- What do you feel is the #1 accessibility issue facing the city of London? Deprioritizing accessibility in our policies and regulations. It is easy to build accessibility into every single new decision and to fix existing ones. That is just paperwork. We have all kinds of declarations and commitments we make (often for political reasons) that have no teeth. That is one of the many failures of election cycle politics. That being said, you’re the experts, so you tell me what is top of mind for you. One thing that has always annoyed me about London since I moved here in 2002 (and it very much persists) is the lack of attention given to sidewalk clearing in winter (which takes up half the year). Basically we are shutting in people who have mobility challenges for half the year. That’s inhumane and has such a huge societal cost. And it’s such a fixable problem.
2. How will you commit to improving accessible housing opportunities in our city? Going back to item 1: the solution is in the paperwork. Review the bylaws, contracts, policies, declarations, etc. Do they work? Do they work together? Take out what does not work, implement and enforce what does. Break down the silos that put “accessibility” into its own little box and make good on commitments to make London a City we all can enjoy. I realize that sounds a big vague but it is what I honestly believe is the solution. If you want me to comment on a specific bylaw or contract or policy, let me know, and I will tell you with my lawyer’s hat on what needs to change about that to accomplish that goal of increasing accessible housing options.
3. How will you work to improve accessible transportation including conventional transit, Paratransit, taxis and ride sharing? Prioritize transit as the #1 motorized way to get around. All leaders should be using it, all the time. Start there and the system improves overnight, because councilors and tehm mayor have to get to work, right? Just like in every department at City Hall, there are efficiencies that can be realized in the way we run London Transit… let’s clear out the nonsense and use what we save to improve Paratransit according to your suggestions as the people who use Para (again, you’re the experts… not trying to kiss butt here, but honestly, what the heck do I know?). Taxis: is there a gap in available accessible taxi service? Should the City add regulation to improve this, or would it be more efficient to put those efforts into Para? This goes back to the same point I keep stressing, which is the BIG picture look at all the systems and how they integrate with each other. It is a big job that needs to be done once in a while. It is boring. It is not sexy. But it is absolutely vital to finally just sit down and get this done. And there is no one better than a 26-year lawyer with 17 years of experience working with the City and its (sometimes very frustrating) systems to do it. I’ll be happy to let another mayor have the big chair in 2030, and I will work hard to make sure they will have a cleaned-up house to sit in.
Accessible London Coalition 