Accessibility

ACCESSIBILITY POLICY (the “Policy”)

Overview

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (the “AODA”) is a provincial statute that aims to identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities. The Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR) (O. Reg. 191/11) under AODA provides a detailed compliance framework for designated private sector organizations, including Nurse Chevrolet Cadillac Ltd. (the “Dealership” or “Company”), to enable the Dealership to implement accessibility requirements in the following areas, as applicable:

  • Goods, services, or facilities;
  • Employment;
  • Occupation of building, structure or premises

The Policy is developed to ensure the Dealership meets its obligations for accessibility set out in the AODA and IASR and the AODA requirements as it pertains to people with disabilities in the Ontario Human Rights Code (“OHRC”).

This Policy addresses accessibility needs of Dealership employees and Dealership customers.

 

Purpose

The overall goal is to increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in a way that is respectful of their dignity and independence, takes into account the person’s disability and embodies the principles of integration and equal opportunity.

 

Statement of Commitment

The Dealership is committed to ensuring equal access and participation, and excellence for people with disabilities.  It is the Dealership’s intent to ensure equal access by meeting accessibility needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner.

The Dealership believes in integration and equal opportunity and is committed to treating all people in a manner that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence.  The commitment to make every effort to meet the needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner means identifying, removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility standard in accordance with the AODA.

The Dealership is committed to meeting its current and ongoing obligations under the OHRC to protect against discrimination and harassment due to disability in employment, services, goods, or facilities.

The Dealership is committed to excellence in serving and providing goods, services or facilities to all customers including people with disabilities.

Our accessible customer service policies are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity for people with disabilities.

 

Information and Communications Standards

            Accessibility Formats and Communication Supports:

The Dealership has a process for receiving and responding to feedback and the process is accessible to persons with disabilities upon request.

The Dealership communicates with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.  When asked, the Dealership will provide information about our organization and its services, including public safety information, in accessible formats or with community supports in a timely manner, taking into account the person’s accessibility needs due to the disability.

Accessible formats may include, but not limited to large print, recorded audio, Braille and other useable formats by people with disabilities.  Communication Supports may include but are not limited to captioning, plain language, sign language and other supports that facilitate effective communication.

Upon request, the Dealership will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities.  Consultation will occur with the individual to determine the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.

If the Dealership determines that the information or communications are unconvertible, the Dealership will provide the requestor with:

(a) an explanation as to why the information or communications are unconvertible; and

(b) a summary of the unconvertible information or communications.

The Dealership will notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and community supports by:

  • Publishing the information on the Dealership’s website;
  • Providing signage on the premises; and

            Website:

The company website and content will conform to the internationally-recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, level AA website requirements in accordance with Ontario’s accessibility laws except where impracticable such as unconvertible information or communications, information not directly or indirectly in the Dealership’s control, or web content published before 2012.

            Self-service Kiosks:

The Dealership will incorporate accessibility features/consider accessibility for people with disabilities when designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks.

            Provision of Goods and Services:

The dealership will make every reasonable effort to accommodate persons with disabilities following the guiding principles:

  • Goods and services will be provided by the dealership 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 must be 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 dealerships’ goods and services.
  • Persons with disabilities must be given an opportunity equal to that given to others to obtain, use and benefit from the dealerships’ goods and services.

            Communication:

The Dealership will consider a person’s disability when communicating with them, with the goal of communicating in an effective manner.  In order to be as helpful as possible, staff will ask persons with disabilities directly how best to communicate with them.

            Assistive Devices:

The dealership is prepared and welcomes customers with various assistive devices that may be used by persons with disabilities while accessing our goods, services or facilities.  If, however, the assistive device presents a significant and unavoidable health or safety concern or may not be permitted for other reasons, other measures will be used to ensure the person with a disability can access our goods, services, or facilities.

            Service Animals:

The Dealership allows and welcomes people with disabilities and their service animals, provided the accommodation does not present a safety hazard or is otherwise excluded by law, in which case every reasonable attempt will be made to accommodate all individuals.

Service animals are permitted to enter the Dealership’s premises that are open and accessible to third parties or the public, and in all situations where a disabled customer requires the service animal to access the Dealerships goods and services.

The individual utilizing a service animal is responsible to ensure that their service animal is in control at all times.

When the Dealership cannot easily identify that an animal is a service animal, our staff may ask for documentation (template, letter or form) from a regulated health professional that confirms the person needs the service animal for reasons relating to their disability.

A service animal can be easily identified through visual indicators, such as when it wears a harness or a vest, or when it helps the person perform certain tasks.

A regulated health professional is defined as a member of one of the following colleges:

  • College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario
  • College of Chiropractors of Ontario
  • College of Nurses of Ontario
  • College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
  • College of Optometrists of Ontario
  • College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
  • College of Physiotherapists of Ontario
  • College of Psychologists of Ontario
  • College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario

If service animals are prohibited by another law, the Dealership will do the following to ensure people with disabilities can access the Dealership’s goods, services or facilities:

  • explain why the animal is excluded
  • discuss with the individual another way of providing goods, services or facilities

            Support Persons:

The company allows and welcomes people with disabilities to be accompanied by their support person.  The company may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a Support person where it’s necessary to protect the health and safety of the person with the disability and others on the premises.  Before making a decision, the Dealership will:

  • Consult with the person with a disability to understand their needs
  • Consider health or safety reasons based on available evidence
  • Determine if there is no other reasonable way to protect the health and safety of the person or others on the premises.

            Disruption of Services:

If the company encounters any disruption to our facilities and services that are in place for persons with disabilities or if our premises can not be opened to the public for some reason, the dealership will ensure the following:

  • Provide notice of the disruption to the public
  • The notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration
  • Notices will be posted in conspicuous places around the facility as well as on the website

            Training:

The dealership is committed to training all staff and volunteers in accessible customer service, other Ontario’s accessibility standards and aspects of the OHRC that relate to persons with disabilities.

In addition, we will train:

  • all persons who participate in developing the Dealership’s policies, and
  • all other persons who provide goods, services or facilities on behalf of the Dealership, and
  • all other persons who participate in developing the Dealership’s policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of goods or services to members of the public or other third parties.

Training of the Dealership’s employees and volunteers on accessibility relates to their specific roles.

The training will include:

  • A review of the purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and the requirements of the Customer Service Standards.
  • The Dealership’s policies relating to the Customer Service Standards.
  • How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disability.
  • How to interact with person with disabilities who use an assistive device, or require the assistance of a service animal or the assistance of a support person.
  • Instructions on how to use the equipment or devices available on-site or otherwise that may help with providing goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities.
  • What to do if a person with a particular type of disability is having difficulty accessing the Dealerships’ goods, services, or facilities.
  • The training will be provided to each person as soon practical after their hiring, and/or changes to assigned duties.
  • Training will also be provided on an on-going basis in connection with changes to the policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of goods or services to persons with disabilities.
  • The Dealership will prepare a document describing its training guidelines including contents and timelines.
  • The Dealership will keep and maintain records of the training provided, including the dates on which the training was provided, and the number of individuals to whom it was provided.

 

Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

Nurse Chevrolet Cadillac Ltd.  is committed to meeting the needs of its employees and customers with disabilities and is working hard to prevent and remove barriers to accessibility. In accordance with this commitment, the dealership will develop and implement an Accessibility Plan with the goal to meet these criteria to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities. This plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every five (5) years and will be posted on our website.

 

Employment:  The Dealership will notify employees, job applicants and the public that accommodations can be made during the recruitment and hiring.

 

     Employees:  The dealership will continue to inform staff of policies related to support for their accessibility needs as a result of a disability as soon as practicable after they begin their employment.  The Dealership will provide updated information to employees whenever there is a change to exiting policies on the provision of job accommodation that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to a disability.  Upon notification, consultation will occur with the employee, including, but not limited to, to providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports needed to perform his/her job, and information that is generally available to employees in the workplace.

 

     Recruitment:   The dealership will continue to notify job applicants when they are individually selected to participate in an assessment or selection process that accommodations are available upon request.  We will notify successful applicants of policies for accommodating employees with disabilities when making offers of employment.  If a request is made, consultation will occur with the applicant to provide or arrange for Accessible Formats or Communication Supports  needed to perform his/her job.

 

     Workplace Emergency Response:  Where needed, the Dealership will provide customized emergency information to help an employee with a disability during an emergency. With the employee’s consent, the Dealership will provide workplace emergency information to a designated person who is providing assistance to that employee during an emergency.

 

We will provide the information as soon as practicable after we become aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability.

 

We will review the individualized workplace emergency response information:

 

(a) when the employee moves to a different location in the organization;

(b) when the employee’s overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed; and

(c) when the employer reviews its general emergency response policies.

 

     Return to Work:  The Dealership has a written process for employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work.

 

     Performance Management and Career Development:  The Dealership’s performance management, career development and redeployment processes take into account the accessibility needs of all employees.  Accessibility needs and accommodation plans of employees will be taken into account when conducting performance reviews.

 

Training:  At commencement of employment, all will complete the dealership prescribed web training as it pertains to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) provided by the dealership.  All dealership employees have a recorded date of completion.  Communication will continue with employees individually and as teams through regular information and discussion sessions.

 

Design of Public Spaces:  The Dealership shall ensure that the design and layout of its premises are accessible to persons with disabilities. When planning new office space or renovations to existing space, within its control, the Dealership shall ensure accessibility requirements are incorporated into the planning, design, and construction phases.

 

Customer Feedback:

 

Feedback on meeting expectations, clarification, or questions may be addressed by contacting the President through:

(email)           sales@marynurse.com

(phone)          (905) 668-3304

(mail) 1530 Dundas Street East, Whitby, Ontario L1N 2K7

 

The feedback process will be provided to accommodate accessible formats and communication supports upon request. Customers can expect to hear back from the Dealership within 7 days.

 

Policy updated:  October, 2023

 

Website Accessibility

At Nurse Chevrolet Cadillac we strive to provide individuals with disabilities equal access to our products and services, including through an accessible website.  To accomplish this, we have partnered with accessiBe to provide our customers with accessible content.  This adaption is available by clicking on the “person” icon on each of our website pages.

We welcome feedback at sales@marynurse.com.  We will consider all input as we continuously evaluate and improve our overall accessibility process.

 

Nurse Chevrolet CadillacAccessibility