AODA Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

Ontario, Canada

Introduction and Commitment

Accessibility Policies and Plan

• Developed an Accessibility Policy that is publicly available on our website and available in accessible formats upon request. The Accessibility Policy sets out how the Company achieves the requirements applicable to the Company, under the IAS, in respect of Accessible Customer Service, Information and Communication, as well as the Built Environment and Design of Public Spaces.
• Developed an an Accessibility in Employment Policy that sets out how the Company achieves the requirements under the IAS in respect of accessibility in employment.
• Established, implemented and will maintain this Multi-Year Accessibility Plan.
• Included within the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan a statement of commitment to meet the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner.
• Made this Multi-Year Accessibility Plan available to the public on its website and in accessible formats upon request.

Training

• Provides training as required under the AODA, appropriate to the duties of its employees, volunteers, including those who are involved in the development, approval, monitoring or implementation of the Company’s customer service policies, practices and procedures about the provision of goods and services to the public and/or third parties, as well as any other persons acting on the Company’s behalf to provide its goods and services to the public and/or third parties.
• Training is provided on:
  • The purposes of the AODA and the requirements of its Customer Service Standard.
  • How to identity, prevent and remove barriers to accessible communication.
  • How to provide information through a communication support or accessible format.
  • The Company’s policies, practices and procedures with respect to accessibility and any changes to same.
  • The provisions the Ontario Human Rights Code pertaining to disability.
  • How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disability.
  • How to interact with persons with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a guide dog or other service animal or the assistance of a support person.
  • How to use equipment or devices available on the Company’s premises or otherwise provided by the Company that may help with the provision of goods or services to a person with a disability.
  • What to do if a person with a particular type of disability is having difficulty accessing the provider’s goods or services.
• The Company provides revised training in the event of changes to the Company’s practices or legislative requirements.
• The Company maintains records of the dates when training is completed and the number of individuals who completed the training.

Accessible Customer Service

• The Company meets all of its obligations under the Customer Service Standards set out in the Integrated Accessibility Standards of the AODA (the “IAS”).
• Ensures its employees communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account each person’s particular disability.
• Permits service animals and support persons on its premises where the public or third parties normally have access as required under the AODA, unless prohibited by law.
• Has a feedback process in place for receiving feedback from the public about how we are providing services to people with disabilities.
• Has made the feedback process publicly available on its website and available in accessible formats.
• Notifies the public of a current or anticipated disruption in any facilities or services provided by the Company to enable people with disabilities to access its services, along with the reason and anticipated duration of the disruption, and alternative facilities or services if available.

Information and Communications Standards

A. Accessible Websites and Web Content

B. Feedback, Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

• Has a statement about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports on its website and, upon request, provides or arranges for the provision of accessible formats.
• Ensure that the processes for receiving and responding to feedback are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for the provision of accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.
• In the event the Company makes public safety information available to the public, provides it in an accessible format or with appropriate communication supports as soon as practicable upon request.

Employment Standards

A. Recruitment

• On Ontario job postings, the Company specifies that accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities.
• The Company informs applicants selected to participate in an assessment or selection process that accommodations are available during the recruitment process, upon request and consults with the applicant to arrange for suitable accommodation.
• The Company notifies a successful applicant, when making offers of employment, of the Company’s policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.

B. Informing Employees of Supports

• The Company informs new hires of the Company’s policies to support employees with disabilities and keeps employees up to date on changes to these policies.
• Upon request from an employee with a disability, and further to consultation with the employee, the Company provides for suitable accessible formats and communication supports for information needed by the employee to perform their job, and/or information that is generally available to employees.

C. Documented Individual Accommodation Plans/Return to Work Process

• The Company: Has developed a written process for the development of individual accommodation plans.
• Develops and documents a return to work process for employees who have been absent due to a disability and require accommodation on return.
• Prepares individual accommodation plans on request from an employee with a disability who is disabled by a barrier in the workplace, which contains the prescribed requirements as set out in the IAS.

D. Performance Management and Career Development

• The Company: Takes into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities and individual accommodation plans when engaging in performance management processes.
• Takes into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities and individual accommodation plans when considering career development and advancement opportunities of employees with disabilities.
• Takes into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities and individual accommodation plans if engaging in deployment.

E. Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

• Upon request of an employee with a disability, the Company provides or arranges for accessible formats and communication supports for information needed by the employee to perform their job, and information generally available to employees in the workplace.

F. Individualized Workplace Emergency Response Information

• Where necessary, the Company, as soon as practicable, provides individualized workplace emergency response information specific to an employee if the Company becomes aware that, in the event of a workplace emergency, the employee may face special risks or challenges due disability.
• The Company reviews the response information as required by the IAS.

Built Environment