Whereas the Accessible BC Act reflects the provincial governments commitment to fostering a society where individuals with disabilities can participate fully and equally; And whereas the implementation of the Act is contingent upon the availability of resources to support local governments in meeting the outlined requirements; And whereas solutions which support accessibility require the involvement of all stakeholders, including local governments, community organizations and the Province working together to achieve key objectives, a unified approach is necessary to effectively address the needs of disabled persons across the province; And whereas the financial burden of implementing these accessibility initiatives will disproportionately impact local taxpayers, despite the Province allocating funding for critical areas like housing and environmental management, it has failed to provide equitable financial support for accessibility initiatives: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province to allocate annual grant funding specifically for audits, expert consultant assistance, and capital improvements to assist local governments in implementing accessibility initiatives identified in provincially mandated accessibility plans; And be it further resolved that the Province work alongside local governments to make the goal of accessibility become a reality by ensuring local governments have the necessary resources to provide essential training in the field.
Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction Thank you for your resolution requesting the Province provide funding for audits, expert consultant assistance, and capital improvements to assist local governments in implementing accessibility initiatives identified in provincially mandated accessibility plans. There are over 750 prescribed public sector organizations under Part 3 of the Accessible BC Act. Part 3 organizationsincluding local governments, health authorities, public libraries, and municipal police departmentsare required to establish an accessibility committee, an accessibility plan, and a tool to receive feedback on accessibility. Part 3 requirements are flexible and scalable, and organizations have significant discretion to comply in a manner that works for their communities. Organizations are encouraged to evolve their approach over time considering capacity and current priorities. Government has been working together with trusted partners to help organizations comply with the regulation. The following projects support local governments with accessibility: - SPARC BCLocal Community Accessibility Grant Program: In 2023, the Government of British Columbia provided 5 million, over three years, to provide up to 25,000 for all local governments or regional districts to support implementation or projects identified within their accessibility plan or by their accessibility committee. Funding is available for a wide range of accessibility initiatives including audits, expert consultant assistance, and capital improvements to assist local governments in implementing accessibility initiatives. We would encourage all local governments who have not yet applied for this funding to contact SPARC BC. - Disability Alliance BCAccessible Organizations Project: In 2022, the Government of British Columbia provided 3 million to support the organizations prescribed by the Accessible BC Regulation by developing a variety of toolkits, guides and training. Training is available via the Learning page of the BC Accessibility HUB website. - Rick Hansen FoundationBC Accessibility Grants Program: The Government of British Columbia has provided 7.5 million which includes supporting 13 municipalities and three First Nations in accelerating meaningful access to the built environment in their communities. The Program offers a comprehensive package to participating communities, including crucial funding and a suite of tools, resources, and training developed through the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification RHFAC program. Thank you again for your resolution. The Ministry will take it under advisement in considering future measures to support accessibility in BC communities.