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Accessibility
Accessibility in the City of Thunder Bay
The City of Thunder Bay is committed to making its facilities, infrastructure and services accessible to people of all abilities. From recreation facilities, to curb cuts, to the City staff you interact with when you pay your utility bills. We are working toward a barrier-free Thunder Bay in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with a Disability Act (AODA), 2005 and the City's Accessibility Policy.
Concerns about accessibility? Please Contact:
| Visit/Mail: | Accessibility Feedback Office of the City Clerk 500 Donald St. E. Thunder Bay ON P7E 5V3 |
| Tel: | (807) 625-2230 |
| Fax: | (807) 625-2233 |
| TTY: | (807) 622-2225 |
| Email: | accessibility@thunderbay.ca |
Check out our Accessibility Videos highlighting some of the accessibility accomplishments in our City provided by the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services.
Service Animals 
The City's Service Animal policy enables Service Animals to enter any of the City facilities and events, unless they are otherwise excluded by law. This policy does not apply to pets. Service animal owners may be requested to provide proof of their Service Animal in the form of a letter from a doctor or nurse, a service animal identification card or any other means of verification. Look for the "No Pets, Service Animals Welcome" sign at some City facilities.
If you would like to use the City of Thunder Bay's Service Animal sign for your organization, business, or facility please contact the City of Thunder Bay Printing and Graphics Division at 625-2272. Note that the sign available to the public does not include the City of Thunder Bay logo.
transit accessibility
The City Transit's fleet is 100% accessible. The new Transit Master Plan is turning its attention to, among other areas, existing barriers to transit use by people with disabilities. Find out how accessible transit is for people with disabilities.emergency preparedness
Find copies of Public Safety Canada's Emergency Preparedness Guide for the general public and people with disabilities in PDF and Text formats. This guide provides information on preparing yourself for emergencies.Emergency Evacuation of City Buildings
Accomodation for people with disabilities is included in emergency evacuation procedures for City Facilities. Please communicate any emergency evacuation needs that you have to City staff when using a City Facility. Below is a PDFdocument of this procedure.
Adobe PDF, 3 pages, 11 KBInclusion Services: Recreation and Culture program supports
Learn about this City service that facilitates access to Recreation & Culture Division programs and facilities. A wide spectrum of support is available, from helping you to get started, to one-on-one support from trained Inclusion Facilitators and volunteers. This service is available to people aged five years and over. Inclusion Services also administers the Personal Attendant for Leisure (PAL) Card which allows free access to support people attending with a person with a disability.Sidewalks, Curb Cuts and audible Crossing Signals
The Roads Division maintains Sidewalk Renewal and Curb Cut programs to update sidewalk surfaces and curb cuts that limit accessibility. They also maintain a partnership with the CNIB and the Accessibility Advisory Committee to ensure that audible crossing signals are added to the crossing signal inventory as barriers are identified and resources become available. You can help improve accessibility by making the City aware of any accessibility barriers around our city.
AUDIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS (APS)
To assist people with vision impairments in using crosswalks, a number of crossing signals have been equipped with an audible signal called an audible pedestrian signal (APS). To activate the APS a user must hold the crossing signal button for 4 or more seconds.
The APS audible indications feature a "cuckoo" sound in the north-south direction and a "chirp" sound in the east-west direction. Newer installations since 2009 now feature a"Canadian Melody" sound incorporating multiple frequencies with higher harmonics. Locations of Canadian Melody are indicated in the location list below with astericks.
The City currently has 18 intersections equipped with APS to supplement the visual walk display as listed below:
River/ Madeline, Algoma/Bay, Algoma/Red River, Arthur/James, Arthur/Edward, May/Donald, Cumberland/Camelot, Frederica/Brown, Red River mid block crosswalk (Arthur's Square), Dawson/Strand, Red River/Junot, Academy/Balmoral crosswalk, Memorial/Isabel *, Fort William Road/Isabel *, Red River/Pine*, John/Junot*, Harbour Expressway/Fort William Road*, Red River/Cumberland*, Oliver/LU Fieldhouse*
You can provide feedback on the functioning and location of audible crossing signals by using the City of Thunder Bay Accessibility Feedback Process. The CNIB also maintains a committee that assists with the recommendation for installation of new signals and in identifying the required maintenance of existing ones. Contact the CNIB for information on becoming involved with this committee.
Snow Clearing
Concerns regarding snow clearing on roads and sidewalks can be directed to 684-2195.
Thunder Bay Public Library
Find out about the accessibility features at Thunder Bay Public Library branches.
Archives
Archives has a Spectrum Optelec magnifier. This device will magnify archived documents so that they are enlarged and easier to see. This magnifier is also available for non-archival purposes during business hours Monday to Friday from 8:30 - 4:30.
Accessibility Guide
This a great guide to the accessible features of facilities operated by the Corporation of the City of Thunder Bay, Confederation College, Lakehead Public Schools, Lakehead University, St. Joseph's Care Group, Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. This version is currently under revision. Watch for the updated version.
Annual accessibility Plan
Check out Thunder Bay's Annual Accessibility Plan, which is made possible with the input of people with disabilities through the Accessibility Advisory Committee and citizens of our community. The Plan identifies barriers removed in the past and barriers to be removed in the future.Some ACcessibility accomplishments we are proud of
- In 2011, Tourism updated their Thunder Bay Experience Guide to include information for travellers with disabilities
- In 2011, Barrier- Free washrooms were added to the Chalet at Centennial Park
- In 2011, the Thunder Bay 55 Plus Centre upgrade their entrace to include more accessible features
- In 2011, the Canada Games Complex lobby renovation including significiant improvements to accessibility
- In 2010, a newly renovated Archives building that now includes an accessible parking space and an accessible entrance
- Compliance with Regulation 429/07 (Customers Services Standard) of the Accessibility for Ontarians with a Disability Act (AODA, 2005) as of March 31, 2010
- The new stage at Marina Park, which includes a ramp so that people who use wheelchairs and those who have difficulty climbing stairs can gain equal access
- Accessibility Awareness Training for all Corporation staff, volunteers and contractors
- Portable Pool Lifts at the Canada Games Complex, Volunteer Pool and Sir Winston Churchill Pool
- Construction of an accessible washroom and change area at Volunteer Pool, as well as the inclusion of strobe fire alarms and contrasting colours around doorways
- Our sidewalk renovations, which take into consideration a safe and uniform walking surface, with ramps incorporated at each intersection
- A transit bus fleet that is 100 per cent accessible for those with mobility disabilities
Read more about the City of Thunder Bay's accessibility achievements.
"May I Help You?" - Accessibility Standards for Customer Service
This resource (link below) gives some excellent background on how the City of Thunder Bay is making its customer services more accessible to people of all abilities. It includes information on the City's policies and practices in areas such as guide dogs and service animals, support persons, feedback mechanisms, assistive devices and disruption of services, as well as information on how we are prepared to serve people with various disabilities. This resource can also be used by contractors working in City facilities to comply with the training requirements of the Accessible Customer Service Regulation.
Adobe PDF, 9 pages, 134 KB
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