Pickering invites residents to help shape five-year accessibility plan

Pickering residents will have a direct hand in setting the City's accessibility priorities for the next five years. The City is inviting residents, caregivers, and community organizations to join a series of upcoming focus groups as it develops its Multi-Year Accessibility Plan.

According to the City of Pickering, the sessions build on earlier public consultation and are meant to hear directly from people who experience accessibility barriers, as well as those who support and advocate for them.

Participants will be asked to share their experiences, identify challenges, and suggest improvements to City services, programs, facilities, and public spaces. The City says the feedback will guide its accessibility priorities through 2031 and shape efforts to create a more inclusive community.

How to take part

The City is offering both in-person and virtual sessions tailored to different community groups, in an effort to widen participation.

All in-person focus groups will be held at the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex in the O'Brien Room, with refreshments served. Participants who register for a virtual session will receive their meeting details by email in advance.

For anyone unable to attend their designated focus group, an additional session has been scheduled for Thursday, November 5, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Pickering Central Library.

Online survey open as alternative

Residents who can't make it to a focus group can still contribute through the City's online accessibility survey at LetsTalkPickering.ca/Accessible.

Registration is available through an online form, or by contacting the City's Accessibility Coordinator, Timothy Higgins, at 905.420.4660 ext. 3608 or thiggins@pickering.ca.

The City notes that accessibility touches how people navigate public spaces, access information, and interact with municipal services, programs, and facilities. By hearing directly from the community, it says it can better understand what is working, where barriers remain, and which improvements will have the greatest impact.