Since we opened our first office on Blanshard St. in 1975, ACPD has helped to bring about dramatic improvements in the lives of Victoria’s disabled

Ongoing Awareness ACPD has an ongoing presence in the community, creating awareness of who people with disabilities are and what they cando through various programs such as Information and Referral, Individual Advocacy and Public Education, a public advocacy program and the submission of briefs and public presentations to municipal, provincial and Federal Government,direct intervention through consumer input, investigation and concrete action on specific issues. ancillary services of providing consumer discount cards and parking decals to the mobility impaired.

HandyDART Service ACPD participated in the establishment of BC Transit’s handyDART service, a convenient, dial-a-ride transportation option for people with disabilities who cannot use regular BC Transit services. The handyDART service has enabled disabled people to become fuller participants in the community.

Accessible Public Transit ACPD has continually lobbied for more accessible regular transit to give people with disabilities more choices in transportation. The many new low floor buses on regular routes through out the city are a result of ACPD’s longtime advocacy efforts.

Greater Physical Access to the Community Just a few examples of where ACPD’s advocacy has resulted in greater access include Victoria’s City Hall, (Pandora St. entrance), many provincial government buildings and entrances to businesses.Greater physical access includes the construction of curb cuts throughout the community that benefit both the mobility and visually impaired as well as very many seniors. ACPD is still regularly consulted by municipalities such as Oak Bay to ensure continuance of new curb cuts throughout the city.

Unique Alternatives in Home Care For years ACPD has lobbied for direct consumer control of home care for people with disabilities. This includes the Government’s “Choices for Independent Living Program.”

Hiring and Training Initiatives By hiring and training people with disabilities through subsidies form CEIC/SKILLS NOW, the Ministry of Housing and Social Development and other employment initiative programs, ACPD has helped many disabled people go on to secure full-time employment in the community.

Networking with Other Agencies ACPD’s original constitution has as one of its original objectives “to cooperate with other organizations…which have objectives similar in whole or in part to the objectives of this Society" Throughout its long history, ACPD has belonged to and worked with numerous other agencies including Citizen’s Advocacy, Independent Living and Housing Society, the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities (BCCPD) as well as networks of agencies such as the current disability Network.

Independent Living Centre ACPD is responsible for bringing the Canadian Independent Living Movement to Victoria. HAC members formed the Resource Centre for Independent Living Society and, in 1990, commissioned a feasibility study into the establishment of an independent Living Center in Victoria. ACPD’s financial and personnel contribution led to the opening of the Resource Centre for Independent Living Center (RCIL) now (The Disability Resource Centre) in our community, now one of over twenty ILC’s across Canada.