Draft accessibility action plan aims to make interacting with the City of Surrey barrier-free

Surrey, B.C. – Surrey has drafted an accessibility action plan with the aim to identify, remove and prevent barriers to individuals working in or interacting with the City of Surrey. As of September 1, 2023, the draft plan was made available on the City website in accordance with regulations under the Province’s Accessible British Columbia Act (ABCA).

“Our regular updating of the Accessibility Action Plan is proof of the City of Surrey’s commitment to make workplaces, services and environments accessible and welcoming to people of all ages and abilities,” said Mayor Brenda Locke. “I invite you to provide your feedback. Together, we are building a barrier-free Surrey.”

The plan, which must be updated every three years, outlines Surrey’s commitment to accessibility and the framework and guiding documents behind the City’s accessibility work.

The plan also outlines actions that are organized according to five key focus areas and considers the breadth of the services, facilities and communications provided by the City of Surrey. The actions are prioritized as short term, long term, and ongoing.

Recognizing the importance of continuing to improve our programs and services, the City has set up an online form on its website, where residents are encouraged to submit feedback. Feedback can also be submitted by email and phone.

The City’s accessibility action plan and feedback mechanism, along with its already established accessibility advisory committee in the form of the Surrey Accessibility Leadership Team, meets all three of the Province’s accessibility requirements for prescribed organizations as of September 1, 2023.

The draft plan was developed in collaboration with the Surrey Accessibility Leadership Team (SALT) and the City’s internal accessibility advisory committee. The two groups will continue to work through each of the actions in the plan and will consider public feedback as they work towards a final version. The plan will then be presented for council consideration before it is formally adopted this fall.

To learn more about the City of Surrey’s Accessibility Plan, visit the City website.