Minutes

Accessibility Advisory Committee

The Corporation of the City of Brampton

Tuesday, March 07, 2023

6:30 P.m. - 8:30 P.m.

Hybrid Meeting - Virtual Option & In-Person in Council Chambers – 4th Floor – City Hall

Members Present:

• Sherri Hopkins (Vice-Chair)
• Nicolle Guillen
• Nuno Alberto Peixoto
• Raymond Shaver
• Deepa Mohandoss
• Daleara Hirjikaka
• Councillor Rod Power - Wards 7 & 8 (arrived at 6:55 p.m.)

Members Absent:

• Harpreet Bhons
• Steve Anthony Chronicles
• Franco Spadafora

Staff Present:

• Peter Fay, City Clerk
• Chandra Urquhart, Legislative Coordinator
• Janice Adshead, Deputy Clerk, Legislative Services
• Sabrina Cook, Accessibility Coordinator
• Sylvia Ingham, Clerk, Access and Inclusion

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1.

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. and adjourned at 8:49 p.m.

2.

Approval of Agenda

• AAC001-2023

  That the agenda for the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting of March 7, 2023 be approved as printed and circulated.

  Carried

3.

Declarations of Interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

Nil

4.

Minutes

4.1

Minutes - Accessibility Advisory Committee Meeting - July 12, 2022

The minutes were considered by Committee of Council on September 7, 2022 and approved by Council on September 14, 2022. The minutes were provided for Committee’s information.

5.

Presentations\Delegations

5.1

Delegation by Judith Martin, Architect, MJMA Architecture + Design re: Century Gardens Youth Hub

Judith Martin, Architect, MJMA Architecture + Design, provided a presentation entitled, 'Century Gardens Youth Hub',  noting that the project was designed as a 'one-stop-shop' in response to the needs of youth for safe spaces following extensive research and community engagement, in addition to providing spaces that were welcoming and accessible to all. 

In response to a question from Committee, Ms. Martin advised of the inclusion of a sensory room at the site.

The following motion was considered:

• AAC002-2023

  That the delegation by Judith Martin, Architect, MJMA Architecture + Design, re: Century Gardens Youth Hub to the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting of March 7, 2023 be received. 

  Carried

5.2

Delegation by Chris Schafer, VP, Government Affairs, Bird Canada, re: Micro-mobility (E-scooter) Pilot Program

Committee supported the request to have staff present Item 5.5 at this time to be followed by Items 5.3 and 5.7.

Item 5.5 was brought forward at this time.

Fernanda Soares, Transportation Planner, provided an update on the Micromobility/E-Scooter Pilot Program, a recap of the project to date and outlined the next steps, which included implementation plans, riding and parking areas, stakeholder engagements, communication strategy and launching of the shared system.

Item 5.2 was presented at this time.

Chris Schafer, VP, Government Affairs, Bird Canada, provided a presentation entitled, 'Micro-Mobility (E-Scooter) Pilot Program'. He highlighted the device features, smart sidewalk protection, safe street patrols and advised of the public education program with the focus on the safety needs of the accessibility community.

Item 5.3 was brought forward at this time.

Isaac Ransom, Head of Corporate Affairs, Neurom Mobility Canada, provided a presentation entitled, 'Neuron Mobility's E-Scooter in Brampton'.  He highlighted the safety features noting the device's ability and accuracy to detect its location, and the presence of a QR (Quick Response) code which allows the company to control the speed of the device and riding zones.   

Item 5.7 was brought forward at this time.

Shoaib Ahmed, CEO SCOOTY was not present for this item. 

Moaz Ahmad, Chief Community Officer, Scooty, provided a presentation entitled, 'e-Scooter Pilot Program Update', with a recap of Scooty's vision to provide emissions free, equitable and accessible mobility solutions and improved access.  He emphasized their focus on accessibility and commitment to putting safety and security first. 

The delegations responded to questions on response times to address incidents reported by the public and it was noted that the times may vary with each operator from fifteen to forty-five minutes.   

Ms. Soares advised that clear operational guidelines will be established by the City to address concerns on response times on reported incidents, speed, parking, slow riding zones and no riding zones.  All operators will be required to sign a permit agreement and comply with the regulations. 

The following motion was considered:

• AAC003-2023

  1.  That the presentation by Fernanda Soares, Transportation Planner, re: Micromobility/E-Scooter Pilot Program Update to the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting of March 7, 2023 be received; 

  2.  That the delegation by Chris Schafer, VP, Government Affairs, Bird Canada, re: Micro-mobility (E-scooter) Pilot Program to the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting of March 7, 2023 be received; 

  3. That the delegation by Isaac Ransom, Head of Corporate Affairs, Neuron Mobility Canada, re: Neuron Mobility’s E-Scooter Program in Brampton to the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting of March 7, 2023 be received; and,

  4.  That the delegation by Moaz Ahmad, Chief Community Officer, SCOOTY, re: e-Scooter Pilot Program Update to the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting of March 7, 2023 be received. 

  Carried

5.3

Delegation by Isaac Ransom, Head of Corporate Affairs, Neuron Mobility Canada, re: Neuron Mobility’s E-Scooter program in Brampton

Dealt with under Item 5.2 - Recommendation AAC003-2023

5.4

Delegation by Aaron Costan, Mike Szabo, Architects, re: Centre for Innovation Capital Project Update

Mike Szabo was not present for this item. 

Aaron Costan, Architect, provided a presentation entitled, 'Centre for Innovation Capital Project Update', highlighting the building exterior travel paths, access and circulation, amenities, washroom facilities and the systems and controls. 

In response to questions regarding parking provisions for the site, especially for those with accessibility needs, such as a drop-off zone for passengers with mobility needs, the delegation advised accommodating accessible parking was not on the project 'mandate' and in his opinion the expectation was that persons may be dropped off at the front door of the building.

The following motion was considered: 

• AAC004-2023

  That the delegation by Aaron Costan, Architect, re: Centre for Innovation Capital Project Update to the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting of March 7, 2023 be received. 

  Carried

5.5

Presentation by Fernanda Soares, Transportation Planner, Planning, Building and Growth Management, re: Micromobility/E-Scooter Pilot Program Update

Dealt with under Item 5.2 - Recommendation AAC003-2023

5.6

Presentation by Dorian Rica, Project Manager and Arpita Ghosh, Project Coordinator, Building Design & Construction, re: City Hall Parking Garage Rehabilitation and Elevator Replacement

Dorian Rica, Project Manager, and Arpita Ghosh, Project Coordinator, Building Design & Construction, provided a presentation entitled, 'City Hall Parking Garage Rehabilitation and Elevator Replacement', highlighting the scope of work, timelines, remediation, and the impact of closure of the parking garage from June to August 2023. 

In response to questions regarding accessibility parking at City Hall, the presenters advised that data was collected by staff on usage of accessible spots over a period of one week and consideration for providing accessible parking on the streets was not feasible as curb there are no curb cuts. 

The following motion was considered: 

• AAC005-2023

  That the presentation by Dorian Rica, Project Manager and Arpita Ghosh, Project Coordinator, Building Design and Construction Division, re: City Hall Parking Garage Rehabilitation and Elevator Replacement, to the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting of March 7, 2023, be received.

  Carried

5.7

Delegation by Shoaib Ahmed, Moaz Ahmad, CEO SCOOTY, Chief Community Officer, SCOOTY, re: e-Scooter Pilot Program Update

Dealt with under Item 5.2 - Recommendation AAC003-2023

6.

Municipal Accessibility Plan Priorities

6.1

Report by Janice Adshead, Deputy Clerk, re: 2022-2026 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

The following motion was considered:

• AAC006-2023

  1.  That the report by Janice Adshead, Deputy Clerk, re: 2022-2026 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, to the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting of March 7, 2023 be received; and,

  2.  That the 2022-2026 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan updated in February 2023 be approved as the basis for municipal program and service delivery planning and implementation, with updates and adjustments provided at regular intervals through the Accessibility Advisory Committee.

  Carried

7.

Other/New Business

7.1

Update by Enforcement and By-law Services, re:  Accessible Parking Report – Q1 to Q4 2022

The following motion was considered:

• AAC007-2022

  That the update by Enforcement and By-law Services, re: Accessible Parking Report – Q1 to Q4 2022 to the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting of March 7, 2023, be received.

  Carried

7.2

Report by Janice Adshead, Deputy Clerk, City Clerk’s Office, re: 2022 Accessibility Annual Report

The following motion was considered: 

• AAC008-2023

  That the report from Janice Adshead, Deputy Clerk, City Clerk’s Office, re: 2022 Accessibility Annual Report to the Accessibility Advisory Committee Meeting of March 7, 2023, be received.

   

  Carried

7.3

Report by Shawnica Hans, Program Manager, Elections, City Clerk’s Office, re: Accessibility Measures for the 2022 Brampton Municipal and School Board Election

The following motion was considered:

• AAC009-2023

  That the report from Shawnica Hans, Program Manager, Elections, City Clerk’s Office, re: Accessibility Measures for the 2022 Brampton Municipal and School Board Election, to the Accessibility Advisory Committee Meeting of March 7, 2023, be received.

   

  Carried

8.

Correspondence

Nil

9.

Information Items

Nil

10.

Question Period

Nil

11.

Public Question Period

Nil

12.

Adjournment

The following motion was considered: 

• AAC010-2023

  That the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting do now adjourn to meet again on June 6, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.

  Carried