Part 1: Helping Small Businesses Get Accessible: Inside PEC’s “Access the County” Initiative - 8/22/2023
- PECConnect
- Aug 22, 2023
- 4 min read
The Accessibility Advisory Committee met virtually on August 22, 2023, with the meeting livestreamed and recorded for public access. The agenda was approved, no pecuniary interests were declared, and there were no public comments.
The main purpose of the meeting was to review and approve a major accessibility initiative focused on helping local businesses meet accessibility requirements, along with related outreach and planning work.
View the entire PEC Council meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes>
Access the County grant application
A detailed presentation was given on a proposed project called Access the County, which is a funding application submitted to the province under the Enabling Change Program.
The project is designed to help the County businesses understand and meet AODA requirements, with a focus on small businesses with 20 employees or fewer. The project aims to create long-term tools, training, and resources that continue to be useful beyond the one-year grant period.
The committee reviewed how the application was developed, how it aligns with the County’s Accessibility Action Plan, and how it supports education, awareness, and compliance across the business community.
Why small businesses are the focus
The presentation explained that more than 92 percent of businesses in the County have fewer than 20 employees. Many of these businesses do not have dedicated HR or compliance resources, making AODA requirements harder to navigate.
Because of this, the project focuses on practical, easy-to-use tools that small businesses can realistically apply.
Project goals and structure
The project goals include building strong relationships with business organizations, identifying gaps in accessibility knowledge, and developing training and resources that address real-world barriers.
The project is structured in six phases, starting with planning and needs assessment, followed by research, development, implementation, and evaluation.
The project also emphasizes respect, dignity, and inclusion, including both visible and invisible disabilities.
Business outreach and partnerships
An update was provided on early outreach work with local business organizations, including tourism groups, business associations, and the Chamber of Commerce.
These conversations highlighted strong interest in accessibility but also confusion around compliance, responsibility, cost, and where to start. Many businesses expressed concern about funding and asked about grants or incentives.
The committee discussed forming a business working group made up of business leaders from different sectors, along with youth representation, to guide the work and help spread awareness.
Surveys and data gathering
The committee discussed ways to assess current accessibility levels across businesses. One key idea was to use an existing fall business survey rather than creating a new one, to avoid survey fatigue.
The goal is to understand where businesses are struggling with AODA compliance, not to audit or penalize them.
Accessibility resources and tools
The committee reviewed an Accessibility Fact Sheet intended for business outreach, as well as a conceptual idea for an AODA walkthrough or mystery shopper program.
Members agreed these tools should remain flexible, focus on education rather than enforcement, and be refined further before implementation.
Decisions and next steps
Several motions were passed to move the work forward, including endorsing the Access the County project, continuing outreach regardless of grant approval, developing a business working group framework, and coordinating survey questions with existing business outreach efforts.
The meeting ended with confirmation of the next meeting date.
Key Takeaways
Accessibility support for businesses is being approached through education, not enforcement. The committee’s focus is on helping businesses understand AODA requirements and giving them the tools to comply, rather than introducing penalties or strict oversight.
Small businesses are at the center of this work and need practical, usable support. With most local businesses having fewer than 20 employees, the project is designed to provide simple training, clear resources, and realistic steps that owners can actually apply without dedicated compliance staff.
The work is moving forward regardless of funding outcomes. While the Access the County project depends on provincial grant approval, the committee has committed to continuing outreach, partnerships, and planning so accessibility improvements are not delayed.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 1:31:37. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.
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