AODA (INTEGRATED ACCESSIBILITY STANDARD REGULATION)

1.1      The Corporation of the City of Niagara Falls is committed to eliminating barriers and improving accessibility for persons with disabilities to afford equal opportunities of programs and services. This policy is intended to meet the requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards (IAS), Ontario Regulation 191/11 within the following areas, as set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005:

·         Accessible Employment Standards

·         Accessible Information & Communication Standards

·         Accessible Transportation Standards

·         Accessible Built Environment

1.2     AODA became law on June 13, 2005. Under this landmark legislation, the provincial government will develop required standards that will identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities. The vision of the act is to have an accessible Ontario by 2025.

1.3    The AODA Accessibility Standards address issues in five key areas which include the following:
•    Customer Service
•    Employment
•    Information & Communication
•    Built Environment

2.1    This policy applies to Members of Council, Members of Boards and Committees, all City employees as well as volunteers, agents, contractors, third parties or any other individuals who interact with the public or other third parties, who represent or act on behalf of the Corporation of the City of Niagara Falls in any manner. It also applies to services, facilities and properties owned or operated by the City of Niagara Falls. The City shall incorporate accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities, except where it is not practicable to do so.
2.2    The Corporation of the City of Niagara Falls will develop policies, procedures and practices which address integration, independence, dignity and equal opportunity, to comply with the legislative requirements prescribed under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) 2005, and to promote accessibility.  All employment services provided by the City of Niagara Falls shall follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.

3.1    Accessible Formats – include but not limited to large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, braille and other formats usable by persons with disabilities.
3.2    Accessible Document(s) - is information produced electronically in any format.  This includes but not limited to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator, Acrobat, 
3.3    Communication Supports - include but not limited to captioning, alternative and augmentative communication supports, plain language, sign language and other supports that facilitate effective communications.
3.4    Conversion Ready - an electronic or digital format that facilitates conversion into an acceptable format.
3.5    Designated Public Sector Organization - refers to every municipality and every person or organization listed in Column 1 of Table 1 of Ontario Regulation 146/10 (Public Bodies and Commission Public Bodies-Definitions) made under the Public Service of Ontario Act, 2006.
3.6    Employee - a person receiving or entitled to wages for work performed including but not limited to full-time, part-time, students, temporary and interns.
3.7    Information - includes data, facts and knowledge that exists in any format, including text, audio, digital or images, and conveys meaning.
3.8    Kiosk - an interactive electronic terminal, including a point-of-sale device, for public use that allows users to access one or more services or products.
3.9    Large Organization - an organization with fifty (50), or more employees in Ontario.
3.10     Mobility Aid - a device used to facilitate the transport, in a seated posture, of a person with a disability.
3.11    Mobility Assistive Device - a cane, walker or similar aid.
3.12    Obligated Organization - Organizations may include workplaces, businesses or services. Refers to the Government of Ontario, the Legislative Assembly, a designated public sector organization, a large organization and a small organization to which the standards of this Regulation apply.
3.13    Performance Management - means activities related to assessing and improving employee performance, productivity and effectiveness, with the goal of facilitating employee success.
3.14    Support Person - in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies the person with a disability to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods, services or facilities.
3.15    User - for the purpose of this procedure may refer to potential employees, job applicants, and employees.

4.1    GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
4.1.1.    General requirements that apply across all of the three standards, Employment, Information and Communication, and Transportation are outlined as follows.
4.2    Establishment of Accessibility Policies and Plans
4.2.1.    The City of Niagara Falls will develop, implement and maintain policies governing how it will achieve accessibility through these requirements. In addition, the City will establish, implement, maintain and document a multi-year accessibility plan outlining its strategy to prevent and remove barriers and meet its requirements under the IAS regulation. As well, the City will post its accessibility plans on their website, and provide the plan in an accessible format upon request.
4.2.2.    The Accessibility Plan will be reviewed and updated annually and will establish, review and update its accessibility plans in consultation with persons with disabilities or an advisory committee. Annual status reports will be prepared to report on the progress of steps taken to implement the City’s accessibility plan and this information will be posted on the City website.
4.3    Procuring or Acquiring Goods and Services, or Facilities
4.3.1.    The City will provide training for its employees and volunteers regarding the IAS and the Ontario Human Rights Code. Training will be provided for individuals who are responsible for developing Corporate Policies, and all other persons who have duties and or responsibility for providing goods, services or facilities on behalf of the City of Niagara Falls.
4.4    Self-Serve Kiosks
4.4.1.    The City will incorporate accessibility features when designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks. In addition, the City will always be aware of the accessibility features of self-service kiosks for persons with disabilities.
4.5    EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS OVERVIEW
4.5.1.    The City of Niagara Falls is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. The Employment Standards regulation will expand the Province of Ontario’s labour pool by ensuring people with disabilities are welcome and supported within all workplaces. Employment standards will assist organizations with employment recruitment, providing accessible information, plans for emergencies, individual accommodation, return to work, performance management, and career development and redeployment.
4.6    PROCEDURES
4.6.1.    Recruitment, Assessment and Selection
4.6.1.1.    The City of Niagara Falls must notify employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for job applicants who have disabilities. Applicants must be informed that these accommodations are available, upon request, for the interview process and other candidate selection methods. The City shall consult with any applicant who requests an accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant’s disability. Successful applicants shall be notified about the City’s policies for accommodating employees with disabilities as part of their offer of employment.
4.7    Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees
4.7.1.    The City will ensure that all employees are informed of the policies used to support employees with disabilities. The City will provide this information to new employees as part of the orientation program or as soon as practicable. All employees will be notified of any changes to existing policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee's accessibility needs due to disability.
4.7.2.    Upon request by an employee, the City will consult with the employee to provide or arrange suitable provisions of accessible formats and communication supports for:
a)    Information that is needed in order to perform the employee's job; and
b)    Information that is generally available to employees in the workplace.
4.8    Documented Individual Accommodation Plans
4.8.1.    The City will develop and have in place written processes for the following:
a)    any information regarding accessible formats and communications supports provided;
b)    individualized workplace emergency response information; and
c)    any other accommodation that is to be provided; and
d)    documenting individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities which will include the following:
•    The ways in which the employee can participate in the development of the plan.
•    The means by which the employee is assessed on an individual basis.
•    The steps taken to protect the privacy of the employee's personal information.
•    The frequency with which the individual accommodation plan should be reviewed or updated determined, and how it should be done.
•    The manner in which the employer can request an evaluation by an outside medical or other expert, at the employers expense, to assist the employer in determining if accommodation can be achieved, and if so, how the accommodation can be achieved.
•    The manner in which the employee can request the participation of a representative from their bargaining agent, or other representative from the workplace, where the employee is not represented by a bargaining agent, in the development of the accommodation plan.
•    If an individual accommodation plan is denied, the manner in which the reasons for denial will be provided to the employee.
4.9    Workplace Emergency Response Information
4.9.1.    If an employee’s disability is such that workplace emergency response accommodation is necessary due to a disability and the City is aware of the need for accommodation, this information shall be provided to the employee as soon as practicable. In addition, this information shall, with the employee’s consent, be provided to any person designated by the City to provide assistance. Should the employee move to a new position and/or location within the City, the information shall be reviewed, in accordance with the accommodation process and as part of the general emergency response plan review.
4.10    Return to Work and Redeployment
4.10.1.    The City will develop and have return to work processes in place for employees who are absent from work due to a disability—and require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work. The return to work process must include an outline of the steps the City will take to facilitate the employee’s return to work and use documented individual accommodation plans (as described in section 28 of the regulation).
4.11    Performance Management & Career Development & Advancement
4.11.1.    The City shall take into account the accessibility needs of its employees with disabilities including any individual accommodation plans when using its performance management process and when providing career development and advancement to its employees with disabilities.
4.12    Responsibilities
4.12.1.    Departments are responsible for:
•    Ensuring the accessible employment standards procedure, guidelines and practices are followed.
•    Taking into account accessibility needs of individuals during the recruitment process, return to work process, performance management, career development, and redeployment.
4.12.2.    Employees (person with disability) is responsible for:
•    Requesting accommodation and providing relevant information to assist the City in providing the required accessibility needs, including participating in the development of individual accommodation plans.
•    Requesting accessible formats and communication supports for information that is needed in order to perform their job.
4.12.3.    Job applicant(s) is responsible for:
•    Requesting an accommodation during the recruitment process.
4.12.4.    Human Resources department is responsible for:
•    Identifying, removing and preventing barriers to persons with disabilities when posting jobs, during the recruitment and selection process, when implementing occupational health and safety programs and during the rehabilitation and placement of employees with disabilities.
4.13    INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION STANDARDS OVERVIEW
4.13.1.    The City of Niagara Falls will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons (members of the public), with disabilities in a timely manner. The City will take into account the person’s accessibility needs when customizing individual requests.
4.13.2.    Accessible Websites and Web Content
The City will ensure to make its web content conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 at Level A and Level AA, as per the compliance timelines set out in O Reg 191/11. Web content includes any information which resides on an internet or intranet web site.
4.13.3.    Emergency Procedures, Plans or Public Safety Information
Upon request, the City will provide existing public emergency procedures, plans and public safety information in an accessible format or with appropriate communication supports in a timely manner.
4.13.4.    Emergency Formats & Communication Supports
Upon request, the City will provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account the person’s disability and at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons. The City will also notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.
4.13.5.    Feedback
The City has established an accessible customer service feedback process as required under the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (Corporate Policy # 400.34). The City also receives and responds to other feedback and will ensure that the process is accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports upon request.
4.13.6.    Responsibilities
All City staff that use the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) must complete training for accessible documents.   As per the accessible document resource guide it is recommended that staff utilize the Microsoft accessibility checker to review any issues with the document.  City staff that produce or modify PDF documents, must complete training for accessible pdf documents.  City staff responsible for updating content on social media and/or City websites must adhere to the guidelines identified within the accessible document resource guide.   

All electronic documents received by vendors or contractors must be in an accessible format.  Large complex non-accessible documents can be outsourced to a third-party vendor to meet accessible the City’s accessibility standards as defined per the accessible document resource guide.  All costs will be incurred by each department for the creation of an accessible document.
4.14    TRANSPORTATION STANDARD OVERVIEW
4.14.1.    As of January 1, 2023, Transit Services (both conventional and specialized), became a regionalized service as a result of an amalgamation of Transit Services between the following municipalities: City of Niagara Falls Transit, City of St. Catharines Transit Services, and the City of Welland Transit Services.  All three transit services are now under the jurisdiction of the Region of Niagara.

5.1    The next review dated is scheduled for September 10, 2030