RM of Alexander 2026-2027 Accessibility Plan — full text

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot 6f80f10d202c · verified 2026-06-09 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

RM of Alexander Accessibility Plan Publication Date: December 31, 2025 1 RM of Alexander 2026-2027 Accessibility Plan Date of First Approval: December 9, 2025 Dates Applicable: January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2027 Accessibility Contact: The RM of Alexander welcomes feedback from residents and visitors about accessibility. If you would like to share a comment, question, or concern, please contact the Economic Development Officer in one of the following ways: By email: [email protected] By phone: 204-367-6191 By mail: Box 100, St. Georges, MB R0E 1V0 Overview of RM Programs and Services: The Rural Municipality (RM) of Alexander provides and delivers services to the residents of Alexander in a broad range of areas. We believe in open, responsible governance and leadership. We strive to enhance the quality of life for our citizens and visitors by providing high-quality municipal services. These services include: - Animal Control - Fire Departments and Emergency Services - Waste Disposal Grounds and Sewage Lagoons - Water Treatment Facility - By-law Enforcement - Emergency Measures Operation - Planning Services 2 - Public Works Operation - Municipal Administration and Finances - Financial Support towards numerous community-based and regional organizations and local cottage associations. You can learn more about the RM's programs and services on our website. RM Policies The RM of Alexander is working to incorporate accessibility into our policies and practices. In 2025, we enacted an Accessible Information and Communication Policy. You can read the policy on our website at the following link: (https://www.rmalexander.com/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d03e927-699d-405e-81a4- d2d7badd48a7) Accessibility Achievements 2021-2025: - In 2020, we launched Alexander Connect, a communication system that allows us to alert residents of Alexander about weather, emergencies, and important events. Alexander Connect is accessible by phone, email, app, and social media. - We have worked together with community organizations to fund and install improvements to several beaches, including: o An upgraded and expanded path between the parking lot and sand at Hillside Beach. o An accessible picnic table at Charlie Wall Park. o Mobility mats at beaches, including - Hillside Beach - Lester Beach - We installed accessible personal watercraft launches at sites including: o St. Georges o Traverse Bay o Fourth Street - We designated accessible parking spaces at various sites throughout the municipality. 3 - When the Traverse Bay Marina was reopened in 2022, we added accessibility features including: o Accessible washrooms o Accessible parking spaces o Graded inclines and declines - In 2025, we hired an external consulting firm to help us assess the accessibility of a selection of our public spaces and services. These included: o A review of our website o A review of our Facebook page o An audit of outdoor spaces across the RM, including beaches, parks, trails, boat launches, and public washrooms. o An audit of public buildings and spaces, including the municipal offices and waste management facilities. o Collecting public feedback through an online survey and community pop-up consultations. Accessibility Plan 2026-2027: Statement of Commitment The RM of Alexander is committed to ensuring equal access and participation for people with disabilities. We are committed to the principles of inclusion and meeting the needs of people who face accessibility barriers. We will fulfill these commitments by identifying, removing, and preventing barriers to accessibility, and by meeting the requirements of The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA). Planned Actions Website, Information, and Communication - We will add updated information to the RM website about the locations and accessibility features of key public sites. Where possible, we will also add this information to Google Maps. The sites will include: o RM offices o Boat launches 4 o Beaches o Parks o Trails o Public washrooms - We will pursue training and resources for RM staff who post on our website and/or social media pages to learn to write effective alt text and captions. After this training has taken place, when we post content to our website and social media pages, we will make efforts to ensure that we include alt text and/or detailed captions for all images. - We will review our website and resolve key barriers to digital accessibility make it as accessible as possible for people using screen readers. This will include fixing minor issues with coding and adding alt text to icons and images. We will also consider ways to make the website easier to use overall. Employment - We will provide updated training for staff across the RM's departments and services about accessibility as it relates to their work. This will include accessible customer service training for staff who work with members of the public. We will also share resources about accessibility to support all RM staff in their work. Built Environment - We will ensure that all entrances to municipal buildings are kept free of obstacles and barriers, including ensuring that automatic door openers are kept in working order. We will also work toward ensuring that all municipal buildings that are open to the public have at least one working automatic door opener. - We will ensure that emergency resources in public areas, like fire extinguishers and AEDs, are installed in locations and at heights that are accessible to all. Outdoor Spaces - We will work to add at least one designated accessible parking space at each RM-operated site. - At least once each season, we will visit all outdoor sites like boat launches, docks, beaches, and parks to ensure they not present barriers to accessibility. This will include 5 performing maintenance and repairs, removing excess debris and vegetation, and addressing potential tripping hazards. - We will continue to regularly inspect the public washrooms that we operate and to ensure that they are well-maintained. We will ensure that every washroom stall is equipped with accessibility features like grab bars. This does not include the portable toilets that are rented by the RM from private companies. - We will continue to provide funding opportunities for community associations to undertake accessibility-related upgrades and projects. These may include purchasing accessible park furniture, adding mobility mats to beaches, upgrading to accessible play equipment, or adding accessible docks.