June 12, 2007 Joint Peel-Caledon Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC)
Page Content:
1. Call to Order
2. Approval of Minutes
3. Approval of Agenda
4. Communication Items
5. Presentations
6. Reports
7. Report from the Accessibility Planning Coordinators
8. Report of the Accessibility Advisory Committee Chair and Members
9. Other Business
10. Next Meeting
11. Adjournment

 

JOINT PEEL-CALEDON

ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (AAC)


MINUTES


AAC-2007-6

 

The Joint Peel-Caledon Accessibility Advisory Committee met on June 12, 2007 at 1:10 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Regional of Peel Administrative Headquarters, 10 Peel Centre Dr., Brampton.

Members Present: H. Bajwa; G. Barnes; W. Goursky; S. Hames; S. McFadden; J. Spry; M. Tymkow
 
Members Absent: J. Hardman; N. Husain; E. Kolb, due to personal matters; R. Paterak, due to other municipal business
 
Also Present:

Colleen Grant, Solicitor and Town Prosecutor, Town of Caledon; Keith Ward, Commissioner of Human Services and General Manager of Peel Living, Region of Peel; Carol Reid, Director, Facilities Construction and Real Estate, Region of Peel; M. Langham, Program Analyst, Social Services; J. Payne, Acting Accessibility Planning Specialist and Committee Clerk, Corporate Services

_____________________________________
*See text for arrivals
¨See text for departures

William Goursky, Chair, presided.

 

1. CALL TO ORDER

William Goursky, Chair of the Joint Peel-Caledon Accessibility Advisory Committee called the meeting to order at 1:10 p.m. and welcomed everyone present.

 

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

RECOMMENDATION AAC-16-2007:

That the minutes of the May 15, 2007 Joint Peel-Caledon Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting be approved.


3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

RECOMMENDATION AAC-17-2007:

That the agenda for the June 12, 2007 Joint Peel-Caledon Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting be approved.


4. COMMUNICATION ITEMS - Nil

 

5. PRESENTATIONS

a. Keith Ward, Commissioner of Human Services and General Manager of Peel Living, Region of Peel

Received

Keith Ward, Commissioner of Human Services and General Manager of Peel Living, Region of Peel provided an overview of the accessibility components included within the Affordable Housing Design Guidelines and demonstrated the application of the design guidelines in the context of current housing projects undertaken by the Peel Housing Corporation (also known as Peel Living - Public Housing Provider) and the Region of Peel.

Peel Living operates affordable rental housing for residents of the City of Brampton, Town of Caledon and City of Mississauga, all located within the Region of Peel. The current housing portfolio includes more than 70 properties and 7,100 homes representing a mix of high and low-rise apartments, townhouses, group homes and a manufactured home park. Peel Living staff work with service agencies within the community such as Peel Senior Link and Supportive Housing in Peel (SHiP) to provide necessary services and supports to residents throughout the Region of Peel. Further information regarding Peel Living can be obtained by calling 905-453-1300 or by visiting peelregion.ca on the internet.

b. John D'Angelo, Principal, Martinway Contracting Limited

Received

John D'Angelo, Principal, Martinway Contracting Limited, provided a summary of the progressive evolution of "as built" accessibility features incorporated into various projects that Martinway Contracting has built for Peel Housing Corporation and the Region of Peel including:

Additional information about Martinway Contracting can be obtained by calling 416-674-8471 or by visiting martinwaycontracting.com on the internet.

c. Tarina Anthony, Senior Technical Officer, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

Received

Tarina Anthony, Senior Technical Officer, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) presented a high-level summary of the following CMHC programs:

Eligibility criteria regarding the applicant, the project type and access to funding were identified for each of the three CMHC programs. Persons seeking more information regarding these programs may contact CMHC by telephone at 1-800-704-6488 or by visiting CMHC.ca on the internet.

d. Neil Prashad, President of Origin Retirement Communities Inc. and Chair of the Peel Advisory Committee on Older Adults Housing

Received

Neil Prashad, President of Origin Retirement Communities Inc. and Chair of the Peel Advisory Committee on Older Adults Housing (Advisory Working Group - AWG) focused upon the work of the AWG.

The mandate of the Advisory Working Group is as follows:

"To develop and promote ways of meeting current and future needs for appropriate and affordable rental and ownership housing needs for older adults in the Region of Peel."

The AWG undertakes outreach efforts to raise awareness of current and future housing needs for seniors amongst planners, builders, contractors/renovators and the general public. Accessibility and flexibility in housing construction is encouraged to permit persons to "age in place" as their housing needs change over time. Additional information regarding the Peel Advisory Committee on Older Adults Housing is available by calling the Region of Peel at 905-453-1300 ext. 3561 or by visiting peelregion.ca/housing/provider/advisory on the internet.

Neil Prashad briefly described the type of "aging in place" developments that Origin Retirement Communities Inc. has constructed at a number of locations across Canada, including a project currently under construction in Mississauga. Further information on Origin Retirement Communities can be obtained by calling 416-322-0101 or by visiting origin.ca on the internet.

e. Anne Harland, Consumer with accessible housing requirements

Received

Anne Harland, Consumer Representative, spoke about her experiences of having a new barrier free single family residential home constructed. She explained that currently few builders in the Ontario residential housing market are able to readily identify additional costs for accessibility requirements during the new home purchase process. Commonly, builders see accessibility as a "custom upgrade" resulting in pricing increases that generally exceed 30 per cent of the list value of the home. Anne Harland then spoke of her experience with Monarch Homes and the responsive solutions that were put forward by Monarch staff to meet her new home accessibility requirements.

Anne Harland summarized her presentation with the following key messages:

f. Mike LaPlante, Operations Manager - Low-Rise and Project Manager - Penryn Village, Monarch Corporation

Received

Mike LaPlante, Operations Manager - Low-Rise and Project Manager - Penryn Village, Monarch Corporation, provided his comments regarding the provision of accessible housing, from the point of view of a builder.

The challenges for builders in providing accessible housing were summarized as follows:

Mike LaPlante noted that all builders face the challenges identified, especially in a market as competitive as is currently the situation in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). In response to requests for accessible housing, Monarch has developed a pamphlet that identifies the costs associated with modifying a home to provide a range of accessibility features for consumers.

To improve the current situation regarding the construction of new accessible housing in the Ontario and GTA market, Mike LaPlante suggested that both the Province and local governments review the planning approval process, especially as it relates to lot width and correspondingly to house width, as this directly impacts the potential accessibility of a house. Further, he suggested that the municipal planning approval process include grade issues (height of home out of ground/elevation of land) and the impact of these physical elements upon accessibility. Finally, he suggested that innovative solutions regarding accelerated site plan approvals or development charge discounts be available to builders that include accessible housing options within the housing models for a given development.

For further information regarding Monarch Corporation please visit their website at monarchgroup.net on the internet.

 

RECESS

Joint Peel-Caledon Accessibility Advisory Committee recessed at 2:20 p.m.

Joint Peel-Caledon Accessibility Advisory Committee reconvened at 2:30 p.m.

Members Present: H. Bajwa; G. Barnes; W. Goursky; S. Hames; J. Spry; M. Tymkow
 
Members Absent: J. Hardman; N. Husain; E. Kolb, due to personal matters; S. McFadden; R. Paterak, due to other municipal business

 

A panel discussion occurred in which questions from the members of the Committee and persons in attendance were directed to the various presenters on the panel.

William Goursky, Chair of the Joint Peel-Caledon Accessibility Advisory Committee thanked the panel members for their presentations and participation at the meeting.

 

6. REPORTS - Nil


7. REPORT FROM THE ACCESSIBILITY PLANNING COORDINATORS

a. Colleen Grant, Town Prosecutor and Solicitor, Town of Caledon (Oral)

Received


b. Jeff Payne, Acting Accessibility Planning Specialist, Region of Peel (Oral)

Received


8. REPORT OF THE ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIR AND MEMBERS
- Nil


9. OTHER BUSINESS

a. Discussion Regarding the Hosting of the Next Joint Meeting of the Area Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committees.

Referred to staff

 

10. NEXT MEETING (JOINT PEEL-CALEDON ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE)

Tuesday, August 21, 2007
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Region of Peel Administrative Headquarters
Council Chamber, 5th floor
10 Peel Centre Dr.
Brampton, Ontario


11. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 3:20 p.m.