Canadian Chamber of Commerce is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for all stakeholders, including our clients, employees, job applicants, suppliers, and any visitors who may enter our premises, access our information, or use our services. As an organization, we respect and uphold the requirements set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and its associated regulations.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce understands that we have a responsibility for ensuring a safe, dignified, and welcoming environment for everyone. We are committed to ensuring our organization’s compliance by incorporating accessibility legislation into our policies, procedures, equipment requirements, training, and best practices. We will review these policies and practices annually, as organizational changes occur, or in anticipation of compliance deadlines. In addition, we will strive to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities in a timely and effective manner.
Providing an accessible and barrier-free environment is a shared effort, and we are committed as an organization to working with the necessary parties to make accessibility for all a reality. For more detailed information on our accessibility policies, plans, and training programs, please contact the HR Department.
All goods and services provided by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce will follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity.
This policy meets the requirements of the customer service standards included in the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. It applies to the provision of goods and services to the public or other third parties, not to the goods themselves.
Assistive device: A technical aid, communication device, or other instrument that is used to maintain or improve the functional abilities of people with disabilities. Personal assistive devices are typically devices that customers bring with them, such as a wheelchair, walker, or a personal oxygen tank, and that might assist in hearing, seeing, communicating, moving, breathing, remembering, or reading.
Disability: As defined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and the Ontario Human Rights Code, refers to:
Guide dog: A highly trained working dog that has been trained at one of the facilities listed in Ontario Regulation 58 under the Blind Persons’ Rights Act, to provide mobility, safety, and increased independence for people who are blind.
Service animal: A service animal for a person with a disability if:
Support person: In relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies them in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs, or access to goods and services.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce will make every reasonable effort to ensure that its policies, practices, and procedures are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity by:
Customer’s Own Assistive Devices
Persons with disabilities may use their own assistive devices as required when accessing goods or services provided by the company.
In cases where the assistive device presents a health and safety concern or where accessibility might be an issue, other reasonable measures will be used to ensure the access of goods and services, up to the point of undue hardship.
For example, open flames and oxygen tanks cannot be near one another. Therefore, the accommodation of a customer with an oxygen tank might involve ensuring the customer is in a location that would be considered safe for both the customer and business.
Alternatively, where elevators are not present and where a customer requires assistive devices for the purposes of mobility, service will be provided in a location that meets the needs of the customer.
A customer with a disability who is accompanied by a guide dog or service animal will be allowed access to premises that are open to the public unless otherwise excluded by law. “No pet” policies do not apply to guide dogs or service animals.
Staff may respectfully ask if an animal is a service animal and will not ask the nature of the person’s disability or purpose of the animal.
Exclusion Guidelines
If a customer’s guide dog or service animal is excluded by law (see applicable laws below), the Canadian Chamber of Commerce will offer alternative methods to enable the person with a disability to access goods and services, when possible. For example, the company might accommodate a customer’s disability by securing the animal in a safe location and offering the assistance of an employee to facilitate the delivery of goods and services.
Applicable Laws
Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001, Ontario Regulation 31/05: Animals not intended for slaughter or to be euthanized are not allowed in any area or room of a meat plant. An exception is made for service dogs to allow them in those areas of a meat plant where food is served, sold, or offered for sale to customers and in those areas that do not contain animals or animal parts and are not used for the receiving, processing, packaging, labelling, shipping, handling, or storing of animals or parts of animals.
Dog Owners’ Liability Act, 2005: If there is a conflict between a provision of this legislation or of a regulation under this or any other act relating to banned breeds (such as pit bulls) and a provision of a by-law passed by a municipality relating to these breeds, the provision that is more restrictive in relation to controls or bans on these breeds prevails. Staff will respectfully explain that the service animal must be removed from the public area due to a municipal by-law and make alternate arrangements or provide the service outside the public area.
Recognizing a Guide Dog or Service Animal:
If it is not readily apparent that the animal is being used by the customer for reasons relating to their disability, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce may request verification from the customer.
Care and Control of the Animal:
The customer who is accompanied by a guide dog or service animal is responsible for maintaining care and control of the animal at all times.
Allergies and Other Health and Safety Concerns
If a health and safety concern presents itself, for example, in the form of a severe allergy to the animal, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce will make all reasonable efforts to meet the needs of all individuals. Pursuant to the company’s obligations under the Human Rights Code and the Occupational Health and Safety Act, each customer’s accommodation needs will be considered on a case-by-case basis, up to the point of undue hardship.
Due diligence needs to be paid to address health and safety requirements. For example, if a person’s health and safety could be seriously affected by the presence of a service animal on the premises open to the public, management must fully analyse all options for safely accommodating the service animal. Options could include creating distance between the two individuals to eliminate in-person contact, changing the time the two individuals receive service, or using air purifiers and other measures that could allow the person to use their service animal on the premises.
In very exceptional circumstances where a service animal becomes out of control, causing a clear disruption or a threat to the health and safety of others, and the animal’s behaviour is not corrected by the owner, a person with a disability can be asked to remove their service animal from the premises.
As a courtesy, particularly if the person and service animal have been in attendance on the premises for a long time, staff may ask whether the animal requires water, may designate an area in which the service animal can relieve itself, or ask whether the staff can be of assistance pertaining to the service animal.
If a customer with a disability is accompanied by a support person, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that both persons may enter the premises together and that the customer is not prevented from having access to the support person.
There may be times where seating and availability prevent the customer and support person from sitting beside each other. In these situations, the company will make every reasonable attempt to resolve the issue.
In situations where confidential information might be discussed, consent will be obtained from the customer before any potentially confidential information is mentioned.
Admission Fees
Where the company requires a support person to accompany a person with a disability, and where the person with a disability has agreed to the accompaniment, the company will not charge the support person any fees or fares.
Service disruptions may occur for reasons that may or may not be within the control or knowledge of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. In the event of any temporary disruptions to facilities or services that customers with disabilities rely on to access or use goods or services, reasonable efforts will be made to provide advance notice. In some circumstances, such as in the situation of unplanned temporary disruptions, advance notice may not be possible.
If a notification needs to be posted, the following information will be included unless it is not readily available or known:
Notification Options
When disruptions occur, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce will provide notice by:
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce shall provide customers with the opportunity to provide feedback on the service provided to customers with disabilities. Information about the feedback process will be readily available to all customers and notice of the process will be made available through the Canadian Chambers website Feedback forms, along with alternate methods of providing feedback verbally (in person or by telephone) or written (handwritten, delivered, website, or e-mail), will be available upon request.
Submitting Feedback
Customers can submit feedback to:
Sergio Knircha, Senior Director, Human Resources
613.291.7304
1700 – 275 Slater Street, Ottawa ON K1P 5H9
sknircha@chamber.ca
Customers who wish to provide feedback by completing an onsite customer feedback form or verbally can do so to any The Canadian Chamber of Commerce employee.
Customers who provide formal feedback will receive acknowledgement of their feedback, along with any resulting actions based on concerns or complaints that were submitted.
Training will be provided to:
Training Provisions
Regardless of the format, training will cover the following:
Training Schedule
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce will provide training as soon as practicable. Training will be provided to new employees, volunteers, agents, and contractors during orientation. Revised training will be provided in the event of changes to legislation, procedures, policies, or practices.
If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or its related procedures, please contact:
Sergio Knircha, Senior Director, Human Resources
613.291.7304
1700 – 275 Slater Street, Ottawa ON K1P 5H9
sknircha@chamber.ca
This policy and its related procedures will be reviewed as required in the event of legislative changes or changes to company procedures.
Recruitment, Assessment and Selection
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce will notify employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for job applicants who have disabilities. Applicants will be informed that these accommodations are available, upon request, for the interview process and for other candidate selection methods. Where an accommodation is requested, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce will consult with the applicant and provide or arrange for suitable accommodation.
Successful applicants will be made aware of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s policies and supports for accommodating people with disabilities.
Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that employees are aware of our policies for employees with disabilities and any changes to these policies as they occur.
If an employee with a disability requests it, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for the following:
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce will consult with the employee making the request to determine the best way to provide the accessible format or communication support.
Workplace Emergency Response Information
Where required, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce will create individual workplace emergency response information for employees with disabilities. This information will take into account the unique challenges created by the individual’s disability and the physical nature of the workplace, and will be created in consultation with the employee.
This information will be reviewed when:
This policy is intended to meet the requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation 191/11 for the Design of Public Spaces Standard set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. This policy applies to removing barriers in two (2) areas:
Buildings; and
Public spaces.
Accessible Formats: Include but are not limited to large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, braille and other formats usable by persons with disabilities.
Beach Access Routes: Routes that are constructed for public pedestrian use that provide access to public beaches from off-street parking facilities, recreational trails, exterior paths of travel and amenities.
Environmental Mitigation: Activities that are intended to address any negative effects on the environment caused by the standard.
Environmental Restoration: Activities that will benefit the environment.
Exterior Paths of Travel: Refers to sidewalks and walkways designed and constructed for pedestrian travel and intended to provide a functional route from Point A to Point B, rather than a recreational experience.
Kiosk: An interactive electronic terminal, including a point-of-sale device, for public use that allows users to access one (1) or more services or products.
Redeveloped: A planned significant alteration to a public space. It does not include maintenance activities, environmental mitigation or environmental restoration.
In accordance with the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation 191/11, this policy addresses the following:
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will incorporate accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities. The only exception is in cases where it is impracticable to do so.
Records
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will maintain records on the training provided, when it was provided and the number of employees that were trained.
Self-Serve Kiosks
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will incorporate accessibility features when designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks. Canadian Chamber of Commerce will always be aware of the accessibility features of self-service kiosks for persons with disabilities.
Types of Spaces and Access Aisles
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that any newly constructed or redeveloped off-street parking facilities provide the following two (2) types of parking spaces available for persons with disabilities:
Type A – Parking space with a minimum width of 3.4 m; and
Type B – Standard parking space with a minimum width of 2.4 mm.
Access aisles will be provided for all accessible parking spaces and will meet the requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards, section 80.35.
Minimums
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that any newly constructed or redeveloped off-street parking facility meets, and where possible exceeds, the required number of accessible parking spaces based on the size of the lot. The number of accessible spaces will be aligned with the requirements specified in the Integrated Accessibility Standards, section 80.36.
Signage
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that the proper signage is provided for each accessible parking space. Type A parking spaces will have signage indicating van accessibility.
Service Counters
When constructing or replacing any service counters, Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that at least one (1) counter is made accessible in accordance with the Integrated Accessibility Standards, section 80.41.
Fixed Queuing Guides
When constructing new fixed queuing guides, Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that they are made accessible to people with various disabilities in accordance with the Integrated Accessibility Standards, section 80.42.
Waiting Areas
When constructing or redeveloping an existing waiting area, Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that a minimum of 3% of the seating is made accessible. Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that there will be at least one (1) accessible seat.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce shall ensure that our multi-year accessibility plan addresses:
There may be times where it is not possible for Canadian Chamber of Commerce to meet all technical requirements as outlined within legislation. In these instances, Canadian Chamber of Commerce will strive to meet the requirements to the fullest extent to allow for accessible use with particular constraints as addressed in legislation.
This policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure that it is reflective of Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s current practices as well as legislative requirements.
This policy is intended to meet the requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation 191/11 for the Employment Standard set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. This policy applies to the provision of accessible employment services for persons with disabilities.
All employment services provided by Canadian Chamber of Commerce shall follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.
Accessible Formats: Include but are not limited to large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, braille and other formats usable by persons with disabilities.
Communication Supports: Include but are not limited to captioning, alternative and augmentative communication supports, plain language, sign language and other supports that facilitate effective communications.
Kiosk: An interactive electronic terminal, including a point-of-sale device, for public use that allows users to access one (1) or more services or products.
Performance Management: Activities related to assessing and improving employee performance, productivity and effectiveness with the goal of facilitating employee success.
Redeployment: The reassignment of employees to other departments or jobs within the organization as an alternative to layoff, when a particular job or department has been eliminated by the organization.
In accordance with the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation 191/11, this policy addresses the following:
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will notify employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for job applicants who have disabilities. Applicants will be informed that these accommodations are available, upon request, for the interview process and for other candidate selection methods. Where an accommodation is requested, Canadian Chamber of Commerce will consult with the applicant and provide or arrange for suitable accommodation.
Successful applicants will be made aware of Canadian Chamber of Commerce’ policies and supports for accommodating people with disabilities.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that employees are aware of our policies for employees with disabilities and any changes to these policies as they occur.
If an employee with a disability requests it, Canadian Chamber of Commerce will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for the following:
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will consult with the employee making the request to determine the best way to provide the accessible format or communication support.
Where required, Canadian Chamber of Commerce will create individual workplace emergency response information for employees with disabilities. This information will take into account the unique challenges created by the individual’s disability and the physical nature of the workplace, and will be created in consultation with the employee.
This information will be reviewed when:
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that our website and all web content published after January 1, 2012, conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and will refer to the schedule set out in the IASR for specific compliance deadlines.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce must also develop and have in place written processes for documenting individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities. The process for the development of these accommodation plans should include specific elements, including:
The individual accommodation will also:
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities when implementing performance management processes, or when offering career development or advancement opportunities.
Individual accommodation plans will be consulted, as required.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will develop and implement return to work processes for employees who are absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodation(s) in order to return to work.
The return to work process will outline the steps Canadian Chamber of Commerce will take to facilitate the employee’s return to work and shall use documented individual accommodation plans (as described in section 28 of the regulation).
Responsibilities
Employees will:
Managers will:
Human resources will:
The accessibility needs of employees with disabilities will be taken into account in the event of redeployment.
Individual accommodation plans will be consulted, as required.
This policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure that it is reflective of Canadian Chamber of Commerce’ current practices as well as legislative requirements.
This policy is intended to meet the requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation 191/11 for the Information and Communications Standard set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. This policy applies to the provision of information and communications services and materials for people with disabilities.
All information and communications materials and services provided by Canadian Chamber of Commerce shall follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.
Accessible Formats: Include but are not limited to large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, braille and other formats usable by persons with disabilities.
Communication Supports: Include but are not limited to captioning, alternative and augmentative communication supports, plain language, sign language and other supports that facilitate effective communications.
Conversion Ready: An electronic or digital format that facilitates conversion into an acceptable format.
Kiosk – An interactive electronic terminal, including a point-of-sale device, for public use that allows users to access one (1) or more services or products.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that all feedback processes (both internal and external) are made accessible to clients/customers or employees, upon request.
In accordance with the customer service standards,Canadian Chamber of Commerce will make known the availability of accessible feedback formats.
Unless deemed unconvertible, Canadian Chamber of Commerce will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities, upon request. Accessible formats and communication supports will be provided in a timely manner and at no additional cost to the individual.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will take into account the person’s accessibility needs when customizing individual requests and shall consult with the individual making the request to ensure suitability.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will make the availability of accessible formats and communication supports publicly known.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that our website, and where applicable web content, conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as outlined in the IASR, and will refer to the legislation for specific compliance deadlines and requirements.
The Information and Communications Standard does not apply to:
Unconvertible Information or Communications
If it is determined, in consultation with the requesting party, that information or communications are unconvertible, Canadian Chamber of Commerce will ensure that the individual who made the request is provided with an explanation and a summary of the information.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce will classify information or communications as unconvertible where:
This policy will be reviewed regularly to ensure that it is reflective of Canadian Chamber of Commerce ‘s current practices and legislative requirements.