Deadline: Sunday, December 3, 2023 (11:59 pm Pacific Time)

The City of Richmond is developing a plan to improve accessibility, and is asking for feedback through a survey. They are also holding public events to get input: we should note that ALL these sessions are in-person only, without any mention of COVID-19 safety measures.

We have a chance to let the City of Richmond know that COVID safety, clean air, and immuno-inclusivity are important for accessibility. The more people say the same things, the more likely they are to pay attention.

How to complete the survey

• Go to www.letstalkrichmond.ca/accessibilityplan2023, scroll down, and click the green button that says “Survey”. 
• Answers must be submitted by 11:59 pm on Sunday, December 3, 2023.
• The survey takes 10-15 minutes, but it’s faster with template answers!
• Your answers won’t be associated with you. Anyone can answer this survey.
• Going forward and backward in the survey to change answers is possible. However, there is no way to save your survey progress to finish it later.
• If you require assistance to complete a survey, email Accessibility@Richmond.ca  or phone 604-247-4916.

Here’s what to expect from the survey: 

• On the first page, you’ll need to sign up for an online account if you don’t have one already (by entering an email and screen name).
• After that, you’ll be asked about six different “strategic pillars” (categories of things to improve).
• At the end, you’ll be asked for general feedback and any additional comments, as well as some info about yourself (which is optional).

Below, you can find some answer ideas to suggest priorities related to COVID-19. 

You can put them in the spaces where the survey asks if you have comments about each Strategic Pillar and related actions.

Want more ideas for survey answers and accessibility priorities? You can find (and add to) a crowdsourcing document started by a local disability advocate:

Template answers

Strategic Pillar 1 – An Accessible Community

– Disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent and immunocompromised people should be involved when planning new initiatives or identifying barriers, at the earliest stages possible

– Add “immunological barriers” to the six types of barriers identified on page 15 of the Draft Accessibility Plan. Immunological accessibility (or immuno-inclusivity) encompasses the needs and barriers experienced by immunocompromised and immunodiverse people (e.g. hygiene, clean air, considerations for allergies, health & safety around communicable diseases)

Strategic Pillar 2 – An Inclusive Organization

– Involve disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent and immunocompromised people in reviewing organizational policies and processes wherever possible, and have a mechanism for feedback or ongoing improvement.

– As part of an inclusive employment strategy, support remote and hybrid work options where possible.

– Develop more supports for workers with newly acquired/diagnosed disability and chronic illness: 80% of disabilities are acquired during workforce age, and Long Covid (health damage from Covid infection) develops after at least 1 in 10 infections, as per the federal government and the World Health Organization.

– Organizational accessibility standards should be specifically framed as a minimum that people are encouraged to exceed and improve on. 

Strategic Pillar 3 – Accessibility in the Built Environment

– Strong need to improve indoor air quality (to help with wildfire smoke, C02 buildup, allergens, airborne illnesses and more that disproportionately impact people with disabilities). The new international air quality standard ASHRAE 241 should be reviewed and followed wherever possible.

– Accessibility standards should be specifically framed as a minimum that people are encouraged to exceed and improve on.

Strategic Pillar 4 – Accessible Programs and Services

– COVID-19 as well as other communicable diseases remain a disproportionate risk for disabled and multiply-marginalized people. Robust, multi-layered, clearly-communicated communicable diseases safety measures are needed for public programs, services and engagement events to ensure equitable participation

– At minimum, adopt a “see a mask, wear a mask” policy for whenever City employees interact with any vulnerable and high-risk individuals and groups

Strategic Pillar 5 – Accessible Communications and Technology

– ensure basic accessibility and COVID-19 safety info is shared in marketing for all events, programs, City-run public spaces, etc.

– review Communications & Marketing standards not just for information access, but inclusive wording and framing (e.g. avoid stigmatizing language; use images depicting diverse community members; frame COVID-19 risks and harms in the present tense rather than the past tense)

– present digital and in-person events and participation options equally. (Too often, digital events and those who need them are framed as an afterthought.)

Strategic Pillar 6 – Research and Monitoring

– Research and monitoring should include attention to intersectional accessibility and human rights issues identified by BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner

– Monitoring and evaluation should involve regular, meaningful engagement with disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent and immunocompromised people and organizations.

Additional Comments

– Immunological barriers, and immuno-inclusivity, needs to be considered as a fundamental form of accessibility.

– Wish there was a digital drop-in event as well as in-person ones, and Covid safety information shared for the in-person events. 

Demographics

Editor’s note: For those who are eligible – on question 18 (“How would you describe your disability/disabilities?”), it may be useful to select “Other” and write in “immunocompromised” or similar. This may be legally considered a disability in the context of COVID-19, and we need to emphasize that immune considerations should be considered in accessibility planning.