Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy — full text

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot 86ecaae1b65b · verified 2026-06-10 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF EAST FERRIS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY POLICY STATEMENT The Corporation of the Township of East Ferris is committed to providing quality programs, goods and services to all persons served by the municipality. PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to recognize the Township's obligation to facilitate the implementation of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005 (AODA), Ontario Regulation 429/07 (Accessibility Standards for Customer Service) and address the following: 1) The provision of programs, goods and services to persons with disabilities; 2) The use of assistive devices by persons with disabilities; 3) The use of service animals by persons with disabilities; 4) The use of support persons by persons with disabilities; 5) Notice of temporary disruptions in services and facilities; 6) Training; 7) Customer feedback; and 8) Notice of availability and format of documents. GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND IMPLEMENTATION 1. The provision of programs, goods and services to persons with disabilities: The Township of East Ferris will use reasonable efforts to ensure its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following principles: The Township's programs, goods and services are provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities; The provision of the Township's programs, goods and services to persons with disabilities are integrated with those provided to persons who do not have disabilities unless an alternative measure is necessary to enable a person with disabilities to obtain, use or benefit from the Township's programs, goods and services; and Persons with disabilities are given an opportunity equal to that of persons without disabilities to obtain, use or benefit from the Township's programs, goods and services. 2. The use of assistive devices by persons with disabilities: A person with a disability may provide their own assistive device for the purpose of obtaining, using and benefiting from the Township's programs, goods and services; Exceptions may occur in situations where the municipality has determined the assistive device may pose a risk to the health and safety of a person with a disability or the health and safety of others on the premises. In these situations and others, the Township may offer a person with a disability other measures of assistance in obtaining, using and benefiting from the Township's programs, goods and services, where the Township has other measures available; and It should be noted, that it is the responsibility of the person with the disability to ensure his/her assistive device is operated in a safe and controlled manner at all times. 3. The use of service animals by persons with disabilities: If a person with a disability is accompanied by a service animal, the Township shall ensure that the person is permitted to enter the premises with the service animal and to keep that service animal with him or her unless the animal is otherwise excluded by law from the premises; and If the service animal is excluded by law from the premises, the Township shall ensure that other measures are available to enable the person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from the Township's programs, goods or services. 4. The use of support persons by persons with disabilities: If a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person, the Township shall ensure that both persons are permitted to enter the premises together and that the person with a disability is not prevented from having access to the support person while on the premises; If an amount is payable by a person for admission to the premises or in connection with a person's presence at the premises, the Township will not charge such fee for the support person; and In this section: "Support person" shall mean in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies a person with a disability in order to assist with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods or services. 5. Notice of temporary disruptions in programs, services and facilities: If, in order to obtain or benefit from the Township's programs, goods or services, persons with disabilities usually use particular facilities or services of the Township and where there is a temporary disruption on those programs, facilities or services in whole or in part, the Township shall give notice of the disruption to the public; Notice of the disruption must include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration and a description of alternative facilities or services, if any, that are available; and Notice may be given by posting the information at a conspicuous location on premises owned or operated by the Township of programs, goods or services, by posting the information on the Township's website or by such other method as is reasonable under the circumstances. 6. Training: The Township shall ensure that the following persons receive training about the provision of its programs, goods and services to persons with disabilities: Every person who deals with the public on behalf of the Township, whether the person does so as an employee, third-party contractor, agent, volunteer or otherwise; Every person who participates in developing the Township's policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of programs, goods or services to members of the public or other third parties; Said training must be provided to each person as soon as practical after he or she is assigned the applicable duties; and Training must be provided on an ongoing basis in connection with changes to the policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of programs, goods or services to persons with disabilities. 7. Customer feedback: Feedback from the public is welcomed as it may identify areas that require change and encourage continuous service improvement. The public can provide feedback to the Township on the delivery of programs, goods or services to persons with a disability: (a) by mail addressed to: Township of East Ferris 390 Hwy #94 P.O. Box 85 Corbeil, ON P0H 1K0 (b) by telephone at: 705-752-2740 (c) within person at: Township of East Ferris municipal office (d) or by email at: [email protected] Feedback will not be acted upon unless the person providing the feedback includes his or her name, mailing address and daytime telephone number. Email addresses are not sufficient. The Township will strive to provide acknowledgement to feedback within ten business days from its receipt. Information about the feedback process will be posted on the Township website (www.eastferris.ca) and/or in other appropriate locations. 8. Notice of availability and format of documents: If the Township is required by this Regulation to give a copy of a document to a person with a disability, it shall give the person the document, or the information contained in the document, in a format that takes into account the person's disability. The Township and the person with a disability may agree upon the format to be used for the document or information. This policy is to take affect on January 1, 2010.