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Township of Brock
Accessible Customer Service
1.
Background and Scope
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (A.O.D.A.) was proclaimed in 2005 with the
stated intention to "achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to goods,
services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures, and premises on or
before January 1, 2025." Section 6 of the A.O.D.A., permits the Provincial government to make
regulations establishing accessibility standards which are applicable to public and private sector
organizations. In order to achieve this vision, the Provincial government has issued five
standards under A.O.D.A.: customer service, transportation, communication and information,
employment, and built environment.
The first standard is the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation
429/07, which was made on July 25, 2007 and became effective on January 1, 2008. The
purpose of this regulation is to establish accessibility standards for the delivery of customer
service by the broader public and private sector. For the broader public sector, including the
Township of Brock, the standard must be complied with by January 1, 2010.
The Accessibility Standard for Customer Service requires that the municipality develop policies,
procedures, and practices, on the provisions of goods and services to persons with disabilities
and must address the following:
- The use of service animals and/or support persons;
- The use of assistive devices;
- Training of employees and volunteers on the provisions of the A.O.D.A. and Ontario
Regulation 429/07;
- Customer feedback regarding the provision of service to persons with disabilities;
- Provision of notice when services are disrupted; and,
- Municipal reporting to the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario;
- Notice of availability and format of documents; and
- Communication to persons with disabilities.
2.
Purpose
This document outlines how the Township will meet the requirements of the A.O.D.A., 2005 and
all related provisions relative to the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service, Ontario
Regulation 429/07 under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (A.O.D.A.) in order
to ensure that persons with disabilities are provided equal opportunities within a standardized
service delivery model.
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3.
Scope
This document applies to all persons who deal with members of the public on behalf of the
Township of Brock, whether the person does so as an employee or volunteer of the
municipality. This document also applies to all persons who participate in the development of
policies, practices, and procedures guiding service delivery in the Township of Brock.
4.
Definitions
"Accessible formats" may include, but are not limited to large print, recorded audio, electronic
formats, and other formats useable by person with disabilities
"Employee" means any paid employee, including, but not limited to, full-time, part-time, paid
apprenticeships, and seasonal employees.
"Guide Dog" means a guide dog as defined in section 1 of the Blind Persons' Rights Act.
"Mobility Assistive Device" means a cane, walker or similar aid.
"Service animal" means an animal for a person with disability if:
(a) the animal 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
(b) the person provides documentation from one of the following regulated health
professionals as listed in Section 80.45 (4) (b) of the Integrated Accessibility Standards,
Ontario Regulation 191/22, confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons
relating to the disability.
"Support Person" means another person who accompanies him or her in order to help with
communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods, services or
facilities. Support persons may be employed by a person with a disability to provide assistance
to them in the form of communication, mobility, personal care, or medical needs, or with access
to the receipt of goods or services. Support persons may be a paid professional, a volunteer, a
family member, or friend of the person with a disability.
"Volunteer" means any non-paid individual who acts on behalf of the municipality, including,
but is not limited to, any individual appointed by Council to a Board or Committee, camp or
recreational program volunteer, or co-op student.
5.
Overriding Principles
It shall be the policy of the Township of Brock that good and services offered by the municipality
shall be provided in a manner that:
Respects the dignity and independence of persons with a disability;
Shall be integrated with others, unless an alternate measure is necessary, whether
temporarily or permanently, to enable persons with a disability to obtain or benefit from
the good or service;
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Persons with a disability shall be given equal opportunity to that given to others to
obtain, use, and benefit from the goods and services; and,
When communicating with a person with a disability, a provider shall do so in a manner
that takes into account the person's disability.
6.
General Principles
6.1
Communication
Communications from the Township of Brock to a person with a disability will be provided in
such a manner which takes into account an individual's disability and addresses such forms as
print material and the municipal website.
It shall be the policy of the Township of Brock to ensure that its website meets the World Wide
Web Consortium Accessibility Guidelines.
The municipality will, upon request, provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats
and communication supports for persons with disabilities as outlined in the Township of Brock
Accessible Formats Policy. Staff will consult with the requester on the most appropriate format
and will make every effort to provide such information in a timely manner.
6.2
Assistive Devices
Personal assistive devices may be used by certain persons with a disability. Examples of which
may include a cane, walker, hearing aid, oxygen tanks, etc. In addition, the municipality
provides a number of assistive devices for the benefit of all benefit of all persons using or
accessing goods and services provided by the Township of Brock. These include elevators and
lifts in most buildings owned and operated by the municipality, an amplification system for the
hard of hearing within the Council chambers, magnifying glasses at each of the service counters
within the municipal office, provision of handicapped parking spaces in certain locations, and a
W3C compliant website.
,
It shall be the policy of the Township of Brock that persons with a disability shall not be barred
from the use of their own personal assistive devices, or those which may be offered by the
municipality, while accessing goods and services offered in any facility owned and operated by
the municipality.
6.3
Service Animals
It shall be the policy of the Township of Brock that service animals shall be permitted to
accompany any person with a disability in any facility owned and operated by the municipality,
except where excluded by applicable law (e.g. food preparation areas).
In those cases where a service animal poses a health and safety risk to another person, it shall
be the policy of the Township of Brock to make alternate arrangements to accommodate both
parties (alternate rooms, exits, etc.)
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6.4
Support Persons
It shall be the policy of the Township of Brock that support persons shall be permitted to
accompany any person with a disability in any facility owned and operated by the municipality
and that the support person is not prevented from having access to the support person while on
the premises.
In certain cases, the municipality, at its discretion, may require the support person to sign a
confidentiality agreement prior to an exchange of information with the person with a disability.
In certain cases, the municipality may require the attendance of a support person with the
person with a disability, but only if, after consulting with the person with a disability and
considering the available evidence, the municipality determines that:
a support person is necessary to protect the health and safety of the person with a
disability or the health and safety of others on the premises; and
there is no other reasonable way to protect the health and safety of the person with a
disability and the health and safety of others on the premises.
In those cases where a fee may be charged both the person with a disability and the support
person accompanying them shall pay the applicable fee. If the municipality requires a person
with a disability to be accompanied by a support person when on the premises, the municipality
shall waive payment of the applicable fees, if any.
6.5
Service Disruptions
From time to time, certain services provided to persons with a disability may be suspended due
to scheduled maintenance or unexpected causes (e.g. elevator malfunction).
It shall be the policy of the Township of Brock that notice shall be provided, through signage on-
site, of any disruption of a service which may affect persons with a disability. In the event of a
planned disruption to occur on a specified date(s), notice shall be provided on-site, the
municipal website, and contact directly with an individual with a pre-scheduled appointment.
The signage shall include the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration and a description
of alternative facilities or services, if any, are available.
6.6
Training
General
The municipality shall ensure that following persons receive training on the delivery of goods
and services to persons with a disability:
- Every person who is an employee of, or a volunteer with, the municipality;
- Every person who participates in the development of the provider's policies; and
- Every person who provides goods, services or facilities on behalf of the municipality.
Further, every person above shall be trained as soon as possible and on-going training shall be
provided when policies, practices, and procedures are altered.
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Content
Staff training will address the following matters:
- The purpose of the A.O.D.A. and the requirements of this standard;
- Policies and procedures of the municipality;
- Instruction on staff interaction and communication with persons with various types of
disabilities;
- Instruction on how to interact with persons with a disability who may use assistive
devices or require the assistance of a guide dog, service animal, or a support person;
- Instruction on how to use equipment or devices available within the ownership of the
municipality to assist persons with a disability access goods and services; and,
- Instruction on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing
services provided by the municipality.
Record Keeping
It shall be the policy of the Township of Brock that accurate records of training delivered to
municipal staff and volunteers will be maintained by the municipality and made available for
inspection as may be required. Information maintained with respect to training records is subject
to the MFIPPA.
6.7
Feedback Mechanism
The Township of Brock shall receive feedback on the delivery of its goods and services through
regular mail, email, telephone, facsimile, on diskette or otherwise. The municipality will, upon
request, arrange for accessible formats and/or communication supports. Feedback shall be
addressed to the Municipal Clerk.
Upon receipt, the Municipal Clerk shall investigate the matter with the appropriate personnel
and provide a written response within thirty (30) days.
Concerns expressed with respect to property/ facilities which may be owned by the Regional
Municipality of Durham shall be forwarded to the Regional Clerk together with a response
6.8
Availability & Format of Documents
A copy of this policy is available upon request by contacting the Municipal Clerk. In addition, a
copy of this policy is available on the Township website, www.townshipofbrock.ca under the
accessibility section.
Should a request for this document be made by a person with a disability, the Township will
provide this policy in a format which takes into account their disability.
*Adopted by Resolution No. 16-10 at the August 8, 2016 Council.