ACCESSIBILITY

Revised: January 2020

Statement of Organizational Commitment & Accessibility Policy

Statement of Commitment

Our Company is committed to ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities by identifying, removing and preventing barriers to promote the rights of all persons and to build and create an inclusive and accessible working environment, in accordance with the provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code (the “Code”) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (the “AODA”). The Company supports the intent of the AODA and its goal of achieving accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to Customer  Service, Information and Communications, and Employment.

Definition of Disability

According to the AODA, “disability” is defined as:

(a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the  foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or  hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,

(b) a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,

(c) a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,

(d) a mental disorder, or

(e) an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997; (“handicap”)

Where required, the Company will consult with the disabled individual to understand his or her specific accessibility needs, and then make all reasonable efforts to meet those individual  needs in a timely manner.

This policy applies to all individuals entitled to the protections set out in the AODA and its Regulations, including customers and employees of the Company.

Accessible Customer Service, Information and Communications

The Company is committed to ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities by identifying, removing and preventing the barriers that might interfere with the ability to obtain  goods and services provided by the Company. We strive at all times to provide good and services to customers in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with  disabilities and are committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to benefit from our services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers. We will ensure that everyone receives equitable treatment with respect to goods and services, without discrimination, and receives the accommodation where required.

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. When asked, we will provide information about our organization and its services in
accessible formats or with communication supports.

We will also meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines in accordance with Ontario’s accessibility laws.

Accessible Employment

The Company is committed to ensuring that every employee receives equitable treatment with respect to employment and services, without discrimination, and receives accommodation where required. We will meet the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner.

Information on available accommodations will be provided to candidates during the recruitment process. Information on employee supports will be communicated to new employees when an employment offer is extended and further information will be communicated during the orientation/onboarding process. Any changes to employee support policies will be communicated to employees immediately via our normal policy update process (a communication to all staff with attached documents or links to the documents on our internal intranet site).

We are committed to providing training on the requirements of the accessibility standards and on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities. This training is provided to all employees and volunteers and other persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of the organization. In addition, we review the duties of each employee and, where applicable, shall provide additional training to ensure that all employees, volunteers and other persons have the appropriate training to effectively perform their role.

Should an employee with a disability request information in an accessible format, whether this information is needed to do their job or is more general information that is available to all employees, we will meet with the employee and consult with them in order to provide or arrange for the provision of the most appropriate accessible formats and communication supports. Any plans for alternative accessible communications will be included in the employee’s individual accommodation plan.

On an annual basis, we ask all employees whether they require assistance in the case of an emergency and employees may also come forward at any time during the year to let us know about their needs. Individualized accommodation plans are developed as soon as possible after learning of the accommodation need and, with the employee’s consent, provided to our Health and Safety and Fire Warden groups. This team then works with building management and the information is incorporated into the building’s Emergency Response and Evacuation plans. Building management then coordinates with the Emergency Response Services to execute the plan.

In addition to reviewing on a yearly basis, the individualized workplace response information is reviewed when employees move to a different location within the organization, when the employee’s overall accommodation plans are reviewed and when the company reviews our general emergency response policies.

Our performance management, career development and redeployment process take into account the accessibility needs of all employees. Information on these processes can be found on our internal intranet site.

Changes to existing policies

We will modify or remove an existing policy that does not response and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.

Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

Company’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlines the strategies and actions to prevent and remove barriers to accessibility and to meet all the requirements under the AODA and its Regulations. The Company reviews this plan on an ongoing basis and update at least once every five years. This plan will be provided in an accessible format upon request.

• Company's Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (see below)

More Information

Please contact us at [email protected] or [email protected] for more information or to:

• Request a copy of the Accessibility policy
• Provide feedback on the way we provide products and services to customers with disabilities
• Request a document in accessible format
• Request additional information or provide your comments

 

Click here to Access the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan