Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act- Integrated Accessibility Standards
Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
In 2005 Ontario introduced the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) which seeks to ensure a fully accessible province by 2025. The goal of the Act is to provide those with disabilitiesequal opportunities. In order to facilitate necessary changes required to support accessibility for those with disabilities, the AODA outlines 5 accessibility standards, which organizations are required to comply with over a number of years as they are phased in.
In 2012 Victaulic introduced the Customer Service Accessibility Standard to our employees, which addressed how we deliver goods and services to the public. We developed a policy outlining how we would be able to provide the same or similar customer service to those with disabilities. We provided training to all customer serving employees on our policy and commitment.
The remaining 4 standards are grouped under the Integrated Accessibility Standards. These include:Information and Communication Standards, Employment Standards, Transportation Standards and Design of Public Spaces Standards
As part of the mandate to improve accessibility, Victaulic has developed a multiyear plan on how we will address our obligations under the Integrated Accessibility Standards.
Requirement / Victaulic Deliverable / Timeframe and StatusFeedback procedures / We will ensure that existing feedback procedures, where possible, are accessible to persons with disabilities. Where necessary and possible, we will create alternate ways for those with disabilities to provide feedback by looking at all communications methods such as telephone, email, in person. / By January 1, 2015
Training / Victaulic will provide training on the requirements of the accessibility standards and the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities. Training will be provided to any employee who provides goods or services on behalf of Victaulic and those involved in policy development and enforcement. Training provided will be applicable to the people in attendance and focus on standards which affect them. / By January 2015
Accessible Formats and Communication Supports / We will look at all methods of current communication and assess accessibility for those with disabilities. We currently have options of gaining information via our website, in person, over the phone and by email to our customer care representatives. We will assess whether we can provide alternative methods where necessary. / By January 1, 2016
Recruitment/Assessment/Selection of Employees / Look at our recruitment methods and ensure we are notifying possible applicants about the availability of accommodations where possible during the recruitment process. We will need to look at our resources and determine what we are able to provide.Look at incorporating language into our recruitment policy to address those with disabilities. / By January 1, 2016
Employment / We will look at current ways we inform employees of existing policies aimed at supporting employees with disabilities and assess whether we can do this more effectively.
We will create documented procedures for how we will handle individual cases of disability, accommodations and return to work as well as how we will take accessibility needs into account regarding performance and career development. / By January 1, 2016
Website Accessibility / We will work with IT both in Canada and the US to ensure that all web content confirms with WCAG 2.0 Level AA where possible. This may take a significant amount of time if changes to our website are necessary, and therefore we will begin to work on this standard by July 2019. / January 1, 2021