AODA Policy
1.Purpose
In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA, or the Act), this policy has been developed to ensure that all employees, Clients, prospective Clients, visitors or the general public, and applicants for employment have fair and equitable access to Continental Currency Exchange Canada Ltd.’s (CCE) programs and services and to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities.
2.Scope / Audience
This policy applies to all employees, Directors, independent consultants, contractors, Clients, prospective Clients, visitors or the general public, and applicants for employment.
3.Statement of Commitment
CCE is committed to ensuring equal access and participation for people with disabilities. CCE is committed to treating people with disabilities in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. CCE believes in integration, and we are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner. This will be accomplished by removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and meeting all accessibility requirements under the AODA and Ontario’s accessibility laws.
4. Policy
Training
CCE is committed to training all employees in Ontario’s accessibility laws and aspects of the Ontario Human Rights Code that relate to persons with disabilities.
Training is provided to all new employees upon hire and on an ongoing basis for existing employees to ensure all employees remain current with any policy or procedural changes as it relates to the AODA Customer Service or other Standards.
Training is specific to employees’ roles and will include:
- How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disability
- How to interact with persons with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a guide dog or other service animal or the assistance of a support person
- How to use equipment or devices available on our premises or otherwise provided by CCE that may help with the provision of goods, services, or facilities to a person with a disability
- What to do if a person with a particular type of disability is having difficulty accessing our goods, services, or facilities
Information and Communications
CCE communicates 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 or alternative formats or with communication supports.
CCE will also meet and maintain internationally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA website requirements in accordance with Ontario’s accessibility laws.
Service Animals
CCE welcomes persons with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of the premises that are open to the general public. While visiting any CCE location, it is the responsibility of the person with the service animal to keep the animal under control at all times.
In the event an employee or Client has allergies to a service animal or expresses discomfort, CCE will offer alternate reasonable arrangements.
Support Persons
CCE is committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Consent will be obtained from the person with a disability prior to communicating confidential information related to their business with CCE in the presence of the support person.
Assistive Devices
CCE is committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from goods, services, or facilities, or with the availability of other measures, if any, which enable them to do so.
Employees are familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by persons with disabilities while accessing goods or services. CCE is committed to purchasing technology as required to ensure accessibility in accordance with the AODA and all associated regulations.
Employment
Employees, applicants for employment, and the general public are notified that accommodations can be made during recruitment including any assessment and selection processes.
Employees are notified that supports are available for those with disabilities in all aspects of employment including performance management, career development, and redeployment. CCE has a documented process in place to develop individual accommodation plans and return-to-work programs for employees who have a disability or have been absent from work due to a disability.
Where needed, CCE will also provide customized emergency information to help an employee with a disability during an emergency.
Design of Public Spaces
CCE will meet accessibility laws when building or making major changes to public spaces. Currently, CCE’s public spaces include:
- Service-related elements e.g., service counters
Procedures are in place to prevent service disruptions to the accessible parts of our public spaces.
Notice of Temporary Disruption
CCE will make every reasonable effort to provide Clients with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the services or facilities usually used by persons with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, the anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.
CCE will not be able to give advance notice in case of an emergency or unanticipated disruption.
Notices will be posted in accessible locations (including the website, if possible). Printed notices will be clearly laid out, of sufficient size and easily readable, and they will be displayed prominently at entrances, on notice boards, or at service workstations,
Feedback
CCE is committed to providing fair and equal access to facilities, products, services, employment, and programs for everyone, including persons with disabilities.
Feedback may be provided in person, by telephone, in writing, by email, or in an accessible format or with communication supports upon request. CCE’s public website contains information relating to complaints, the feedback process, and contact information.
All feedback related to accessibility should be directed to the Human Resources Department.
Changes to Existing Policies
We will review and modify or remove an existing policy that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.
This document is publicly available. Accessible formats are available upon request.
5. Definitions
Accessibility: means giving people of all abilities opportunities to participate fully in everyday life. It is used to describe how widely a service, product, device, or environment is available to as many people as possible.
Accessibility can be seen as the ability to access and benefit from a system, service, product, or environment.
Accessible Formats: may include, but are not limited to, large print, recorded audio, and electronic formats, braille, and other formats usable by persons with disabilities.
Assistive Device: a technical aid, communication device, or medical aid modified or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional abilities of persons with disabilities.
Barrier: anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of their disability, including a physical barrier, an architectural barrier,
an information or communications barrier, an attitudinal barrier, a technological barrier, a policy or practice.
Communication Supports: may include, but are not limited to, captioning, alternative and augmentative communication supports, plain language, sign language, and other supports that facilitate effective communications.
Disability: Under the AODA, disability is defined in the same manner as in the Ontario Human Rights Code:
- 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 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;
- 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: an animal is a service animal if it can be readily identified as one that is being used by the person for reasons relating to the person’s disability as a result of visual indicators such as the vest or harness worn by the animal or if the person provides documentation from a regulated health professional as outlined in the Act that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.
Support Person: a person who accompanies a person with a disability to help with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs, or with access to goods, services, or facilities.
AODA Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
Purpose
Continental Currency Exchange Canada Ltd. (CCE) strives to meet the needs of its employees and Clients with disabilities and is working hard to remove and prevent barriers to accessibility.
CCE is committed to fulfilling our requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). This accessibility plan outlines the steps CCE is taking to meet those requirements and to improve opportunities for people with disabilities.
Our plan shows how CCE will play its role in making Ontario an accessible province for all Ontarians.
Required Compliance Date: 2012
Standard: Customer Service
Requirement: Establish Policies and Procedures
Actions: An Accessible Customer Service Policy was created and published on CCE’s website
Status: Complete
Requirement: Provide accessible customer service
Actions: CCE welcomes service animals and supports persons accompanying individuals with disabilities to all public locations.
Training was provided to ensure employees knew how to interact with individuals with disabilities who are accompanied by either a service animal or support person.
CCE will make every effort to communicate with and provide customer service to persons with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.
Status: Complete & Ongoing
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Requirement: Provide training
Action: Training related to the Customer Service Standard is provided to all employees.
Status: Complete
Requirement: Create and accessible feedback process
Action: CCE created a feedback process, detailed on its website, that allowed for multiple ways of submitting feedback.
Status: Complete
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Standard: Information & Communications
Requirement: Provide emergency information in an accessible format when asked
Action: Where needed, CCE has provided publicly available emergency information in accessible formats.
Status: Complete & Ongoing
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Standard: Employment
Requirement: Create workplace emergency plans for employees with disabilities
Action: Where needed, CCE has created individualized workplace emergency plans for employees with disabilities.
This process is embedded in our Individual Accommodation Plans.
Status: Complete & Ongoing
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Required Compliance Date: 2014
Standard: Integrated Accessibility (IASR) General
Requirement: Create and publish policies and a multi-year accessibility plan
Action: CCE updated and published its accessibility policy incorporating all requirements under the IASR.
CCE’s accessibility policy is posted on our external website, and employee teams’ site, and made available to new employees during the onboarding process.
The multi-year plan will be reviewed and updated on an annual basis.
Status: Complete & Ongoing
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Requirement: File an Accessibility Compliance Report
Action: CCE will file an Accessibility Compliance Report as required.
Status: In Progress & Ongoing
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Standard: Information & Communications
Requirement: Ensure new and refreshed websites and web content conform with WCAG 2.0 Level A
Action: CCE has worked with its 3rd-party vendor to confirm that our website is compliant
Status: Complete & Ongoing
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Required Compliance Date: 2015
Standard: IASR General
Requirement: Provide training to employees, volunteers, and managers on all AODA standards
Action: All CCE employees, managers, and volunteers were provided with training on all AODA standards. Managers were provided with additional training to recognize their increased responsibilities.
All new employees and managers are provided with appropriate training within two weeks of commencing employment.
Training may be repeated on an ongoing basis for all employees, managers, and volunteers as required.
Status: Complete & Ongoing
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Standard: Information & Communications
Requirement: Make all feedback processes accessible when asked
Action: Internal and external feedback can be submitted in multiple ways.
Status: Complete & Ongoing
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Required Compliance Date: 2016
Standard: Information & Communications
Requirement: Ensure publicly available information is accessible when asked
Action: CCE is committed to providing all publicly available information in an accessible format as needed.
Status: Complete & Ongoing
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Standard: Employment
Requirement: Make employment practices more accessible
Action: CCE is committed to making all employment practices more accessible.
This includes:
- Recruitment
- Performance management
- Career development
- Redeployment
CCE makes applicants for employment and employees aware of accommodations available during recruitment and while employed with CCE.
Individuals are made aware of the availability of accommodations via job postings, email communications, and in employment offers. Accessibility needs are taken into account during employee performance reviews and plans, career development programs, and redeployment processes.
Status: Complete & Ongoing
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Requirement: Document processes for developing individual accommodation and return-to-work plans
Action: Processes for Individual Accommodation and Return-to-Work Plans are documented.
Status: Complete & Ongoing
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Required Compliance Date: 2017
Standard: Design of Public Spaces
Requirement: Make new or redeveloped public spaces accessible
Action: CCE is committed to ensuring all new or redeveloped/renovated public spaces are accessible, including:
- Outdoor paths of travel if applicable
- Parking lots if applicable
- Service counters
- Fixed waiting lines, if applicable
- Waiting areas with fixed seating, if applicable
CCE will ensure procedures are in place for preventative and emergency maintenance of accessible elements in our public spaces.
Status: Complete & Ongoing
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Standard: IASR General
Requirement: File an Accessibility Compliance Report
Action: CCE will file an Accessibility Compliance Report as required.
Status: In Progress and Ongoing
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Required Compliance Date: 2018 onward
Standard: Information & Communications
Requirement: Make all websites and web content conform with WCAG 2.0 Level AA (excluding live captioning and audio description)
Action: CCE is committed to having a compliant website by January 1, 2024.
Status: In Progress and Ongoing
For More Information
For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact CCE’s Human Resources Department.
Information regarding CCE’s accessibility policy can be found on www.continentalcurrency.ca
Feedback may be provided in person, by telephone, in writing, by email, or in an alternate format upon request.CCE’s public website contains contact information on the Contact Us page. All feedback related to accessibility should be directed to the Human Resources Department.
Standard and accessible formats of this document are free upon request.
