Ontario cities need help and cash to meet 2025 accessibility deadline, advocates say

CBC Toronto is breaking down accessibility in Ontarioin four stories: the progress made so far, how legislation isenforced, ifthe province canreach its 2025 goal andwhat accessibility looks likein cities, zooming in on Toronto.

As a hard of hearing person, Kellina Powell says she can rarely make out the announcements on the GO train, often leaving her in the dark about what's happening on her commute from downtown Toronto to her home in Scarborough.

Withfewvisible aids inside the train to know which stop she's at, she needs an unobstructed viewof a window or better yet, a seat next to one.

Since neither isguaranteed, Powell says she's often forced to rely on the kindness ofothersto navigate her commute.

"Especially as a disabled person, sometimes we don't want to rely on someone to come with us," the 26-year-old said.

WATCH | How being hard of hearing impacts a commuter's way home:

What its like taking transit in Toronto when youre hard of hearing

9 months ago

Duration 3:05

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act aims to make the province fully accessible by 2025. Ahead of the deadline, CBCs Vanessa Balintec speaks to one disability advocate about existing barriers on Toronto transit for people who are hard of hearing.

With all of Ontariomandated to be accessible by 2025, advocates say cities need both funding and clearer targets to meet that goal.And while Toronto, hometo an estimated 900,000 people with disabilities, has perhaps more resources than other municipalities,advocates warn successive governments haven't provided enough support for the city tocomply with the five broad regulated under theAccessibility for Ontarians With Disabilities Act (AODA): transportation, the design of public spaces, customer service, information and communications and employment.

In a statement to CBC Toronto, Metrolinx says it has visual electronic displays of available route stops on their buses and trains for customers like Powell. But Powell says it doesn't matter much if she can't find them.

Whether it's on transit,ordering food at a restaurant or attending public events,she says such experiences are the norm.At this rate, she feels it'llbe years before Ontario hitsits goal.

"It's really sad and frustrating that we are still fightingafter 2025."

Where does Toronto stand?

Jamaal Myers, the chair of the city's TTC board and accessibility advisory committee, says Toronto is "making a lot of strides" when it comes to accessibility, but there's still more to be done.

In September, the TTC acknowledged13 out of its 70 subway stations won't meet the standards outlined in the AODA by 2025 something advocates haveslammed.

"When you're dealing with an organization like the TTC that's been built up over 100 years, it's just going to take time," said Myers, whocalled on the province for morehelpimplementingtheAODA. He pointed to the city's Wheel Trans service, which has been inneed of additional funding for years.

"I think more funding has to be made available to municipalities," said Myers. "Even in Toronto, you know, we're struggling to provide."

Still, Myers is optimistic. The city's latest report on its accessibility progresslisted 56 out of 63 of its accessibility goals as completeas of the end of 2022.

"That culture of ableism? I'm not going to deny that it's still there," said Myers. "But we're moving in the right direction."

Outside of transportation, removing barriers in the built environment remains one of the most challenging parts of enforcing the AODA. The fourth legislated reviewer of the act said in his December report that it's the most costly for organizations to do right, leading to"reason not to advance accessibility in general."

According to one architectural expert, that's because it's hard to retrofit older buildings,there aren'tenough checks and balances to ensure new spaces are accessibleand there's little awareness of why accessible designis needed to begin with.

Roman Romanov, who specializes in accessible design education and consultancy work, says that'sespecially the case in Toronto, which he says is held back by itsheritage protections.

"There's the potential there, but there's also so much red tape that people have to go through," said Romanov,who is partially blind and teaches at OCAD University.

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A shortage of homes to meet growing demand and rising prices to buy or rent are among the main issues facing Canadians looking for homes. For people with disabilities, these issues are exacerbated by financial supports that experts call inadequate and a dearth of accessible housing.

Beyond Toronto, many of Ontario's public spaces haveinaccessible features, Romanov said, such ashard-to-opendoor handles, narrow hallways and tiny washrooms.

"Architects and developers are not really being held accountable to whatever it is that they're asked to comply with," said Romanov.

Other cities in need of even more support

Cities know there's a patchwork of accessibility across the provinceand that more needs to be done. But they work with the resourcesthey're given, says Stephen O'Brien, president of the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO), and often it's not enough.

He says that's why progress isn't the same across Ontario and why it's more difficult in smaller,rural cities.

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"Our members in those small communities are wearing many, many hats," said O'Brien, who is also the general manager of the City of Guelph. That means city staff are contending with competing priorities, making it harder to to deliver accessible services.

"There is that need for ...more demonstrable leadership from the province to move this file forward."

He agrees with Myers that municipalities need more resources and funding,addingthe province needs to make the AODA easier to understand, clarify who's in charge of enforcement and outline clearer objectives, for the benefit of all residents.

"It's good to make services accessible for all members of the community, regardless of ability," said O'Brien.

People with disabilities deserve more: advocate

Asked aboutmunicipal requests for moresupport,Wallace Pidgeon, spokesperson for the Ministry of Seniors and Accessibilitysaid works with all levels of government to "meet, achieveor exceed the AODA,"saying each city is mandated to have an accessibility plan.

"Project by project, community by community, every dollar the government is investing in infrastructure, programs and services has a focus of making our communities accessible to people of all abilities," Pidgeon wrote in an emailed statement.

Pidgeon points to recent investments in Toronto transit as an example, such as new streetcars that are AODA compliant, saying they're examples of "the kinds of investments that will continue."

But not everyone is convinced.

WATCH | What has to be done to help Ontario become accessible:disability adovcate:

Life-long disability advocate on Ontarios path to accessibility

9 months ago

Duration 4:50

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act aims to make the province fully accessible by 2025. Ahead of the deadline, CBCs Vanessa Balintec speaks to Tracy Odell, former president of the advocacy group Citizens With Disabilities Ontario, on her experiences as a wheelchair user and life-long advocate for accessibility for all.

Tracy Odell, former president of advocacy group Citizens With Disabilities Ontario, has lived in Toronto since she was a child. Her parents moved her from Ottawa in search of programs and services to help her live as independently as possible with spinal muscular atrophy.

But even now, Odell says she still spends most of her time at home. That's partly becausethere's no way of knowing if a place will be fully accessibleuntil she gets there, she said.

Ontario, she says, is "a long way from being totally accessible," and with the population aging and the number of people with disabilities in Canada expected to increase, she's worried about the future.

"I do despair that we're going to be going backwards in terms of accessibility," she said.