Wilmot seeks affiliate membership on Kitchener's accessibility advisory committee

By Galen Simmons

Wilmot Township is looking to continue receiving regional accessibility expertise after the current Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee (GRAAC) model comes to an end.

At its June 22 meeting, Wilmot council approved a request to join the City of Kitchener's accessibility advisory committee as an affiliate member municipality beginning with the 2026-2030 term of council.

“This recommendation is the result of regional discussions among local municipalities,” said township clerk Amelia Jaggard. “The other townships are aligned on this approach, having already approved similar recommendations. Staff feel this model is an opportunity to continue collaborating with neighbouring municipalities while maintaining local representation and meeting the township’s obligations under (the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act).”

The move follows Kitchener's decision to establish its own accessibility advisory committee after serving for years as the coordinating municipality for GRAAC, a committee that currently provides accessibility advice to the Region of Waterloo, Kitchener, Waterloo and the townships of Wilmot, Wellesley, Woolwich and North Dumfries.

According to the report, Kitchener's growing population and increasing volume of development applications prompted the city to create a dedicated committee while offering neighbouring municipalities with populations under 50,000 the opportunity to participate through an affiliate membership model.

As an affiliate member, Wilmot would continue to receive advice and recommendations on improving accessibility in municipal facilities, public spaces, programs, services and policies from a committee whose membership is made up primarily of people with disabilities or caregivers of people with disabilities, as required under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

The township would also retain the ability to appoint local representatives to serve on the committee, helping ensure Wilmot's accessibility priorities continue to be represented.

Staff said the affiliate model will provide Wilmot with ongoing access to accessibility expertise and lived experience while helping the township meet its legislative obligations under the AODA.

“I was surprised to see they didn’t want us as part of the committee, but they would take us on as an affiliate member,” Coun. Stewart Cressman said. “So, I was trying to understand what the difference was as being part of Kitchener’s committee as an affiliate.”

In response, Jaggard said “affiliate” is simply the terminology the City of Kitchener is using to open the door to participation on the committee by Wilmot and the other townships, noting the intent is to continue having a local representative from Wilmot.

“It’s actually a real benefit for us not needing to have our staff run an entire, different committee and utilize the City of Kitchener, allowing us to be an affiliate, as their staff do administer it,” Mayor Natasha Salonen added.

The arrangement will see the City of Kitchener assume responsibility for administering the committee, including organizing meetings, managing expenses, coordinating member appointments and providing administrative support.

According to the report, the model is expected to reduce the administrative burden on participating municipalities while allowing them to continue benefiting from regional collaboration on accessibility issues.

Council also heard that creating a standalone Wilmot accessibility advisory committee was considered but is not being recommended because of the additional costs, staffing requirements and challenges associated with recruiting committee members.

Another potential regional committee led by the Region of Waterloo is also being explored, though staff noted no governance model or financial details have yet been developed.

If approved by Kitchener council, Wilmot's affiliate membership will begin Nov. 15 with the new term of council. Until then, the township will continue participating in GRAAC under the existing structure.

The annual cost of affiliate membership in the Kitchener committee is $2,387.50 beginning in 2027, $487.50 more than the annual cost of membership in GRAAC.