Image provided by Northumberland County
By Cecilia Nasmith
In recognition of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Dec. 3, the Northumberland Accessibility Advisory Committee is inviting community members to apply to join the committee in their work of shaping a more accessible and inclusive community,
With a 2026 theme of Breaking Barriers Together, this work will include identifying barriers and recommending improvements to ensure county services, programs and services are accessible to everyone.
Applications will be accepted through Dec. 3, and the county is hoping to recruit up to seven new committee members.
Applications are welcomed form people with lived disability experiences, caregivers, accessibility advocates, service providers and representatives from organizations that support people with disabilities.
“Accessibility is strengthened when diverse voices and experiences come together,” Accessibility and Training Development Co-ordinator Andrea Nicholson said in the news release.
“The committee plays a vital role in advocating for accessibility, identifying barriers, sharing ideas and contributing to meaningful improvements that make Northumberland County programs, services and facilities more inclusive and welcoming for everyone”
In close collaboration with county council, the committee contributes to a variety of initiatives, including:
Participating in accessibility reviews of county facilities and recommending improvements to remove barriers.
Providing feedback on the county's accessibility-related projects, improvements, policies, plans and initiatives.
Providing input on emergency-planning initiatives to help ensure the needs of people with disabilities are considered.
Advising on projects and programs that improve access to county services.
Supporting accessibility-awareness and -education initiatives in the community.
Supporting accessibility awareness and education initiatives in the community
Recognizing and celebrating accessibility leadership through initiatives such as Helping Hands Awards for county staff.
As an example of the valuable insight the committee can provide, Nicholson cited a mock emergency shelter exercise earlier this year in which the committee participated – and later provided feedback on accessibility considerations during emergency evacuation.
“They also recently assisted with testing and user feedback to support the installation of an assistive listening system in council chambers and the county courtroom,” she added.
The committee meets nine times per year (three in-person meetings and six virtual meetings) which run a maximum of 1.5 hours – with additional meetings as needed by the chair.
Interested community members can submit an on-line application at Northumberland.ca/NAAC.
To request an application form in an alternative format, e-mail accessibility@northumberland.ca or call 905-372-3329.
