vaughan’s 2022-2026 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan.

This plan addresses how staff will continue to design barrier-free public spaces, enhance transportation and customer service, and use accessible communication and information channels to meet the diverse needs of the community. It also underscores the significance of championing inclusive employment practices and accessible workplaces.

Thank you to the City staff, the Technical Advisory Committee and the Vaughan Accessibility Advisory Committee, chaired by Councillor Gila Martow, for preparing this comprehensive plan.

I look forward to making further advancements in accessibility and continuing to improve the quality of life for all.

Nick Spensieri
City Manager

Welcome to the City of Vaughan’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (MYAP) for the years 2023-2027. This comprehensive five-year plan aims to create an accessible and barrier-free environment for all the city’s residents, visitors and businesses.

The 2023-2027 MYAP reflects our shared commitment to an inclusive and accessible city. Aligned with fostering Active, Engaged and Inclusive Communities – a strategic priority in the City’s 2022-2026 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan (Strategic Plan) – this MYAP aims to create a vibrant, diverse and equitable city for all residents, valuing the contributions of people with disabilities. Additionally, the City strives to apply the ‘Social Model’ of disability in accessibility planning. This model considers barriers to accessibility as issues in the environment that must be resolved. The more prevalent ‘Medical Model’ generally frames the individual’s difference as a problem to solve.

In alignment with the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), our vision is to make Vaughan a model city for accessibility and inclusion. The MYAP outlines various strategies, goals and initiatives that will ensure people of all abilities can enjoy equal access to opportunities, services and facilities within the City.

The MYAP is the result of extensive consultations with community members, stakeholders and accessibility experts. It is a living document, designed to be flexible and adaptive to the evolving needs of our community. The plan will be reviewed, assessed and updated regularly to ensure its continued effectiveness and relevance.

It is essential to consider the various levels of government jurisdiction and their different roles in promoting accessibility and inclusion in the context of this MYAP. The City exercises direct control over municipal services, infrastructure and programs, enabling the implementation of accessibility initiatives at the local level. As part of the Regional Municipality of York, Vaughan benefits from an area of influence that facilitates collaboration and the sharing of best practices with neighbouring municipalities. This regional co-operation allows for developing cohesive and integrated accessibility initiatives across the broader community.

Finally, the City advocates at the provincial and federal levels, pushing for progressive policies and legislation that support accessibility and inclusion for all Canadians. By actively participating in these different spheres, the City strives to advance accessibility across all levels of government, ensuring our community remains an exemplar of inclusivity and equal opportunity.

Accessibility Advisory Committee Members

• Gila Martow, Ward 5 Councillor, Chair, Accessibility Advisory Committee
• Rudy Barrell
• Noor Din
• Nazila Isgandarova
• Paresh Jamnadas
• Nida Khurshid
• Michael Nigro
• Michelle Zaldin

This MYAP represents a collaborative effort between the City and stakeholders from all over Vaughan, as well as subject matter experts and partners across York Region and beyond.

As part of the development of this MYAP, the City actively engaged with diverse communities to gain insights into their idea of an accessible city. Drawing from the community’s valuable feedback, the City has derived five guiding principles to shape this plan and guide our actions.

The City is committed to:

Health and Safety: prioritizing the health, safety and wellness of the community and promoting equitable opportunities for all.

Clear and Accessible Information: providing clear and accessible communication to the public, ensuring everyone has the necessary information, resources and support to thrive.

Inclusion and Equity: equitable processes to foster a welcoming, flexible and inclusive environment that respects the unique needs of our diverse community.

Accessible City: an inclusive community that strives to eliminate physical, technological and attitudinal barriers for people with visible and invisible disabilities.

Continuous Improvement: receiving feedback and making the necessary changes to our policies, procedures and services to continuously enhance accessibility and inclusion.

The AODA outlines requirements organizations must follow to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities. These requirements encompass various areas, including customer service, information and communications, employment, transportation and design of public spaces. By adhering to these standards, the City aims to foster an inclusive environment that promotes equal access and participation for all individuals, regardless of their abilities.

The General Requirements contain guidelines on establishing and maintaining an accessibility plan to remove barriers for people with disabilities. This involves considering accessibility during procurement and installing of self-service kiosks. Organizations must also provide relevant training on accessibility standards and the Human Rights Code, and ensure there are accessible feedback processes.

Training

AODA training is required for all City employees, including volunteers and interns, public appointees or officials providing goods, services or facilities on behalf of the City of Vaughan.

The City is committed to:

1.1 Enhancing employee knowledge and commitment to accessible customer service, equity, inclusion and human rights.

Key activities:

• Implement an inclusive training program that incorporates an intersectional approach and covers various types of disabilities, including mental health or cognitive conditions, invisible and episodic disabilities.

Procurement

The AODA requires organizations to include accessibility criteria in procuring goods, services and facilities. This means accessibility is a component of all bids and contracts.

The City is committed to:

1.2 Integrating accessibility considerations into the procurement process, ensuring all procured products and services meet or exceed accessibility standards.

Key activities:

• Revise language in all bidding documents and contracts to incorporate explicit accessibility and training requirements exceeding the standard AODA statement.
• Ensure vendors follow applicable guidelines or standards on topics such as accessible documents, presentations, meetings, features and tools, and incorporate requirements into procurement evaluation criteria.

The AODA Information and Communications Standards lays out rules for organizations when creating, providing and receiving information and communications that people with disabilities can access, to give everyone an equal chance to learn and be active in their communities. The City has initiated the Information and Communication Accessibility Project to ensure the accessibility and usability of web-based services and information for all users.

The City is committed to:

2.1 Ensuring equal access to information for all users, regardless of their abilities.

Key activities:

• Conduct an evaluation of accessibility compliance to identify areas of opportunity, establishing a baseline for future improvements.
• Develop recommendations and implementation plans to ensure the City meets or exceeds the AODA Information and Communications Standards. 
• Build staff capacity through training focused on producing inclusive digital content across diverse platforms and formats, and promote the use of inclusive and plain language guides and best practices.

2.2 Establishing accessibility standards for all external meetings.

Key activities:

• Proactively plan and arrange for accommodations and ensure participants are provided with clear instructions on how to request any additional support.

The AODA Customer Service Standard outlines requirements for service providers to make their goods, services and facilities accessible for customers with disabilities. For municipalities, this means recognizing the rights, dignity and independence of people with disabilities, and working towards equal access to any of a City’s services, goods or facilities for residents and visitors of all abilities. Full compliance requires the City to remove barriers that are attitudinal, systemic and physical.

The City is committed to:

3.1 Improving accessibility and inclusivity in service provision and communication for people with disabilities.

Key activities:

• Enhance accessibility of citizen and business surveys by offering accessible alternate formats on request; considering additional accessibility options for telephone surveys; and incorporating
• Update the Accessible Customer Service Policy to ensure continued relevance and effectiveness, and provide accessible customer service training that exceeds AODA requirements and promotes inclusive language, increasing awareness of disabilities, and improved program implementation, adaptation and behaviour management. 
• Develop a strategy for training and raising awareness among employees, the public, and third parties providing services on the City’s behalf about the rights of people with disabilities to enter City facilities with a support animal, and the right of support persons to have free access to recreational services. 
• Develop and implement inclusive services in alignment with the City’s Accessible Customer Service and Accessibility Policies, while pursuing a strategy to procure and replace adaptive equipment and assistive technologies to continue making recreational programs more accessible.

The City’s MYAP is driven by engagement with the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) and consultations with disability-focused organizations, as well as the public and internal partners.

The City is committed to:

3.2 Fostering an inclusive and accessible City by regularly engaging with people with disabilities.

Key activities:

• Continue public engagement activities and consultations, particularly with the City’s AAC and diverse disability communities, to ensure that programming, policies and services relating to customer service for people with disabilities are informed by a diverse range of lived experiences with disability.
• Maintain feedback loops through regular consultations with the City’s AAC and leverage the City’s and Region’s growing networks of local and regional disability communities and organizations for further insights to inform strategies with expertise and analysis drawing on lived experience. 
• Launch a wayfinding and accessibility pilot in partnership with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) to evaluate a technology solution for improving independent navigation of City facilities by people with vision-related disabilities.

The AODA Employment Standard aims to eliminate barriers and discrimination in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, selection, hiring, training,  advancement and accommodations. Its goal is to create inclusive and accessible workplaces where people with disabilities have equal opportunities for employment and can fully contribute their skills and talents.

The City is committed to:

4.1 Developing an Accommodation Policy and Guide to foster an inclusive culture that prioritizes accessibility and continuous improvement in managing accommodation processes.

Key activities:

• Enhance staff awareness across all departments about available accommodation types and the process to discuss a request.
• Develop and implement a People Leader training program to ensure effective management of accommodation requests, promoting a supportive work environment that empowers staff to seek assistance as needed throughout their employment, including during role transitions. 
• Promote a culture of accessibility and inclusion among staff by launching Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to engage those with lived expertise or relevant life experience.

4.2 Fostering an inclusive workplace by provision of accessible formats and communication supports for all staff, and by expanding employment and co-op opportunities for people with disabilities.

Key activities:

• Develop comprehensive accessibility guidelines for all virtual, hybrid and in-person meetings, considering and addressing accommodation needs across the organization and ensuring guidelines are communicated and standardized. 
• Leverage strategic partnerships with community agencies or local business networks and employment programs to enhance co-op and employment opportunities for people with disabilities, thereby promoting workplace accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Transportation Standard of the AODA aims to make it easier for everyone to travel in Ontario. Elements of the Transportation Standard apply to organizations and agencies that provide transportation services such as public transit, taxicabs and school boards, hospitals and universities who provide such services (e.g. shuttle buses). Transit-related points are covered further on in this report as they fall under York Region’s jurisdiction. 

Under the Transportation Standard, municipalities are mandated to promote or facilitate the availability of accessible taxicabs to ensure equal opportunities for people with disabilities. Accessible taxis and the ability to travel with greater independence support social inclusion by enabling free movement, access to community activities, economic engagement and workforce participation. 

The City’s overall strategy on maintaining and managing transportation infrastructure promotes best practices, as well as AODA compliance. 

The City is committed to:

5.1 Advocating and promoting accessible methods of transportation to provide inclusive options for individuals with disabilities.

Key activities:

• Engage with the AAC and use public forums to gather community inputs, collaborating with people with disabilities to understand their specific needs and preferences. 
• Evaluate feedback to establish the optimal proportion of on-demand accessible taxicabs needed and develop a plan to promote adequate availability of accessible taxi services for the community.
• Promote accessibility by requiring AODA compliant transportation infrastructure and accessible on-street parking, while continuing to promote active transportation.
• Create and implement standardized AODA requirements in design criteria relating to sidewalks, cycling facilities and roadways.
• Complete an asset review of traffic calming infrastructure (crossings, crosswalks, pavement markings, etc.) and develop recommendations to improve accessibility and reduce barriers or unsafe passage for young children, older adults and people with diverse disabilities. 
• Develop an Intelligent Transportation Systems strategy to promote technological innovation that increases accessibility. This strategy will help plan and install equipment and technologies to support accessible and touchless traffic signals.
• Conduct a Wayfinding Signage Pilot that is part of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) Parks and Wayfinding Master Plan. The pilot will gather feedback from the community to evaluate the effectiveness of five new signs, helping the City better respond to the way people understand and move through Vaughan’s downtown and its parks and open spaces. Building on this pilot, the City will improve guidelines on signage and wayfinding in public spaces.

The AODA Design of Public Spaces Standard is central for municipalities to achieve inclusion and accessibility in community infrastructure. It provides guidelines for  designing and constructing public spaces, ensuring equal access for people with disabilities. Compliance with this standard enables the creation of inclusive spaces that consider the needs of all community members, promoting independence and quality of life.

The City is committed to:

6.1 Implementing a comprehensive accessibility improvement plan with regular audits and upgrades to enhance accessibility of municipal facilities and infrastructure and promoting compliance by external stakeholders.

Key activities:

• Prioritize building upgrades based on a Building Accessibility Assessment, starting with sites with highest actual and potential use by people with disabilities, showing progress each year, and conducting an inventory of accessibility gaps, determining the level of urgency and need for upgrades, current and upcoming. 
• Formalize a process to include AODA compliance in development application plan reviews for both developer build and capital projects, incorporating consultations with the AAC.

6.2 Advancing compliance and best practices in wayfinding and signage, recreational trails, facilities, parks, playgrounds and outdoor spaces as the City constructs, redevelops or upgrades.

Key activities:

• Establish new signage standards and guidelines for trails and public spaces maintained by the City and audit all signage in recreation sites to meet accessibility standards. 
• Develop and implement standardized AODA-compliant design criteria for sidewalks, cycling facilities, roadways and other infrastructure.

Advocacy and commitment to social change are priorities for the disability communities who have generously participated in consultations to develop this MYAP. As such, the City is committed to promoting accessibility and inclusion in areas outside of our jurisdiction where the City may have varying degrees of influence, and to promoting a broader culture of innovation and inclusion towards accessibility for all.

Accelerating Accessibility Coalition

The City joined the Accelerating Accessibility Coalition convened by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Toronto. This new coalition aims to promote the creation of accessible housing, and Vaughan will be the first local government to join. 

Accessibility Champion Awards

The City acknowledges and honours accessibility champions, in collaboration with the AAC, to highlight innovative contributions towards greater inclusion and accessibility.

Inclusive Transit

The City is committed to promoting inclusion in transportation beyond its own jurisdiction, including accessible public transit. As part of this effort, the City will collaborate with York Region and transit partners to address gaps in accessible transit across cities and regions. 

Key activities to advance this aspect of the AODA’s Transportation Standard that is out of the City’s jurisdiction will be to:

• conduct outreach, public meetings and surveys to gather feedback on transit needs and preferences to ensure community inputs inform planning and implementation of transit solutions in alignment with the specific requirements of different neighbourhoods and demographics.
• identify areas where transit gaps exist, such as underserved neighbourhoods or routes with greater barriers to accessibility, to ensure transit planning and implementation processes prioritize equity and inclusion. Establish regular communication channels to discuss transit issues, share data and exchange ideas on closing the gaps identified. Support York Region and transit partners in the design of targeted solutions for closing transit gaps based on the analysis conducted. 
• research funding sources such as government grants, public-private partnerships and community initiatives to help secure the financial resources needed for addressing transit gaps. Explore opportunities for collaboration with neighbouring municipalities and transit authorities to create a seamless and interconnected regional transit network. Co-ordinate efforts and share best practices to address transit gaps that extend beyond York Region’s borders.

This MYAP is the result of community, internal, regional and sectoral collaborations that rely on continuous engagement. The City will revisit this plan regularly in the years ahead and provide annual reports to the public that share updates on progress to continue to foster communication, transparency and Service Excellence.

As such, the City is grateful for questions, thoughts and constructive feedback, and hopes residents and visitors to Vaughan will reach out with any inputs.

Contact accessibility@vaughan.ca or Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or by TTY at 1-866-543-0545 with any feedback or inquiries, or to request an accessible format of this report.

You can also subscribe to receive information, email updates and notices of community engagement activities relating to this plan. 

For more information on the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA) and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), contact:
Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility
777 Bay St., Suite 601A
Toronto, ON M7A 2J4

Telephone: 416-849-8276
Toll Free: 1-866-515-2025
TTY: 416-326-0148
TTY Toll Free: 1-800-268-7095
Fax: 416-325-9620
accessibility@ontario.ca
Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility webpage

A snapshot of disability in Vaughan and York Region provides valuable insights into the diverse needs of our community members, enabling us to better tailor our accessibility initiatives to address these needs effectively.

In Vaughan, more than 20 per cent of the population has reported living with some form of disability, which includes mobility, vision, hearing, cognitive and other conditions. The prevalence of disabilities in any community increases with age, with seniors accounting for a significant proportion of those experiencing accessibility challenges. (Note that data is drawn from the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD). Statistics Canada is scheduled to begin releasing results from the 2022 CSD by early 2024.) As such, the City conducts planning specifically for disability communities through multi-year accessibility plans, and for an aging population, through the Age-Friendly Community Action Plan (PDF). 

Similarly, within the broader York Region, close to 20 per cent of the population identifies as living with a disability. The disability profile across the region is diverse, with varying levels of severity and functional limitations. The most common types of disabilities reported include mobility, flexibility, pain-related and cognitive or mental health-related disabilities.

The demographic trends in Vaughan and York Region indicate a growing and aging population, which is likely to result in an increased prevalence of disability in the years ahead. These trends underscore the importance of prioritizing accessibility and inclusion in our community planning efforts, thereby promoting the ability of Vaughan residents to age in place while simultaneously contributing to a community more inclusive of diverse people with disabilities. 

By understanding the unique needs and challenges faced by people with disabilities in Vaughan and York Region, we can develop and implement more effective strategies and initiatives as part of the MYAP. Building on our community engagement and deepening relationships of trust with diverse disability communities and subject-matter experts will help us effectively deliver on this MYAP. Demographic data, community consultations, user feedback and other measures to evaluate progress on this MYAP will strengthen future decision-making on policy, planning and practice. 

This data-driven, evidence-based approach will enable us to create a more accessible and inclusive city that fosters equal opportunities and an enhanced quality of life for all residents, businesses and visitors.

The City of Vaughan’s 2023-2027 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (MYAP) was developed through a robust community engagement process that included internal and external partners, City staff and Council, local community members and subject matter experts. The MYAP lays out how the City aims to achieve a barrier-free community with universal access to programs, services and facilities. Vaughan Council approved the plan on Nov. 14, 2023.

City staff spent the first year of the current MYAP benchmarking progress from the previous plan and collaborating with diverse partners and stakeholders to chart the way forward. Through the consultation process, the City gathered perspectives from people who live, work or do business in Vaughan, as well as visitors and guests. Recognizing that the latest Statistics Canada (Canadian Survey on Disability 2022) research finds 27 per cent of the population has at least one disability, it is crucial the City continues to engage with diverse community members, especially people with disabilities. This helps inform planning, policies, programming and processes to be as inclusive as possible.

Along with the in-depth consultation process and assessment of the current state, conducted in 2023, City staff have drawn on a comprehensive internal auditing and assessment of the City’s processes, policies, public spaces and priorities. These efforts have helped the City develop the current MYAP to be a forward-looking five-year plan that truly reflects the inputs, interests and concerns of diverse disability communities and the broader Vaughan community.

Learnings and opportunities emerging from the 2022-2023 in-depth consultations and from community engagement following the MYAP launch are useful for different municipalities. The City has shared information and promoted collaboration on accessibility and related issues through participation in the Municipal Diversity and Inclusion Group (MDIG) convened by York Region. The MDIG space brings together municipalities and key partners in healthcare, education, community safety and human services. The City’s Inclusion and Community Outreach team also contributes to knowledge exchange through networks like the Ontario Network of Accessibility Professionals and the Accelerating Accessibility Coalition.

A commitment to data-driven, collaborative approaches to advancing accessibility also links to the City’s participation in World Council on City Data reporting towards ISO standardized municipal information sharing to advance inclusive policy, programming and design. This report constitutes the second annual overview of the 2023-2027 MYAP, and shares progress towards the final closure of the plan. 

The City’s Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) is a statutory committee. All municipalities with 10,000 or more residents are required to convene a citizen’s advisory committee under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Municipal AACs have been established as a means of informing urban planning and ensuring the voices and perspectives of diverse disability communities are being integrated into the working of the City. The process of consulting AACs on strategic decisions and policies that affect people with disabilities helps guide cities in removing and preventing barriers to accessibility in policies, practices, programming and services. 

All municipal board and committee meetings are posted to a meeting calendar on the City of Vaughan’s website.

Accessibility Advisory Committee Members

• Gila Martow, Ward 5 Councillor, Chair
• Michelle Goldstein Zaldin, Co-Chair
• Michael Nigro
• Nazila Isgandarova
• Rudy Barell
• Nida Khurshid
• Noor Din
• Paresh Jamnadas

In 2023, seven new public members joined the AAC, following the new term of Council in November 2022. This current AAC has held five meetings in 2024, during which the City informed or consulted with the AAC on the following items:

• Intelligent Traffic Signals Strategy
• Waste management strategy
• Accessibility Champions Awards process and voting
• 2023 Annual Report presentation and feedback
• My MS Family York Region presentation
• GoodMaps/CNIB Access Labs accessible wayfinding pilot reporting
• New governance structure/Inclusion and Community Outreach team
• MYAP activities updates
• Doctors McLean District Park renewal
• Community Spaces Plan
• 2025 schedule of meetings

Additionally, AAC members were invited to participate in public engagement activities relating to the Greenspace Strategic Plan, public engagement processes relating to recreation, wayfinding and other accessibility-related events or opportunities, and provincial consultation processes. Committee members will continue to be alerted to relevant community consultations and opportunities to continue building and strengthening relationships with diverse disability communities.

In 2024:

• 5 meetings held
• 16 agenda items discussed, including:
  • 2023-2027 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
  • policies, pilot programs and planning proposals
  • consultations with internal and external partners
• 6 emails received about consultations, capacity building opportunities and more

Accessibility Champion Award

The AAC established the Accessibility Champion Award in 2019. The awards are presented every other year to businesses, groups, non-profits or individuals who are helping foster a more accessible community in Vaughan.

From January 2024 to February 2024, the City received 17 nominations from community members who wanted to recognize organizations and individuals for being leaders in promoting a barrier-free city. During a ceremonial presentation in May 2024, five Accessibility Champions received awards: 

• Anthony D’Ambrosio in the Student category: Anthony uses his experience of battling a rare form of joint cancer and going through a lower leg amputation to inspire his community engagement. A Toronto Metropolitan University student, Anthony also volunteers actively to promote research, inclusion and accessibility for people with amputations, including with young people and mentees through York Region school boards, the Terry Fox Foundation and St. John’s Rehab Hospital.
• Deborah Helfand in the Individual category: Learning to thrive with a mental health condition, Deborah plays a role in changing perceptions and promoting a more inclusive community every day. She has worked her way up to managing the DANI Café (Developing and Nurturing Independence) and she has supported the Café’s growth into a training ground for others with developmental disabilities.
• Mobile Radiance Dental Hygiene Services in the Small Business (For profit) category: Manuela Rosatelli founded Mobile Radiance Dental Hygiene Services to provide people access to quality dental care in the comfort of their homes, long-term care facilities, hospitals and rehabilitation centres, or in workplaces. Her years of experience and networks help her effectively support the dental health of clients across Greater Toronto, and she has brought many smiles to people who couldn’t easily get to a hygienist appointment themselves. She also mentors in her field, ensuring her commitment to inclusion is passed on.
• Sara Elizabeth Centre in the Small Business (Non-profit) category: Founded in 2006 as part of Blue Veil Charity, the Sara Elizabeth Centre is a non-profit committed to empowering youth and young adults facing physical and mental challenges. The Centre runs regular programming aimed at building self-esteem, self-advocacy, life skills, teamwork and independence, as well as arts and technology. The Centre works to remove accessibility barriers and foster an inclusive community where unique talents thrive.
• Kayla Children’s Centre in the Medium Business category (Non-profit): Founded in 2017 as a school, therapy clinic and recreational centre for children with disabilities and complex medical needs, Kayla’s supports children ages six weeks to 21 years old who have a wide range of disabilities, and provides a variety of specialized programs that enable them to flourish academically, socially and emotionally. Offerings include a licensed daycare, on-site therapy clinic, adapted sports, a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy centre, personalized family supports and more. 

The City’s Accessibility Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) continues to monitor the activities of the MYAP in its second year, with representation from every City department. The Inclusion and Community Outreach team also continues its efforts to foster and grow relationships that have been forged and strengthened through the past years’ MYAP consultations, development and roll-out. These relationships with disability communities in and beyond Vaughan are helping grow awareness, so people are informed on how to connect with the City about barriers or questions. This in turn works towards positioning Vaughan as an innovator and leader in inclusion and accessibility. 

The Inclusion and Community Outreach team plays a pivotal role in advancing the City’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion through the implementation of several key Council-approved documents. The unit collaborates closely with various stakeholders, including Vaughan Council, City staff, the Senior Leadership Team and several advisory committees focused on diversity, inclusion and accessibility. This collaborative approach ensures the needs and perspectives of diverse community members are integrated into the City’s policies and programs.

Under its renewed mandate, the Inclusion and Community Outreach team has transitioned to the Strategic Initiatives Portfolio. Led by the Manager of Inclusion and Community Outreach, the team is dedicated to establishing a matrixed and integrated unit across the entire corporation. This structure aims to foster a cohesive and effective approach to inclusion initiatives, ensuring they resonate throughout all levels of the organization and within the community.

Progress on Policy Updates

Continuing a policy revision process launched in the first year of the current MYAP, the City developed and rolled out a new online training to ensure staff are oriented to the updated Accessibility Policy (a general policy) and the Accommodation Policy (applies to all employees and Members of Council), as well as the Disability Management program for any staff who requires such support. Council also approved an updated Accessible Customer Service Policy (PDF) in 2024, covered under the Customer Service Standard.

Spirit of Generosity Recipients

The Spirit of Generosity initiative, founded in 2011, has had a profound impact on communities by supporting more than 200 non-profit and community organizations. These include groups focused on children and youth, healthcare, seniors’ services and special needs programs. Below are the accessibility-focused recipients of the 2024 Spirit of Generosity grant:

• Brighter Path 4 Autism
• Blue Veil/Sara Elizabeth Centre
• Clarico Place of York Region
• Creating Alternatives
• Flex for Access
• Meta Foundation
• Muscular Dystrophy Canada
• My MS Family
• Parkinson Canada Inc.
• Reena Foundation
• Shining Through Centre for Children with Autism
• Waves of Changes for Autism

The My MS Family organization was a recipient of the grant and also had the opportunity to attend an AAC meeting, where they provided the committee with an overview of their work and highlighted the impactful services they offer in Vaughan and York Region. Moving forward, having the Spirit of Generosity grant recipients at AAC meetings will strengthen partnerships with these incredible accessibility-focused organizations, further enhancing the support and services available to Vaughan residents. 

Age-Friendly Community Action Plan

Recognizing there are some significant overlapping needs and interests between disability communities and the aging population, an overview of the Vaughan’s Age-Friendly Community Action Plan progress is provided here.

The City continues to develop as an age-friendly city through the advancement of several priorities outlined in the Vaughan Age-Friendly Community Action Plan. In 2024, the City received international recognition when it was accepted into the World Health Organization’s Global Network for Age-Friendly Communities and Cities, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to supporting the pillars of healthy aging for seniors in the community.

Additionally, ongoing consultation with the Age-Friendly Vaughan Advisory Committee on corporate policies and strategies, such as the Greenspace Strategic Plan and the Community Spaces Plan (formerly the Active Together Master Plan), ensures accessibility needs of older adults will be integrated in City infrastructure for years to come.

In 2024, the City also received funding from the provincial government through the Seniors Community Grant Program to offer a variety of free programs — including basic first aid training and educational workshops — aimed at enriching the lives of older adults and empowering them to lead safe, healthy and active lifestyles.

The City relaunched vaughan.ca in March 2023 to comply with accessibility guidelines as outlined in the AODA Information and Communications Standards, reaching global Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. This website relaunch introduced a cleaner interface and enhanced accessibility functions, including mandatory image captions and a tool that translates the website into more than 50 languages commonly used in York Region. 

Since then, the City has also rolled out mandatory training for all staff on creating accessible content. The process included the launch of a new e-learning that focuses on the creation of accessible content. As of 2024, it is required for all incoming staff. To support this initiative, an accessible digital content creation toolkit was developed to provide staff with necessary resources. Additionally, representatives from each department have been trained in using analytics tools to ensure the City is maintaining and monitoring compliance across vaughan.ca.

To evaluate accessibility compliance, identify opportunities and establish benchmarks, the City contracted a vendor to conduct a comprehensive assessment of its digital assets. This includes a current state assessment of the City’s web components including vaughan.ca, City-owned websites, third-party applications policies, procedures and content. Based on the findings, the vendor will provide recommendations and develop implementation plans to ensure the City meets and exceeds AODA Information and Communications Standards requirements, aiming to achieve WCAG 2.2 compliance, and establishes a sustainable framework. 

Last year, the City began implementing a streamlined accessibility feedback process. Anyone with questions relating to accessibility and the City can contact accessibility@vaughan.ca, or share experiences with barriers through the online Accessibility Feedback Form or an accessible fillable PDF form (PDF). Residents or visitors with accessibility-related questions can also contact Service Vaughan, which has TTY-enabled phone options.

The updated feedback process was launched with the new website in 2023, and since then, regularly draws queries from Vaughan residents, community organizations or staff and other municipalities. These relate to accessible programs or format requests, supports with navigating the City for people with disabilities and barrier reporting. A positive note is the regular outreach from other municipalities asking to learn more about how the City manages accessibility matters, including engagement and consultation processes. At times, the Inclusion and Community Outreach team has to inform people about the City’s areas of jurisdiction if the site of a barrier report is commercial or pertaining to a different level of government, neighbouring municipality, etc. The team makes all efforts to redirect to partners such as York Region, York Region Transit or the Provincial government or a neighbouring municipality where that is needed. 

A comprehensive audit of community centre signage was completed by the Recreation Services department to identify and address accessibility gaps. These findings will guide the department’s ongoing remediation efforts and the development of new, accessible wayfinding signage standards for the City. In addition, the department continues to refine the Recreation Services webpages in an effort to meet and maintain web accessibility compliance. This includes progressive updates to web copy, the conversion of PDFs into accessible web formats and ensuring all necessary PDFs meet accessibility standards. When it comes to recreation programs, the inclusion portfolio of offerings will now benefit from targeted marketing initiatives to boost awareness of these much-needed services. This will involve tailored marketing messaging and visually accessible graphics shared across multiple platforms, including the City’s website, social media channels, digital advertising channels, email marketing and much more. 

The City continues to prioritize inclusive employment in various ways. The School Crossing Guard Program, in the Transportation and Fleet Management Services department, has built new relationships with Jake’s House and with the Ready Willing and Able program at Kerry’s Place over the past year. A full evaluation process and functional assessment of the position’s needs and requirements was completed over the summer. Staff continue to collaborate with the organizations on recruitment efforts and facilitating the onboarding process. To date, one person has been successfully placed as a School Crossing Guard in Vaughan.

The Recreation Services department received funding through the Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility’s EnAbling Change Program to launch Project NextGen, an employment skills development program for youth with disabilities. This funding has been instrumental in empowering young people with the tools, skills and support needed to succeed in the recreation workforce. 

The Workplace Emergency Evacuation Form process has been updated, formalized and integrated into onboarding packages across the City, including Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service and Vaughan Public Libraries. This is an important part of inclusive emergency response planning, ensuring any staff member with a disability, injury or condition requiring support can share with People Leaders what is required in the unlikely event an emergency evacuation of the workplace occurs. 

With a commitment to continuous development and learning, the City launched four new training programs for staff. These include two self-guided online trainings on how to create accessible documents and an orientation to the City’s accessibility, accommodations and disability management policies and processes. Additionally, the City introduced two new real-time facilitated trainings, one on the AODA and accessibility, and another on the Ontario Human Rights Code and diversity, equity and inclusion in 2024.

The Facilities and Parks Delivery department strives to ensure community engagement processes are safe and inclusive of everyone in the Vaughan community and is committed to supporting the MYAP for this iteration (2023-2027) and beyond. With support from the Inclusion and Community Outreach team, and in collaboration with departments across the organization, Facilities and Parks Delivery will continue refining community engagement processes with equity-deserving communities for parks planning, design and development projects, and will identify capital projects as needed to support key actions identified within the plan, through the capital asset replacement program. 

The Recreation Services department continued the effort to expand its inclusion programs with the goal of making services and community centres more accessible for individuals with diverse needs. The department saw a 40 per cent increase in services and a 10 per cent rise in participant enrollment, indicating the community’s positive reception of these initiatives. To support this growth, 664 staff members and 123 volunteers received training on AODA and accessibility; Ontario Human Rights Code; diversity, equity and inclusion; disability awareness; program adaptations; behaviour management; and creating inclusive spaces, ensuring staff are equipped to meet diverse needs effectively. 

Inclusive events and social engagement are key to healthy communities. The Vaughan Celebrates program—featuring Winterfest, Concerts in the Park and Canada Day— continues to deliver family-friendly, accessible experiences that attract thousands to Vaughan’s indoor and outdoor venues. In 2024, these events again featured free activities, entertainment and giveaways. Accessibility features included designated parking and shuttle service; accessible pathways, washrooms and picnic tables; and wheelchair-accessible spaces near the stage at events. Vaughan Celebrates Winterfest also enhanced its programming with inclusive activities, such as tai chi, yoga, Zumba and bracelet making—all designed to engage adults, older adults and people with a range of abilities. New this year, event recap videos were close captioned, and online registration forms replaced PDF forms to enhance digital accessibility.

Vaughan once again served as a Festival Hub for Ontario Culture Days, hosting 80 free events across multiple venues between Sept. 20 and Oct. 13, 2024. The City prioritized accessibility and inclusion, welcoming participation from all residents. Some key accessibility highlights of the festival were:

• Ten events focused on people with disabilities, some led by the City in partnership with organizations such as Variety Village and Special Olympics. Other events were led by youth and seniors with learning disabilities and included drama workshops, adaptive games and outdoor pop-up runs and walks.
• A collaborative mural project was organized in partnership with the York Catholic District School Board to promote inclusivity and creativity. This initiative engaged youth with disabilities, empowering them to express themselves through visual arts. The mural was unveiled at Vellore Village Community Centre on Oct. 8, 2024, giving students the opportunity to celebrate their achievement with family, friends and peers. 

• The City also encouraged the participation of older adults by organizing more than 10 events centred on or led by seniors’ groups. Seniors showcased their talents through fitness aerobics, walks, dances and solo performances. 

   

The City’s updated Accessible Customer Service Policy (PDF) was approved by Council in 2024, and applies to all City employees, Members of Council, appointees, resident members of committees, contractors and vendors who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of the City. Throughout 2024, the Communications, Marketing and Engagement (CME) team successfully ran a communications campaign to share information and updates about the City’s efforts to continue to advance accessibility. The campaign included internal communications to educate staff, as well as external components, which leveraged the media, the City’s corporate social media channels, television screens in Vaughan City Hall and community centres, the City’s website and much more, to raise the public’s awareness. Campaign topics included how to make an accessible format request, how to provide accessibility feedback to the City, accessible parking rules and the rights of individuals with service animals.

Through efforts to ensure equal access to information for all users, regardless of their abilities, the CME team continued to include closed captioning in all videos posted to the City’s YouTube channel, enhance website content and focus on continuous improvement in accessible graphic design elements. The CME team also enhanced the accessibility of the 2024 Citizen and Business Surveys by widely promoting how residents and businesses could get accessible alternate formats of the surveys on request.

Accessible Infrastructure

The City continues to follow the technical requirements of the AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards and other relevant legislation and codes as they relate to infrastructure delivery.

In 2024, the City completed Building Accessibility Assessment (BAA) reports for 76 City-owned or operated sites, prepared by CBRE. The BAA covered five main areas: exterior, interior, washrooms, emergency systems and circulation, with each BAA report closing with a prioritization list for any areas needing remediation for compliance or to follow best practices. The BAA reports have been analyzed through an asset management and risk lens to start prioritizing upgrades and renovations based on urgency and an equitable spread of limited resources. 

In the coming year, the City will begin working on a schedule of upgrades following the remediation plans for the most highly visited sites, with a series of site visits by accessibility experts to review the upgrades beginning in 2026. Given the full costs of the remediation plans for all 76 sites, follow-ups to all the BAAs will comprise a longer-term project whose scope will outlive this current MYAP (2023-2027), so the City’s reporting on progress will straddle multiple accessibility plans. Regular annual reporting will share updates to the community as BAA implementation continues in the years ahead, providing a summary and review before the 2028-2032 MYAP is finalized. 

The City is also updating the 2020 Inclusive Design Standards (PDF), a set of guidelines developed for the City to encourage not only meeting, but also going beyond AODA, Ontario Building Code and other applicable provincial guidelines and legislation where possible. The updated edition will take account of best practices and innovations since the last guide, and incorporate community engagement through the AAC and the City’s networks of subject matter experts in urban planning, accessible design and disability inclusion. 

Accessible Recreation Facilities

In addition to expanding program offerings, the Recreation Services department worked closely with the Facility Management Operations department to address physical accessibility challenges. Accessible change tables have been installed in seven community centres to enhance the safety and dignity of program participants with disabilities. The Recreation Services department has outfitted all community centre pools with extra adaptive flotation devices to enhance water safety and accessibility for individuals with diverse abilities who may need additional support. The department also acquired accessible ice sledges, now available at three City ice rinks, ensuring individuals with disabilities can fully and actively participate in recreational skating and hockey. The Facility Management Operations department installed E-vac chairs in six community centres to ensure a more efficient way to evacuate individuals with mobility challenges during emergencies. These initiatives ensure equitable access to recreational programs and services and promote inclusive facilities that attract and retain a diverse range of users, while supporting skill development and fostering confidence and enjoyment for all users and their families. 

Additionally, the City has acquired or installed additional automatic door openers and four E-vac chairs in City Hall, and is looking to add new hearing loop systems across City facilities.

The Recreation Services – Events team is actively working with Facility Management Operations to improve event accessibility. A key example is the addition of an accessibility lift to ensure safe stage access for attendees to City Hall events who use wheelchairs, mobility scooters, walkers or those with limited mobility. Additionally, new handrails for the City Hall stage stairs were purchased in November 2024 and will be installed for all events hosted at City Hall moving forward. 

VMC Signage and Wayfinding Master Plan

As part of the strategy to promote the implementation of an interconnected parks and open space network in the downtown area, a Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) Signage and Wayfinding Master Plan was developed to define how residents, visitors and businesses perceive and navigate through the VMC. The VMC Signage and Wayfinding Master Plan provides guidance for the development of a wayfinding system and signage in the VMC, with a particular focus on parks, trails and public amenities. The VMC Signage and Wayfinding Master Plan was created to support the goals and intent outlined in the VMC Streetscape and Open Space Plan and the VMC Parks and Wayfinding Master Plan (PDF).

The first phase of this effort involved the creation of the VMC Signage and Wayfinding Master Plan prepared for the City by Cygnus Design Group, a sub-consultant, to guide the development of signage in the downtown area as it evolves. This included designing a cohesive family of exterior pedestrian and cyclist signs specifying materials, details, specifications and potential locations of these signs. The consultant developed and refined potential options for the VMC signs, with significant input and evaluation from various City departments and transit authorities. The second phase of the study involved the VMC Signage Pilot, which tested signage prototypes in key areas of the VMC. Four signage prototypes were installed at the end of 2023 near the VMC Subway Station and SmartVMC Bus Terminal to assess their effectiveness and durability. In the first half of 2024, City staff gathered internal and public
feedback on these prototypes through various engagement methods. Public engagement methods included: 

1. an online survey that was available for all residents and visitors of the VMC to complete via a QR Code and the City’s website.
2. a User Advisory Group with four community members providing detailed feedback on the functionality, design, accessibility and overall effectiveness of the signage through a prepared workbook assignment.
3. an in-person pop-up at a Concerts in the Park event in Transit Square, where staff engaged with residents and visitors about the signage pilot and collected opinions.

The signage prototypes will be further refined following the evaluation of the VMC Wayfinding Signage Pilot. The feedback received through the various engagement tactics will be used to enhance and further develop the VMC Wayfinding Signage. 

In the year ahead, the City will continue monitoring the progress of the 2023-2027 MYAP, assessing its halfway point and assessing what remains to be achieved. This work requires the active collaboration of an Accessibility TAC where all departments are represented and ensures the City is meeting its commitments to Vaughan’s diverse residents and communities.

Better Your Business: Tourism Diversity

The second iteration of the City’s Better Your Business: Tourism Diversity program will open for intake in early 2025. This program will connect up to eight local tourism operators with qualified consultants to build an implementable strategic plan that creates new – or enhances already existing – tourism products, services and/or experiences with a focus on one of the following three categories:

1. 2SLGBTQIA+ tourism
2. BIPOC tourism
3. Accessible tourism

Accessible Indoor Wayfinding Technology Pilot with Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) Access Labs and GoodMaps

In 2024, the City, working in partnership with CNIB Access Labs, completed the LiDar (Light Detection and Ranging) scanning of six City facilities in order to roll out a pilot of an indoor wayfinding mobile app called GoodMaps. The GoodMaps app was created to provide both verbal and visual wayfinding instructions to users who have vision-related disabilities, but the tool has been found valuable for other users as well. For example, the app can provide navigation directions that avoid staircases for users who use mobility devices. The app helps visitors navigate the interiors of buildings the way that apps mapping roads direct people using Global Positioning. The public launch of the app took place in December 2024, and the GoodMaps platform has the following six buildings available:

1. Vaughan City Hall
2. Civic Centre Resource Library
3. Pierre Berton Resource Library
4. North Thornhill Community Centre and Pleasant Ridge Library
5. Chancellor Community Centre and Ansley Grove Library
6. Dufferin Clark Community Centre and Dufferin Clark Library

The City is planning to hold focus groups and user testing in 2025 to assess the response and utility of the app for Vaughan residents and visitors, particularly people with disabilities. Research on the utility and reception of the app by the community will be shared with regional and sectoral colleagues, such as the Ontario Network of Accessibility Professionals, the York Region Municipal Diversity and Inclusion Group and other relevant networks, to continue fostering a broader culture of accessibility and inclusion. Community members interested to participate in in-depth user testing or focus groups are encouraged to email accessibility@vaughan.ca. 

MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy

The MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy includes actions to update policies, guidelines and engineering standards that support the planning, design and implementation of infrastructure in compliance with accessibility standards. Transportation infrastructure, including traffic calming, pedestrian crossings and intersections, will continue to follow provincial requirements, including enhanced accessible features. 

As part of the Intelligent Transportation System Strategy under the MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy, the City upgraded its traffic signal systems. This included replacing controllers and cabinets in the field and implementing a new Traffic Signal Control System as the foundation of the Advance Traffic Management System. These upgrades enable proactive and remote monitoring, management and accessibility of traffic signals, enhancing traffic flow, improving flexibility and supporting efficient mobility management across the City’s transportation network. 

In addition, selected intersections were redesigned to meet AODA standards. Accessibility improvements included touchless pedestrian sensors, variable audio chirps, tactile walking surface indicators and curb ramps. The City also explored and piloted smart technologies at intersections to enable advanced detection of various road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, micromobility users and vehicles. 

The City will also participate in the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network Demonstration Zone pilot, testing new technology that can differentiate between vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians and various modes of traffic. This pilot helps to inform technologies and infrastructure to improve accessibility for all road users, regardless of age or ability. The pilot will take place at the Millway Avenue and Apple Mill Road intersection.

The MYAP is the result of community, internal, regional and sectoral collaborations that rely on continuous engagement. The City will revisit this plan regularly in the years ahead and provide annual reports to the public that share updates on progress to continue to foster communication, transparency and Service Excellence.

The City is grateful for questions, thoughts and constructive feedback, and encourages residents and visitors to reach out with any input. Contact accessibility@vaughan.ca or Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or by TTY at 1-866-543-0545 with any feedback or inquiries, or to request an accessible format of this report. 

You can also subscribe to receive information, email updates and notices of community engagement activities relating to the City’s current MYAP.

For more information on the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA) and AODA, contact:
Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility
777 Bay St., Suite 601A
Toronto, ON M7A 2J4
Telephone: 416-849-8276
Toll Free: 1-866-515-2025
TTY: 416-326-0148
TTY Toll Free: 1-800-268-7095
Fax: 416-325-9620
accessibility@ontario.ca
Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility webpage