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Seven

Access to Public Buildings and Facilities

“Architectural inaccessibility is one of the most overt barriers to employment of handicapped persons.”

“1981 is going to be the year dedicated to the physically disabled -- let’s scratch out the “dis”. I hope that everybody that reads this letter can stop and think of the problems we face everyday living in a wheelchair. The biggest problems are steps and small doorways. You never know when your turn will come. It doesn’t take a special kind of person to end up in a chair but it does take a special kind of person to live in one.”

“In my day, I had to drop out of school in Grade 9 because my local high school was inaccessible. After doing high school by correspondence at home I had to leave the country to find an accessible university. But I consider myself lucky compared to today’s children! Now we bus all our handicapped children out from their inaccessible neighbourhood school to a “special” school where they’ll be with their own kind, sheltered from the “teasing” of the regular kids so we tell ourselves. Then we wonder why they grow up into handicapped adults who seem able to cope only in sheltered workshops and are uncomfortable with regular people. At the same time we wonder why the non-handicapped have no understanding or awareness of the handicapped. Awareness and education on both sides doesn’t come through special schools and expensive media campaigns; it comes though accessible public schools.”

77

MAKE PARLIAMENT HILL COMPLETELY ACCESSIBLE

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Parliamentary Complex be made accessible immediately to all disabled persons, both as visitors and employees.

That disabled persons and their organizations be consulted about the most appropriate ways to provide accessibility.

In its First Report of 30 October 1980 the Committee made the following recommendations:

• Parliamentary Complex: All the facilities and services of the Parliamentary Complex of buildings in Ottawa be made immediately accessible to all disabled and handicapped persons, both as visitors and employees.
• Consultation: In making the necessary renovations disabled persons and their organizations should be consulted.

Citizen’s Right: Parliament Hill is the most popular tourist attraction in Ottawa. Each year thousands of Canadian visit the various buildings. A tour includes the Senate, the House of Commons, the Library of Parliament and the Peace Tower. It may also include a meeting with the visitor's Member of Parliament or attending a sitting of Parliament. Disabled citizens have the same right to enjoy such a tour as do ablebodied Canadians.

Business Purposes: There are many other Canadians who come to Parliament Hill for business reasons. Some meet with their Member of Parliament, others attend a sitting of the House of Commons, and still others attend the sitting of a Parliamentary Committee. Accessibility in such cases should include technical aids and personal assistance required by those who have hearing or visual disabilities.

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Parliament Hill is the most popular tourist attraction in Ottawa. Each year thousands of Canadians visit the various buildings. A tour includes the Senate, the House of Commons, the Library of Parliament and the Peace Tower. Disabled citizens have the same right to enjoy such a tour as do ablebodied Canadians.

78

NO FEDERAL FUNDING UNLESS ACCESSIBILITY IS ENSURED

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Federal Government ensure that all public buildings constructed, renovated, leased or funded by the Federal Government be required, as a condition of funding, to be accessible as defined by the standard of accessibility developed by the Department of Public Works.

That the Federal Government expand its review process, to ensure compliance with the standard of accessibility, by:

• Approval of plans governing access to new buildings and facilities or major renovations to existing buildings and facilities;
• Monitoring compliance with these plans;
• Monitoring renovations (retrofitting) of existing buildings and facilities.

Two-Thirds not Covered: The Department of Public Works is the central real property agency for the Federal Government. It already has in place a program which will ensure accessibility in all public buildings under its responsibility. But this only covers one-third of all Federal Government space. A new mechanism is needed to ensure that the remaining two-thirds of the space fall under the same standards as well as all other buildings and facilities financed by the Federal Government. This would entail a form of contract compliance, which should be monitored by an Accessibility Compliance Board.

Avoid Bureaucracy: The Committee believes that the Accessibility Compliance Board should not entail the creation of a large bureaucracy. In fact, it may simply require having an existing agency of government assume the additional responsibility of following up on complaints of inaccessibility brought to it by individuals.. The U.S. Government has an Architectural Barriers Accessibility Board, under the Rehabilitation Act, which has proven effective without being large. The new Canadian monitoring board should work directly in conjunction with the Canadian Human Rights Commission referring complaints that it receives to the latter organization. Once the Canadian Human Rights Act has been amended, individuals will be able to take their complaints of inaccessibility directly to the Commission, without the assistance of the Compliance Board.

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79

1983 DEADLINE FOR SCHEDULE TO MAKE FEDERAL BUILDINGS ACCESSIBLE

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Federal Government ensure that its buildings and facilities be upgraded (retrofitted) before the end of 1983 to the standards of accessibility developed by the Department of Public Works, and that heritage properties be made accessible whenever possible.

Public Works Activities: The Department of Public Works has an active program in place already to upgrade more than 3,000 of its buildings. This effort began in 1979 and by June 1980, 450 buildings had been completed.

Not Valid: Public Works is responsible for only one-third of Federal Government space. Other Federal Departments have not shown the same progress in making their buildings accessible. Some have stated that they “do not have the funds available to undertake wide-scale renovations.” Another Department, in its presentation to~the Committee, stated that “there are no handicapped employees in any of these buildings requiring such facilities at this time.” Your Committee does not accept these as valid reasons.

Heritage Questioned: Until now, approximately 80 historic parks and 700 historic sites have been excluded from upgrading programs. The Department of the Environment states that the mandate for Parks Canada is “to protect and preserve the heritage environment. Any services provided to handicapped persons must not detract from or impair the achievement of that goal.”

Persons First: The Committee, while recognizing the validity of Parks Canada's mandate, nevertheless, feels that the principle of access for disabled Canadians includes access to heritage properties. It also recognizes that additional skill will be required to preserve the original character of these properties but, wherever possible, both historic sites and parks should be made accessible.

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The Committee, while recognizing the validity of Parks Canada’s mandate, nevertheless, feels that the principle of access for disabled Canadians includes access to heritage properties.

80

CONSULT WITH DISABLED PERSONS WHEN UPGRADING GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

RECOMMENDATION:

That disabled persons and their organizations be consulted on a continuing basis by Federal Government Departments, Agencies and Crown Corporations undertaking construction or renovation projects concerning the most appropriate ways to provide accessibility.

Common Sense: The Department of Public Works instructed all of its regional offices in July 1980 to actively seek consulting services from disabled individuals. The everyday experience of disabled persons will be the best guide for government departments in identifying the obstacles which currently make facilities and services inaccessible. It is only common sense that this experience should be utilized by the planners and architects who are responsible for upgrading programs.

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81

REVISE THE NATIONAL BUIDLING CODE -- IN CONSULTATION WITH DISABLED PERSONS

RECOMMENDATION:

That the National Building Code be revised in consultation with disabled persons and their organizations to include comprehensive standards of accessibility for disabled persons including deaf or hearing-impaired persons and blind or visually-impaired persons.

No Direct Input: Recommendations for changes to the National Building Code and Supplement #5 are currently made with the representation of traditional organizations-but without direct input from disabled consumers. The consultative process must be expanded to include disabled persons and their organizations.

Special Needs Ignored: This lack of first-hand experience results in standards which provide only a minimum level of access. Persons with special needs, such as those with hearing and visual disabilities, tend to be ignored in the Code.

Examples: The public address and fire alarm systems in most buildings do not take into account the needs of people with hearing disabilities. At the same time, persons with a visual disability have great difficulty in using elevators in most buildings because there are no raised numbers to indicate which floor button to push, and no signal to indicate when the elevator car has reached the desired floor.

Revision/Consultation: The Committee recommends, therefore, that the National Building Code be revised to include comprehensive standards of accessibility for all disabled persons, including those with special needs. This revision, however, should take place only with the full consultation of disabled persons and their organizations.

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The public address and fire alarm systems in most buildings do not take into account the needs of people with hearing disabilities.

82

UTILIZE WINTER WORK PROGRAM TO MAKE BUILDINGS ACCESSIBLE

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Federal Government reinstate a modified Winter Work Program to encourage Provinces and municipalities to make public buildings and facilities accessible to all.

That this Winter Work Program be financed out of current job creation and regional development budgets.

Two Objectives: Unemployment is a major problem in Canada. Accessibility to public buildings is a major problem for many disabled Canadians. The Federal Government can make progress in both areas by reinstating a modified Winter Work Program, and directing the labour toward making public buildings accessible. Since many of these buildings are under provincial and municipal jurisdiction, the Federal Government should encourage them to participate in this special employment program.