Report
to/Rapport au :
Corporate
Services and Economic Development Committee
Comité des services organisationnels et du
développement économique
and Council/et au Conseil
10 November 2002/le 10 novembre 2002
Submitted by/Soumis par : Bruce Thom, City Manager/directeur des
services municipaux, City Manager’s Office/Bureau du directeur des Services
municipaux
Contact/Personne-ressource: Bonny Bryant-Besharah, Manager, Corporate
Programs and Strategic Initiatives/gestionnaire, Programmes généraux et initiatives
stratégiques
580-2424, ext./poste 21765 and/et Bonny.Bryant-Besharah@ottawa.ca
Ref N°:
ACS2002-CMR-OCM-0009
SUBJECT: WOMEN’S
ACCESS TO MUNICIPAL SERVICES UPDATE
OBJET : LE POINT SUR L’ACCÈS DES FEMMES AUX SERVICES
MUNICIPAUX
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That the
Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee and Council receive this
report for information
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité des services organisationnels et du
développement économique ainsi que le Conseil municipal reçoivent ce rapport à
titre d’information.
BACKGROUND
In October 1999,
the former Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton adopted the International
Union of Local Authorities Worldwide Declaration on Women in Local Government
and approved the establishment of a working group to evaluate women’s access to
municipal services and employment. The
working group was asked to evaluate women’s current situation within the former
Region and to make recommendations for change.
They presented their findings, in the form of eleven recommendations to
Ottawa City Council on February 27th, 2002. Council approved the recommendations
presented in the Women’s Access to Municipal Services report as follows:
1.
That the Working Group report
recommendations be forwarded to the City Manager, and that the City Manager be
charged with forwarding the recommendations to the relevant departments for
review and implementation as appropriate;
2.
That the City Manager report to
Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee on the status of the
review and implementation of these recommendations by November 30, 2002;
3.
That the City of Ottawa will
continue to work in partnership with the community on issues of women’s access
to municipal government.
DISCUSSION
These
recommendations were forwarded to the relevant Departments for their
review. The report attached as Annex A
has incorporated all of the Departmental reviews on each of the eleven
recommendations as to its status and implementation.
CONSULTATION
This report on
the status of the recommendations was a topic of discussion at a public meeting
held on October 5, 2002 at City Hall.
Comments were solicited from the public on the review and implementation
of the eleven recommendations and have been attached as Annex B. The Women’s Access to Municipal Services
Working Group has provided their feedback to the report and is attached as
Annex C.
ATTACHMENTS
Annex A – Women’s Access to Municipal Services In Ottawa – 11
Recommendations
Addressed
Annex B - Comments received as a result of the Public Meeting held on
October 5, 2002.
Annex C - Working Group on Women’s Access to Municipal
Services Reaction
to City’s Response to Working Group Report.
DISPOSITION
That Committee
and Council receive this report for information.
ANNEX
A
Women’s Access to Municipal Services In Ottawa
11 Recommendations Addressed
Recommendation
(1):
In consultation with women in the community
and appropriate Council Advisory Groups develop a Corporate strategy on
communications that embraces a diversity of women. This strategy should identify the different media needed to reach
a variety of women in the community, languages, and the needs of persons with
physical disabilities. Guidelines
should be included regarding preparation of information in languages other than
English and French.
Current
Communications Status
On May 9, 2001,
City Council adopted a bilingual policy.
This policy reaffirms the City's commitment to providing bilingual
services in a fair manner to both the residents of the new City and its
employees. In all the City of Ottawa
and OC Transpo phone centers, all positions are currently 100% staffed with
bilingual employees.
Bell Canada
offers a translation service for customers who speak neither English nor French. Customers can call to access operators in
most foreign languages (based on availability of their staff) that provide
ongoing translation for the client.
All City of
Ottawa and OC Transpo phone centers are able to handle inquiries from
hearing-impaired clients through the use of TTY machines and Bell Relay. Visually impaired clients can obtain more
detailed information on bus routes and stops via the visual impaired line at OC
Transpo.
OC Transpo also
provides free of charge to the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind)
hailing kits for the visually impaired, which includes numbered cards marked in
Braille – clients hold up signs for the drivers to indicate what route they are
waiting for. Visually impaired
customers who produce a CNIB identification card or an Attorney General’s Guide
Dog Access Card can ride free on OC Transpo buses.
How the City deals with
diversity
The City uses a
variety of media to advertise our programs and services. The City has used newspaper and radio
advertising extensively on such issues as the pesticides campaign, and the G8
communications. The use of the
television remains limited due to the cost of production and placement.
The City has a
comprehensive listing of all community papers, including specialty papers that
cater to specific languages and/or ethnic communities. Even though the City has this listing,
advertising within these papers tends to be limited to issue specific topics
from time to time, City wide matters.
Examples of issues that have been covered in these specialty papers are
last year’s firefighter recruitment campaign, the no-smoking campaign and
Spring Cleaning the Capital.
Targeted
mail-outs to specific groups are done mainly to distribute the waste collection
calendar, to advertise public consultation events, or to promote services that
are specific to a distinct geographic area.
Publications on
a variety of matters are translated into many languages other than English and
French. These matters include social
issues, public health matters and information regarding solid waste programs.
Information is
currently available in alternative formats upon request. This is likely a topic that will be covered
by one or more of the advisory committees that have been formed in the last year.
Future Plans
City Council has
recently endorsed the creation of an Interdepartmental Task Force to develop
the City’s Action Plan in response to the Ontario Disabilities Act.
The development
of a Corporate Advertising Policy is a priority with Corporate Services and the
use of media will be addressed in this policy.
Recommendation (2):
As part
of the Corporate Communications Strategy, review the range of materials
currently available on municipal services, update as necessary and identify
appropriate means of distributing these in the community, including making this
information available at all major City facilities, through non-city service
providers, through the internet or call centres and other interpersonal means,
and a printed directory, with a view to improving women's access to
information.
Current
Initiatives
Transit Service
brochures are updated on a regular basis.
Schedules are updated four times annually, and are available at a number
of sites within the City (including some private locations, such as University
of Ottawa and MacDonald-Cartier Airport) and, on request, by mail. Route and timetable information are
available by phone, on-line and in person (at OC Transpo Sales & Information
Centres).
The Traffic and
Parking Operations Branch produces a Cycling Map, which is updated when supply
runs out and/or the cycling facilities and roads have changed to the point
where the map is no longer valid. The
Citizens for Safe Cycling (CFSC) distribute the Cycling Map for sale through sports
stores (cost of up to $3, as set by merchant - the CFSC receives the profits
from these sales). Some maps are also
distributed through our Client Service Centres and the OC Transpo Sales and
Information Centres at a lower price ($1) than those sold by merchants. City staff submits articles for publication
in a CFSC newsletter (“Better Bicycling”), which is distributed at no cost
through various sports shops and appropriate locations in the City.
Brochures
produced by Traffic and Parking include a physically disabled brochure
(explaining the parking privileges extended to the valid Disabled Parking
Permit holders), general parking regulations brochure, guidelines for route
marshals for special events (given with special events permit), portable sign
regulations, annual truck route map, “Guidelines for the Installation/Upgrading
of Bicycle Parking” and a new joint brochure with Transit Services on the Bike
Locker Program. With the exception of
the special events item, brochures are available and can be mailed out on
request or can be picked up at the Client Service Centres.
City information available
The newly
amalgamated City is in the process of harmonizing its policies and by-laws,
including traffic and parking by-laws, and as these are harmonized, they will
be included on the City’s web page for easy reference. Staff is currently designing the system,
determining language requirements, accessibility of information, formatting,
etc.
The Waste
Collection Calendar is distributed annually to all addresses within the range
of the City’s Waste Collection services in February. Information is also available online on the City’s website, under
City Services. Additional information
is available online concerning recycling, and the “Compost Plus” and “Take it
Back” programs.
Utility Services
publications can be requested by calling our Water Information Line at
560-6089. Information can be sent out
by mail, by fax, or all brochures are available at the Client Service Centres. Information available includes “How Well is
your Well”, “Rural Clean Water Program”, “WaterWords”, “Take it Back Directory”
and many others. Brochures are updated
as required when information changes, and are sent to the Client Service Centres
for distribution.
The City uses
bus boards (interior and exterior), transit stations and shelters and does
distribute its publications at city facilities and other community facilities –
including on occasion at bars.
As a part of the
City’s initiative in general, a section on the City’s internet site is being
developed which will provide the web pages for community associations within
the City of Ottawa. This information
will provide site users with a greater range of information access.
Departmental Initiatives
The People
Services Department is involved in partnership with the United Way Centraide in
developing a feasibility study for a 211 Information Line in Ottawa. In November 2001 Council approved in
principle the concept of 211, directed staff to begin community consultation
and conduct a feasibility study. In
December 2001, the first community consultation was conducted with over 30
community groups, which included a number of groups representing women’s
issues. The department will continue in a consultative process with the community
in examining the development of a 211 service that will provide a highly
visible, easy to remember telephone number, with the possibility of
multi-lingual service with the intent of improving access to services within
the City. A
Request for Proposals
will take place mid–September with the intent of completing the feasibility
study by March 2003.
The Public
Health Information Line currently provides a bilingual telephone health
information and referral service. The
People Services Department will continue to deliver services in an integrated
manner, including the provision of information about programs and services
across various facilities. For example
information about Public Health programs are available at various community
centres and recreation facilities.
Work initiated to date
The People
Services Department is commencing work on accessibility and marketing strategy
for childcare in collaboration with the City’s Communications and Marketing
Department and the child care community.
The strategy aims at increasing awareness about licensed childcare and
subsidies with the intent of increasing accessibility to childcare. The
strategy will consider multi-ethnic communities, rural populations, and
low-income families amongst others. A Request for
Proposals will take place mid–September with the intent of completing the
feasibility study by March 2003.
The Public
Health Branch provides information about on breast cancer, cervical cancer,
heart health, colorectal cancer, menopause, osteoporosis, depression, diabetes,
integrated chronic disease prevention, etc. in the form of posters, fact
sheets, reminder cards, Public Service Announcements and television
interviews. The Branch also uses bus
shelters, buses, billboards in shopping centres, etc. to promote healthy
messages. Currently a display for Chinese women is being developed on cancer
prevention and Type 2 Diabetes.
The Community
Services Branch provides information regarding a broad range of health topics
in multiple non-official languages. One
example is the Healthy Babies Healthy Children program that provides home
visiting support for new moms in multiple non-official languages. Further, the program’s information packages
to new mothers have been enhanced. In addition staff participates as members of
the Ottawa-Carleton Multicultural Health Coalition to remain apprised of issues
and trends in multicultural communities.
The Employment
and Financial Assistance Branch provides contracted cultural interpretation
services through the Cultural Interpretation Services of Ottawa Carleton
(CISOC). In situations of violence they
purchase the cultural interpretation services of Immigrant and Visible Minority
Women Against Abuse (IVMWAA). For
further information refer to the IVMWAA Internet site: http://www.ivmwaa.ottawa.on.ca/. The Branch is in the process of developing
an informative telephone line, which would provide social assistance
information to the public in ten different languages and is also in the process
of updating brochures in various languages.
It is currently undertaking an evaluation of the subsidized childcare
subsidy processes in order to enhance service delivery. The Branch also has coordinated a Speaker’s
Bureau. The purpose of this Bureau is
to communicate information to community partners regarding information related
to the delivery of social assistance. The Employment and Financial Assistance
Branch has collaborated with the Housing Branch in order to improve access to
social assistance benefits, services and programs.
As transit falls
under federal Employment Equity guidelines, OC Transpo has successful reached
out specifically to women to try to employ a greater percentage of women in
non-traditional jobs. Efforts in this
area have been ongoing since the 1980s and as a result a lot of experience has
been amassed in trying to reach women, including those with disabilities and
those from ethnic and linguistically distinct communities.
The City of
Ottawa supports the Community Information Centre, a charitable not-for-profit
agency. This agency publishes the
"Directory of Ottawa Community Services" each fall, which contains
information on social services provided by governments and agencies throughout
the City. Although the directories have a cost attached, they are available for
viewing at a number of locations.
The City’s
information number appears on every ad, every brochure, all fleet vehicles, on
posters and flyers. We also produced a
specific campaign last year entitled Contact Us to further promote the
telephone number and Client Service Centre locations.
The City is
currently in discussions with Bell Canada with respect to placing frequently
called city numbers at the front of the Bell phone book.
The option of
working with Immigration to distribute information to residents will be
considered as part of the Marketing Strategy that is currently underway,
chaired by Employment and Financial Assistance with the participation of
Communications and Marketing. This
strategy is looking at both internal and external communication practices with
a view to improving the availability of information. To date this group has conducted an audit of existing materials
and distribution channels. This work is
currently ongoing.
Future Initiatives
The City is
working towards having a map that will highlight services and locations to
specific geographic areas. This work
involves both GIS and the CLASS (on-line registration) program. It is anticipated that this type of map may
be available within the next few years.
Currently the
City of Ottawa operates through a “one point of contact” system, which can be
access by telephone at 580-2400. The
City’s employee directory is available on-line at
http://city.ottawa.on.ca/apps/emdir/index_en.shtml
The Corporate
Services Department supports making annual school visits. However, from a staffing perspective,
resources would have to be allocated to this function, over and above the
existing resources in-place to service the general public through the Call
Centre and Client Services Centres. A
recommendation to fund such a position will be considered for the 2004 budget.
The
recommendation to provide a map interface on its website is already in place
and accessible through the following link:
http://city.ottawa.on.ca/city_services/cityfacilites/facilities_en.shtml
The Client
Service Centre supports the recommendation for a database of programs and
staff, and has included a request for funding in its 2003 budget to implement
this suggestion within its Call Centre.
The City of
Ottawa is participating in the Citizen’s First Survey, which is a leading
biennial survey on government service delivery and is a key tool for providing
service improvements in the public sector.
Its purpose is to develop a better understanding of how citizens access
and use government services, so that governments can improve service
quality. It provides insight into
citizen’s needs, expectations and priorities.
The City of Ottawa will use the information collected in this survey to
provide improved service access in order to better serve the citizens of the City
of Ottawa.
Recommendation
(3)
Request
OC Transpo to review its current practices with reference to the issues raised
in this report and in the report on focus group findings. Particular reference should be towards
increasing women's knowledge of the Transecure program and transit information
services, enhancing security, and meeting the needs of the frail elderly and
passengers with physical disabilities.
Transportation,
Utilities and Public Works (TUPW) is continuously improving service for customers
with disabilities, as every new bus that is purchased on our behalf by Fleet
Services is a low-floor bus (with ramps and wheelchair areas). Every new bus shelter that is installed is
accessible to customers who use mobility aids.
Sixty-seven new articulated low-floor buses were received by Transit
Services in 2001, with an expected 110 more to be delivered by the end of 2002,
and another 23 articulated and 61 regular low-floor buses for 2003. It is expected that the OC Transpo fleet
will number 916 buses by the end of 2002, with approximately 37% being
low-floor, and 927 buses by the end of 2003, with approximately 45% being
low-floor.
A
report on the safety of wheelchairs on low-floor buses was released on
September 4, 2002. The report includes recommendations
from advisory committees for making low-floor buses safer, including the
addition of tie-down straps to wheelchair areas. Council approval was received, and the straps will be added to
current low-floor buses, and will be standard on future models.
The
Women’s Action Centre Against Violence (WACAV) is currently conducting safety
Audits of Transit Services’ public facilities (Transitway stations) on a
regular basis. Recommendations made by
WACAV involving current hazards are addressed immediately. Corrections of noted deficiencies are built
into rehabilitation or capital programs.
Professional safety audits have previously been conducted by other
outside groups, including KPMG Investigations and Security and TUPW has always
worked with these groups to ensure that noted deficiencies are corrected.
Depressed curbs installations at intersection have
been underway for a lengthy period of time to assist the physically
challenged.
Audible Pedestrian Signals allows the visually
impaired greater mobility. All OC
Transpo Transitway stations and O-Train stations with multi-levels have been
equipped with elevators for handicapped access.
The
Para Transpo contracts were awarded through a managed competition process in
2002 to First Bus (vans and sedans), with an additional contract for taxi
services awarded to West Way Taxi. The
introduction of a taxi service will give Para Transpo more flexibility within
their existing budget to offer better service for ambulatory clients in the
west end of the City.
In
June 2002, Council approved the Harmonized Sidewalk Technical Design
Guidelines. Included in these
guidelines was a provision to ensure for a boulevard between the curb and the
sidewalk allow for a driveway ramp to be incorporated between the curb and the
sidewalk. This measure eliminates the
slope and roller coaster effect of the sidewalk at the driveway, making passage
easier for persons with physical disabilities.
The boulevard also provides a degree of safety for pedestrians, a space
to plant trees, install utilities and provides more space for snow storage.
As well, the sidewalk widths in these guidelines for
local or minor collector streets where pedestrian volumes are generally lower,
the recommended minimum width has been made 300 mm (1 foot) wider (to 1.8 m,
from 1.5 mm, which was the width that the former municipalities
recommended). This provides safer
passing room between an adult and a person pushing a baby carriage, a person in
a wheelchair, and a child on a tricycle, etc.
However, even on local or minor streets, wider sidewalks of between 2.0
m (6.5 ft) and 2.4 m (8.0 ft) may be required near schools, hospitals, offices,
etc. and up to 3.6 m (12 ft.) near shopping and entertainment areas depending
on the anticipated pedestrian volumes.
Personal Safety
A new brochure has been produced called “With Your
Safety in Mind” in order to enhance awareness of the Branch Safety
Programs. It includes references to
Transecure Program, NightStop, and Yellow Call Boxes on platforms, etc. $10,000 from the Transit budget was set
aside by Council to continue funding safety Audits conducted by Women’s Action
Centre Against Violence. In addition,
the Department is currently developing a protocol to ensure that items arising
from Safety Audits submitted to the City are acted upon in an effective
manner.
Transit
Services has installed security camera systems at the Fallowfield and Eagleson
Park & Ride lots in July 2002.
Security cameras will be installed at the Greenboro Park & Ride by
the end of 2002.
Vandalism
The
Graffiti Management Program works towards ensuring peace of mind with
residents. Graffiti is a form of
vandalism. It may appear like a
‘victimless’ crime, but if it is left unchecked it spreads rapidly and leads to
what is called the “broken window” syndrome – leaving people with the
impression that government and police services don’t care and that nobody is in
control.
The
presence of graffiti discourages citizens from shopping or living in affected
areas. Property values decline and law-abiding citizens with resources
move. Neighborhoods can quickly degrade
into dangerous places. Even though
graffiti is often considered a “trivial” offence, it can have devastating
consequences for a community.
While current
efforts are effective and graffiti is removed, the City could achieve far
superior results with a coordinated program that would optimize valuable
resources. Best management practices to
address graffiti more effectively would require changes to our current
practices, including:
§ A
more coordinated approach to maximize efficiency in service;
§ A
comprehensive, sustained plan to manage the spread, prevention, and enforcement
of graffiti;
§ A
‘zero tolerance’ approach to graffiti that is considered to be hate-based,
racist, sexist or homophobic, or may be perceived to be a threat to public
safety or does not reflect the City’s attitudes about tolerance and diversity.
A
coordinated approach to managing graffiti would result in both immediate and
long-term benefits.
School Safety
Initiatives
The
School Zone Traffic Safety program will examine school travel patterns on a
larger scale when addressing student travel issues. Problem areas will be addressed by a host of traffic operations,
enforcement, and education tools.
Emphasis in this program is placed on safe routes to school. These in turn increase school, school
council, and parental involvement in the solution process. School oriented travel support programs
(walking school bus, walk to school days, big buddy programs, etc) will also
play a larger role than in the past.
The
School Zone Traffic Safety Program introduced new high visibility signage for
our school zones – distinctive fluorescent yellow in colour. A number of pilot programs will be
undertaken to look at technical measures that can be used at high volume
signalized intersections to improve pedestrian priority. Staff have begun an outreach program to
local elementary schools, which will involve visits to classrooms to help
educators reinforce the rules of the road and proper use of pedestrian
signals.
The
Adult School Crossing Guard Program has been increased to cover 22 locations
for the 2002-2003 school year, up from 17 intersections in 2001-2002. The Program provides a measure (a crossing
guard) to assist elementary school children in crossing busy streets. It is a highly effective measure that has
community support, it addresses the travel concern only when it needs to be
addressed, and it has a number of side benefits.
Recommendation (4)
People Services should develop a strategy to
facilitate clients' understanding of how a range of programs (such as Emergency
Health and Social Supports, and Learning Earning and Parenting) work and
enhance client access to information about a range of programs, the benefits
available through them, and the eligibility criteria needed to access them.
In recent years,
the City recognizes that due to frequent change, there was an absence of
comprehensive information available.
People Services is committed to provide comprehensive information and
will consider a variety of vehicles, including providing information in a
number of languages and at various entry points. Currently, new Ontario Works applicants receive an
initial information session with regards to various programs and options (LEAP
and EHSS).
In addition information sessions are frequently
provided in relation to employment opportunities and initiatives. The Employment and Financial Assistance
Branch has over the last two years conducted workshops in the community to
provide updates and changes to programs and policies.
They conducted Speaker’s Bureau workshops in the
community to provide updates and changes to programs and policies.
Designated staff regularly attend the Ottawa Police
Service’s Partner Assault Support Team meetings and Domestic Violence Court
Advisory Committee meetings in order to facilitate access to social assistance
services, benefits and programs (refer to the following Internet Site for more
information http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/html/SERV/serdvc.htm)
This will also be considered as part of the Marketing
Strategy that is currently being developed by Communications and Marketing with
People Services.
Recommendation (5)
Recognizing that cost continues as a barrier to many
women's access to municipal services, People Services should consider the
particular experiences and needs of women in implementing recommendations from
the Task Force on Poverty and the Poverty Issues Advisory Committee.
Current Initiatives
People Services
has implemented a Fee Assistance Policy with the intent of increasing
accessibility for low-income families and individuals to City recreation and
culture programs. Low-income
individuals and families that receive fee assistance may enroll in as many
programs as they choose up to an approved maximum of $150 each year.
The Fee Assistance Form has been distributed through
all four districts activity guides (starting Fall/Winter 2002). As well, a Women and Sport page is included
in all four districts activity guides (Fall/Winter 2002).
Many services provided by the department are free of
charge. For example, all health resources and programming are free of charge.
Some strategies are geared directly to women who have a low income such as the
Woman Alive project in Kanata and Lowertown.
Community representatives on the Poverty Issues
Advisory Committee are eligible for supports for participation such as
reimbursement for child care costs and transportation to attend Committee
meetings.
People Services has staff representation on the
Poverty Issues Advisory Committee and on the Health and Social Services
Advisory Committee.
Staff also participate as a member of the
Ottawa-Carleton Multicultural Health Coalition to administer a Trillium
Foundation grant to increase physical activity in multicultural populations
(train multicultural instructors, offer programs in local cultural
communities).
Recommendation (6)
Develop a Corporate policy to guide development and co-location of
municipal services at venues located throughout the City according to the
following criteria:
(a) Ensure that all new facilities are well served by
OC Transpo, preferably located near a rapid transit station.
(b) Investigate providing short-term child-minding
and cultural interpretation services in conjunction to the proposed services.
(c) Ensure that facilities and services are
physically accessible to everyone.
(d) Locate services, especially People Services such
as social assistance services, where women can easily access them. In particular, rural women should have
access to services in a manner that is equitable with urban women's access.
(e) Adjust the times that City facilities are open
and staff are available to accommodate women's busy schedules.
Locations
For Transportation, Utilities and Public Works, most public
transactional services (except OC Transpo) are provided either by phone or via
the Corporate Services Department (water bill payments, parking infraction
payments, parking permits, etc.). The criteria for the location of Client Service Centres are
approved by Council, which also takes into consideration Transit accessibility.
OC Transpo’s current Sales &
Information Centres are all located in areas on the Transitway. Future facilities are being considered on
the existing or future Transitway. The
City has six Park & Ride lots (Eagleson, Baseline, Fallowfield, Greenboro,
Orleans, Trim Rd.), making access to transit more convenient.
OC Transpo’s Lost and Found facilities are located at
the corner of Chapel Street and Rideau Street, and are well served by local bus
routes.
The current
service delivery model of Client Service Centres is not able to accommodate
on-site child-minding using existing Client Service Representatives. However, whenever possible, children’s toys
are made available to enable parents or guardians who wish to do so, to let
their child play while the parent or guardian conducts business. The toys are located in an open, public
area, very near to the service counter.
Council has recently endorsed the
creation of an Inter-Departmental Task Force to develop the City's Action Plan
in response to the Ontario Disabilities Act.
City Initiatives
Right-of-way infrastructure standards have been, for
many years, developed and revised with a view to accommodating the needs of
various components of our society. For
example, the implementation of depressed curbs at intersections has been
underway to assist physically challenged individuals in their daily
activities. Currently, the
Transportation, Utilities and Public Works Department is undertaking technical
harmonization of standards and specifications.
This is, to minimize the wide variety of construction techniques that
were in use in the pre-amalgamation municipalities. Other initiatives underway pertain to the development/refinement
of methodologies for provision of right-of-way infrastructure. These initiatives involve the solicitation
of input through advisory committees to the City to ensure that concerns/issues
are addressed by all stakeholders.
Audible Pedestrian Signals (APS) installed by the
Traffic and Parking Branch indicates which direction pedestrians can cross
safely. APS provide improved security for visually impaired persons by allowing
them greater mobility. APS increase
the attention of all pedestrians to turning traffic and may contribute to a
reduction in the number of pedestrian-vehicle collisions. They also increase
the speed at which all pedestrians cross the road by drawing their attention to
the crossing signal. There are
currently 103 intersections in the City of Ottawa equipped with APS technology. Another five
intersections will be retrofitted with APS within the 2002 Budget, and all new
and rebuilt intersections will include Audible Pedestrian Signals.
All OC Transpo Transitway stations and O-Train
stations with multi-levels have elevators for handicapped access. OC Transpo Sales & Information Centres
will accommodate handicapped customers.
For photo identification cards, customers in large wheelchairs are
recommended to use the Place de Ville location. Para Transpo offers transportation service to qualified
physically disabled customers.
As mentioned under section 1, the OC Transpo and City
of Ottawa phone centres are able to handle inquiries from hearing-impaired
clients through the use of TTY machines and Bell Relay. Visually impaired clients can obtain more
detailed information on bus routes and stops via the visual impaired line at OC
Transpo.
Hours of Operation
Business hours are established corporately. However, with modern communication
technology now available to staff such as web pages, e-mail, fax machines,
voice mail, cellular phones, pagers, etc., it is a very rare occasion that
staff cannot accommodate a request for service within normal working hours, or
a special accommodation for information pick-up that has been arranged.
For Transportation, Utilities and Public
Works, most public transactional services (except OC
Transpo) are provided either by phone or via the Client Service Centres (water
bill payments, parking infraction payments, parking permits, etc.).
Traffic and Parking facilities open to the general
public are manned during lunch breaks to ensure a continuity of service.
OC Transpo’s Sales & Information Centres have
varying hours with most sites open at 7 am each weekday, and most sites closing
at either 7 pm or 9 pm. Three locations
are open half days on Saturdays, and the Rideau Centre is a 7-day a week
operation.
OC Transpo’s Telephone Information Centre is open
Monday to Friday, 7 am to 9 pm, Saturday 8 am to 9 pm, and Sundays 9 am to 6
pm.
The Lost and Found facilities for OC Transpo are
located at Heartwood House (153 Chapel St.) and are open Monday, Tuesday and
Friday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
The Transportation, Utilities and Public
Works Department is currently developing a protocol to ensure that items
arising from Safety Audits submitted to the City are actioned upon in an
effective manner.
Services offered by Development Services (building,
planning and development permits and information) may be accessed through a
variety of mechanisms: in person at
Client Services Centres located throughout the City with extended hours of
operation to better address the needs of the general public, via e-mail, or by
telephoning the City’s 24/7 Call Centre.
Delivery of services on-site, such as inspections
related to the enforcement of the Property Standards By-Law, is generally
provided between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. unless there is a life
safety hazard which requires immediate attention, in which case the Call Centre
would contact key personnel for off-hour response.
The Client
Service Centre operates on extended hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday to
Friday, as compared to regular core operating hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. The Client Service Centres are
also open during lunch hours, as compared to some other government operations
where services are temporarily interrupted.
In addition, the Call Centre operates 24/7.
It is important
to note that the City has an obligation to operate within an Enterprise
Culture, that is to say to maintain, or adopt, work practices that focus on
continuous improvement, best value and a competitive approach to the delivery
of services.
The City does offer a variety of services
outside the 8 am to 5 pm time frame.
With the introduction of a harmonized, comprehensive programme registration
and facility bookings system women may now visit a variety of recreation
complexes to register for any programme across the City. Many of these centres are open until 11 p.m.
The City of Ottawa focuses on e-services as a
means of bringing services to client’s homes 24 hours a day, seven days a
week. Several on-line services are now
available including:
·
On-line maps
·
Calendar of events
·
Dog license renewals
·
Garbage and recycling calendars
·
Last minute arena ice bookings
·
An on-line store selling maps
·
Parking ticket payments
·
Selected sports programme registration and information
·
City Council and Committee Agendas and Meetings
·
Listings of Child Care Services in Ottawa
The City is committed to rolling more services
on the City’s e-Portal in the near future.
The City
employees may be accessed through the on-line employee directory on the City’s
portal at http://city.ottawa.on.ca/apps/empdir/index_en.shtml.
The City’s web
site provides the location the nearest childcare facility or Community Centre,
the latter available through interactive Map.
The following site allows women to view recreation programs available in
their area
http://city.ottawa.on.ca/city_services/recreation/22_0_en.shtml.
Client Service Centres hours of operation
are such to meet the demand of the population, all the while operating within
an enterprise culture. Three main
Client Service Centres operate 8:00 – 5:00 Monday-Friday, with three others
operating 8:00 – 4:00. In addition, the
City’s Call Centre operates 24/7.
Finally, many services are available 24/7 through the City’s
website. The Client Service Centre will
continue to monitor and modify its hours of operation in conjunction with
operating budgets and client demand.
Future Initiatives
The Smart Growth Plan highlights the importance of the
transportation network to the achievement of livable communities and a green
city. The Plan supports reducing per
capita reliance on the automobile, thereby reducing the need to extend costly
road infrastructure. One way to help
achieve this is through a greater emphasis on developing land in a way that is
less automobile-dependent, by means such as increasing transit accessibility
and expanding walking and cycling connections.
Rapid transit stations can better serve the neighbourhoods in
which they are located by acting as focal points for employment, retail,
leisure uses and housing. Locating
transit stations in existing single purpose employment areas, such as business
parks, can provide the catalyst to spur intensification and the introduction of
other more varied land use.
Future work
plans include the completion of the Bayshore rapid transit station and the
development of a rapid transit station in the Centrum area of Kanata. Future O-Train proposals include extending
the light rail system to Gatineau (Hull), the airport, and introducing an
east-west line.
Council
has recently approved a rural transit plan which provides new levels of transit
service to the rural community starting in September 2002 (certain areas were
removed from the original recommendations, per Council direction). In spring, 2002, Transit Services met with
Councillors and Community Associations to finalize the schedules and routings
for Manotick, Stittsville and Navan. A
rural strategy and routing system has been finalized, and service began
September 3rd. The new rural
system includes regular collector routes that will connect outlying areas to
regular transit, and rural express routes which will connect outlying areas to
the downtown core during peak periods.
Community
Information Days (for rural service) have been set for September 7th
(Manotick and Stittsville) and September 14th (Navan and
Richmond). Staff will be available to
answer questions, hand out timetables, and take photos for transit pass ID
cards. Rural transit will be free for
the month of September, giving our clients a chance to see for themselves that
the service is convenient and efficient.
Nine (9) new Park & Ride lots have
been arranged with rural property owners to make travel easier. As well, 15 new vendors of passes and
tickets have been set up in the rural areas covered by the new service.
The People
Services Department, Employment and Financial Services Branch has been involved
in the restructuring and co-location of District Offices and Employment
Resource Centres and will continue to do so. This has made employment and financial
services integrated and more accessible to clients.
Training
A Management Forum was held on June 20,
2002, for Transportation,
Utilities and Public Works management staff,
including Program Managers, Managers, Directors and the General Manager. The Forum included an awareness session
(presented by the Canadian Institute for a Just Society) on the subject of
citizens with disabilities and how we can better respond to their needs.
Services Available
Child-minding
and cultural interpretation are available at District Offices and Employment
Resource Centres. Provision of outreach
and home visiting are also available in rural areas and for individuals who are
unable to access services. For example home visiting is provided through
various Public Health Programs (e.g. Healthy Babies Healthy Children).
In addition the People Services Department provides
gender specific programs for women thereby also addressing an aspect of women’s
needs. These include the Women in Sport Program as well as various employment
initiatives such as Focus for Change, Women in Non-Traditional Occupations,
Women in Skilled Trades and Employment Skills for Women.
Child-minding
and cultural interpretation are available within the emergency family shelters
to afford cultural sensitivity and ensure access to available services.
The Employment and Financial Assistance Branch also
contracts the services of cultural interpreters when attending appointments in
private homes, hospitals and domiciliary hostels. For example home visiting is provided through various Public
Health Programs (e.g. Healthy Babies Healthy Children) and by Employment and
Financial Assistance Staff. Staff also
visits domiciliary hostels, hospitals, etc., in order to facilitate the
delivery of social assistance benefits.
In terms of access to
services for rural women, the Public Health Branch has a Rural Health Team that
uses a variety of methods to distribute all Public Health materials to women in
the rural communities of Cumberland, Goulbourn, Osgoode, Rideau and West
Carleton Wards. The Team uses 17 bulletin boards throughout the
rural areas and workshops and special events are organized and hosted in the
daytime and evening. Articles promoting health have been included in the local
newspapers. The Team also attends the Richmond, Carp and Metcalfe Fairs and
brings various health messages and resources.
The recommendation regarding the City of Ottawa ensuring
its services are provided equitably and transparently will be considered as
part of the Marketing Strategy which will be developed by Communications &
Marketing with Peoples Services this fall.
Recommendation (7)
Request all City departments review their current
agreements with their community partners in order to find opportunities to
improve women's knowledge of municipal services through these partners, and
fund those community organizations accordingly.
Traffic & Parking has Purchase of Service
Agreements with the Ottawa-Carleton Safety Council to provide road related
safety training, and with Citizens for Safe Cycling to provide cycling training
courses to the public. The Safety
Council operates the Safety Village at Britannia Park. The Safety Council does provide a valuable
service in their inventory of other non-profit organizations in the community,
and they refer callers to other agencies as required.
For Transit Services, OC Transpo has been directed to
identify $10,000 within the existing 2002 budget for WACAV (see issue 3, above)
to continue to conduct safety audits of transit facilities, the work to be
prioritized in conjunction with OC Transpo.
As a part of our agreement with Pattison
Outdoor Advertising, Pattison will provide the City with a minimum of three to
five Transit Cards (interior bus advertising) per bus (and up to 10% of the
available space) to advertise for its own non-commercial use. The City may also use up to fifty “King-size
bus Posters” and thirty “Tail Posters”.
This form of advertising offers the City an opportunity to reach a wide
cross-section of the population.
The Department will continue to utilize the services
of the Women’s Action Centre Against Violence (WACAV) to review capital
projects with respect to safety and security issues where appropriate. Staff of the Planning and Infrastructure
Approval and Planning, Environment & Infrastructure Policy Branches will be
contacting WACAV in the near future to determine applicable projects and review
details.
The People Services Department will continue to
expand on community networks and partnerships such as those that currently
exist with community houses, community health and resource centers and other
community agencies.
·
The Department will also continue to
collaborate with the School Boards
·
The Community Funding Branch of People
Services currently provides funding to a number of organizations that focus on
women’s needs as well as accessibility. These include:
Women's
Action Centre Against Violence (WACAV)
The Centre works with individual women and communities of people to
conduct safety. WACAV will conduct safety audits of the O-C transit stations to
address the concerns of transit users and improve the safety of the Regional
public transportation.
WAVAC also provides training and orientation to the issues on
violence against women to key personnel in the security field.
Women's Place aux femmes
Information and Referral services for women reaching a large
component of ethno-racial minorities
St
Mary's Home
Reaching Out to Pregnant Youth at Risk
Counseling: Prenatal residential, postnatal residential, prenatal
community programs and supports, postnatal community programs and services
associated with Public Health Nurses, etc.
The
Well
The Day Program is provided for "at risk" women and
children and includes a food program.
The People Services Department will continue
providing funding to organizations with a focus on women’s needs and
accessibility to services. People
Services will undertake to review the feasibility of working with these
organizations to ensure that comprehensive information regarding municipal
services is made available to their staff and clients.
The People Services Department will
continue to expand on community networks and partnerships such as those that
currently exist with community houses, community health and resource centers,
cultural interpretation services, employment initiatives and community
placements and other community agencies.
One such example is the
Health Grants project which funds women groups' initiatives and ethnic groups'
initiatives every year. Also, in accordance with the
2003 policies and procedures of the Community Project Grant Program, the
Department supports ethnic and racial minorities and aboriginal groups.
Recommendation (8)
Develop a Corporate strategy on community
consultation on its programs and services that included continuing
consultations with women on planning and evaluating facilities, services and
programs, for example through consultations on the Official Plan and People
Services' Human Service Plan.
Most construction and traffic projects in the
Transportation, Utilities and Public Works (TUPW) involve a strong public
consultation component to ensure that all impacted groups are informed of the
project and provided an opportunity to comment. To augment the targeted groups, notices are place in the major
and community newspapers to inform the public of the project and provide
instructions on how to access the information.
For some projects, flyers are also distributed to affected households.
Each winter/spring, OC Transpo initiates their
Transplan program. Through public
consultation at open houses in affected communities, feedback via e-mail and
feedback forms, OC Transpo offers the public a chance to comment on and make
suggestions for changes for the upcoming year (normally implemented in
September).
TUPW will continue to work with WACAV on
safety audits of transit facilities.
Meetings are arranged with WACAV on a regular basis to receive updates
and provide feedback on improvements made.
A Corporate working group has been formed to deal with all safety audits
in a timely and efficient manner.
From the perspective of the Emergency and Protective
Services Department (EPS), the single most significant initiative impacting
women that was undertaken by the Department in the past year was the
development of a new Fire Services Recruitment Program (approved by Council in
August 2001). The
new recruitment program included adoption of the Candidate Physical Ability
Test (CPAT) that has been established as a fair and valid physical test free of
gender bias that accurately tests the occupational requirements of
firefighters. The new recruitment
program also includes an outreach program intended to attract a diversity of
candidates, including women, who may not have been aware of, or previously
considered, the stimulating career that firefighting provides.
The EPS Department is working with the People
Services Department on the development of the Human Services Plan. Recommendation 9 proposes that a Corporate
Strategy on community consultation be developed to enhance consultation with
women on initiatives such as the Human Services Plan and the Official
Plan. The EPS Department is committed
to undertaking consultations consistent with the corporate strategy, once
developed and, in general, undertakes to be mindful of all impacted stakeholder
groups when developing consultation strategies for its programs and services.
In addition to approval by Council, the report was also
forwarded to the City’s Equity and Diversity Committee to obtain that
Committee’s comments and suggestions respecting the proposed outreach program
(which was developed in conjunction with Human Resources and the Communications
and Marketing Branch).
In the fall of 2001, the Ottawa Fire
Services undertook a broad-based advertising campaign including advertisements
placed in local daily newspapers and community newspapers as well as
information announcements on local television and radio stations.
Outreach materials were placed in City
facilities (community centres, arenas, libraries) as well as other appropriate
suitable places including educational facilities (universities, colleges),
career counseling and job placement agencies as well as agencies representing
members from designated groups.
Fire Services Recruitment staff
attended the World Skills Job fair
at Lansdowne Park, which was attended by over 1500 new Canadians and made
presentations to students in the Algonquin College fire recruitment program.
As
a result of the outreach program, there has been a significant (80%) increase
in the number of applications received by women in 2002. The OFS hiring process is scheduled to take
place in November of 2002. Results of
the 2002 hiring process will be reported to the Emergency and Protective
Services Committee.
Human Services Plan
The EPS Department is working with the People Services
Department on the development of the Human Services Plan, which is one of five
plans being developed as part of the Ottawa 20/20 process. All of the plans are to be guided by the Charting
a Course principles that were approved by Council in June 2002 and are intended
to manage Ottawa’s growth over the next two decades. The Human Services Plan is focused on the “human” (health, wellness, quality of life,
emergency preparedness) aspect of the City's growth plan.
The EPS Department has worked with the People Services
Department to identify strategies that support the Charting a Course
principles. Key strategies have been
consolidated with those of the other 4 charting a course plans for initial
broad-based public consultations scheduled to take place from mid September
through early November.
An initial draft of the Human Services Plan is scheduled to
be released to stakeholders in October of this year. Council will consider the final document in March of 2003. Both the EPS and People Services Departments
will continue to consult with stakeholders during development of the Human
Services Plan.
The Smart Growth Summit and subsequent “Charting a
Course” and Official Plan processes are part of an ongoing year-long public
consultation program which has been designed to guide the development of the
City’s growth management plans. For
example, February 2002 consultation activities on Charting a Course included
ten town hall sessions throughout the City, facilitated discussions groups, a
televised interactive session and the option to participate electronically
through the Ottawa 20/20 website. These
sessions provided feedback for over 1000 community organizations that also
received copies of the report in addition to all public libraries and Client
Services Centres, and include a consultation workbook containing open and
closed questions posed in non-technical language to solicit feedback from a
wide variety of community stakeholders.
Development Services will continue utilizing these and other multiple
consultation options as we move forward in the development of a new Official
Plan. Should WACAV see a need to
comment on the new “go forward” plans for the new City it is assumed these feedback
programs will provide them the appropriate mechanisms to comment to the City.
The department continues to utilize multiple consultation
options as part of the city’s Ottawa 20/20 initiative to ensure the views of a
wide variety of community stakeholders are obtained. Over thirty public
consultation workshops on the five growth management plans have been scheduled
commencing September 12th. These facilitated bilingual sessions will
be held at locations throughout the city during evening hours and on
Saturdays. Notices have been placed in
community newspapers and posted on the Ottawa 20/20 website to enable
members of the public to choose which event would be of interest and/or
convenience to attend. Invitation
letters are also being sent to all community associations, special interest
groups and individuals who have requested to be included on Ottawa 20/20’s
mailing list. Individuals not able to
attend a scheduled event may still participate by completing a workshop kit
on-line or by obtaining a kit from all Client Service Centres and public
libraries that may be returned to the city in a postage paid envelope.
In addition, staff has worked closely
with Councillor Elizabeth Arnold and the Women’s Access Group to organize a
workshop to foster discussion on the growth management plans and the group’s
recommendations regarding access to municipal services. This particular workshop was held on
Saturday October 5th, in the Champlain Room at City Hall. Special feedback templates were designed to
capture this combined input.
The People
Services Arts and Heritage and Human Service Plans will include participatory
consultation. These will include outreach and focus groups as well as other
methods than the traditional consultative processes in an effort to capture the
input of all citizens.
Various
departmental branches engage in public consultation to assist with planning,
delivery and implementation of their respective services. The Community Services Branch conduct
community consultation on a broad range of topics from childcare to recreation
and invite relevant stakeholders groups, women’s sport and community
associations are a part of those consulted. The Public Health Branch has held
consultations with:
(1) Anglophone and Francophone communities for the Women's
Passport to Health.
(2) Chinese, Italian, Anglophone and Francophone communities
for Breast Cancer.
(3) Francophone community for Cervical Cancer.
(4) Somali community for
Reaching Out project and English as a Second Language health curriculum. The department continues to consult and
liaise with the City of Ottawa Advisory Committees.
Recommendation (9)
That Human Resources consider the need for cultural
awareness training for municipal staff, to foster both an inclusive workplace
environment and improved quality of service to the diversity of people in
Ottawa, and make recommendations on this matter as part of the 2003 budget
process.
The 2002 Workplan and Budget for the Labour Relations
Branch of the Human Resources Department includes a program that will undertake
to develop, implement and provide training on Cultural and Diversity
issues. An Equity and Diversity Policy
for the City of Ottawa was approved by Council on November 5, 2002 and a pilot
project has already been initiated with the Centre D'Acceuil Champlain. This policy was established in consultation
with the City’s Equity and Diversity Committee.
As a part of the recommendations from the Coroner’s
Inquest, OC Transpo implemented a series of employee sessions entitled “Respectful
Workplace”. These sessions are designed
to build respect for all of your fellow employees and customers, regardless of
race, sex, disability, etc.
Client Service Centre staff have received Harassment
training both from the aspect of workplace harassment, and harassment from
clients. HR has confirmed that it is
putting together corporate customer service training sessions and Client
Service Centre has been consulted as to relevant content.
The Community Services and Public Health and Long Term Care
Branches will conduct annual staff training regarding multicultural populations
for Family Health staff in cooperation with Public Health & Long Term Care
Branch, with the potential to expand to include Recreation and child care
staff.
In addition staff
are members of the Multicultural Health Coalition that includes a number of
community partners.
Recommendation (10)
Council request that the City Manager's Office
coordinate an interdepartmental review of the report and recommendations of the
Working Group on Women's Access to Municipal Services and report to Corporate
Services and Economic Development Committee in 2002.
The City Manager’s Office is working closely with the
Councillor Arnold and the Working Group on Women’s Access to Municipal Services
on this report and recommendations.
A staff member from the City Manager’s Office
attended the first International Seminar on Women's Safety in Montreal. In addition, a workshop was held on October
5th at City Hall with the Working Group and the public to solicit
feedback and foster discussion on the steps taken to date with respect to the
recommendations.
Recommendation (11)
Council support in principle measures to
improve women's access to municipal services and involvement with municipal governance
and continue in a partnership model with the community.
On February 27th, 2002 Council
approved the following recommendations from the Women’s Access to Municipal
Services – Final Reports from the Working Group:
1. That the Working Group report recommendations be forwarded to
the City Manager, and that the City Manager be charged with forwarding the
recommendations to the relevant departments for review and implementation as
appropriate;
2. That the City Manager report to Corporate Services and Economic
Development Committee on the status of the review and implementation of these
recommendations by November 30, 2002;
3. That the City of Ottawa will continue to work in partnership
with the community on issues of women’s access to municipal government.
