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AODA Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

Introduction

Bellamere (hereafter Bellamere) is committed to working towards full compliance with all standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) as they are introduced. In doing so, we affirm our commitment to providing quality services in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. This Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlines the policies, and actions that Bellamere has put in place to improve opportunities for people with disabilities. The current plan covers a five-year period (2018-2022) and will be updated as needed.

Statement of Commitment

Bellamere is committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. We are committed to continue developing, implementing and maintaining policies governing how the organization achieves or will achieve accessibility though meeting this Regulation. To facilitate this commitment, we will establish, maintain and document a multi-year accessibility plan that will be reviewed and updated to identify progress made in addressing barriers. This plan will also be posted on the Bellamere website.

Customer Service Accessibility Standard

Bellamere will continue to use all reasonable efforts to ensure that its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following principles:

  • Goods or services are provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. • The provision of goods or services to persons with disabilities and others, is integrated unless an alternate measure is necessary, whether temporarily or on a permanent basis, to enable a person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from the goods or services. • Persons with disabilities are given an opportunity equal to that given to others to obtain, use and benefit from the goods or services. • Persons with disabilities may use assistive devices and/or support persons in the access of goods and services. • Persons with disabilities and their service animals are accommodated in all aspects of service provision unless the animal is otherwise excluded by law. • Bellamere employees, when communicating with a person with a disability, will do so in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability.

The following measures have been implemented by Bellamere:

  • Senior management has authority to present and/or revise practices and procedures as required. • The Accessible Customer Service Policy was published on our website. • The Accessible Customer Service Policy was incorporated into Bellamere’s new hire training systems which ensures that every new employee experiences a detailed and guided overview of our policy and requires a commitment by signature from all new hires. • AODA policy review will take place annually. • Training on AODA Customer Service has been provided and will be given to:
  1. Every person who deals with members of the public or other third parties on behalf of the provider whether the person does so as an employee, agent, volunteer or otherwise.
  2. Every person who participates in developing the provider’s policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of goods or services to members of the public or other third parties. • New employees must complete training within two (2) weeks of employment. • Completion of training of all employees is tracked and recorded. • Comments relating to our programs and services with regard to customer service are welcomed and appreciated. Bellamere maintains many feedback channels including email, website form, Facebook, Instagram, phone, etc. • A process is in place to ensure that all feedback collected from clients, staff or the general public is reviewed and analyzed to identify any issues with customer services and to ensure appropriate actions are taken. • Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person or by a service animal will be allowed to enter Bellamere’s premises with his or her support person and service animal. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person and/or service animal be prevented from having access to his or her support person and/or service animal while on our premises, where permitted by law. Bellamere may be unable to provide a service animal access to certain areas due to regulatory requirements such as kitchen and food preparation areas. This should have no bearing on the standard customer experience as these areas are not open to the public.

Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR)

  1. Accessible Emergency Information

Bellamere is committed to providing customers and clients with publicly available emergency information, plans or public safety information in an accessible way upon request, this information will also be available to the public. Bellamere will continue to provide employees with disabilities with individualized emergency response information when necessary and as soon as practically possible. If an employee who receives individualized workplace emergency response information requires assistance, with the employee’s consent the workplace emergency response information will be given to the designated employee providing the assistance. Bellamere has created a process for documenting issues of accessibility and recording and providing accommodation for individualized accessible emergency response information. Bellamere will continue to review the individualized workplace emergency response plans when necessary, such as when the location of the employee changes.

Contact Details

For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact: Bellamere, 1 Charles Street, Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada] Email: [email protected]

Standard and accessible formats of this document are available free upon request.