Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy Statement

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (the AODA) is a provincial act with the purpose of developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards in order to achieve accessibilities for persons with disabilities with respect to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures and premises.

Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07 is the first standard under the AODA and specifically establishes accessibility standards for customer service and the provision of goods and services to the public.

This policy will apply to the MSC board members, employees, volunteers, contractors and any other individuals who interact, represent or provide service for the MSC.

Policy Statement

Tillsonburg & District Multi-Service Centre (MSC) is committed to eliminating barriers and improving accessibility for persons with disabilities. We are committed to giving people with disabilities the opportunity to access our goods or services in a manner that respects dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.

Assistive Devices

The MSC is committed to serving people with disabilities who use or who may benefit from the use of assistive devices. To facilitate interaction with us, a person with a disability may provide their own assistive device for the purposes of obtaining, using and benefiting from any of our goods and services that are made available to the public.
 

Communication

The MSC recognizes that people with disabilities may communicate differently because of their disability. We are committed to communicating with customers with disabilities in ways that take the nature of their disability into account.
 

Service Animals

The MSC welcomes people with disabilities who use service animals. Service animals are allowed on any part of the MSC’s premises that are open to the public or other third parties (except where otherwise prohibited by law.) Most of the time, our staff will be able to easily identify whether an animal is being used as a service animal or not. In the rare situation when it is not readily apparent, our staff may ask for a letter from a medical professional, confirming that the service animal is required for reasons relating to their disability.
 

Support Persons

The MSC welcomes people with disabilities who are accompanied by support persons. Support persons are allowed on any part of the MSC’s premises that are open to the public or other third parties. At no time will a person with a disability be prevented from having access to his/her support person while on our premises.
 

We currently do not charge any fees that would apply to support persons. In the event that a fee is charged for a support person’s attendance to an event, advanced notice of the fee will be posted in the workplace and on our website.
 

Temporary Service Disruptions

The MSC recognizes that people with disabilities often rely on certain facilities or services being available at the MSC.
 

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in our facilities or services, where we have control over such facilities or services, we will make reasonable effort to provide notice of the disruption as soon as possible.
 

This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.
 

Notice may be provided by the MSC by posting the information in a conspicuous place on the premises, posting it on the MSC’s website or by another method reasonable under the circumstances.
 

Training

The MSC is committed to providing training to all board members, employees, volunteers, contractors and others who provide services or represent the MSC. This same training is also provided to others at the MSC who are involved in establishing the policies, practices and procedures for how goods and services are provided to people with disabilities.
 

This training includes:
 

• An overview of the purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service;
• How to interact and communicate with people with various disabilities;
• How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or support person;
• How to use the equipment or devices for people with disabilities that may be provided for use by the MSC; and
• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our goods and services.

We will provide training tailored to suit each person’s interaction with the public or his/her involvement in the development of policies, procedures and practices pertaining to the provision of materials and services.
 

We will provide training to each person as soon as practical after he/she is assigned the applicable duties, as well as on an ongoing basis as changes occur to the MSC’s policies, procedures and or practices and in the event of changes to legislation.

Availability of Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (Ontario Regulation 429/07) Documents

Documents required by the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service are available upon request. When providing a document to a person with a disability, the MSC will work with the individual to identify options for provision of the document or the information contained in the document. The MSC will endeavour to provide a format that takes the person’s disability into account.

Feedback

The MSC will maintain a feedback process to enable members of the public to comment on the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities.  All feedback will be kept in strict confidence and used to improve customer service. Feedback from the public is welcomed, as it encourages continuous service improvement. To provide feedback please check here.