City of Powell River Accessibility & Inclusion Plan
The City of Powell River is dedicated to removing barriers and improving accessibility for people of all ages and abilities who live, work and play in the qathet region. To that end, the City has joined the qathet Regional District and Powell River Public Library to work together on developing a three-year Accessibility Plan to guide our organizations on identifying, removing and preventing barriers to individuals in or interacting with our organizations.
The Accessibility Plan will be developed with input from the public and the Joint Accessibility and Inclusion Advisory Committee, and will consider the principles of inclusion, adaptability, diversity, collaboration, self-determination, and universal design. The plan will be made available to the public in fall 2023.
Under the Accessible British Columbia Act, public bodies are required to establish an accessibility committee, a three-year accessibility plan and a mechanism to receive feedback on accessibility.
The legislated purpose of the committee is to:
a) assist the organization to identify barriers to individuals in or interacting with the organization, and
b) advise the organization on how to remove and prevent barriers to individuals in or interacting with the organization.
Beyond Barriers: How can we be more accessible?
Accessibility Plan 2024 - 2026
The Accessibility Plan was adopted by City Council February 15, 2024.
In the spirit of ‘nothing about us without us,’ the partner organizations engaged with the public, the Joint Accessibility and Inclusion Advisory Committee, and staff members to develop this plan. Provincial legislation and best practices from communities across Canada also informed the plan’s priority actions.
The Plan explains the guiding provincial legislation, describes what we have done to date, and outlines the actions we will take over the next three years to improve accessibility within our organizations. While we will not become fully accessible in the next three years, the priority actions contained in this plan lay a solid foundation for more accessible and inclusive organizations now and into the future.
How to provide feedback
If you know of or have experienced a barrier while trying to access our buildings, parks, services, communications, and other services and facilities, we want to know!
Please include the following information:
- What you were trying to access
- Where the barrier happened and what the barrier was
- Any recommendations you might have
There are several ways to inform us of barriers you face when interacting with the City.
EMAIL administration@qathet.ca. Feel free to attach files to help explain the barrier faced, such as a video, photos, or a voice recording.
PHONE 604-485-6291 to speak directly to a staff person.
IN PERSON at City Hall and speak to one of our staff members about your accessibility concerns. City Hall is located at 6910 Duncan Street.
DOWNLOAD the paper form or visit City Hall to pick up a copy.
Joint Accessibility and Inclusion Advisory Committee
The Joint Accessibility and Inclusion Advisory Committee assists the City of Powell River, Powell River Public Library, and qathet Regional District to identify, remove, and prevent barriers experienced by persons with disabilities per the legislated requirements for prescribed organizations under the Accessible British Columbia Act and Regulation.
Chair: Tabatha Berggren
Vice Chair: David Hodgins
Voting Members: William Langlands, Michael Matthews, Miranda Nelson, Leni Goggins, Meriko Kubota
Staff Representatives: Cherise Roberts, qathet Regional District, Special Projects Coordinator; Jessica Lefort, City of Powell River, Deputy Corporate Officer; and Rebecca Burbank, Powell River Public Library, Chief Librarian
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Take Survey
We want to know about the specific barriers people with disabilities face when interacting with City of Powell River services, programs, facilities and infrastructure, what we're doing well, and where we could improve. Definitions
Impairment means a physical, sensory, mental, intellectual or cognitive impairment, whether permanent, temporary or episodic.
Barrier means anything that hinders the full and equal participation in society of a person with an impairment.
Disability means an inability to participate fully and equally in society as a result of the interaction of an impairment and a barrier.
Feedback Form
All questions on this form are optional. Share as much or as little detail as you want.If you indicate you would like a staff member to follow-up with you, we will collect your name and contact information. Otherwise, you can complete and submit this form anonymously.
When leaving your feedback, make sure to include:
- What you were trying to access;
- Where the barrier happened and what the barrier was; and
- Any recommendations you might have.
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