Regina Accessibility Plan

Through extensive consultation and engagement with residents including people with disabilities, older adults, and their networks of support and care, there were a number of priorities identified for the new Accessibility Plan.

The City worked with consultants Happy Cities, Meaningful Access Consulting, and Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services to conduct focus groups, pop-up events, interviews, and a public survey.

The following is a summary of what we heard during the consultations. This is not an exhaustive list; however, it covers the most common barriers that were identified.

Findings – What we heard

Participants identified a lack of clarity and consistency for what “accessible” means to the City of Regina as a major challenge. Participants identified what an “accessible Regina” would mean to them:

• A city that is accessible for all, regardless of age or ability.
• A city where people with disabilities are welcomed into the community.
• A city where every new building and space is accessible.
• A city that is:
  1. Affordable
  2. Well-connected and safe for walking and rolling
  3. Educated and aware
  4. Accountable
• A city that includes the perspectives of people with disabilities.

Three community priorities emerged through discussion in focus groups, interviews, and at pop-up events that apply to all service delivery areas:

1. “Nothing about us, without us” – people with disabilities must be included in decision-making and planning, early in the stages of a project.
2. Collaboration with community organizations.
3. Dignity and respect.

Survey results showed that the most common barriers faced by participants when using the City of Regina’s services and programs were:

1. Roads and sidewalks, as indicated by 79% of respondents.
2. Transportation, as indicated by 54% of respondents.
3. Built Environment, as indicated by 49% of respondents.

The top barriers under each service delivery area are summarized below, with corresponding survey results, where relevant. These barriers were heard across all engagement activities, including the survey, focus groups, interviews, and pop-ups.

Built Environment

1. Sidewalks – Regina is not a walkable or rollable city because sidewalks are not reliably available, are in poor condition and are not well-maintained (noted as a barrier by 75% of survey respondents)
2. Snow removal – insufficient snow clearance creates significant barriers to transportation (noted as a barrier by 64% of survey respondents).
3. Washrooms – insufficient accessible washrooms across the city (noted as a barrier by 39% of survey respondents)
4. Parks, public and open space (noted as a barrier by 47% of survey respondents), specifically:
   1. Many paths and trails lack clear routes and proper paving.
   2. Insufficient seating along City-owned parks and pathways.
   3. Parks and other public and open spaces don’t have enough accessible features (e.g., washrooms, playgrounds, drinking fountains).

Transportation

1. Public transit — services are not sufficient (hours, frequency, availability) making public transit an inefficient and unappealing option (bus frequency noted as a barrier by 39% of survey respondents)
2. Paratransit — can be difficult to access, inefficient or unreliable
3. Transportation affordability — high costs for taxis and ride-hail options are a challenge for people who don’t have access to a private vehicle.

Employment

Many participants noted that they did not have significant experience with employment with the City of Regina, so they shared their experience on employment barriers broadly.

1. Not enough employment opportunities for people with disabilities – lack of suitable, properly compensated roles, and lack of flexibility for working reduced hours or remotely (noted as a barrier by 39% of survey respondents).
2. Application and hiring process is a barrier – accessibility is not often considered from job descriptions listing unnecessary requirements to the interview process (noted as a barrier by 34% of survey respondents)
3. Not enough accommodation for employees with disabilities – including a lack of information about the accommodations available.

Programs, Services, and Financial

1. Limited options for people with disabilities – particularly for young children, older adults and people needing low-stimulation or sensory safe zones.
2. Insufficient training – staff require training on supporting people with disabilities (noted by 29% of survey respondents)
3. Online payment and registration processes for many programs and services are a barrier.

Communication

1. Reliance on digital materials – a barrier for those without access to digital tools (noted as a barrier by 50% of survey respondents).
2. Lack of information on accessibility accommodations/services in the city – including who to contact at the City with concerns
3. Lack of American Sign Language (ASL), closed captioning and computerized Note Taking Services (CNS) available and/or offered across Regina.

Procurement

Most feedback received about procurement was general:

1. The city’s procurement process could be more transparent and accountable.
2. Small businesses face more barriers than larger and more established organizations.

Ideas for motivating change

Participants shared their ideas on how the City of Regina can ensure the Accessibility Plan will motivate change and achieve its desired outcomes. Proposed ideas include:

• Prompt action with incentives and requirements.
• Monitor impacts and results.
• Invest in accessibility through dedicated budget and resources.
• Adopt a forward-thinking mindset, starting with short-term wins.
• Engage and bring more awareness to accessibility.
• Involve and empower the community.
• Lead by example.

*Taken from the What We Heard Report from Happy Cities and Meaningful Access*

Following extensive consultation and engagement with residents including people with disabilities, older adults, and their networks of support and care, the City of Regina has drafted an Accessibility Plan.

While the plan aims to centre the experiences of people with disabilities and older adults, it also recognizes that Regina residents have many intersecting abilities and identities, and that many different actions will be required to meet the accessibility needs of diverse community members.

The Plan provides a framework to advance accessibility in Regina over the next 10 years, through 60+ actions across six service delivery areas:

1. Transportation
2. Built Environment
3. Communication
4. Employment
5. Programs, Services, and Financial
6. Procurement

Within each service delivery area, the actions are organized into recommendations that reflect the key barriers identified through community engagement. Below is a summary of some of the top priorities throughout each service area.

General

• Ongoing engagement with people with disabilities
• Develop an inter-departmental community of practice focused on accessibility
• Define corporate language and approach to accessibility and universal design
• Annual reporting on progress achieved through the Plan

Transportation

• Improve Transit accessibility
  1. Disability awareness and securement training for transit, Paratransit and taxi staff
  2. Implement accessibility-related recommendations in the Regina Transit Master Plan
  3. Increase bus frequency and service hours
• Improve accessible taxi services, including central scheduling and dispatch

Built Environment

• Improve sidewalk and other pedestrian infrastructure
  1. Address backlog of sidewalk repairs
  2. Strategy to add sidewalks where none exist
  3. More accessible pedestrian signals
• Improve snow removal on streets and sidewalks
• Improve wayfinding accessibility
• Use accessibility audits to develop City of Regina design standards
• Improve accessibility of parks, playgrounds and open spaces
• Address accessibility gaps in safety and emergency management

Communications

• Make information about accessibility features of existing City facilities, services and programs more easily available in multiple formats
• Improve the accessibility of City of Regina Communications
  1. Accessible Communication Policy
  2. Policy or best practices for providing ASL interpretation, captions and/or computerized note-taking services for City events and announcements

Employment

• Improve staff competency related to accessibility and disability
• Increase recruitment and hiring of people with disabilities
• Develop and improve policies for workplace accommodations

Programs, Services and Financial

• Improve accessibility of existing programs and services
• Improve accessibility at City events
• Remove barriers to accessing financial programs

Procurement

• Improve accessibility of procurement processes

The Plan includes both City-wide initiatives and targeted approaches. It builds upon ongoing work being done to respond to the identified community needs. The Plan focuses on recommendations that are not currently addressed through existing City strategies.

We are sharing the priorities with the public to ensure that we have captured your feedback accurately. If you have any questions or comments about these priorities or the What We Heard Summary, please use the Question tool. There will be an in-person consultation on Nov. 8 and a virtual consultation on Nov. 9.

The City of Regina is developing an Accessibility Plan to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to access in City spaces, programs, and services. We are asking for community input to ensure that the Plan reflects the diverse needs of people living, working, and playing in Regina.

The City invites residents to share their experiences with accessibility in Regina, including barriers, challenges, and potential solutions. Public input will directly inform the Accessibility Plan, including priorities and actions the City can take to remove barriers to access in areas such as municipal transportation, employment, communication, technology, built environment, and more.

The goals of the Plan include:

1. Identifying, removing, and preventing barriers to participation in civic life.
2. Strengthening the City’s ongoing commitment to becoming an age-friendly and accessible city.
3. Creating a centralized, strategic plan to coordinate accessibility efforts across all City departments.

The City of Regina’s Accessibility Plan will envision a city where everyone—regardless of age, background, or ability—is able to fully join in community life. A meaningful Accessibility Plan will centre the voices of people in the disability community, including people with disabilities, their care partners, and family members. The City also seeks to hear from support and advocacy organizations that serve people with disabilities and older adults.

The Plan recognizes that Regina residents have many intersecting abilities and identities, and that many different actions will be required to meet the accessibility needs of diverse community members. This includes the needs of Indigenous people with disabilities, who, in addition to facing barriers to accessibility, continue to face the effects of colonialism. The City will work with Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services (RT/SIS) to engage Indigenous people in this process and ensure that the Plan supports reconciliation in Regina.

To hear from the community, the City is hosting two pop-up events in June 2023. Light snacks and family-friendly activities will be provided. Drop by for as long as you like!

Wednesday, June 7, from 5 to 8 p.m.

• Location: Sandra Schmirler Leisure Centre, 3130 Woodhams Drive
• Accessibility information: Wheelchair accessible event. Plain language, large-size text will be printed on large boards. This location is transit accessible via Route 60 Arcola East. Visit Regina.ca/transit for schedules and routes.

Thursday, June 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Location: Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services, 4001 3^rd Ave N
• Accessibility information: Wheelchair accessible event. Plain language, large-size text will be printed on large boards. This location is transit accessible, visit Regina.ca/transit for schedules and routes.

Saturday, June 10, from noon to 5 p.m.

• Location: OUT in the Park, Wascana Park in the bandstand area -- north of the lake and just south of the Museum (event following the Pride Parade, part of the Queen City Pride Festival)
• Accessibility information: Wheelchair accessible event in an outdoor setting. Plain language, large-size text will be printed on large boards. This location is transit accessible via Route 8 Normandy Heights. Visit Regina.ca/transit for schedules and routes.