Accessibility
Our Commitment
CAO encourages all persons to access and benefit from CAO services and participate in our work. We will strive to remove barriers and make our services, environment and culture respectful of the individual needs of people with different abilities.
Policies, Practices and Procedures
Communication
The CAO primarily offers information and communications to the public through its website. Through its online services, which has been designed to accommodate different communication needs, it will strive to meet the 4 pillars of accessibility as defined by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Examples include:
- providing text alternatives for all image content presented on a web page;
- providing audio playback for all educational modules;
- providing a mechanism to stop or pause an audio recording in all educational modules;
- providing functionality that is fully responsive to any screen size; and
- making all functionality available on a keyboard.
On an ongoing basis, the CAO is committed to improving upon the methods used to provide accommodations for those who need it. It is also committed to ensuring that all persons interacting with its services can obtain, use and benefit fairly and equitably from its programs and resources. For example, if a person is not able to provide publicly-sought after feedback using CAO’s online services, the CAO will provide a telephone agent so the feedback can be provided using a telephone.
For those who seek employment or would like to participate on the Board or other advisory groups, the CAO will use best efforts to make the appropriate accommodations. For example, when choosing a location to host a public event, the CAO will only select facilities that have met the accessibility requirements defined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
Assistive Devices and Measures
Assistive Devices and Measures are supports made available to improve access to services for persons with disabilities. Examples include wheel chair access, real-time captioning services, sign language interpreters as well as Telephone Teletypes to communicate with persons who are deaf or have difficulty hearing.
CAO will accommodate people with disabilities who use assistive devices or require additional measures when attending public hearings or participating in meetings. If a prospective employee or board member needs an assistive device or additional measure, the CAO will make the required modifications to its environment to accommodate these requests.
Use of Service Animals and Support Persons
CAO is committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal to the areas where the CAO hosts meetings and other stakeholder events.
CAO is committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter CAO ’s premises with his or her support person.
Procedures
The CAO is committed to creating an environment that is respectful to all members of the public who seek access to its services. Procedures have been created to guide employees, board members and other third-party agents on how to:
- interact and communicate with people with different disability related needs;.
- interact with those who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person;
- assist a person with a disability who is having difficulty accessing CAO ’s services; and
- provide safe evacuation for people with disabilities during an emergency.
Training for Staff and Board
All staff, volunteers and board members and any 3rd party contractor employed by the CAO will receive accessibility training on how to meet the needs and experiences of persons with disabilities. The following topics will be covered:
- an overview of the Human Rights Code as it relates to persons with disabilities;
- an overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard;
- how to apply CAO ’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the customer service standard; and
- how to follow CAO’s emergency management plan for protecting people with disabilities.
Further training will be provided when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.
Upon request, CAO will consult with the person making the request to provide publications and/or processes for receiving and responding to feedback in accessible formats and with communication supports, dependent upon document specifications. Every effort will be made to ensure that the accessible formats and communication supports provided take into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability, and are provided at a cost no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.
Feedback
Individuals who would like to provide feedback on the way CAO provides services to persons with disabilities may do so by contacting:
Condominium Authority of Ontario
info@condoauthorityontario.ca
CAO Local number – 416-901-9356
CAO Toll free number – 1-(844) 880-5341
TTY (telephone device for the hearing impaired)
Modifications to this or other policies
CAO is committed to ensuring that its policies, practices and procedures promotes the dignity and independence of all persons with disabilities. Changes will not be made to this policy before considering the impact on persons with disabilities. All CAO policies respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.
Questions about this policy
This policy exists to achieve service excellence to customers with disabilities. Questions about this policy may be directed to the Manager, Customer Service.