Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction Shane Simpson hosted a roundtable at Lii Michif Otipemisiwak on Tuesday afternoon (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

DISABILITY ACT

B.C. minister of social development hosts roundtable to discuss accessibility legislation

Nov 12, 2019 | 8:58 PM

KAMLOOPS — The B.C. government is going around the province looking for feedback from local officials and people living with disabilities to shape new accessibility legislation it hopes to have passed next year.

Shane Simpson visited Kamloops on Tuesday to meet with local stakeholders at Lii Michif Otipemisiwak. He listened to feedback on what Kamloops feels should be included in the NDP’s Disability Act the party hopes is law at this time in 2020.

“We identified a number of areas that are particularly important,” said Simpson on Tuesday. “Employment. Creating greater employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Addressing transportation issues for persons who have mobility challenges and others. Built environments — buildings, ramps, sidewalks, all of those areas.”

Kamloops resident Trish Rhode was invited to be part of the roundtable. She knows about challenges of living in a wheelchair. She would like to see changes to the Tenancy Act in B.C. to help people with disabilities, as well as see improvements to transportation.

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“Now, the population of people living with disabilities has grown to almost 25 per cent of our population. So things like public transportation, you do not see that reflected on city buses, taxis, etc. Handy Dart is a wonderful service, but they’re very regimented. You need to have two days advanced notice. They’re stretched to capacity,” said Rhode.

Kamloops resident Trish Rhode, who lives in a wheelchair, was a representative with disabilities who was part of Tuesday’s roundtable with Shane Simpson (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

Simpson and his ministry will take the feedback from communities and write the legislation in the spring before tabling the Disability Act.