As part of the new Accessible British Columbia Act (“Act”) and associated regulation (BC Reg 105/2022), local governments (and other public sector organizations), must by September 1, 2023, establish an accessibility committee, develop an accessibility plan, and create a mechanism for public feedback regarding accessibility.

To facilitate the work of the Accessible British Columbia Act, the East Kootenay Accessibility Advisory Committee was formed. In addition to the RDEK, the participating municipalities include the City of Cranbrook, the Village of Canal Flats and the District of Invermere.

Terms of Reference for the East Kootenay Accessibility Advisory Committee ("Committee") were adopted by the RDEK Board of Directors on July 14, 2023. The Committee will help guide the RDEK and member municipalities in the creation of an Accessibility Plan.

The purpose of the East Kootenay Accessibility Plan is to identify, remove and prevent barriers to individuals in, or interacting with, the RDEK and member municipalities. Barriers may be present in the built environment, information and communications, or the delivery of programs or services that are within the RDEK’s and member municipalities' jurisdictions.