Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

1. BACKGROUND & PURPOSE

The purpose of the goal of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (the “Act”) is to create a more accessible Ontario, by identifying, and to the extent possible, preventing, and eliminating barriers experienced by persons with disabilities.

The Integrated Accessibility Standards (the “IAS”) is a regulation under the Act the purpose of which is to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities in the areas of (i) Information and Communication, (ii) Employment, (iii) Transportation and (iv) Design of Public Spaces.

Integracare has developed a policy that identifies how INTEGRACARE currently achieves and will continue to achieve accessibility by meeting the requirements of the IAS and by preventing and eliminating barriers faced by persons with disabilities (the “Policy”).

The purpose of this multi-year accessibility plan (“Accessibility Plan”) is to create a roadmap that describes in more detail the steps INTEGRACARE will take to meet the accessibility objectives set out in the Policy and the timeline in which these steps will be taken. The Accessibility Plan will help INTEGRACARE ensure accessibility is incorporated into its regular business operations and its future development plans.

2. STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

INTEGRACARE is committed to developing, implementing and maintaining policies, practices and procedures aimed at meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner.

3. COMPLIANCE WITH EXISTING LAW

Nothing in the Accessibility Plan or Policy is intended to replace or negate existing laws regarding accessibility for persons with disabilities including but not limited to the Human Rights Code and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (“Accessibility Legislation”).

The compliance deadlines established in this Accessibility Plan correspond with the deadlines set out in the IAS. INTEGRACARE is working toward compliance in accordance with those deadlines. However, in advance of the compliance deadlines established by the IAS and this Accessibility Plan, INTEGRACARE will continue to comply with its legal obligations under all applicable Accessibility Legislation

4. REVIEW

The Accessibility Plan must be reviewed and updated at least once every 5 years but may be reviewed more frequently depending on need.

5. TRANSPARENCY

As of January 1, 2014 the Accessibility Plan will be posted on INTEGRACARE’s website. The Accessibility Plan will be provided to any member of the public in a hard, electronic or other Accessible Format upon request.

6. APPLICATION

Except as otherwise limited herein, this Accessibility Plan applies to INTEGRACARE’s operations including but not limited to:

a) All persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of INTEGRACARE to its clients.
b) Any person who participates in the development of INTEGRACARE’s policies, practices and procedures respecting INTEGRACARE’s operations.

7. IMPLEMENTATION & REVIEW

Responsibility for the implementation, review and update of the Accessibility Plan is shared as follows:

The President & CEO, VP Care Operations and the Manager of Human Resources are responsible for:

a) The development and maintenance of policies required by the Act and this Accessibility Plan
b) The development and implementation of training programs required by the Act and this Accessibility Plan
c) Implementing the web accessibility requirements
d) Maintenance of the Accessibility Standards for Client Service policy and the Accessible Practices for Client Service & Training Program developed in compliance with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (“Customer Service Standards”)
e) Compliance with the Design of Public Spaces Standards to the extent that they may apply to INTEGRACARE at some time in the future Compliance with the Employment Standards
f) The Manager of Human Resources is responsible for compliance with the Employment Standards as it pertains to Caregivers,
g) All Staff are responsible for compliance with the Information and Communications Standards and the Customer Service Standards save and except for accessible websites and web content

8. DEFINITIONS

  1. Accessible Formats – may include, but are not limited to, large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, and other formats usable by persons with disabilities.
  2. Client – means existing and prospective clients of INTEGRACARE.
  3. 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.
  4. Contractor – means an independent contractor, agent, consultant or other third party engaged by INTEGRACARE to provide goods, services or facilities on its behalf.
  5. Disability – means:
    a) 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 co-ordination, 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 developmental disability,
    c) a learning disability, or a 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

New Internet Website – means either a website with a new domain name or a website with an existing domain name undergoing a significant refresh.

  1. Performance Management – means activities related to assessing and improving employee performance, productivity and effectiveness, with the goal of facilitating employee success.
  2. Staff – means employees of INTEGRACARE.
  3. Unconvertible Information or Communication – means information or communication that it is not technically feasible to convert, or if it is technically feasible to convert, the technology required to do so is not readily available.
  4. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (“WCAG”) – means the international standard for making websites and web content accessible to people with a wide-range of disabilities. The WCAG contain two levels of compliance, Level A and Level AA.

9. ACCESSIBILITY CUSTOMER SERVICE

INTEGRACARE strives to deliver its services in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. INTEGRACARE is also committed to ensuring everyone has the same opportunity to access its services and benefit from these services, in the same place and in a similar way.
To this end, INTEGRACARE has developed a Customer Service Standard Policy.

For a copy of the Customer Service Standard Policy, please contact:

Lisa Sundarsingh, VP Care Operations, Integracare Inc.
Mailing Address / In-person Request
396 Moore Avenue,
Toronto, ON M4G 1C7
Telephone 416.421.4243
Fax 416.421-4617
Email lisa@integracare.on.ca

10. DOCUMENTATION

INTEGRACARE reserves the right to request reasonable medical documentation to support a need for accommodation or an accessibility request under this Accessibility Plan.

11. GENERAL ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS UNDER IAS

Training
Compliance Deadline: January 1, 2015

Policy Statement:

By January 1, 2015 (the “Compliance Deadline for Training”), INTEGRACARE will provide training to all

existing Staff and all persons who participate in the development of AODA Policies.

Training will be provided on:

  1. the requirements of the IAS;
  2. the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities; and

iii. the AODA Policies as required by the IAS.

The content of the training will be applicable to the individual’s duties.

Staff hired after the Compliance Deadline for Training will receive the required training as soon as practicable.
INTEGRACARE will keep a record of the training provided, including the dates on which the training is provided and the number of individuals to whom it is provided.
INTEGRACARE will ensure that contractors providing goods, services and/or facilities on INTEGRACARE’s behalf have received training as required under the IAS.

Accessibility Plan

i. Content of Training

INTEGRACARE will develop a single training program for all Staff on the Information and Communication

Standards and the Employment Standards. The training program will address the Human Rights

Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities and the requirements of the IAS. Appropriate individuals will receive specialized training on the Design of Public Spaces Standards as require

ii. Format of Training
All Staff will receive in-person training where possible

iii. Training for Contractors
INTEGRACARE occasionally engages Contractors to provide goods and services to Clients on its behalf. By the Compliance Deadline for Training, INTEGRACARE will have in place a process for ensuring that all

Contractors receive the training required under the IAS.

12. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION STANDARDS

I) Feedback Procedures Compliance
Compliance Deadline: January 1, 2015
Policy Statement:

By January 1, 2015 Integracare will ensure that its processes for receiving and responding to feedback
Are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for the provision of
Accessible Formats and Communications Supports, upon request.
Integracare will notify the public that Accessible Formats and Communications Supports are available in respect of its feedback procedures.

Accessibility Plan:

INTEGRACARE currently accepts feedback from employees, clients and the public in a number of different ways including but not limited to: (i) in person, (ii) over the telephone, (iii) in writing (i.e. handwritten, by mail or email), (iv) delivered on a USB key etc.

In addition to the above, INTEGRACARE will provide or receive responses to feedback in an Accessible Format or with Communication Supports upon request.

II) Accessible Formats & Communication Supports
Compliance Deadline: January 1, 2016

By January 1, 2016 INTEGRACARE will, upon request, provide or arrange for the provision of Accessible Formats and Communication Supports in order to make its communications or i