A wheelchair user is wondering when all stores will have to be fully accessible.
In an email to ElliotLakeToday, Elliot Lake resident Lorraine Galllipeau who has been using a wheelchair for the past 15 years said, “Can someone tell me when the city is going to have stores upgraded so people in wheelchairs and walkers are able to get into the businesses safely and without a problem? I am in a wheelchair and I have been in Elliot Lake for more than six years and there are quite a few places I am unable to go to because they are not wheelchair accessible. The roads and sidewalks are so bad that I am afraid to go out in my wheelchair. I have been told that something is in the works since I moved here but I have seen no improvements. I sure would like to hear if there are others feeling the same.”
Disability accessibility in Ontario is covered by the provincial government’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and will require full accessibility businesses and workplaces by 2015.
ElliotLakeToday brought the concerns raised by Galllipeau to the attention of Mayor Dan Marchisella, who acknowledged jurisdiction for AODA standards rests with the provincial government.
However, he pointed out that city-owned facilities are fully compliant and the issue has been raised in talks with store owners.
“The AODA standards are put forward by the province including timelines for business,” he said. “The city is compliant with standards at our facilities, but through our Accessibility Advisory Committee (ACC) we continue to try and go above and beyond the standards and encourage businesses to do the same.”
Statistics indicate fully accessible businesses could attract 25 per cent more customers.
“We have verbally notified some businesses, but the city did also promote the addition of funds for accessibility in our Community Improvement Plan (CIP) a few years back,” the mayor said.
The CIP program is where the city can provide grants to fix up storefronts and accessibility.
“Perhaps we should get the word out again and I can also look at some form of promotion or rating system through our AAC.”
For sidewalk and street improvements, they are considered by the city and placed on priority lists for work.