Accessibility & Inclusion
Accessibility Plan, Committee, and Feedback
Summerland is committed to help foster a more accessible British Columbia, one in which the spirit of “nothing about us, without us” is enshrined within how the public sector plans and delivers their services.
Summerland, among over 750 public sector organizations across the Province, is committed to meet the requirements in the Part 3 of the Accessible British Columbia Act to:
1) Establish an accessibility committee
2) Develop an accessibility plan
3) Develop a tool to receive feedback on accessibility
Accessibility Committee & Summerland Accessibility Plan
Our first step was to create an initial Accessibility Committee comprised of District staff to create the outline of a Summerland Accessibility Plan with the necessary content.
Step two will be to call out to the Summerland community to submit application forms to be considered as members of the Summerland Accessibility Committee. More information to come on dates for application.
Step three will be to have the Summerland Accessibility Committee provide feedback and suggestions to complete, enhance and update the Summerland Accessibility Plan.
What do you mean by “accessibility”, “disability”, “impairment” and “barrier”?
We are using the definitions outlined in the Accessible British Columbia Act:
Accessibility: By “accessibility” we mean “How easily can this thing be reached, entered, or used by a person with a disability?”
Accessibility means that all people can take part in their communities through work, play and other daily activities. Accessibility is important for everyone, especially people with disabilities. Accessibility is about removing barriers and increasing inclusion and independence for everyone.
Disability: By “disability” we mean the experience of not being able to equally and fully participate in or access something because of a “barrier” and an “impairment”.
Impairment: An “impairment” includes an impairment considered:
- Physical
- Sensory
- Mental
- Intellectual or cognitive
These impairments may be:
- Permanent
- Temporary
- Episodic
Barrier: A “barrier” is anything that hinders the full and equal participation in society of a person with an impairment. Barriers can be caused be environments, attitudes, practices, policies, information, communications, or technologies and affected by intersection forms of discrimination.
National AccessAbility Week
AccessAbility Week is from May 26 to June 1, 2024. Accessibility week promotes inclusion and accessibility, while also celebrating the people in the disability community who are working to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility.
Collecting Feedback on Accessibility
Public feedback is encouraged to improve accessibility in Summerland. The Accessibility Committee will work to detect, reduce, and remove barriers to accessibility and enhance municipal amenities whether physical environments, communications, technologies, policies, or practices.
When sending in feedback on accessibility to the District of Summerland, please make sure to include:
- What you were trying to access
- Where the barrier happened and what the barrier was
- Any recommendations you might have
Ways to Send Feedback on Accessibility
By Email:
accessibility@summerland.ca
By Mail:
Accessibility Committee
District of Summerland
13211 Henry Avenue, Box 159
Summerland, BC V0H1Z0
By Phone:
250-404-4037