AODA deadline fast approaching and Stratford hasn't done its homework, according to accessibility advocate

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Though Roger Koert, chair of the accessibility advisory committee (AAC), spoke to Stratford city council on Nov. 26 to present the committee’s annual award, it would be the last time that someone from the AAC would speak to council ahead of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)’s fast approaching 2025 deadline, when all public facilities must be made accessible and barrier-free.

Koert did not waste the opportunity.

“I'm going to challenge you, and when you want to react defensively, instead be reflective,” Koert said. “People in our community, province, nation have been living this life for too long, being discriminated against or advocating tirelessly only to feel unheard or dismissed.

“Rewind to 2005, two years before I became disabled. … In the early years of my rehab, I'm hearing the promise of this future utopia and I decided to approach my disability with youthful positivity, knowing there were better days around the corner. Well, my youthful positivity has changed to middle-aged reality.”

The AODA was enacted in 2005, replacing a more limited law, as a more comprehensive standard to address the discrimination of persons with disabilities. The Province of Ontario gave itself and all municipalities a 20-year deadline. Review after review has highlighted a general lack of progress in that time across the province. The most recent review found a lack of accountability, enforcement and incentives to comply as some of the reasons it has been ineffective.

Koert also shared the stories of fellow local advocates like Diane Sims, Peter Zein and former AAC member Mary Helen Mosterman, his aunt who, just earlier that day, passed away at the age of 65 after having dealt with symptoms of multiple sclerosis for 40 years.

“A quarter of Ontario's population, 2.9 million people, live with a disability, visible or invisible. By 2040, this number will be closer to four million,” Koert said. “People with disabilities are everywhere. We, the disabled community, have been passive and accepting of people not making acceptable accommodations for persons with disabilities.”

He turned to the Stratford Police Service’s downtown headquarters (long known to be inaccessible), as just one hot-topic example. He said it feels as if they are “cramming before an exam,” even though the AAC introduced a motion 17 years ago to make the building accessible.

He said there are many allies to those with accessible needs, but they don’t need silent supporters. They need accomplices; people who are active in achieving the province’s mandate and fostering a barrier-free reality beyond the AODA.

As he started his self-described “rant,” Koert told councillors and the gallery it would be 20 minutes long.

When it drew to a close only a few minutes later, he asked the room to reflect on the uncomfortability they felt knowing they would have to sit for 20 minutes.

“Which would still only be one minute of every year we in the disabled community have been waiting for a fully accessible community and province.”

After he spoke (and presented the AAC’s annual award), Mayor Martin Ritsma thanked him for his reminder that there is still lots of work to do.