VILLE DE COWANSVILLE 17/11/2010

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1 2010 VILLE DE COWANSVILLE 17/11/2010

2 Cowansville citizen portrait The City of Cowansville is in the heart of a region where mix the loyal charm of houses and cultural activities are encountered daily. Cowansville will seduce you by its ancient architecture and its majestic trees. The city is a member of prestigious city network and villages of art and heritage. Situated in the Eastern Township, in the heart of the region of Brome-Missisquoi, the City of Cowansville is located at 72 kilometers from Montreal and 20 kilometers to the United States border. With a population of occupants (2010), in an area of 53 km², the infrastructures and the numerous services are situated in the heart of the M.R.C. Brome-Missisquoi, Cowansville is listed as an important economic engine with a pole of leading services in a prosperous region in full development. According to the statistical data of 2006 of statistics Canada as well as those established by the Service of the Persons Physically handicapped persons of Quebec, the population of Quebec would count an average of 10 % of disabled persons In the Town of Cowansville, this percentage is 10.8%. Here a pattern of the settlement according to the age Total population according to the age, municipality of Cowansville, 2006 Age group Men Women Total % 0 to 4 years ,35% 5 to 14 years ,04% 15 to 24 years ,56% 25 to 44 years ,05% 45 to 64 years ,57% 65 to 74 years ,86% 75 years and more ,58% Total P a g e

3 And according to the disability Population with disability according to the age, municipality of Cowansville, 2006 Age group Men Women Total Percentage 0 to 4 years ,08% 5 to 14 years ,41% 15 to 24 years ,41% 25 to 44 years ,89% 45 to 64 years ,42% 65 to 74 years ,89% 75 years and more ,73% Total 10,83% People of 15 years old and more with disability according to gravity of the disability and the age, municipality of Cowansville, to 64 years 65 years and more Total Light Moderated Serious Very serious Total In Cowansville, we have an amount of about sixty (60) community organizations and services associations. These circles are particularly active and work with various clienteles having disability. Beyond the persons having functional limitations, a lot of our citizens are considered with reduced mobility or handicap situation in a temporary way. Let us think of the elderly who meets several obstacles in their daily activities; 17, 4 % of our population are more than 65 years old! Also let us mention the young families with children moving with strollers (approximately 530 children between 0 and 4 years old, that is 4, 35 % of the population), to the injured persons who undergo annually an accident causing a limitation in their activities, without forgetting all the services that uses trolleys for delivery. Finally, a lot of these people represents easily more than third of our citizens, for whom the accessibility is a major asset to insure their full social participation. 3 P a g e

4 The short history of the accessibility to Cowansville... It began with a dream of the Association des Personnes Handicapées Physiques de Cowansville et Région in The association proceeded by surrounding itself with co-workers who believed in the accessibility cause. Upright behind from left to right: -Richard Leclerc, professor and expert in social marketing -Nicole Tremblay of the APHPCR -Michel Fleury, GD of the chamber of commerce of Cowansville -Raymond Couture of the OPHQ -Louise Gagnon-Lessard, implied citizen -Claudette Giguère, DG of the CDCBM -Michel Normandin de l APHPCR -Pauline Mercier-Laguë, adviser for the town of farnham Sit in front: -Manon Dupré of the CSSS La Pommeraie -Frances Champigny (coresponsable) of the APHPCR -Marie Montplaisir of the GAPHRY And in medallion: -Sophie Lanctôt, DG of the Society Logique -Francine Tremblay, (coresponsable) director of the APHPCR The universal accessibility project started from there and the action plan was presented to the population of MRC Brome-Missisquoi in October, The City always had a serious and continual preoccupation concerning the accessibility. In November 2009, the city approached the APHPCR to assist them to implant a policy of universal accessibility for their city with time, patience and in respect with differences; all was done for the good of their citizens. The municipal councillor, Mr. Ghyslain Vallières, was named responsible of the universal accessibility file. 4 P a g e

5 The steps in times. In the eighties (1980), Quebec was equipped with legislative tools to insure the exercise of the rights of the disabled persons. In Cowansville appeared the first organization for disabled persons is the Association des Parents de Personnes Handicapées de Brome- Missisquoi and the Association des Personnes Handicapées Physiques de Cowansville et Région. From the ninety (1990), the associations forwarded requests to the municipality to improve the infrastructures accessibility. May 3rd, 2008, was launching the promotion campaign "On n en demande pas tant", makes by the APHPCR (Association des personnes handicapés physiques de Cowansville et région). October 28th, 2008, press conference with as the honorary president Mr Arthur Fauteux, mayor of Cowansville and prefect of the MRC of Brome- Missisquoi. April 23rd, 2009, symposium on the universal accessibility. May 5th, 2010, was launched the module of research for the business accessibility. Beginning of November, 2010, subvention where sent to make accessible the council hall at the City hall of Cowansville. 5 P a g e

6 THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE POLICY The policy of universal accessibility of Cowansville aims at harmonizing a community where every citizen can reach his full potential and his autonomy, no matter what the limitations are, as well as reducing barriers either physical or psychological in front of disabled persons. A handicapped person is: "every person having a deficiency showing a significant and persistent incapacity and which he is subject to meet obstacles in the fulfillment of their daily activities." The policy also includes all people with reduced mobility having permanent or temporary limitations: the elderly in loss of autonomy, persons with weight problem, families with very young children who circulate with strollers, persons with accidental injury, for users delivery trolleys and many others. The notion of universal accessibility also touches the principles of universal conception, allowing creating an environment that reaches the population needs. The universal accessibility concept is to create an environment where all people including those with functional limitation, can leave safely and in freedom. The concept is to have one entrance door for all. 6 P a g e

7 PRODUCTION OF THE HANDICAP According to the Quebecker concept, the process of production of the handicap (PPH), "the diseases, the traumas and the other achievements on the integrity and on the development of the person can cause deficiencies and entail temporary or permanent disabilities of stable, progressive or regressive nature. It is however the various obstacles or the facilitators to meet in the context of life, that in interaction with the incapacities of the person, can disturb its habits of life, compromise the fulfillment of its daily activities and his social roles and to place him (her) in a situation of full social participation or unlike the handicap." 1 Process of production of handicap Risk factors Cause Explanatory model of the causes and the consequences of the diseases, the traumas and the other achievements in the integrity or in the development of the person. Organic system Personal factors Capacities Environmental factors (Integrity - Deficiency) (Capacity - Incapacity) Facilitator - Obstacle Interaction Habits of life Social participation - Situation of handicap "It does not belong to the persons to adapt itself to the environments any more, but it is the society which has to take into consideration the variety of the citizens which it is composing of." 2 1 PPH, International network on the Process of production of the handicap (RIPPH)/SCCIDIH 2 Fully: for a real exercise of the law for the equality. Governmental policy to increase the social participation of the disabled persons. 7 P a g e

8 LEGAL FRAME Foundations and commitments of the present policy will guide the municipality to undertake actions to insure the progressive evolution towards the accessibility for all. The municipality has the authority in the development and in the construction, as well as the supplier of a range of services which seek daily to all citizens and help the community to move safely. The privileged ally in this approach is the Association de Personnes Handicapées Physiques de Cowansville et region. 8 P a g e

9 PRINCIPLE OF INTERVENTION AND COMMITMENT The following principles are used as guides to the development and in applying the policy of accessibility within the City of Cowansville: Equality and equity Every person is entitled to reach its environment, in a security way, independently of its limitations. Dialogue with the resources of the environment The collaboration with the resources working with the disabled persons, who detain a sure expertise in their environment, is essential in the development and in implementing the policy of universal accessibility and allowing to make the follow-up in the evolution for the real needs. Respect for the autonomy = democratic freedom The persons living with limitation has, above all, multiple capacities which they must be able to develop, exploit and make benefit in their circle of acquaintances. Prevention = economy "Prevention is better than healing". Considering the numerous needs and the rarity of the resources, it is important to rationalize and to anticipate the future needs in terms of accessibility to make good choices for the whole community. 9 P a g e

10 Aestheticism Although having an essentially functional prospect, the environment accessibility requires the respect of the rules of the art" in order to offer a secure and harmonious urban planning to the population. Respect of the municipality financial capacity The universal access is made by stage, considering on one hand the priorities established by the Committee of elaboration of the policy of universal accessibility and, on the other hand, the administrative, organizational and financial constraints of the City of Cowansville. 10 P a g e

11 FRAME OF INTERVENTION DIALOGUE Consultative committee Policy development Partnership environment organizations Representations BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENTS Municipal buildings Businesses and services Residential area URBAN PLANNING Car parks Pedestrian ways Road marking Parks and green spaces. Street furniture TRANSPORT Adapted transport. Collective transport Personal transport LAW AND ORDER Prevention Intervention LEISURE ACTIVITIES Art and culture Sport and outdoor activities Community life Tourism COMMUNICATIONS General information Media substitutes Promotion Consultations and reference SENSITIZATION Municipal employees Business environment 11 P a g e

12 Population 12 P a g e