Whitchurch-Stouffville has published its new Multi-Year Accessibility Plan for 2026-2030, a roadmap for identifying and removing barriers that make it harder for people with disabilities to access town services, facilities, and information.
The plan, developed under the province’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, builds on the town’s previous 2020-2025 framework. It was shaped by community feedback, including a survey that collected 143 responses. About 25 percent of respondents said they live with a disability, and roughly 27 percent reported hitting barriers when trying to use town programs, services, or facilities.
The town’s accessibility plan highlights four priority areas drawn from what residents said matters most: upgrading the built environment and infrastructure, expanding inclusive recreation and programming, improving transportation and mobility, and strengthening how the town communicates and engages with the community. Physical obstacles were the most common type of barrier reported.
The plan is guided by an Accessibility Advisory Committee that is led by Councillor Richard Bartley and includes public members Amanda Dimilta, Jacqueline Hall Fusco, Norm Bresser, Pam Hope, and Ramy Mustafa. Under Ontario law, municipalities with more than 10,000 residents must have such a committee, and a majority of its members must be people with disabilities. Stouffville’s population was estimated at 57,484 in July 2025 and is projected to reach about 103,500 by 2051.
Mayor Iain Lovatt, who was first elected in 2018, wrote the plan’s opening message confirming the town’s commitment to accessibility. The document arrives during a mandatory reporting year under the accessibility act. Private-sector businesses and non-profits with 20 or more employees must file their accessibility compliance reports by December 31, 2026, while public-sector organizations follow a separate two-year reporting cycle.
