Intent
The Lifesaving Society – Ontario Branch’s (the “Society”) Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (the “Plan”) outlines the strategy of our organization to identify, remove, and prevent accessibility barriers for people with disabilities and comply with the requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR) under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).
Statement of Commitment
The Lifesaving Society is committed to treating all individuals with dignity and respect and strives to provide an accessible and welcoming environment for all. The Society supports the goals of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and is committed to providing customer service in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.
Multi-year Accessbility Plan
The Plan will be reviewed and updated, if applicable, at least once every five years. If you have any questions or concerns about the Plan or its initiatives, or would like to request a copy of the plan in an accessible format, please call us at 416-490-8844, write to us or send an email.
Completed Initiatives
Lifesaving Society Ontario has completed the following initiatives to prevent and remove barriers and comply with the IASR:
General
Accessibility Policies
The Society developed, implemented and maintains accessibility policies governing how we achieve the requirements of the IASR. These policies are available to the public on our website, and can be provided in accessible formats upon request.
Training
The Lifesaving Society continues to provide training in accessibility to all staff, office volunteers, contract trainers and individuals paid by the Society to conduct Safety Audits and Inspections.
Training includes information on the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, S.O. 2005, c. 11 and the requirements of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, O. Reg. 429/07.
- Training takes the form of a mandatory online module including a quiz.
- Staff are retrained as required or when changes are made to the Lifesaving Society’s plan.
- Training records are maintained, including dates when training is provided and the number of employees who received training.
Customer Service Standards
The Society welcomes individuals with disabilities and will:
- Accommodate the individual to the best of our ability.
- Permit individuals with disabilities to obtain, use or benefit from goods or services offered by the Society through the use of their assistive devices.
- Communicate with the individual in ways that take into account their disability.
- Provide access for service animals or a support person accompanying the individual to areas of our premises that are open to the public.
Notice of Service Disruptions
In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for individuals with disabilities, the Society communicates the reason for the disruption and its anticipated length, promptly and clearly using communication vehicles specific to the circumstances (e.g., verbal explanation, notice posted on premises, email, voicemail advice, and website).
Feedback Process
Individuals who wish to provide feedback on the way the Lifesaving Society provides goods and services to individuals with disabilities can do so in person, by phone at 416-490-8844, in writing or by email.
The Lifesaving Society shall:
- Acknowledge the feedback promptly.
- In the case of a complaint, investigate and contact the individual to clarify if necessary.
- Notify the individual of the outcome.
Information and Communication
Accessible Formats and Communication Supports
The Lifesaving Society provides accessible information and communication by identifying, removing, and preventing barriers. The Society shall provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats, or communication supports to those who submit an accommodation request in a timely manner at no additional cost than the regular cost charged to other persons, and shall consult with the individual making the request to ensure suitability.
If it is determined that information or communications are unconvertible, the Society shall provide the individual requesting the information or communication with:
(a) an explanation as to why the information or communications are unconvertible; and,
(b) a summary of the unconvertible information or communications.
Emergency Procedures, Plans or Public Safety Information
The Society will ensure that any safety and emergency information made publicly available is provided, upon request in an accessible format or with appropriate communication supports.
Employment
The Lifesaving Society is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and inclusion in our workplace.
Recruitment, Assessment and Selection
Employees, job applicants and the public are notified that accommodations for disabilities can be made during the recruitment and hiring process upon request. The Society consults with those who request accommodations during the recruitment and hiring process to ensure that we understand and take into account the individual’s needs so that the accommodations that are provided are effective. Successful applicants are notified of the Society’s policies for accommodating employees with disabilities when making offers of employment.
Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees
New and existing employees are informed of policies used to support employees with disabilities and will be kept up-to-date when changes occur to these policies.
If an employee with a disability requests it, the Society will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for the following:
- Information needed in order to perform their job; and
- Information that is generally available to all employees in the workplace.
Workplace Emergency Response Information
The Society creates individual workplace emergency response information for employees who identify potential accessibility barriers when responding to emergency situations. In addition, this information shall be provided, with the employee’s consent, to the person(s) designated to help. The information shall undergo review when:
- The employee moves to a different location;
- The employee’s accommodation needs change;
- The employee’s overall accommodation plans are reviewed; and,
- The Society reviews its general emergency response plan.
Individual Accommodation Plans
A written process for the development and maintenance of documented individual accommodation plans shall be developed to support employees with disabilities. If requested, these plans shall include information regarding accessible formats and communication supports, as well as individualized workplace emergency response information.
Return to Work Process
The Society has developed and implemented return to work processes for employees who are absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodation(s) in order to return to work.
The return to work process outlines the steps the Society will take to facilitate the employee’s return to work.
Performance Management
The Society ensures employees with disabilities or individual accommodation plans are provided unbiased access to career development, performance management and redeployment opportunities.
New and Ongoing Initiatives
The Lifesaving Society continues to look for and develop formats and policies to accommodate those with disabilities, remove barriers and comply with the IASR.
Information and Communication Standards
- The Society has developed an Accommodations Request Policy, which it will publish on its website in 2024. This public-facing policy will help those seeking accommodations to initiate the process more quickly.
- The Lifesaving Society continues to liaise with its legal counsel on ways to remove barriers for those with disabilities.
- In addition to print and electronic delivery, the Society intends to develop a third method of delivering its training materials, likely audio.
Website Accessibility
- The Society is taking the appropriate steps to ensure its websites meet internationally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA website requirements in accordance with Ontario’s accessibility laws, and expects that all its internet websites and web content will be WCAG 2.0 compliant by December 31, 2024.