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Adaptability Canada to deliver accessibility solutions for members of Ontario Municipal Social Services Association - Environmental Communication Options/Huff Strategy

Adaptability Canada to deliver accessibility solutions for members of Ontario Municipal Social Services Association

Jul 15th, 2014 4:29 AM

Media Release (Toronto, ON, July 15, 2014) Adaptability Canada and the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA) are pleased to announce their partnership to support excellence in integrating accessibility standards into municipal human services system management. Adaptability Canada will provide OMSSA members with consulting solutions such as accessible property assessments, construction accessibility audits and strategic consulting centered on aligning aging-at-home and accessibility strategies. By working together, Adaptability Canada and OMSSA will help municipalities continue to create open, healthy and thriving communities, maximizing the value of public investment. OMSSA is the association of Ontario’s 47 Consolidated Municipal Service Managers (CMSMs) and District Social Services Administration Boards (DSSABs). It is comprised of the cities, regions, counties and districts that plan, manage and deliver housing, shelter, children, income assistance and employment services. “At OMSSA, we recognize the importance of improving services to communities, including to the more vulnerable segments of the Ontario population,” said Kira Heineck, Executive Director of OMSSA. “Adaptability Canada is an innovator in strategic accessibility solutions and I believe our partnership with them will help expand our resources, knowledge and service in these areas.” “Ontario’s large and diverse population with disabilities is reflected in the province’s legislation and social change,” continued Heineck. “This has also affected the long term human service plans for OMSSA members, especially for the development and implementation of services like municipal housing and early learning and child care and its supporting infrastructure.” The partnership will provide privileged access to OMSSA members to information, tools and supports to build their knowledge of the Built Environment and Public Spaces section of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and access services that will allow them to meet or go beyond its standards so as to drive local customer satisfaction. Accessibility legislation such as the AODA and global frameworks including the 2007 World Health Organization’s Global Age Friendly Cities: A Guide, provide high level guidance. However, significant challenges exist in converting and aligning these resources into pragmatic, targeted strategies for Ontario municipalities. The number of seniors in Ontario is projected to double in the next 16 years, according to Ontario Senior’s Secretariat. In addition, 1 in 7 Ontarians currently have a disability - a number that is expected to rise as the population ages. “Adaptability Canada’s primary function for OMSSA is to help members look forward twenty to thirty years to identify what infrastructure and service needs are required for a growing disabled and aging population,” observed Jeff Wilson, CEO of Adaptability Canada. “That way, we can ensure the investments made today will be suitable for the future.” For more information about the program and partnership, please contact: Jeff Wilson, CEO of Adaptability Canada at
jwilson@adaptabilitycanada.com or 416-450-0310. Kira Heineck, Executive Director of OMSSA at
kheineck@omssa.com or 416-646-0518.
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For more information or to schedule interviews, please contact Maria Leung at mleung@ecostrategy.ca or 416-972-7401. Adaptability Canada (ADC) is a national provider of accessible construction solutions to the residential, commercial, non-profit and public sectors. Partnered with leading Canadian companies, Adaptability Canada is the first company in the space to offer comprehensive accessible construction solutions that meet or exceed federal, provincial and municipal standards for accessibility. For more information, visit http://adaptabilitycanada.com. Established in 1950, the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA) is a non-profit organization whose members are the Consolidated Municipal Service Managers (CMSMs) and District Social Services Administration Boards (DSSABs) across Ontario. We support leadership in integrated human services through strong local service system management in all municipalities. For more information about OMSSA, please visit http://omssa.com.