Accessibility and Inclusion Committee

The AIC supports us in the meaningful implementation of the Accessible British Columbia Act, furthering our goal to authentically identify, remove and prevent barriers to individuals in, or interacting with Destination BC in pursuit of a more inclusive and accessible tourism industry. To meet the requirements of Part 3, section 9 of the Act, the AIC responsibilities include:

• assisting Destination BC to identify barriers to individuals in or interacting with, the organization; and
• advising Destination BC on how to remove and prevent barriers to individuals in or interacting with, the organization.

The AIC also supports our ongoing commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility through:

• sharing feedback and advice on Destination BC’s current Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility Strategy and Action Plan (“the Plan”), will continue to involve reviews of the Plan; and,
• considering and sharing any insights around feedback that Destination BC has received about the organization’s Plan and/or the organization’s public feedback mechanisms.

Destination BC is committed to improving inclusion and accessibility within our organizational culture as well as taking an active and meaningful role in improving accessibility and inclusion within the tourism industry. It is our hope to gain insights from the AIC on:

• Destination BC’s programs and policies pertaining to accessibility and inclusivity; and
• ways to strengthen partnerships with leading accessibility and inclusivity sector groups and associations.

Destination BC values trust and transparency and fair and equitable treatment of its committee members. That includes being intentional about having inclusive and reciprocal processes for this committee in place, such as equitable compensation for time, transparency regarding decision-making, and prioritizing long-term relationship building. Establishing the Destination BC Accessibility and Inclusion Committee is more than a milestone for us, it is part of our ongoing commitment.

Note: the Accessible British Columbia Act defines “barriers” in section 2, Part 1 of the Act as follows: “(1) For the purposes of this Act, a barrier is anything that hinders the full and equal participation in society of a person with an impairment. (2) For certainty and without limiting subsection (1), barriers can be (a) caused by environments, attitudes, practices, policies, information, communications or technologies, and (b) affected by intersecting forms of discrimination.”

Please refer to the Terms of Reference for more information.

The AIC consists of a minimum of eight, and up to 13 appointed individuals. To meet the requirement of the Act:

• at least half of the members of the AIC are:
  • persons with disabilities; or
  • individuals who support or are from organizations that support persons with disabilities.
• the members described in paragraph a) reflect the diversity of persons with disabilities in BC;
• at least one member of the AIC is an Indigenous person; and
• the AIC reflects the diversity of persons in BC.

Authentic representation matters. We recognize that each person’s lived experience and intersectionality is unique, and that one individual cannot speak on behalf of an entire group or community.

At Destination BC we aim to reflect and uplift the diversity of persons in BC in our organization, in our AIC membership, and in our marketing and communications. We define diversity as the variety of similarities and differences among people (including but not limited to dimensions of diversity such as ability, citizenship, gender, race, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status) as well as intersectionality (the distinct experience of overlapping aspects of identify and the interconnectedness of them – such as ability, gender, and race).

Having members who represent a diverse range of identities and experiences, including those who are marginalized or underrepresented, will lead to more thoughtful and inclusive decision-making, as well as more effective and equitable outcomes. As such, we use a comprehensive set of inclusive questions designed to understand more about an individual’s lived experience.

Our goal for the composition of the AIC is to not only reflect the diversity of persons in BC but also specifically reflect and uplift the diversity of persons with disabilities in British Columbia.

Individuals applying should:

• be living in BC, except by special waiver of the CEO; and,
• not be employees of Destination BC

Collaboration and co-design is an important part of our organizational culture and the way we approach DEIA. As such Destination BC may appoint employees and/or a Board member to act as observers, participate in meeting discussions as needed, and be included in all correspondence stemming from the AIC to better understand and apply feedback and advice provided by the AIC.

Note: the Accessible British Columbia Act defines “disability” in Part 1 of the Act as follows: “disability” means an inability to participate fully and equally in society as a result of the interaction of an impairment and a barrier; and further defines “impairment as follows: “impairment” includes a physical, sensory, mental, intellectual or cognitive impairment, whether permanent, temporary or episodic.

Applicants are encouraged to highlight their experience surrounding diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in their application forms.

In selecting members for the AIC, we consider all information shared with us in order to make the most informed decision possible. We acknowledge the presence of both comparison and competition in selection processes and take accountability for our role in making this imperfect process transparent and inclusive.

Destination BC recognizes lived experience as expertise and the importance of ‘nothing about us without us’ (that those with relevant lived experience must be meaningfully involved). We are looking for AIC members with relevant lived experience and skills to:

• provide honest strategic advice to Destination BC regarding Accessibility as well as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

To best achieve our purpose, we seek individuals with relevant experience in:

• the understanding of current and emerging issues related to disability and accessibility; and
• general knowledge of, and interest in, BC’s tourism industry.

Note: Tourism marketing and/or destination management experience, though not essential, is desirable as it would be of great benefit to the overall mission of Destination BC and the AIC.

The appointed roles are for up to a three-year term, beginning September 1, 2023. Committee members may serve for up to two consecutive terms. Applicants should be able to serve for the full term of the appointment. Selection to the committee is based on the individual person. If a person changes organisations or positions during their term on the AIC they may continue to be a member of the AIC provided their change in status isn’t in conflict with any of the AIC committee requirements.

• The AIC will meet at minimum, twice each year, on a schedule determined by the AIC.
• Meetings can be held in person and/or virtually. If meetings are held in person, they will take place in Metro Vancouver, BC.
• Arrangements will be made to ensure that all members can fully participate in the work of the AIC.
• Subject-matter experts may be invited to participate by the Chair, to contribute to meeting discussions as needed, and support the work of the AIC.

We sincerely welcome individual needs being shared with us so we may support full participation by the committee. We recognize that this will look different for each person.

Additionally, there is the possibility of each meeting being recorded upon consent from members to support the reflection and review of the matters that are discussed and shared with all members. Privacy and confidentiality extend to these recordings.

In recognition of the value of lived experience and appreciation of the time given, and emotional labour involved, Destination BC will provide each member of the AIC with remuneration in the amount of $350 for each full-day meeting attended (virtual or in-person) and $175 for each half-day meeting attended (virtual or in-person that is four hours or less). Remuneration is considered taxable income and, in accordance with CRA Policy, a T4A will be issued if all payments in a calendar year total more than $500.

In addition, members will have their travel expenses reimbursed to attend in-person AIC meetings, or to attend related business and will receive a per diem in accordance with Provincial per diem policies and rates.

Read or download the Terms of Reference.