Accessibility Advisory Committee = AAC, Built Environment Sub-committee = BESC

The AAC is an advisory committee of Peterborough’s City Council, as required by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act for every municipality in Ontario with a population of 10,000 or more. The AAC provides advice to Council on how to make the City of Peterborough more accessible for everyone. The committee provides suggestions on how our policies, services, programs, information, employment, transit, public spaces, parks and facilities can be more accessible. The committee also administers a City budget item called the “Access Fund” through a formal application and reporting process. The Access Fund is used for City projects to enhance accessibility, remove and prevent barriers and help exceed minimum legislated accessibility requirements.

The BESC is a standing sub-committee under the AAC that focuses on a few key legislative functions. The BESC participates in a planning process under the Planning Act called “Site Plan Control”, where Planning staff circulate site plan drawings for proposed developments in Peterborough and the committee provides recommendations on how to make those developments more accessible. The committee also reviews new construction and renovation projects related to facilities on City property. Recommendations from the BESC are shared with City staff and circulated to development applicants.