Our goal was to have 50% of community committee members as “first voice” citizens familiar with accessibility challenges in Port Hawkesbury. This aligns with section 44 (2) of the Accessibility Act, stating that at least half of the members must be persons with disabilities or their representatives. PHAAC has met this requirement.

The PHAAC reviewed municipal accessibility plans, provincial guides, and resources. We defined “disabilities” and “barriers” in the Nova Scotia context. A research strategy was designed to understand accessibility in Port Hawkesbury and engage the community, alongside a timeline for our scope and targets.

This plan emerged from collaboration among PHAAC co-chairs, community members, Council members, and Town staff. We valued strong community engagement, especially from first-voice citizens who provided insights on accessibility challenges and opportunities in Port Hawkesbury via surveys, social media, and interviews.

The PHAAC identified key themes from the data and made recommendations to enhance accessibility in Port Hawkesbury. We prioritized these recommendations as short, medium, and long-term goals, categorizing them by who can accomplish the work: PHAAC, Town staff and Council, or specific community partners.

This plan underscores our aim for Port Hawkesbury to be a “Town for Everyone,” accommodating all ages and abilities. The Town must respond to diverse citizen needs. We should continually foster a welcoming and inclusive community where everyone feels accepted.

We encourage you to treat this Plan as a “living document,” to be reviewed annually by PHAAC, with a comprehensive review in Spring 2025 and a revised 4-year plan presented to Council in Fall 2025.  Our original PHAAC has changed since 2020, and we currently have added several new  “first voice” committee members, and our committee is always open if anyone, if you are interested in serving please connect with one of the committee chairs.