Last Updated: June 2021
CMiC is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and by meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, including Regulation 191/11 – “Integrated Accessibility Standards” (collectively, the “Accessibility Act”).
The Accessibility Act seeks to create an accessible Ontario. Accessibility standards have been developed for five key areas of daily living: i) information and communications, ii) employment, iii) customer service, iv) design of public spaces (built environment), and v) transportation. The areas applicable to CMiC are discussed herein.
CMiC is governed by the policies set forth herein as well as by the Accessibility Act in meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities.
All policies will be implemented in accordance with the timeframes established by the Accessibility Act.
Managers and Human Resources personnel will monitor current practices to ensure compliance with the accessibility policies set forth herein and managers will ensure that they and their employees are familiar with these policies. Failure to comply with these policies may result in disciplinary action.
CMiC is responsible for reviewing the policies set forth herein on an ongoing basis and for recommending amendments to ensure on-going compliance with regulated accessibility standards and legislated obligations. CMiC will provide advice and direction on the implementation of these policies.
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions shall apply for the purposes of the accessibility policies set forth herein:
Disability is:
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;
a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability;
a learning disability or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
a mental disorder; or
an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
Service Animal is, with respect to a person with a disability, an animal:
that can be readily identified, as a result of visual indicators such as the vest or harness worn by the animal, as one that is being used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability;
for which the person provides documentation from one of the regulated health professionals listed in Regulation 191/11 confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons related to the disability; or
that is a guide dog as defined in the Blind Persons’ Rights Act.
Support Person is, in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies the person with a disability in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care, or medical needs or with access to goods, services, or facilities. The Support Person can be a paid personal support worker, a volunteer, a friend, or a family member. A Support Person does not necessarily need to have special training or qualifications.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS
CMiC will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disabilities. Upon request and in consultation with the person making the request, CMiC will, in a timely manner at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons, provide information about our organization and its services, including public safety information, in accessible formats or with communication supports.
CMiC notifies the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.
CMiC’s website and web content, except for the relevant exclusions (if applicable), are compliant with WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
CMiC will notify employees, potential hires, persons being offered employment, and the public that accommodations can be made during recruitment, during assessment, and upon and after hiring.
CMiC will notify employees that supports are available for those with disabilities and has a process to develop individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities.
CMiC will, upon request, provide employees with a disability with accessible formats and communication supports for information that is needed in order for the employee to perform his or her job and for information that is generally available to other CMiC employees.
Where needed and in accordance with Regulation 191/11, CMiC will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to help an employee with a disability during an emergency.
CMiC has a process to develop return to work plans for employees who have been absent with a disability and require accommodation in order to return to work. Such return to work plans will include an individual accommodation plan.
Our performance management, career development/advancement, and redeployment processes will consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, including any individual accommodation plans.
At all times CMiC will consult with the employee making the request for an accommodation, accessible format, or communication support in order to determine the suitability of same.
CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS
Introduction and Commitment
All persons who deal with members of the public or other third parties on behalf of CMiC, whether that person does so as an employee, independent contractor, agent, volunteer, or otherwise, are covered by this policy. This policy shall also apply to every person involved in the development of policies, procedures, and practices pertaining to the provision of goods and services by CMiC.
CMiC strives at all times to provide its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. CMiC is also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place, and in a similar way as other customers.
Communication
CMiC will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that consider their disabilities and will make information available to them in accessible formats.
Telephone Services
CMiC will offer to communicate with customers via e-mail if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs and/or is not available.
Assistive Devices
CMiC is committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use, or benefit from our goods, services, and facilities and, as such, persons with disabilities are welcome to use their assistive devices when accessing CMiC’s goods, services, or facilities. In cases where the assistive device presents a significant and unavoidable health or safety concern or may not be permitted for other reasons, other measures will be used to ensure the person with a disability can access our goods, services, or facilities.
Service Animals
CMiC is committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a Service Animal on CMiC’s premises that are open to the public, except if prohibited by law.
If Service Animals are prohibited by another law, we will do the following to ensure people with disabilities can access our goods, services, or facilities:
explain why the animal is excluded; and
discuss with the customer another way of providing goods, services, or facilities.
Support Persons
CMiC is committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a Support Person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a Support Person will be allowed to enter CMiC’s premises with his or her Support Person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a Support Person be prevented from having access to his or her Support Person while on CMiC’s premises.
Notice of Temporary Disruption
CMiC will provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by customers with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be sent to all employees and will be placed at all public entrances to CMiC’s premises.
Training
CMiC will provide accessible customer service training to:
all employees and volunteers;
anyone involved in developing our policies; and
anyone who provides goods, services, or facilities to customers on our behalf.
Training will be provided to CMiC employees as part of orientation for new employees and on a continuing basis, as required. The amount and format of training will depend on the level of the employee’s interaction with customers. CMiC will keep a record of its accessible customer service training.
Accessible customer service training will include:
the purpose of the Accessibility Act and the requirements of the customer service standards;
CMiC’s policies related to the customer service standards;
how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities;
how to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a Service Animal or of a Support Person;
how to use the equipment or devices available throughout CMiC’s building that may help with providing goods, services, or facilities to people with disabilities; and
what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing CMiC’s goods, services, or facilities.
Employees will also be trained when changes are made to our accessible customer service policies.
Feedback
CMiC’s goal is to meet and surpass customer expectations in accommodating persons with disabilities. Comments regarding how well CMiC provides goods, services, or facilities to persons with disabilities, and regarding whether our feedback process is accessible to persons with disabilities, are welcome and appreciated. Feedback regarding accommodation for people with disabilities and regarding our feedback process, including complaints with respect to our accommodation processes for people with disabilities and with respect to our feedback process, can be made in person at our offices, by phone at 416-736-0123, or by sending an e-mail to hr@cmic.ca. All feedback, including complaints, will be directed within CMiC as appropriate. Customers can expect to hear back within five (5) business days. CMiC will make sure our feedback process, including the complaints process, is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports, upon request.
Format of Documents
Upon request, CMiC will provide a copy of a document, or the information contained in the document, to a person with a disability in an accessible format or with communication support. CMiC will consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the accessible format or communication support and will provide the document, or the information contained in the document, in the accessible format or with the communication support in a timely manner that takes into account the person’s accessibility needs and at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.
DESIGN OF PUBLIC SPACES STANDARDS (ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT)
To the extent CMiC, as applicable, constructs any new, or redevelops any existing, exterior paths of travel, public use eating areas, outdoor play spaces, off-street parking, waiting areas, service counters, or fixed queuing guides, it shall ensure that they are constructed/redeveloped, and subsequently maintained, in accordance with Regulation 191/11.
TRAINING
In addition to the customer service standards training set forth above, CMiC will train our employees and volunteers, those persons who participate in developing our policies, and other persons who provide goods, services, or facilities on our behalf on other accessibility standards as appropriate to their specific roles and on the Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. In addition, CMiC will train its employees, if necessary, after making changes to our accessibility policies. Training will be provided as part of orientation for new employees and on a continuing basis, as required. CMiC will keep a record of the training provided, including to whom and when it was provided.
MODIFICATIONS TO THIS OR OTHER POLICIES
CMiC is committed to developing policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to the policies set forth herein before considering the impact on people with disabilities. Any policy of CMiC that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.