Different groups in Toronto co-hosted an online meeting for people with disabilities to discuss accessibility, inclusion and voting.
These meeting notes are part of Documenters Canada, which is partly funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Learn more about our program here. The Green Line maintains full editorial independence to ensure journalistic integrity.
Toronto’s municipal election is quickly approaching and Torontonians with disabilities are making sure disability inclusion and voting accessibility are part of the conversation.
On Aug. 20, the Centre for Independent Living Toronto (CILT), GTA Disability Coalition (GTADC), the City of Toronto, TTCRiders and Social Planning Toronto co-hosted an online discussion for people to share ideas on voting, election issues and what they want to see from the next City Council.
The meeting presented the City for All initiative, which is managed by a group of local, non-profit and community-based organizations. Their six platform priorities include:
- Housing
- Transit
- Affordability
- Economy
- Wellbeing
- Climate
Wendy Porch, executive director of CILT, said in the meeting that less than 10% of publicly owned housing units are accessible, while residents with disabilities are four times more likely to experience homelessness.
Transit is also a major concern and obstacle tackled in the conversation. Andrew Pulsifer, executive director of TTCriders, said there should be dedicated bus and streetcar lanes, lowered fare caps, faster snow-clearing and the preservation of door-to-door Wheel-Trans services.
Participants later went into breakout rooms to have smaller discussions on their needs and wants for the new municipal government.
- People raised concerns about moving TTC bus stops without community consultation.
- The attendees also urged candidates and elected officials to make their ward offices fully accessible, so that they can be part of the conversation.
Want to be ready to head out to the polls this fall? Check out our guide on voting in the 2026 municipal election and dive into our series, “Civics for the Average Torontonian.”
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