Hub Staff
A staff report of the StopGap Community Ramp Project Policy was presented to council during the Committee of a Whole meeting March 29. Although councillors personally support and are excited about the accessibility project, the policy will need to undergo adjustments before StopGap can officially obtain council's approval.
The current policy states that for a business to be eligible for the accessible ramp, the business must have a single stepped storefront of six inches or lower. Councillor Neil Menage requested that the policy be converted to the metric system, which would see it go to centimeters instead of inches.
See also: Making Saugeen Shores more accessible
The contested issue with the policy was when it came to liability insurance. The current policy issued that if the ramp is placed on municipal property, the business owner is to provide proof of liability insurance in the amount of $5 million, naming the Town of Saugeen Shores as an additional named insured. Deputy Mayor Luke Charbonneau thought $5 million was too steep for business owners.
“I’m concerned that the $5 million dollars of general liability insurance is going to be a drag on the program,” Charbonneau said March 29.
“Downtown business owners don't carry $5 million dollars in liability insurance, none of them do, and $2 million dollars is pretty well the average." He added that the significant premium increase for business owners would hinder the program.
“My argument would be if you want this to be a successful program and work, we need to determine what level of liability the municipality is going to accept on this and I think if we accept a little bit more, that it could be very beneficial to this program,” said Charbonneau, adding that the benefit outweighs the risks.
Town CAO Larry Allison said town staff would talk with their insurance providers but believes that staff will be “comfortable” with the $3 million dollar decrease.
Town Council approved the motion for an amendment to the policy.
Members of StopGap will be going to businesses that fit the requirements for the portable accessibility ramp this week.
