Accessibility

Our commitment

Wildeboer Dellelce LLP is committed to removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and meeting our accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (the “Act”), the Integrated Accessibility Standards (the “Regulation”), and Ontario’s accessibility laws. We are committed to providing accessible customer service to people with disabilities and to improving accessibility for our clients and our employees. We are committed to ensuring that our policies, procedures and practices relating to accessibility are guided by the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equality of access. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner.

This policy specifically addresses our commitments in the following areas:

• Training
• Customer service
• Feedback
• Information
• Communication
• Employment

Wildeboer Dellelce LLP has a Multi-Year Accessibility Plan. The plan is available on our website, and will be made available in an accessible format and with communication supports, upon request. We will review and update the plan every five years.

Training

Wildeboer Dellelce LLP will ensure that staff, volunteers and third parties providing services on our behalf are trained on Ontario’s accessibility laws and aspects of the Ontario Human Rights Code that relate to persons with disabilities, and will keep a record of this training. We will train our employees and volunteers on accessibility as it relates to their specific roles, and will ensure that the training includes specific instruction on how to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disabilities. Training will be provided within 30 days of hire, and on an ongoing basis for all employees following any changes to this policy.

Customer service

When providing service to a client with a disability, Wildeboer Dellelce LLP will do so in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability. We will work with the person with a disability to determine what method of communication works for them.

We will post this policy on our website and will make it available to any client in an accessible format and with communication supports, as necessary.

Assistive devices

People with disabilities may use their personal assistive devices when accessing our services. 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 services.

We will ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods, services or facilities.

Service animals

Wildeboer Dellelce LLP welcomes people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public. Often, a service animal can be easily identified through visual indicators. When we cannot easily identify that an animal is a service animal, our staff may ask a person to provide documentation from a regulated health professional, as defined in the Regulation, that confirms the person needs the service animal for reasons relating to their disability.

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. Wildeboer Dellelce LLP might require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person for the health or safety reasons of the person with a disability or others. In such circumstances, we will consult with the person with a disability to understand their needs, consider health or safety reasons based on available evidence, and determine if there are any other reasonable ways to protect the health or safety of the person or others on the premises.

Notice of temporary disruption

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities provided by Wildeboer Dellelce LLP and used by persons with disabilities, including a power outage or disruption in elevator service, Wildeboer Dellelce LLP will notify customers promptly.

This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be placed in the main lobby of our office building. In addition, where we are aware that a person with a disability intended to use the service or facility during the period of disruption, we will contact that individual directly to advise them of the disruption.

Information and communications

Wildeboer Dellelce LLP 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, including public safety information, in accessible formats or with communication supports. We will consult with the person making the request for information to determine the suitability of any format or communication support. Any requests for accessible formats or communication supports will be addressed in a timely manner and the individual will not be charged at a cost higher than that charged to others for the same information.

We will also meet internationally-recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines website requirements in accordance with Ontario’s accessibility laws.

Employment

Wildeboer Dellelce LLP will notify employees, potential hires and the public that accommodations can be made during recruitment and hiring. We will do this through job postings and when contacting individuals for interviews. Successful applicants will be notified about our policies for accommodating employees at the time they are offered employment. We will update all employees when there are changes made to any of these policies.

We will notify staff that supports are available for those with disabilities and will prepare written processes to develop individual accommodation plans and facilitate return to work for employees. Upon request by an employee with a disability, we will consult with the employee to provide them with any work-related information using accessible formats and communication supports that meet their needs.

Where we are aware of the need for accommodation, we will also provide customized emergency information to help an employee with a disability during an emergency and, where necessary and with the consent of the employee, we will share this information with the individual(s) designated to provide assistance to the employee.

Wildeboer Dellelce LLP will ensure that all existing performance management, career development and redeployment processes take into account the accessibility needs of all employees, as well as any of their individual accommodation plans.

Feedback process

Wildeboer Dellelce LLP welcomes feedback on how we provide services to persons with disabilities. Customer feedback assists us to identify barriers and respond to concerns.

Individuals who wish to provide feedback can do so by submitting their feedback to Sharon VanEerden, Manager, Finance and Administration ([email protected] or 416-361-4794). Feedback will be forwarded to the appropriate individual, responded to, documented, and tracked. We will respond to all feedback within seven days. We will ensure that our feedback process is accessible to people with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports, on request.