Thank you for your interest in joining a City of Kitchener Accessibility Advisory Committee. These committees provide advice to Council and staff on issues important to the public. Please complete the application in full, providing as much detail as possible.

Selection Process:

The Council-appointed Nominating Committee reviews each application based on the applicant’s professional and lived experiences, knowledge, interests, connection to the committee’s work, and the committee’s terms of reference. It then presents Council with a list of applicants recommended for appointment.

“IMPORTANT”

The nominating committee can only consider each application based on the information provided in this application form. Please provide detailed responses to assist with this review. Your answers to the application questions should explain how your skills and experiences align with the purpose and requirements of the committees you are applying to.

Our Commitment to Equitable and Meaningful Participation

The City of Kitchener recognizes that community members bring valuable knowledge through professional and lived experiences, community connections, cultural knowledge, and direct experience with systems, services, and barriers.

To support equitable, effective, and meaningful participation, we must also acknowledge that systemic racism, discrimination, and other forms of historical and ongoing exclusion have created barriers to participation in civic engagement and decision-making.

We are committed to identifying and addressing these barriers so that people from equity-denied communities can participate meaningfully. These communities include, but are not limited to, women, Indigenous Peoples, Black People, racialized people, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, newcomers and refugees, and other communities that experience systemic barriers. We will continue to review the appointment process to support more equitable access and participation.

Privacy and Confidentiality

The Municipal Act, S. 11, authorizes the collection of personal information to process volunteer applications in the City of Kitchener. Personal information is collected in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and other legislation. We will use this data to inform policy decisions, address systemic discrimination, and support more equitable access to and representation on Council advisory committees.

Please direct your questions about collecting, using, and disclosing personal information to Avalon Sands, Volunteer Engagement Associate, (519) 783-7920 or Avalon.Sands@kitchener.ca.

Required Training

Volunteers must complete the application form and read the following documents:

• Accessible Customer Service – Information for Volunteers 
• Inclusion, Ontario Human Rights Code - Information for Volunteers 
• Information about Advisory Committees and Boards

If you require assistance completing or submitting the application, please contact Lolita Paroski, Inclusion Services Coordinator, by phone at 519 783 8580 or by email at Lolita.Paroski@kitchener.ca or by TTY at 1-886-969-9994. Alternative formats and accommodations are available upon request to ensure all interested applications can participate.