YMCA Canada is committed to providing accessible, inclusive, and equitable services for people with disabilities. We are committed to treating every individual with dignity and respect, supporting independence, promoting integration, and ensuring equal opportunity. We will identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility and meet our obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and its applicable accessibility standards.
Purpose
The purpose of this Policy is to ensure that employees, volunteers, contractors, visitors, members of the public, and other individuals who access YMCA Canada’s facilities, services, or information are able to do so in a manner that is accessible, inclusive, and free from barriers.
This Policy outlines YMCA Canada’s commitment to providing accessible customer service and meets the requirements of the Customer Service Standards under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR) made under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. It applies to the delivery of goods and services to the public and other third parties.
Definitions
Assistive device: A technical aid, communication device, or other instrument that is used to maintain or improve the functional abilities of people with disabilities. Personal assistive devices are typically devices that customers bring with them, such as a wheelchair, walker, or a personal oxygen tank, and that might assist in hearing, seeing, communicating, moving, breathing, remembering, or reading.
Dignity: the right of a person to be valued and respected for their own sake, and to be treated ethically.
Disability: As defined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and the Ontario Human Rights Code, refers to:
- Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation, or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect, or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impairment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device;
- A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability;
- A learning disability, or dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
- A mental disorder; or
- An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
Equal Opportunity: the policy of treating employees and others without discrimination, especially on the basis of race, sex, age, or disability.
Guide Dog: A highly trained working dog that has been trained at one of the facilities listed in Ontario Regulation 58 under the Blind Persons’ Rights Act, to provide mobility, safety, and increased independence for people who are blind.
Independence: free from outside control; not depending on another authority.
Integration: bring (people or groups with particular characteristics or needs) into equal participation in or membership of a social group or institution.
Service Animal: A service animal for a person with a disability if:
- 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
- The person provides documentation from a member of one of the following regulated health professional colleges confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability:
- 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; or
- College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario.
Support Person: In relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies them in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs, or access to goods and services.
Guidelines
The Provision of Goods and Services to Persons with Disabilities
YMCA Canada will make every reasonable effort to ensure that its policies, practices, and procedures are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity by:
- Ensuring that all employees, volunteers, visitors, members of the public, contractors, and others who access YMCA Canada’s services receive the same value and quality;
- Allowing people with disabilities to access YMCA Canada’s facilities, services, and information in their own way and at their own pace, where this does not compromise health or safety;
- Providing alternative methods of access, where appropriate, to ensure that people with disabilities can obtain, use, or benefit from YMCA Canada’s services in a manner that respects their dignity and independence;
- A mental disorder; or
- Taking into account individual accommodation needs when providing goods and services; and
- Communicating in a manner that takes into account the customer’s disability.
Training
We are committed to training all staff and volunteers in accessible customer service, other Ontario’s accessibility standards and aspects of the Ontario Human Rights Code that relate to persons with disabilities.
Training will be provided to:
- Every employee of or a volunteer with YMCA Canada;
- Every person who participates in developing the policies of YMCA Canada; and
- Every other person who provides goods, services, or facilities on behalf of YMCA Canada.
Training Provisions
Regardless of the format, training will cover the following:
- A review of the purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005;
- A review of the requirements of the customer service standards;
- Instructions on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities;
- Instructions on how to interact with people with disabilities who:
- Use assistive devices;
- Require the assistance of a guide dog or other service animal; or
- Require the use of a support person (including the handling of admission fees);
- Instructions on how to use equipment or devices that are available at our premises or that we provide that may help people with disabilities;
- Instructions on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing our services; and
- Policies, procedures, and practices of the company pertaining to providing accessible customer service to customers with disabilities.
Training Schedule
YMCA Canada will provide training as soon as practicable. Training will be provided to new employees, volunteers, agents, and contractors within the first week of them joining YMCA Canada. Revised training will be provided in the event of changes to legislation, procedures, policies, or practices.
Record of Training
YMCA Canada will keep a record of training that includes the dates training was provided and the number of employees who attended the training.
The Use of Assistive Devices
Customer’s Own Assistive Devices
Persons with disabilities may use their own assistive devices as required when accessing goods or services provided by the company. In cases where the assistive device presents a health and safety concern or where accessibility might be an issue, other reasonable measures will be used to ensure the access of goods and services, up to the point of undue hardship.
Alternatively, where elevators are not present and where a customer requires assistive devices for the purposes of mobility, service will be provided in a location that meets the needs of the customer.
Guide Dogs and Service Animals
Employees, volunteers and members of the community with a disability who are accompanied by a guide dog or service animal will be allowed access to premises that are open to the public unless otherwise excluded by law. “No pet” policies do not apply to guide dogs or service animals.
Staff may respectfully ask if an animal is a service animal and will not ask the nature of the person’s disability or purpose of the animal.
Exclusion Guidelines
If a guide dog or service animal is excluded by law (see applicable laws below), YMCA Canada will offer alternative methods to enable the person with a disability to access goods and services, when possible. For example, the company might accommodate a customer’s disability by securing the animal in a safe location and offering the assistance of an employee to facilitate the delivery of goods and services.
Applicable Laws
Dog Owners’ Liability Act, 2005: If there is a conflict between a provision of this legislation or of a regulation under this or any other act relating to banned breeds (such as pit bulls) and a provision of a by-law passed by a municipality relating to these breeds, the provision that is more restrictive in relation to controls or bans on these breeds prevails. Staff will respectfully explain that the service animal must be removed from the public area due to a municipal by-law and make alternate arrangements or provide the service outside the public area.
Recognizing a Guide Dog or Service Animal:
If it is not readily apparent that the animal is being used by the employee, volunteer, or member of the community for reasons relating to their disability, YMCA Canada may request verification.
Care and Control of the Animal:
The employee, volunteer, or member of the community who is accompanied by a guide dog or service animal is responsible for maintaining care and control of the animal at all times.
Allergies and Other Health and Safety Concerns:
If a health and safety concern presents itself, for example, in the form of a severe allergy to the animal, YMCA Canada will make all reasonable efforts to meet the needs of all individuals. Pursuant to the company’s obligations under the Human Rights Code and the Occupational Health and Safety Act, each customer’s accommodation needs will be considered on a case-by-case basis, up to the point of undue hardship.
Due diligence needs to be paid to address health and safety requirements. For example, if a person’s health and safety could be seriously affected by the presence of a service animal on the premises open to the public, management must fully analyze all options for safely accommodating the service animal. Options could include creating distance between the two individuals to eliminate in-person contact, changing the time the two individuals receive service, or using air purifiers and other measures that could allow the person to use their service animal on the premises.
In very exceptional circumstances where a service animal becomes out of control, causing a clear disruption or a threat to the health and safety of others, and the animal’s behaviour is not corrected by the owner, a person with a disability can be asked to remove their service animal from the premises.
As a courtesy, particularly if the person and service animal have been in attendance on the premises for a long time, staff may ask whether the animal requires water, may designate an area in which the service animal can relieve itself, or ask whether the staff can be of assistance pertaining to the service animal.
The Use of Support Persons
People with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person are welcome to access YMCA Canada facilities and services together. YMCA Canada will ensure that individuals are not prevented from having access to their support person while using our services.
Where seating or space limitations exist, YMCA Canada will make every reasonable effort to accommodate the individual and their support person together.
If confidential or sensitive information may be discussed, YMCA Canada will obtain the individual’s consent before sharing that information in the presence of the support person.
Where admission fees apply to an event or service, YMCA Canada will communicate any fees applicable to support persons in advance.
Notice of Disruptions in Service
YMCA Canada recognizes that temporary disruptions to facilities, services, or accessibility features may occur due to planned maintenance or unforeseen circumstances.
When a disruption affects facilities, services, or accessibility features that people with disabilities rely on, YMCA Canada will provide notice as soon as reasonably possible. Where feasible, advance notice will be provided.
Notices will include, where available:
- the reason for the disruption;
- the anticipated duration of the disruption; and
- a description of any alternative facilities, services, or accommodations that may be available.
Where practical, notices will be posted at the affected location, on YMCA Canada’s website, or communicated directly to individuals with scheduled appointments or registrations.
Feedback and Available Format Requests
YMCA Canada welcomes feedback on how we provide accessible facilities, services, and information to people with disabilities. Feedback helps us identify barriers, improve accessibility, and enhance the experience of everyone who accesses our services. Feedback may be provided in the following ways:
By regular mail:
Attention: People & Culture Team
YMCA Canada
1 Richmond St W, Suite 600, M5H 3W4
Toronto, Ontario
By email: HR@ymca.ca
By phone: (416) 967-9622
Through our website: www.ymca.ca
Customers who provide formal feedback will receive acknowledgement of their feedback, along with any resulting actions based on concerns or complaints that were submitted.
Additionally, YMCA Canada has a process in which our customers may provide regular written and verbal feedback when interacting with any of our employees. This will be passed along to our People & Culture Team for handling.
Alternate formats of our Accessibility Standards for Customer Service and our services are available upon request through any of the means noted above.
Employment
YMCA Canada is committed to fair, inclusive, and accessible employment practices throughout the employment lifecycle. We will meet the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR).
Recruitment and Hiring
YMCA Canada will notify employees, job applicants, and the public that accommodations are available throughout the recruitment and hiring process.
Applicants selected to participate in an assessment or selection process will be informed that accommodations are available upon request. Where an accommodation is requested, YMCA Canada will consult with the applicant and provide or arrange for suitable accommodations that take into account their accessibility needs.
Successful applicants will be informed of YMCA Canada’s policies and practices for accommodating employees with disabilities when an offer of employment is made.
Employee Supports
YMCA Canada will inform employees of the policies and supports available for employees with disabilities as soon as reasonably practicable after employment begins and whenever there are changes to those policies.
Upon request, YMCA Canada will consult with employees to provide or arrange for accessible workplace information, communication supports, and workplace accommodations that take into account the employee’s accessibility needs. This includes:
- information required to perform the employee’s job; and
- information that is generally available to employees in the workplace.
Workplace Emergency Response Information
Where required, YMCA Canada will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees with disabilities who require assistance during an emergency.
With the employee’s consent, this information may be shared with a designated person who has been assigned to provide assistance. Individualized emergency response information will be reviewed whenever:
- the employee’s accommodation needs or plans are reviewed;
- the employee changes work location or responsibilities, as appropriate; or
- YMCA Canada reviews its general emergency response procedures.
Individual Accommodation Plans
YMCA Canada maintains a written process for developing and documenting individualized accommodation plans for employees with disabilities. Accommodation plans will be developed in consultation with the employee and will take into account their individual accessibility needs.
Notice of Availability and Format of Documents to Customers
YMCA Canada will notify customers that the documents related to the customer service standards are available upon request and in a format that takes into account the customer’s disability. Notification will be given by posting the information on the website of YMCA Canada.
Administration
If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or its related procedures, please contact:
Lucie Jeffers, Vice President, People & Culture
lucie.jeffers(@)ymca(dot)ca
This policy and its related procedures will be reviewed as required in the event of legislative changes or changes to company procedures.
Accessibility Compliance Report
YMCA Canada files an Accessibility Compliance Report in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA), as required.
A copy of the most recent Accessibility Compliance Report is available to members of the public upon request. Requests may be directed to the People & Culture department at HR@ymca.ca.
Accessible formats and communication supports are available upon request.