Annual
Report

						2021-2022

This Annual Report is available in multiple alternate and
accessible formats upon request.

ARCH Annual Report, October 13, 2022

© ARCH Disability Law Centre 2022

Table of Contents

Message from the President	4
Message from the Executive Director	6
Vision, Mission, Values and Principles	8
Highlights	10
Advancing Disability Rights in Ontario	11
Our Statistics	12
Law and Policy Reform	14
Events	17
Highlights of Select Cases	20
Accessible Rights Education	22
Respecting Rights	26
Winner of the 2021 Leadership in Advocacy Award	30
ARCH’s Financial Supporters	31
ARCH Board of Directors	32
ARCH Staff 2021-2022	33
Financial Overview	34
ARCH in the Media	36
Social Media	37
Acknowledgements	38

Message from the President
Image of Douglas Waxman who is smiling with arms crossed. There are books behind him. Douglas is wearing a grey sweater with glasses.
ARCH has settled into what seems like a new normal. As the pandemic endures, and morphs, the Board and its committees continue to meet virtually.
With advocacy over Legal Aid modernization behind us, the Board continues to focus on more typical aspects of organizational governance. A goal of our Strategic Plan 2018-2023 was to foster board development, leadership and succession planning. We continue a practice started last year of appointing committee vice-chairs, who have an opportunity to lead meetings and make reports to the board. At the executive level, we continued a practice of “guest chairs’’. A number of my executive colleagues have ably chaired Board meetings. The executive has started discussions about the form of our upcoming strategic planning process.
Over four years ago, we struck a working group on Indigenous issues. Earlier this year, the Board adapted a proposal to make the working group a standing committee and recently the board approved its name as the “Moving Together Toward Supporting Reconciliation Committee”. The Committee is tasked with exploring how ARCH can continue to: 1) educate itself and Board members on Indigenous issues, culture and disabilities, 2) improve ARCH’s services to Indigenous persons with disabilities, and 3) understand the Calls to Action and engage with Indigenous communities in advancing the Calls to Action.
The By-law and Policy committee has been hard at work, not only with its regular cycle of reviewing and updating our existing policies but with consolidating various policies that were developed over time and are synergistic. In addition, the committee is assessing policies to assure they comply with changes in obligations from Legal Aid Ontario and the new Ontario Not for Profit Corporations Act.
Our Finance and Personnel committees continue to do exceptional work monitoring these key areas of governance. Do to their hard work there is thankfully, nothing exceptional to report.
As, I have said in previous reports, I am privileged to serve with fourteen other exceptionally talented and dedicated volunteers who tirelessly represent the interests of the disability community on the board. In addition, they provide the organization with countless amounts of energy, expertise and dedication to social justice. In short, the governance of this organization could not happen without the time and efforts they dedicate. I thank and salute them.
Recognizing that it is healthy for the organization that leadership turn over at regular intervals, we instituted a three-term limit. This year we are starting to experience the cycle of renewal. We are always excited by the energy and ideas that new board members bring, and I thank the nominating committee for its hard work to bring us the new slate of Board Candidates. At the same time, we are sad to see three of our colleagues retire.

Rick Welland has recently left the Board due to change of residency outside the province, which affected his eligibility. Rick served on the Indigenous Issues Working Group. Wade Poziomka and Roxanne Mykitiuk have been exceptional contributors to the Board in numerous roles. Roxanne has served on the By-Law and Policy Committee, the Indigenous issues Working Group and has served on the executive as Secretary (with the exception of this last year) for as long as I have been on the Board. Wade has in the past chaired our Personnel Committee and participated this year on the Nominating Committee. He served as First- Vice President for many years. As impressive as these biographies are they cannot convey the whole story of calm leadership, sage advice and passion for the cause and comradery. We will miss them immensely.
I also, note, the passing this year of John Rae, a former Board colleague. John was a passionate advocate for disability rights and has had an indelible impact on the disability movement. He will be missed in many quarters of disability advocacy.
In the same vain of the belief about how vital it is that leadership turns over, I can advise that, I will not stand for Chair in the upcoming term. We have a deep and talented bench of leaders who can capably serve in this role, and I look forward to supporting my successor. I am deeply gratified by the confidence and trust bestowed upon me by my peers and for the honor they have bestowed upon me. Nothing is accomplished alone. I thank the executive members I have served with for their wise counsel and the Board for their input on issues big and small. And I thank our Executive Director, Robert Lattanzio for the incredible working partnership we have had and his significant support.
The Board thanks staff for their tireless work to support us and for all of the important substantive work they do. We thank them for adapting to the new normal and for their adaptability, as maybe the most endemic element of the new normal is change. Our staff continues to be resilient, flexible and professional. We acknowledge their impressive successes on numerous files this year.
I reiterate, what I have said in all my prior annual reports. It is to the credit of our management team that we have, even in these complicated times, a highly productive and supportive work culture. Particularly, I thank, Robert, for his leadership, and the so many different aspects of ARCH’S legal work, stakeholder relations and organizational management that he contributes to.
I acknowledge the retirement of Dianne Wintermute, and thank her for her long service and impressive contributions, and wish her the best in her retirement. As always, we appreciate and acknowledge Legal Aid Ontario, our principal funder, who makes it financially possible for ARCH to continue to advance the rights of persons with disabilities.

(Original document has electronic signature)
Douglas Waxman 
Chairperson, ARCH Disability Law Centre
Message from the Executive Director
Image on this page in the original Annual Report is a picture of Robert Lattanzio standing beside the name plate of a sign that says ARCH – ARCH Disability Law Centre. 
On behalf of the Board of Directors and Staff of ARCH Disability Law Centre, it is as always, my honour and privilege to report to you, our membership, select highlights of ARCH’s work and achievements for the period of September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022.
ARCH continued to strive for excellence in our service delivery and advocacy on behalf of persons with disabilities across Ontario; our focus firmly on eradicating systemic barriers and deep rooted ableism.
With several years now into the pandemic, we continue to respond to an increased volume of work, layered with significant complexities and a broad range and breadth of activities. I wish to thank our dedicated and passionate staff team for their tireless commitment toward our mission during demanding and difficult times. As a small staff team, everyone’s contribution is vital and we could not be as effective in our advocacy without it. During the year, we unfortunately said goodbye to valued members of our staff: Rachel Weiner, Yangtzee Tamang, and Dianne Wintermute. We thank them for all their countless contributions.
We, and our communities, continue to experience loss. Sadly, we have lost our Respecting Rights member, Antoinette Charlebois. Antoinette was a valued member of our team and most recently contributed to the Into the Light Project, and co- presented at our last Annual General Meeting. We also lost another good friend and pillar in the disability rights movement, John Rae. John was a past and longstanding board member of ARCH, along with many of his other advocacy activities. We will greatly miss Antoinette and John.
Over the past year, ARCH has been recognized for our accomplishments during this difficult period. Following our receipt of the Pat Worth Award, an honour awarded to us by People First of Canada in late 2020, ARCH was awarded the Muscular Dystrophy Canada’s Leadership in Advocacy Award in 2021 in recognition of our work alongside our communities during the pandemic. I have also just been honoured with the prestigious Guthrie Award by the Law Foundation of Ontario. These are very humbling recognitions and I wish to deeply thank the Law Foundation of Ontario, Muscular Dystrophy Canada, and People First of Canada for these tremendous honours. It is a testament to the unrelenting dedication and commitment of our staff and board team.
Our Board of Directors ensure that ARCH continues to be a healthy organization. They volunteer countless hours to ensure good governance and offer continued support, while offering their time, skills and insight in matters that can be significantly challenging. In particular, I wish to thank our Chairperson, Douglas Waxman for his ongoing dedicated leadership. As this has been his last year in this role, I would like to underscore how critical his leadership has been, and how committed and dedicated he has been to this organization. We are also sad to be losing important members of our board: Roxanne Mykitiuk, Wade Poziomka, and Rick Welland. I wish to thank them for their exemplary service to ARCH, their sage insight and leadership, and unrelenting dedication.
Lastly, and with great gratitude, I wish to thank our funders and donors without whom we would not be able to do what we do. We sincerely thank our primary funder, Legal Aid Ontario, for its continued support of our work. Legal Aid Ontario’s support is critical in ensuring that we can continue to serve our most vulnerable members of our communities. I wish to acknowledge and extend my gratitude to all of our other funders listed in this report, our students, volunteers, donors, our membership and community partners, stakeholders and supporters.
Sincerely,

(Original document has electronic signature)
Robert Lattanzio, Executive Director
ARCH Disability Law Centre

Vision, Mission, Values and Principles
Vision Statement
A society in which laws, policies and legal systems ensure full participation, inclusion, dignity, and equal rights without discrimination for persons with disabilities.

Mission Statement
ARCH Disability Law Centre, as a specialty legal clinic with a provincial mandate,
undertakes to achieve this Vision by:
•	Advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities, including the removal of systemic barriers;
•	Promoting awareness and providing education on the rights of persons with disabilities;
•	Addressing issues that have a particular impact on low income persons with disabilities;
•	Ensuring that ARCH’s work has Ontario-wide impact;
•	Engaging in national disability rights work and influencing the realization of international disability rights norms in Canada and Ontario;
•	Continuously developing and utilizing ARCH’s expertise in local, provincial, national and international law as it affects persons with disabilities;
•	Addressing the heightened disadvantage and discrimination faced by persons with disabilities, including as a result of other intersecting grounds of discrimination, including gender, race, age, language, place of origin, economic status, sexual orientation, and others.

Who We Are

ARCH Disability Law Centre is a specialty legal clinic that practices exclusively in disability rights law. For over 40 years, ARCH continues to be dedicated to defending and advancing the equality rights, entitlements, fundamental freedoms and the full inclusion of persons with disabilities across Ontario.
ARCH works to eradicate systemic ableism and barriers throughout Ontario by engaging in law reform work to change laws, regulation and policy, offering accessible rights education, and building capacity for advocacy directly with our communities.
ARCH provides free and confidential legal information and summary legal advice directly to persons with disabilities, and represents persons with disabilities and disability rights organizations in systemic and precedent setting cases.

Highlights 2021-2022

ARCH received over 2,000 calls from persons with disabilities across Ontario.

ARCH provided rights education to over 5,300 people across Ontario and Canada.

ARCH’s publications reached over 7,400 individuals provincially, nationally, and internationally.

ARCH’s website reached 40,027 new users with 49,453 page views.

Advancing Disability Rights in Ontario

Through our systemic legal work, ARCH advocates for a disability rights perspective to guide and inform the development of laws and policies, build community capacity and provide rights education, as well as represent individuals, disability rights organizations and interveners in cases that can affect a large number of persons with disabilities and promote systemic change.

Our Statistics

Images on this page in the original Annual Report has 2 pie charts showing statistics.

1st pie chart – Case Types:

35% Cases
65% Summary Advice

2nd pie chart – Areas of Law – Cases:

44% Human Rights
19% Public Services
17% Health Care
20% All Other Areas

Our Statistics

Images on this page in the original Annual Report has 2 pie charts showing statistics.

1st pie chart – ARCH Activities:

70% cases
12% PLE
12% Law Reform
6% Community Development

2nd pie chart – Digital Reach:

67% Twitter
26% Facebook
7% LinkedIn

Law and Policy Reform
ARCH’s law reform activities ensure that the disability perspective is considered in the development and revision of laws and policies. ARCH often consults with other disability rights groups, members of our communities, and other specialty and community legal clinics to analyze and comment on the impact of current and proposed laws.

Medical Assistance in Dying
When Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) was legalized throughout Canada, it was limited to situations when a person's natural death was reasonably foreseeable. In March 2021, legislative amendments expanded eligibility for MAiD. MAiD is no longer only for people who are near the end of life. People with disabilities, illnesses or diseases who are suffering and who meet the other criteria in the law can be found eligible and receive euthanasia. In March
2023, eligibility will again be expanded so that people who are suffering from "mental illnesses" can be euthanized. People with disabilities have died by MAiD because they are living in poverty, could not get healthy housing, specialized medical care or disability services they needed to live with dignity in the community. Canada's MAiD law continues to cause deep distress for many disability communities in Ontario and across the country.
Through ARCH's Summary Advice and Referral Service, ARCH lawyers continue to provide legal information and advice about MAiD to persons with disabilities living in Ontario.
A special committee of Parliament is currently reviewing Canada's MAiD law and its application with respect to mature minors, advance requests, mental illness, the state of palliative care in Canada and the protection of Canadians with disabilities. ARCH provided written submissions to this committee, highlighting the discriminatory impact of the law on persons with disabilities.

ARCH is retained by a coalition of 20 disability organizations, disabled persons organizations and grassroots disability rights advocates to address their concerns with Canada's expanded MAiD law at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. This case is about the right to life and the right to equality in international law, and the coalition's assertion that Canada's law violates those rights.
On behalf of a group of five disability rights organizations, ARCH made submissions to the United Nations Human Rights Committee, urging the Committee to consider MAiD when it reviews Canada's implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Advancing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

ARCH continues to work to advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in Canada. ARCH continues to work with disability communities in Ontario and across Canada to co-develop a Parallel (or Shadow) report to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This report is part of the UN's second review of Canada's implementation of the CRPD.

Access to accommodations to renew OHIP
The pandemic has created further barriers to persons with disabilities who need to renew their health cards but are unable to do so in person. Persons with disabilities who needed to renew their health cards, but were unable to attend ServiceOntario offices, were not able to renew online unless they had a driver’s license. In response to advocacy from the disability community and ARCH, the government changed this to allow those with the Ontario Photo I.D. card to renew online and extended the deadline to renew to September 30, 2022.
While a positive step in reducing barriers to accessing health care services, this fell short of ensuring equitable access for all persons with disabilities. ARCH wrote several letters and attended meetings with government officials from the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility to discuss changes that were needed to enable those without a drivers’ license or the Ontario Photo I.D. card to be able to renew virtually.
ServiceOntario adopted several recommendations ARCH put forward, including the availability of mid-September of virtual appointments, using video-conferencing platforms for those eligible as well a process to consider requests made by the public for accommodations to enable them to renew. ServiceOntario is presently considering ARCH’s latest recommendation that ServiceOntario publicly announce the availability of virtual appointments as soon as possible so that those who are most in need of this accommodation will be able to access it.

Disability Related Barriers to COVID-19 Vaccines: Highlights from the COVID-19 Vaccination Accessibility Survey 2021
ARCH Disability Law Centre and Independent Living (IL) Canada conducted research and released a Report with findings from a survey on disability-related barriers to COVID-19 vaccines, titled: Disability Related Barriers to COVID-19 Vaccines: Highlights from the COVID-19 Vaccination Accessibility Survey 2021.

On June 14, 2022 AMI had a live radio episode featuring the main statistics and points of discussion from our Vaccine Report highlighting issues including inaccessibility and confusion on what was deemed as a priority group for obtaining the vaccine. You can get access to the podcast directly here via Google Podcasts: http://ow.ly/ NyOB50JAAT7
To review our Vaccine Report, go here: https://bit.ly/3NSz15S
Events
ARCH Co-Hosted event at the United Nations
In June 2022 ARCH attended the 15th Conference of States Parties to the CRPD, an annual meeting of states that have agreed to abide by and implement the CRPD. Together with Inclusion International and Inclusion Canada, ARCH co-hosted an NGO side event to raise awareness about Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying law and its devastating impact on persons with disabilities.
This event was broadcast globally and a recording is available at: https://archdisabilitylaw.ca/cosp15-canary-in-a-coalmine-the-expansion-of-medical-assistance-in-dying-euthanasia-in-canada-a-warning-to-the-global-disability-community/ 
Reflections on the 25th Anniversary of the Eaton Decision and the Future of Inclusive Education
ARCH co-hosted an event with Inclusion Action in Ontario to commemorate 25 years of the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Eaton v. Brant County Board of Education.
The two panels discussed the Eaton case, the current state of the law regarding inclusive education, and perspectives on the practice of inclusive education for students with disabilities. Speakers and panelists included Emily and Clayton Eaton, retired Supreme Court of Canada Justice Louise Arbour who wrote the Court of Appeal’s decision in this case, and ARCH’s legal team on the Eaton case, Justice Anne Molloy, Superior Court of Justice, Janet Budgell, Vice President, Legal Aid Ontario, and retired Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Stephen Goudge.
In addition, the panelists included David Lepofsky, AODA Alliance, Sonia Spreafico, parent and Board Member, Inclusion Action Ontario, Dr. Jacqueline Specht, Director of the Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education, Western University, Karen Congram, Head, Special Education, Stratford District Secondary School, and Karen Sheydwasser, Education Assistant, Dr. Margaret- Ann Armour School in Edmonton.
For the complete recording of the event, go here: https://bit.ly/3uVIIK3
Symposium on Inclusive Education
ARCH was invited to present and participate in the two day Franco-Canadian Symposium Scolhandi: Disability, Education and the Politics of Inclusion/ Exclusion. The event took place in Lyon, France and due to the pandemic, speakers from Canada and the United States participated remotely. ARCH’s presentation centered on offering reflections on advocacy movements in Ontario advancing inclusive education.
AccessAbility Week
ARCH co-hosted our annual National AccessAbility Week event with the Law Society of Ontario on June 1, 2022, with the theme of Advancing Accessibility Through Legislation and Litigation. We were honoured to have Canada’s first Accessibility Commissioner, Michael Gottheil, offer us a keynote presentation on his thoughts and reflections on his new role and on advancing accessibility across Canada. The event also featured David Lepofsky, Chair of the AODA Alliance, on a panel with ARCH staff lawyers examining critical issues in advancing accessibility, including developments in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities
Act (AODA), and the landmark judicial review decision for equal access in Hejka v. the Regional Municipality of Durham – a case centred around access to accessible transit.
Images on this page in the original Annual Report are 2 pictures from National AccessAbility Week 2022.

The 1st is a picture of a screenshot of the National AccessAbility Week 2022 Event. Michael Gotheil, Hannah Lee, David Lepofsky and Gabriel Reznick are on the screen of the virtual event. An ASL interpreter is to their right. The top banner says Law Society of Ontario / Barreau de l’Ontario; National AccessAbility Week 2022.

The 2nd is a picture of a screenshot of the National AccessAbility Week 2022 Event. Treasurer Donnelly of Law Society of Ontario and Robert Lattanzio of ARCH Disability Law Centre on the screen of the virtual event. An ASL interpreter is centred below them. The top banner says Law Society of Ontario / Barreau de l’Ontario; National AccessAbility Week 2022. 

Highlights of Select Cases
Advocating for Accessible Transportation
ARCH successfully represented Mr. Hejka in a case involving the removal of paratransit services. On April 12, 2022, the Divisional Court released the landmark judicial review decision, of Hejka v. The Regional Municipality of Durham, 2022 ONSC 2233. The case challenged the decision of the Regional Municipality of Durham and Durham Region Transit to determine that Mr. Hejka was no longer eligible for door-to-door paratransit services. Rather, he was required to ride conventional transportation for part of his trip, and be accompanied by an able-bodied person while riding transit. ARCH on behalf of Mr. Hejka argued that this decision was unreasonable because it was not in line with the Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and it removed Mr. Hejka’s independence and dignity. The court agreed with this, deciding that the Regional Municipality of Durham’s decision was unreasonable as it created additional barriers for Mr. Hejka to access transportation. Specifically, the court found that requiring Mr. Hejka to be ac- companied by an attendant at his cost was a significant barrier. Further outlining that this decision serves to “undermine rather than promote Mr. Hejka’s independence and dignity, two fundamental needs of persons with disabilities that have historically been ignored.”
As a remedy, the court decided that Mr. Hejka is eligible for door-to-door paratransit services. Mr. Hejka is now back to taking public transportation independently and with dignity, as a result of this successful decision.
Advocating for Accessible Air Travel Transportation
In December 2019, ARCH represented a client in an oral hearing at the Canadian Transportation Agency. The issue to be determined was whether Air Canada, who had denied ARCH’s client access to multiple trans-border flights due to his mobility device, could accommodate him up to the point of undue hardship. In July 2022, the Canadian Transportation Agency released its decision, Rose v Air Canada, finding that Air Cana- da had failed to demonstrate undue hardship and awarded the client systemic remedies. The remedies specifically address the inaccessibility of a number of Air Canada’s transborder flights and include steps that must be taken by Air Canada once a person with a disability who uses a mobility device makes a request for accommodation. Air Canada’s show cause submissions to the Canadian Transportation Agency on the remedies are pending.
Access to Public Hearings
ARCH represented two complainants in two cases before the Canadian Human Rights Commission about a Tribunal's failure to provide disability-related accommodations during a hearing set in a public forum. The cases raised important issues about the obligations of Tribunals under the human rights law and the rights of persons with disabilities to have full and equal access to public hearings. The complainants reached a confidential settlement with the Tribunal which included systemic remedies.
Judicial Review of Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario Decision About COVID-19 Visitation Bans (JL v Empower Simcoe)
ARCH represented the Respondent in JL v Empower Simcoe at the Divisional Court. Empower Simcoe sought a judicial review of a decision made by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario in a case that raised very important and pressing issues about the right to disability-related accommodations for persons living in group home settings, and how those rights must be maintained while pandemic safety measures are in place. In its decision, the Tribunal found that Empower Simcoe failed to explore ways to accommodate JL and failed to establish that accommodating JL would amount to undue hardship. The judicial review as heard by the Divisional Court in February and a decision is pending, as of the writing of this Report.
Upholding the Test for Public Interest Standing
ARCH represented a coalition of 6 specialty legal clinics as intervener before the Supreme Court of Canada in Attorney General of British Columbia v Council of Canadians with Disabilities. This Appeal addressed the proper application of the test for public interest standing. The Supreme Court upheld the existing public interest standing test and found that courts must assess and weigh three factors in a cumulative and purposive manner when deciding whether to grant or deny public interest standing. Over and above this, courts must also turn their minds to the purposes that justify granting standing – this includes giving effect to the principle of legality and ensuring access to justice. The decision was a welcome one as it ensures that specialty and community legal clinics, like ARCH and those that formed a part of the Coalition, can continue to do the important and valuable systemic work that they do on behalf of their low-income and marginalized client communities.
Accessible Rights Education
ARCH continues to promote awareness and education on disability rights, by offering presentations, workshops and seminars, as well as developing a wide range of resources with its partners.

ARCH Alert
ARCH Alert is ARCH’s free quarterly newsletter. It provides timely information on legislation developments, significant court decisions, government consultations, community initiatives, and other disability-related legal issues. ARCH Alert has over 4,000 subscribers who receive the newsletter directly. It is also available on our website for anyone to access.
Image on this page in the original Annual Report is an image of the various print versions of Guides, newsletters and ARCH materials.

Meaningful Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Regulation
In collaboration with 5 disability community partner organizations, ARCH co-developed a series of accessible public legal education videos about the Accessible Canada Act, its accessibility regulations, and its accessibility standards. The videos aim to support people with disabilities to participate in processes when new regulations are developed by the Government of Canada, the Canadian Transportation Agency and the CRTC. The information in these videos is based on ARCH's report entitled Meaningful Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Regulation Making. This report presents research findings about barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from participating in processes to develop new regulations, and it includes recommendations for actions Canadian regulators can take to make regulation development processes more accessible, inclusive and meaningful for persons with disabilities. This report is available in English and French on ARCH's website: https://archdisabilitylaw.ca/papers-recommendations/   
The videos are available on ARCH 's website in plain language in English, American Sign Language, and with English captioning: https://archdisabilitylaw.ca/accessibility-laws/accessible-canada-act/ 
And in French, Langues des Signes Quebecoises, and with French captioning: https://archdisabilitylaw.ca/fr/loi-canadienne-sur-laccessibilite/ 
ARCH thanks Employment and Social Development Canada for funding this project through the Social Development Partnerships Program (Disability Component).
ARCH is very grateful to our project partners, the Canadian Association of the Deaf, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, Communication Disabilities Access Canada, the National Coalition of People Who Use Guide and Service Dogs in Canada, People First of Canada, and York University—Osgoode Hall Law School for the time, dedication and expertise they contributed to this project.

ARCH Library & Resource Centre
Although physically closed during the pandemic, ARCH has continued to add and update its public and staff collections of disability and legal material. These resources cover both current and historical disability law and policy, together with practical guides. Our shelves hold also valuable personal memoirs and experiences by persons living with a disability or by their family members.
Image on this page in the original Annual Report is a black and white picture from the ARCH library. It is displaying various books and binded materials on a shelf.
As in the previous year, we have focused on adding electronic resources that can be accessed through ARCH Library’s online catalogue https://15285public.rmwebopac.com/ .
A special project has aimed to increase access to ARCH’s periodicals, a key resource for the Canadian disability archive with articles on community and legal advocacy, by and about disability organizations. ARCHType, subtitled “The Magazine that defends the rights of people with disabilities”, was issued from 1981 to 2000.
A second magazine ARCH Alert was separately published from 1984 to 1990, resuming in its current format in 2000. The Resource Centre holds print copies and a digitized version of these earlier periodicals on its public computers. The table of contents for both are available at https://bit.ly/3CBlFIV (download link in the Multimedia section). Annual compilations in accessible format of ARCH Alert for the years 2000 to 2015 can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/3KqLoFT. Later and current issues of ARCH Alert are available on the ARCH website.
We look forward to welcoming back users to the Resource Centre at 55 University Ave on the 15th floor, to browse our collection in person at and make use of its computers with assistive technology.
DLI Program
ARCH continues its exciting partnership with Osgoode Hall Law School at York University to offer a program that is the first of its kind in Canada. Through the Disability Law Intensive Program, ARCH provides practical legal experience to Osgoode Hall law students. Working with ARCH staff lawyers, student develop various legal skills while learning about disability rights issues.
Eleven students are participating in the 2022- 2023 Disability Law Intensive at ARCH. 

Respecting Rights
Image on this page in the original Annual Report is the Respecting Rights Logo.
Respecting Rights is a project at ARCH that is led by self advocates labelled with intellectual disabilities. Since 2011, Respecting Rights works on accessible law reform projects and provides accessible rights education to persons labelled with intellectual disabilities and their support networks across Ontario.
As the waves of the pandemic continue to have implications for the disability community, Respecting Rights has continued to meet virtually, with occasional outdoor gatherings. We have continued to advocate for the rights of persons labelled with intellectual disability and have kept on broadening our outreach to communities across Ontario. We are very pleased to say we have increased our reach, now partnering with communities in Thunder Bay, across Southwestern Ontario as well as the ongoing work throughout Ontario.
Province-wide Quarterly Meetings introduced
Respecting Rights has launched a new series of virtual quarterly meetings for self- advocates across Ontario to offer input into the Respecting Rights work. These meetings serve as a virtual meeting place for people labelled with intellectual disabilities to share concerns and issues they are facing in their communities across Ontario. With the strength of numbers across the province, Respecting Rights listens and with the support of ARCH Lawyers these meetings contribute to law reform campaigns that work to improve the laws for people labeled with intellectual disability. The dates are shared on the Respecting Rights Facebook Page.
Into the Light – Eugenics & Oppression in Ontario
Respecting Rights have worked for the past several years alongside lawyers at ARCH in contributing to the award-winning project documenting eugenics and education in Ontario. We are pleased to say the work of Respecting Rights core members Peter Park, Huronia class action Lead plaintiff Marie Slark and Huronia survivor Antoinette Charlebois now live on in an educational platform that all can access. Institutional survivors sharing their stories of oppression alongside residential school survivor Elder Mona Stonefish create an important legacy for all to learn from. Their stories are honoured here on the Into the Light website in this interactive learning platform:
Into the Light: Living Histories of Oppression and Education in Ontario

Elder Mona Stonefish and Evadne Kelly were the keynote speakers at ARCH’s 2021 AGM, and their insights and reflections, and described the importance and legacy of the this project. Marie Slark and Antoinette Charlebois shared their lived experience.
Accessible Land Acknowledgement
This year, Respecting Rights self-advocates continued to meet with Community Living Six Nations to talk about what kind of land acknowledgement would be meaningful and to learn more about the history and experiences of indigenous peoples. Respecting Rights finalized their accessible land acknowledgement and has been sharing information with self-advocates across Ontario on the importance of creating their own land acknowledgement and learning about the history and experiences of indigenous peoples in their area. Respecting Rights is looking forward to be presenting this important work at the Speaking Out Conference held in Port Elgin in October 2022.
Continued advocacy on accessible complaint mechanisms in Developmental Services
My Voice My Choice Phase II has been a major project Respecting Rights has been engaged in throughout the past year. This project builds on work that was completed with the report conducted by eviance on My Voice, My Choice. The re- port indicated that people labelled with intellectual disabilities need a complaint mechanism that is safe, accessible and will not result in reprisal if they make a complaint about services. Respecting Rights thanks, the self-advocates offering their time to work on this project together, and for the agencies supporting them to attend.

A series of accessible workshops on the right to complain are being offered to self- advocates across Ontario. The communities participating are: Toronto area (Reena), South Western Ontario (Southwest Collaborative Communities), Thunder Bay area (Community Living Thunder Bay).

Image on this page in the original Annual Report is a picture of an ARCH Respecting Rights staff and a Respecting Rights self-advocate member wearing masks indoors at ARCH’s office. Smiling with masks on, both with their thumbs up to the camera.

Image on this page in the original Annual Report is a picture of 3 Respecting Rights self-advocates along with an ARCH Respecting Rights staff, smiling at the camera outside in a park on a picnic table.

Upcoming initiatives: Coffee & Advocacy
As our numbers of self-advocates continue to grow through our outreach, Respecting Rights has launched a new initiative that provides legal education in a setting of discussion and support (through a virtual platform to begin with). Beginning with building capacity in Toronto, Coffee & Advocacy will be a new way for self-advocates to connect and discuss rights and issues they are facing. For information on this initiative, visit:
Image on this page in the original Annual Report is a picture of a Coffee and Advocacy poster. There is a picture of a coffee cup filled with coffee, a megaphone, Respecting Rights logo and ARCH’s logo. The text reads: 
Join Respecting Rights on the second Tuesday of every month from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm for: Coffee and Advocacy! A monthly Zoom drop in meeting for self-advocates in Toronto to discuss issues in a safe environment and to make meaningful connections with other self-advocates. Contact Jessica Field for more information: jessica.field@arch.clcj.ca 

Winner of the 2021 Leadership in Advocacy Award
Image on this page in the original Annual Report is an image of an award received. ARCH's logo is on the top left with the logo of 2021 Dr. David Green Award Recipients on the right. Middle Centre it states The Leadership in Advocacy Award: ARCH Disability Law Center. The text at the bottom states: This award is presented to individuals, groups, and/or organizations who/which have made outstanding efforts in advocating for changes in public policy or increasing awareness of the MDC or neuromuscular disorders. ARCH has been exceptional in the past year in terms of advocating for equitable policies as it relates to COVID-19. Specifically, they have done tremendous work on critical care [de]prioritization protocols and policies on caregiver visits in hospitals. They have worked closely with MDC on webinars, action tools, letters and meetings. The materials have not only been important for Ontarians, but across the country. Because of these efforts, our clients are able to feel safe and live life on their terms.
ARCH received this award in April of 2022 from Muscular Dystrophy Canada (MDC) for our work in 2021. The Dr. David Green award recipients were presented those who “champion MDC's mission with courage, determination, passion and show extraordinary commitment to raising funds, increasing awareness, engaging other community members and building positive connections.” Thank you to MDC for this incredible honour!

ARCH’s Financial Supporters

ARCH is grateful to the ongoing funding and support of Legal Aid Ontario. (LAO). LAO is ARCH’s primary funder and a critical partner in all our work.
The City of Toronto has once again provided ARCH with a Community Service Partnership Grant that supports our Respecting Rights Toronto Program.
ARCH is licensed by the Ontario Lottery Corporation to participate in the Break Open Ticket program. Receipts from this initiative support our disability accommodations, communications, our website and our Resource Centre.
ARCH has received funding for the Accessibility in Action project lead by IRIS. ARCH’s role will be to produce various education materials related to the Accessible Canada Act, Regulations and Standards development.
ARCH also received funding from numerous organizations for project specific work.
ARCH would like to thank the above funders for their support, and also thank members of the public for their ongoing support through their generous donations.

Image on this page in the original Annual Report is the logo of Legal Aid Ontario / Aide Juridique Ontario.

ARCH Board of Directors
2021-2022

Ashfaq Kash Hussain
Claudette Paul
Douglas Waxman (Chairperson)
Emily Gillespie
Harjot Dosanjh (Secretary) 
Jason Mitschele (Treasurer)
Jennifer Hiseler (First Vice-Chair)
Laura Upans
Michelle Woolfrey Paul Scotland
Rick Welland – resigned June 30, 2022 
Roxanne Mykitiuk
Sandi Bell (Second Vice-Chair)
Wade Poziomka 
Yvonne Simpson

ARCH Staff 2021-2022

Amanda Ward	 		Intake Coordinator 
Dianne Wintermute 			Staff Lawyer
Doreen Way			Office Manager
Gabriel Reznick					Staff Lawyer 
Graciela Flores Mendez	Staff Lawyer 
Hannah Lee					Staff Lawyer
Ilinca Stefan	 			Staff Lawyer 
Janeille Jackson				Litigation Clerk 
Jessica De Marinis				Staff Lawyer
Jessica Field				Respecting Rights Coordinator 
Kerri Joffe				Staff Lawyer
Lila Refaie				Staff Lawyer 
Mariam Shanouda				 Staff Lawyer 
Mary Hanson				Law Librarian
Roberto Lattanzio			Executive Director
Rachel Abitan	 		Communications and Outreach Coordinator Rachel Weiner			Staff Lawyer
Sue Hutton			Respecting Rights Coordinator
Theresa Sciberras			Operations, Program and Administrative 
				Assistant 
Yangtzee Tamang			 Operations and Litigation Assistant

Financial Overview
2021-2022

Image on this page in the original Annual Report is of the Statement of Operations and Funds Balances from ARCH’s Audited Financial Statement. 

Financial Overview continued
2021-2022

Image on this page in the original Annual Report is of the Statement of Financial Position from ARCH’s Audited Financial Statement. 

Image on this page in the original Annual Report is of the Notes to Financial Statements (continued), from ARCH’s Audited Financial Statement. 

ARCH in the Media
ARCH continues to pursue conveying information about disability rights through media platforms.
Meagan Gillmore discusses findings from a new report about accessibility-related barriers to COVID-19 vaccines June 14, 2022 – Meagan Gillmore, AMI Episode 575
Outraged and distraught’: Reaction to disabled B.C. woman’s approval for medically-assisted death June 8,2022 - Penny Daflos, CTV News Vancouver
Interview: Hannah Lee and Gabriel Reznick chats with Danielle McLaughlin about a landmark case decision involving the AODA May 2, 2022 – Danielle McLaughlin, AMI - Kelly and Company
Canada: Federal Organizations Obligated to Prepare Accessibility Plans April 6, 2022 - Catherine Skrzypinski, Society for Human Resource Management
Families With Autistic Children Banned From Adopting Dogs From Canadian Rescue Group April 5, 2022 – Miami Herald, Julia Marnin
Interview: Respecting Rights Says it's "Time for Change" November 2, 2021 – Community Living Ontario
In Ontario group homes, who counts as an essential visitor — and who should? September 21, 2021 –TVO, Meagan Gillmore

Social Media
ARCH continues to utilize social media platforms to distribute information, communicate with our community, and celebrate
initiatives.

Image on this page in the original Annual Report is the icon for LinkedIn.
LinkedIn = 433 Followers an increase of 59%

Image on this page in the original Annual Report is the icon for Facebook.
Facebook = 1560 Followers an increase of 28%

Image on this page in the original Annual Report is the icon for Twitter.

Twitter = 3974 Followers an increase of 9%

Acknowledgements
ARCH is very appreciative of the support of legal clinics, the private bar, and the pro bono assistance of lawyers and law students. ARCH thanks the many volunteers who have given ongoing support and offered insight, expertise and information that has advanced our work.

ARCH gratefully acknowledges the contributions from our volunteers, lawyers and supporters:
ARCH wishes to thank our community volunteer members on the Moving Together Toward Supporting Reconciliation Committee:
Roberta Oshkabewisens 
Melanie Marsden-Meyers
ARCH gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the following students:

John Fallon Disability Law Intensive Program 
Shirelle Cogan Disability Law Intensive Program 
Nicola Locantore Disability Law Intensive Program 
Guneet Saini Disability Law Intensive Program 
Matthew Vocino Disability Law Intensive Program 
Mariah Campbell Disability Law Intensive Program 
Keshbir Brar Disability Law Intensive Program
Aliza Kwinter Disability Law Intensive Program 
Ana Wagner  Disability Law Intensive Program 
Jaskeerat Singh Disability Law Intensive Program
Daniel De Kok		Disability Law Intensive Program 
Elizabeth McConkey Disability Law Intensive Program 
Aryn Polichuk	 PBSC
Danielle Landry PBSC
Accommodations:

Canadian Hearing Services
Sign Language Interpreting Associates Ottawa Inc 
TraduSigne
AB Captioning & CART Inc 
CNIB Deafblind Services 
Monique LeDrew
Issac Leal 
HandSigNow 
Wayne Nicholson
Paul LeDrew, HandSigNow
Eric Laroque, Phoenix The Fire 
Gaitrie Persaud, Phoenix The Fire 
Alice Dulude, TraduSigne

Language Interpreting and Translation:
All Languages
MCIS Language Solutions 
Rene Guitard
François Ouellette

Respecting Rights would like to thank the following community partners and advisors for their ongoing support this year on various projects and initiatives:
Krishan Jayatunge 
Josee Boulanger 
Vicky Pearson 
Michelle Maloney 
Lisa Foster
Marg McLean 
Sheila Simpson 
Adriana Palma 
Angela Hutson 
Joel Jamieson
Shillene Dale
Evadne Kelly
Elder Mona Stonefish 
Reena
Community Living Thunder Bay 
Southwestern Collaborative Communities
Community Living Six Nations

Respecting Rights would also like to thank the following members for their hard work and dedication this year:
Peter Park 
Marissa Blake 
Sarah J Flint 
Judy Noonan 
Brett Balaban
Contributors to one or more different ARCH projects and work over the year:
Michael Bach
Neil Belanger
Kayla Besse
Paula Boutis
Bonnie Brayton
Krista Carr
Ellen Cohen
Ruby Dhand
Steven Estey
Yan Grenier
Shelley Fletcher
Catherine Frazee
Kurt Goddard
Michael Gottheil
Susan Hardie
Amy Hasbrouck
Michelle Hewitt
Natalia Hicks
Sarah Jama
David Lepofsky
Anne MacRae
Tracy Odell
Rohini Peris
Gabrielle Peters
Jim Roots
Cyn Rozeboom
Keiko Shikako
Phillip Turcotte
Lori Vaanholt
Karla Verschoor
Heather Walkus

55 University Avenue, 15th Floor
Toronto, ON, M5J 2H7

Phone: 416-482-8255 1-866-482-2724
TTY: 416-482-1254 1-866-482-2728

www.archdisabilitylaw.ca

Image on this page in the original Annual Report is the icon for Facebook.
@ARCHDisabilityLawCentre

Image on this page in the original Annual Report is the icon for Twitter.
@ARCHDisability

Image on this page in the original Annual Report is the icon for LinkedIn.
@arch-disability-law-centre