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The Township of Spallumcheen is happy to report that at the Monday, June 19, 2023 Regular Council Meeting, Spallumcheen Council approved becoming a member of the Inter-municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee through the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) and the other 5 member municipalities of Armstrong, Coldstream, Enderby, Lumby, Vernon. On June 17, 2021, the province legislated the Accessibility British Columbia Act, which came into effect on September 1, 2022. The legislation requires that local governments must have an Accessibility Committee and have a plan implemented by September 1, 2023
The purpose of the Inter-municipal Accessibility Plan is to identify, remove and prevent barriers to individuals in or interacting with the RDNO and member municipalities. Barriers may be present in the built environment, information and communications, or the delivery of programs or services that are within the RDNO and member municipalities' jurisdiction. The Terms of Reference for the Inter-municipal Accessibility Committee and additional information can be found at the RDNO website.
Once the Terms of Reference for the Committee were endorsed on June 21, 2023, recruitment began for committee members. A joint media release was sent out on June 26, 2023 encouraging people to apply for the new Inter-municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee, notification was placed in the RDNO weekly ad in the Vernon Morning Star and weekly posts were made on the RDNO Facebook page.
The following individuals have been appointed to the Inter-Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee: • Davida Maitland, • Leah Plomp, • Doreen Stanton, • Scott James, • Debbie Moore; and • Givonna De Bruin.
At the July 16, 2025 Regional Board of Directors meeting, the North Okanagan Accessibility Plan (“Plan”) was endorsed. This Plan was created in response to the requirements of the Accessible BC Act and its associated regulations, which require that local governments establish an accessibility committee, develop an accessibility plan, and implement a mechanism for public feedback. Instead of each community doing this on their own, the RDNO and member municipalities worked together to form a regional committee and develop one shared plan with the assistance of grant funding from Disability Alliance BC.
After receiving input from over 200 residents and staff, the Accessibility Plan was developed in collaboration by the RDNO, its member communities, the Inter-municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) and consultant, Urban Matters CCC. The AAC contributed to the design of the public engagement process and participated in a workshop with staff to review survey findings. These insights informed the creation of an action plan which focuses on six main areas:
Continued updates on the Inter-Municipality Accessibility Committee can be found on the RDNO Website. Agendas and Minutes of the meetings can be found on the RDNO Website.