ACCESSIBILITY POLICY

STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT

Italform Limited is committed to treating people with disabilities in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration, and we are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner. We will do so by removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and meeting our accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and Ontario’s accessibility laws.

LEGISLATION

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 – O. Reg. 429/07 Ontario Regulation 191/11

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) S.O. 2005, CHAPTER 11 Ontario Human Rights Code

This Act pertains to employers who:

  • Provide goods and services either directly to the public or to other businesses or organizations, and

  • Have one or more employee(s) in Ontario

DEFINITIONS

AODA: Accessibilities for Ontarians with Disabilities Act

AODA defines a DISABILITY as:

a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, 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 development disability,

c) a learning disability, or 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.

Accessibility: means access – refers to the ability for everyone, regardless of disability or special needs, to access, use and benefit from everything within their environment. It is the “degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible.”

TRAINING

ITALFORM LIMITED is committed to training our employees in accordance with O. Reg 191/11: Integrated Accessibility Standards.

Training shall be provided as soon as practicable and on an ongoing basis, or whenever there are policy changes, to the following:

1) all persons who are an employee of the organization;

2) all persons who participate in developing the organization’s policies; and

3) all other persons who provide services on behalf of the organization

Training shall include:

  • Review the purposes of the AODA

  • Review requirements of the Customer Service Standards

  • Provide instruction on how to interact with people who have various types of disabilities including those who use assistive devices, have a service animal, or who are accompanied by a support person

  • Provide instruction on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our services

Training will be appropriate to the duties of the employee.

ASSISTIVE DEVICES

People with disabilities may use their personal assistive devices when accessing our office and/or yard. In cases where the assistive device presents a significant and unavoidable health or safety concern or may not be permitted for other reasons, that will be communicated to the person with disabilities.

SERVICE ANIMALS

When we cannot easily identify that an animal is a service animal, our staff may ask for documentation (template, letter, or form) from a regulated health professional that confirms the person needs the service animal for reasons relating to their disability.

A service animal can be easily identified through visual indicators, such as when it wears a harness or a vest, or when it helps the person perform certain tasks.

A regulated health professional is defined as a member of one of the following colleges:

  • College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario

  • College of Chiropractors of Ontario

  • College of Nurses of Ontario

  • College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario

  • College of Optometrists of Ontario

  • College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario

  • College of Physiotherapists of Ontario

  • College of Psychologists of Ontario

  • College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapist of Ontario

If service animals are prohibited by another law, we will explain to the person with disabilities why the animal is excluded from our office and/or yard.

SUPPORT PERSONS

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises (office and/or yard).

FEEDBACK PROCESS

Italform Limited welcomes feedback as this will help us identify barriers and respond to concerns.

Feedback can be provided in the following ways:

  • By phone at (905) 857-8579

  • By email at info@italform.ca

  • By mail to Italform Limited, 3 Simpson Road, Bolton, Ontario, L7E 1E4

All feedback, including complaints, will be directed to the business owner(s). In cases where a reply is requested, it will be provided within 25 business days.

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS

Italform Limited will provide our Accessibility Policy in an accessible format or with communication support, on request. We will consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the format or communication support. We will provide the accessible format in a timely manner.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

Italform Limited will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that consider their disability, and we will work with the person with disabilities to determine what method of communication works best for them.

Accessible formats include:

  • larger printed materials

  • verbal communication

  • email

  • text

  • another format requested by the person with disability, if possible

EMPLOYMENT

We notify staff that supports are available for those with disabilities as soon as practicable after they begin their employment.

We will consult with employees when arranging for the provision of suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the accessibility needs due to disability.

We will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication supports specifically for:

a) information that is needed in order to perform the employee’s job; and

b) information that is generally available to employees in the workplace

Upon request, or where needed, we will provide customized emergency information to help an employee with a disability during an emergency. With the employee’s consent, we will provide workplace emergency information to a designated person who is providing assistance to that employee during an emergency.

We have a written process to develop individual accommodation plans for employees who require it.