Have you experienced a barrier when using a City service? Help us remove it!
Accessibility for all. This is a commitment the City of Vaughan has made to all residents, visitors and employees with visible or non-visible disabilities. How will this be achieved? By preventing and removing accessibility barriers, and following or exceeding the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
We are committed to making our community more accessible, and it starts with our municipal programs, services and facilities.
We want to understand the barriers people with disabilities face when using City services so we can work to remove them. Have you experienced any? If so, tell us:
- through the online Accessibility Feedback Form
- by email at accessibility@vaughan.ca
- by phone to Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or TTY at 1-866-543-0545
- by mail to: The City of Vaughan, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer – Accessibility, Vaughan City Hall, 2141 Major Mackenzie Dr., Level 100, Vaughan, ON, L6A 1T1
If you require assistance, Service Vaughan can help you complete the online form during operating hours. If you would like an interpreter, please inform the Client Service Representative at the time of your call.
Our goal is to create a fully accessible community by 2050 and make Vaughan a model city for inclusion. Offering universal access to City programs, implementing new services, creating accessible spaces, using accessible technology, implementing inclusive employment practices and building accessible facilities are some of the ways we are working to achieve this vision. Here are a few examples:
- The City’s Inclusive Design Standards (PDF) allow the City to advocate for any new development in the community to be inclusive and accessible. These standards exceed the AODA and Ontario Building Code requirements, and outline examples to make buildings and other areas, like play spaces, washrooms, trails, service counters, offices and places of worship, as inclusive as possible.
- The City recently updated its website, vaughan.ca, and regularly ensures content complies with World Wide Web Consortium – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, Level AA at minimum, working towards Level AAA. Vaughan.ca has enhanced accessibility features, such as captioning for all images and a tool that automatically translates content into 51 different languages widely spoken in York Region.
- The 2023-2027 Multi-year Accessibility Plan outlines a comprehensive five-year strategic plan to advancing accessibility and inclusion, and how we will create an accessible and inclusive community for all residents, visitors and businesses. The plan was designed following extensive research and consultations with community members, stakeholders, disability communities and networks, accessibility experts and government partners.
- Accessible formats or communication supports are available upon request. For example, did you know Service Vaughan has Textnet – a specialized software program that enables users who are deaf, have hearing loss or a speech impairment to converse easily with representatives? Access these services by calling 1-866-543-0545. The contact centre also has a free over-the-phone interpretation system – Language Line – which provides verbal translation in more than 150 languages.
Want to learn more about how the City is championing accessibility? Read this public service announcement shared on the 2023 International Day of Persons with Disabilities or visit vaughan.ca/accessibility.
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