Policy & Planning
The City of Richmond is committed to furthering accessibility in the community through its policy and planning, so people with disabilities are able to participate fully in all aspects of community life.
Visit LetsTalkRichmond.ca to provide your input. This survey is open to anyone with a connection to Richmond, whether or not they have used food supports to access enough food. Responses are due by 11:59pm on Sun, Aug 16.
Policy & Planning for Accessibility
Richmond Accessibility Plan (2023–2033)
On April 8, 2024, City Council adopted the Richmond Accessibility Plan 2023–2033 (the Plan) to guide the advancement of accessibility in Richmond, in collaboration with the community.
The Plan sets out six strategic pillars and 34 recommended actions to be completed over a 10-year period.
2023–2033 Richmond Accessibility Plan (4.5MB)
2023-2033 Richmond Accessibility Plan - Plain Language Summary
Braille and large-print copies of the Plan are available to Richmond residents upon request. Production of accessible formats was made available through grant funding provided by the Government of British Columbia and administered by the Disability Alliance British Columbia.
Access & Inclusion Policy 4012
Access and Inclusion Policy 4012 provides the policy framework for the City to further advance accessibility and inclusion in Richmond and to foster a more welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone that lives, works and plays here.
Access and Inclusion Policy 4012
Richmond Accessibility Advisory Committee
The new Council-adopted Richmond Accessibility Advisory Committee held its first meeting on April 12, 2023. The Committee acts as a resource and provides advice to City Council to support the advancement of accessibility in the city.
For further information regarding the Richmond Accessibility Advisory Committee, visit the Advisory Bodies
Enhanced Accessibility Design Guidelines and Technical Specifications
The 2024 City of Richmond Enhanced Accessibility Design Guidelines and Technical Specifications (the Guidelines) is the result of a collaborative effort that involved contributions from community organizations who support people with disabilities in Richmond, City of Richmond staff, and civil engineering and accessibility consultants. The Guidelines are used in the development of all City major capital projects and retrofits of current facilities to promote barrier-free access and enhanced accessibility that go beyond the requirements of the BC Building Code. The 2024 Guidelines have been expanded from the original 2018 version to include a wider range of accessibility considerations and universal design concepts and to ensure City practices continue to align with national standards. The Guidelines are intended to assist City staff and the development community in the incorporation of accessibility features in City-owned or City leased premises. They are also provided to the public as a resource on an information-only basis.
Enhanced Accessibility Design GuidelinesAccessible Events Checklist
The Accessible Events Checklist was created to assist with ensuring that City and City-supported events are physically accessible. By considering the event checklist, event planners can ensure that participants’ accessibility needs have been taken into account.
Policy & Planning for Poverty Reduction
To effectively reduce and prevent poverty, a collaborative approach is needed that involves all levels of government, community organizations and residents, including residents with lived/living experience working together. The City of Richmond is committed to furthering poverty reduction and prevention in Richmond through community-informed planning that works with community-based organizations and residents to address current and emerging needs in the community.
Community Food Access Framework (2027–2031)
The City is leading the development of a Community Food Access Framework (2027–2031) in collaboration with community partners. The Framework is intended to guide the City and community food providers to take collective action in addressing food insecurity in Richmond in a coordinated manner that fosters enhanced collaboration, resource sharing and partnerships.
Project Timeline:
- Establish Guiding Principles
- Conduct background research and an environmental scan
- Collect and analyze community food data
- Implement consultation with the community, including individuals currently accessing community food programs through surveys, focus groups and interviews
- Conduct a Let’s Talk Richmond survey to gather input from the public on: What do Richmond Residents do when they do not have enough food? Visit LetsTalkRichmond.ca to provide your input. This survey is open to anyone with a connection to Richmond, whether or not they have used food supports to access enough food. Responses are due by 11:59pm on Sun, Aug 16.
- Develop the draft Framework
- Public engagement
- Finalize the Framework
The draft Community Food Access Framework is anticipated to be brought forward to City Council for consideration in Q4 2026. If approved in principle by City Council, a community engagement process will be initiated to collect public feedback on the draft Framework. Findings from this engagement will be used to finalize the Framework, which will then be presented to Council for consideration.
Collaborative Action Plan to Reduce and Prevent Poverty in Richmond (2021–2031)
On December 6, 2021, City Council adopted the 2021-2031 Collaborative Action Plan to Reduce and Prevent Poverty in Richmond, which will help to guide the City’s approach, in collaboration with the community, to reduce and prevent poverty in Richmond. This plan sets out four strategic directions and 26 recommended actions to be completed over a 10 year period.
Update reports for the Collaborative Action Plan provide a high-level summary of the ongoing progress and achievements that the City has accomplished in collaboration with Community Associations and Societies, Richmond Public Library, community organizations and institutions, and senior levels of government.
2021-2031 Collaborative Action Plan 2024-2025 Highlights
2021-2031 Collaborative Action Plan 2022-2023 Highlights
Community Poverty Reduction and Prevention Table
The Community Poverty Reduction and Prevention Table was established to advance actions identified in the 2021–2031 Collaborative Action Plan to Reduce and Prevent Poverty in Richmond. The Table meets bi-monthly and is comprised of representatives from community organizations and residents with lived/living experience.