Item - 2021.GL26.10

The General Government and Licensing Committee recommends that: 

1. City Council adopt the updated Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines in Attachment 3 to the report (October 5, 2021) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management.

2. City Council direct all City Divisions to use the Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines in Attachment 3 to the report (October 5, 2021) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, as the mandatory accessibility resource that guides all City owned renovations and newly constructed buildings and public spaces, and any future Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines updated by the Executive Director of Corporate Real Estate Management.

The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines. The Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines is a design reference document available to all sectors to conduct accessibility audits and to plan developments as the City works towards making Toronto a barrier-free community.

In July 2021, Corporate Real Estate Management updated the Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines to set City-wide technical requirements for determining accessibility upgrade requirements across City facilities and public spaces. As well, the Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines was updated to align with current legislative requirements and best practices in the area of accessible design to remove barriers within the built environment. Corporate Real Estate Management conducted an extensive consultation process with internal and external stakeholders, including City divisions, members of the public, and individuals representing the disability community, to develop this iteration of the Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines. Feedback from these consultations will continue to shape the Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines as a living document, with a formal review and update of the document to be scheduled at regular intervals.