Accessibility issues plague courthouse

Provincial report on 956M facility echoes concerns raised by advocates

- FRANCINE KOPUN

A report commissioned by the Ministry of the Attorney General has found numerous accessibility issues at the $956-million provincial courthouse in downtown Toronto.

The problems, detailed in a 76page report obtained by the Star, echo those described by disability rights activist David Lepofsky in a YouTube video uploaded in August.

They're the latest in a string of problems to plague the controversial facility meant to consolidate provincial court services - since it opened in March 2023, to criticism that it is too small, poses safety concerns, and resulted in a staffing crisis by forcing more people to commute longer distances.

The report by Gensler Architecture and Design focused specifically on tactile walking surface indicators (TWSI)-way-finding systems for visually impaired people.

Two site visits were conducted, one in December 2023 and one in January, including with people who rely on white canes.

Among the key findings: In some places the TWSI path is incorrectly installed, and one of them does not meet current standards and best practices.

■ The large and open environment of the outdoor courthouse plaza makes it a difficult space to navigate, and the TWSI path could easily be missed.

■ The ground-floor layout doesn’t provide an intuitive exit from the building, or path to the WheelTrans waiting area.

■ The path from the elevator lobby does not connect to a clear path to the main hallways.

■ The seating areas in the courtrooms are not easy to identify and may obstruct white canes.

■ The ticketing and number system to connect visitors to services is not accessible to those who are blind or who have low vision.