Accessibility
Plan 2010-2011
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA)
sets out the roadmap to make Ontario accessible by 2025. Under this Act,
accessibility standards are being developed and implemented to break down
barriers in key areas of everyday life.
These standards will increase accessibility for people with disabilities
in the areas of customer service, information and communications, employment,
transportation and the built environment.
The government of Ontario is preparing to lead the way towards an accessible
province. In 2010 the government of Ontario was the first public service
organization to report compliance with the first standard - Ontario Regulation
429/07, Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.
The Ontario Human Rights Code and the Ontarians with Disabilities
Act, 2001 (ODA) continue to guide us as new standards are introduced
under the AODA.
Through annual accessibility plans required under the ODA, the government
sets the course to prevent, identify and remove barriers to persons with
disabilities.
Building on last year's plan, the 2010-11 accessibility plan will continue
to move the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)
toward the goal of an accessible province for all Ontarians.
To view other ministries' Accessibility Plans please visit: Ontario.ca.
Report on Accessibility Achievements for 2009-2010
The Ontario Public Service (OPS) is working to achieve an
accessible and barrier-free province by 2025.
An accessible OPS is a better place to work, to do business, and to receive
services. Accessibility is a core pillar of diversity and a key value
of the OPS Diversity Strategy.
OMAFRA is committed to a barrier-free and accessible workplace, where
every employee and customer is treated fairly, equitably and with dignity.
Accessibility is important so that our stakeholders are able to access
the ministry services and information that they require, and it is vital
so that our employees with disabilities can reach their full potential.
The ministry has an overall Accessibility Leadership Strategy that incorporates
not only the current AODA and ODA requirements, but also looks ahead to
implementation of future standards under the AODA and takes a proactive
approach in aiding our stakeholders with their compliance requirements
under the standards.
This section demonstrates how OMAFRA has contributed toward achieving
an accessible and barrier free province by 2025 with a focus on the categories
outlined below:
- Sustainability of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service
regulation, (O. Reg. 429/07);
- Removal of barriers in the areas of Information and Communications,
Employment and Built Environment in anticipation of future regulations
under the AODA and;
- OMAFRA's Accessibility Awareness Plan.
Focus Area: Customer Service - Sustainability of Training Requirements
Achievements:
Having achieved 100% of staff trained by January 2010, OMAFRA continues
to show leadership in the area of training on the provision of accessible
customer service as required under the Accessibility Standards for Customer
Service regulation.
- All new staff and management are required to complete training within
three months of hire;
- Orientation documents have been modified to inform new staff and management
of the requirement to complete "May I Help You?" modules 1
and 2 as well as OMAFRA-specific accessibility training.
- Various alternate formats are available to complete training including
in- person sessions, on-line through our intranet site and by CD or
hard copy. Enhancements were made to the accessibility pages on the
ministry's internal website that build in efficiencies for self-serve
on-line training and provide additional resources and links to assist
staff in meeting the needs of people with disabilities;
- Training is recorded and tracked quarterly through a combination of
reports. The performance target is to maintain a rate of 90% or more
staff trained at all times.
Focus Area: Customer Service - Agencies
Achievements:
Compliance assistance was provided for OMAFRA agencies named under Schedule
1 of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service regulation.
- OMAFRA facilitated a community of practice, a forum for exchanging
ideas and providing information and advice, for its five named agencies
in support of their implementation requirements by January 1, 2010.
- The five named agencies reported no issues with meeting their requirements
and submitted their compliance reports directly to the Accessibility
Directorate of Ontario (ADO) as required.
Focus Area: Customer Service - Inclusion Lens (formerly Diversity
Lens)
Achievements:
In addition to a review of all ministry services as part of the OPS Service
Directive implementation and making accessibility part of the core approach
to quality and timely public service, OMAFRA piloted the Diversity Lens
(now the Inclusion Lens) in five of its business areas in 2009-10.
- This analytical tool was applied with an objective to identify and
mitigate potential and/or existing barriers in the development or review
of policies, programs and services.
- The tool contained specific questions and considerations about diversity,
accessibility and inclusion that could be integrated into existing planning
cycles related to areas such as policy development, project management,
financial reporting and communications.
Focus Area: Information and Communications
Achievements:
- OMAFRA uses the Ontario government's web accessibility guidelines
and web standards checklist which includes standards for accessibility
and continues to improve the accessibility of web images, documents
and videos and increase awareness amongst ministry staff of the requirements
around accessible web resources including tables and forms.
- OMAFRA continues to follow the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines to ensure a high level of accessibility
exists for our stakeholders. The W3C is an international community where
Member organizations and the public work together to develop Web standards.
- Information about how to respond to requests for alternate formats
was highlighted in a September orientation session for key staff.
- OMAFRA now uses the principles of the Canadian National Institute
for the Blind's (CNIB) clear print accessibility guidelines wherever
possible. Various vendors/designers are also made aware of the guidelines.
Focus Area: Employment - Barrier-free Recruitment Practices
Achievements:
OMAFRA hiring managers work with Recruitment Consultants to have all
job ads reviewed to ensure there are no arbitrary barriers to accessibility.
- As part of the hiring process, the ministry alerts the public that
accommodation for persons with disabilities is available on request.
This statement is included directly on each job ad. Hiring managers
also provide accommodations to all applicants with accessibility needs,
upon request, at any point throughout the entire hiring process.
- A Barrier Free Recruitment panel discussion took place at the September
Joint Executive Forum. This session, attended by OMAFRA managers and
senior executives served to increase awareness around the potential
for accessibility requests during the hiring process and information
on how to ensure such requests are met. The panel included experts from
the OPS Diversity Office, Enterprise Recruitment Branch, Regional Recruitment
Centre and the Regional Service Delivery Centre.
Focus Area: Employment - Emergency Management Practices
Achievements:
Accessibility considerations were embedded into emergency evacuation
procedures.
- OMAFRA's emergency evacuation staff received training in May 2010
which included how to provide assistance to visitors and staff with
disabilities in an emergency evacuation through the establishment of
a buddy system. Alternatives to the buddy system are also covered as
second and third options as the situation may warrant.
- The procedure for evacuation was tested during a fire drill in June
2010 that included staff with disabilities. Results of the drill indicate
a timely and successful evacuation.
- New manager orientation covers accessibility and staff evacuation.
Focus Area: Built Environment
Achievements:
- An accessible and ergonomic office layout was incorporated into the
design of OMAFRA's newly constructed office in Downsview. All workstations
and kitchenettes will be designed in accordance with the OPS Barrier
Free Design Guidelines and reflect current industry standards for ergonomic
design.
- Accessibility improvements also included the installation of two
additional automated door openers to washrooms in the ministry's Guelph
location.
Focus Area: Other - Accessible Procurement Practices
Achievements:
- For all purchases over $4,999, the ministry requires documentation
from ministry staff showing that accessibility considerations as per
the ODA were taken into account. This requirement serves as a constant
reminder to all staff of the need to take accessibility considerations
into account when making purchases and equally to develop barrier free
requests for proposal so as not to disadvantage anyone from applying
to bid.
- Tools and information have been made available to staff to assist
in the completion of procurement documentation; for example, a direct
link is available to the ODA Procurement Requirements Checklist maintained
by OPS Supply Chain Management through the ministry web site.
- Communications were sent to organizations who provide services on
behalf of the ministry reminding them of their responsibilities under
the AODA.
Focus Area: Other - OMAFRA Accessibility Awareness Plan
Achievements:
- An Accessibility Awareness Plan was developed outlining the delivery
of outreach and education activities that aim to increase accessibility
awareness amongst staff, agencies and stakeholders.
- Accessibility was embedded in OMAFRA's Emergency Preparedness Week
activities in May 2010. Through various activities, staff were reminded
to consider people with disabilities in an emergency situation and,
if they were someone who required assistance in an emergency, to inform
their manager to ensure proper arrangements are in place.
- The 2nd annual Southwest Accessibility Expo was hosted in Guelph in
July 2010. OMAFRA adopted the OPS theme of "Minds Matter"
developed by the Diversity Office to increase awareness about mental
health disabilities and the various supports available. As part of this
event, various private and public sector organizations participated
with displays, wellness tools and literature. A workshop was also conducted
by the Canadian Mental Health Association on Mental Health in the Workplace.
- To increase awareness among our external stakeholders, tip-sheets
were created on how to host accessible outdoor events and shared with
our Agriculture and Horticulture Societies during their annual conferences
in 2010.
- In October 2010, OMAFRA hosted a lunch-hour screening of a short film
that brings awareness to the topic of depression. A fundraiser arranged
by Agricorp, an agency of OMAFRA, was also held as part of the day's
events and all proceeds were donated to the United Way.
Report on Accessible Customer Service Requirements
The Accessibility Standards for Customer Service regulation came into
force on January 1, 2008. All OPS ministries were required to comply with
the Regulation by January 1, 2010.
The OPS was the first public organization to file their compliance report
with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario in January 2010.
OMAFRA has taken a leadership role in adopting the requirements of the
Accessibility Standards for Customer Service regulation under the Accessibility
for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). OMAFRA was the first
ministry to comply with the requirements of the Regulation, well in advance
of the January 1, 2010 deadline. The ministry has also undertaken to train
all of its staff and management, not only frontline service providers
as required by AODA.
To sustain compliance with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service
regulation, OMAFRA continues to look for opportunities to embed accessibility
in all areas of planning, programs and policies.
Focus Area: Customer Service - Stakeholder compliance
Commitment: New and Ongoing
OMAFRA will inform external stakeholders of their requirement to comply
with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service regulation.
Planned Action(s):
OMAFRA stakeholders will be made aware of the Accessibility Standards
for Customer Service regulation. The general communications will aim to
raise awareness and understanding of the regulation and provide information
on the resources available through the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario
(ADO) to assisting them with their implementation requirements by January
1, 2012.
Implementation Timeframe: October 2010 - December
2011
Focus Area: Customer Service - Accessible Customer Service Policy
Commitment: Ongoing
OMAFRA has policies, practices and procedures on providing goods or services
to people with disabilities.
Planned Action(s):
OMAFRA has adopted and maintains the OPS Accessible Customer Service
(ACS) Policy for the provision of goods and services to people with disabilities.
The policy speaks to the principles of independence, dignity, integration
and equality of opportunity and describes how OMAFRA meets the requirements
of the Accessible Customer Service standards as set out in Ontario Regulation
429/07.
The ministry continues to provide on-going, mandatory training on the
OPS ACS policy to all new staff and management with a requirement to complete
within three months of their hire date.
OMAFRA will encourage staff to take on-line training to understand how
to apply the concepts of the new Inclusion Lens, a methodology recently
launched by the OPS Diversity Office to ensure the principles of accessibility
are consistently applied in the development of any new initiatives and
in reviewing existing human resources and general business-related policies,
programs or services.
Implementation Timeframe: December 2010 - December
2011
Focus Area: Customer Service - Assistive Devices
Commitment: Ongoing
OMAFRA maintains its policy for allowing persons with disabilities to
use their own personal assistive devices to access our goods and services.
Planned Action(s):
The ministry continues to provide on-going mandatory training to all
new staff and management on how to best enable persons with disabilities
to use their own personal assistive devices.
Implementation Timeframe: December 2010 - December
2011
Focus Area: Customer Service - Communicating with Persons with Disabilities
Commitment: Ongoing
OMAFRA policies, practices and procedures take a person's disability
into account when communicating with a person with a disability.
Planned Action(s):
The ministry continues to provide on-going mandatory training to all
new staff and management that includes accessibility awareness training
on how to best serve people with disabilities.
OMAFRA will apply the concepts of the Inclusion Lens in the development
of any new initiatives and in reviewing existing human resources and general
business-related policies, programs or services.
Implementation Timeframe: December 2010 - December
2011
Focus Area: Customer Service - Service Animals
Commitment: Ongoing
Planned Action(s):
The ministry continues to provide on-going mandatory training to all
new staff and management that includes OMAFRA's policy on permitting people
with disabilities to be accompanied by their service animal.
Where a service animal is excluded by another law, other measures to
provide services to the person with the disability are readily available.
Implementation Timeframe: December 2010 - December
2011
Focus Area: Customer Service - Support Persons
Commitment: Ongoing
OMAFRA policies, practices and procedures enable people with disabilities
who use a support person to bring that person with them while accessing
goods or services in premises open to the public or third parties.
Planned Action(s):
The ministry continues to provide on-going mandatory training to all
new staff and management that includes OMAFRA's policy enabling people
with disabilities to be accompanied by a support person.
OMAFRA policy dictates that where admission fees are charged, the fees
will be waived for the support person.
Implementation Timeframe: December 2010 - December
2011
Focus Area: Customer Service - Notice of Temporary Service Disruptions
Commitment: Ongoing
OMAFRA policies, practices and procedures dictate that notice is provided
when facilities or services that people with disabilities rely on are
temporarily disrupted.
Planned Action(s):
OMAFRA will continue to utilize current processes for managing service
disruptions and follow the recommended Service Disruption Protocol as
developed by the OPS Diversity Office.
Notices will be posted in a timely manner and identify any alternatives
available throughout the disruption.
Implementation Timeframe: December 2010 - December
2011
Focus Area: Customer Service - Feedback and Response Mechanism
Commitment: Ongoing
OMAFRA welcomes feedback about its services for people with disabilities.
The ministry uses existing, well established feedback channels and methods
to enable people with disabilities to provide feedback by telephone, in
writing (via letter or fax), via email, on-line, on disk or by any other
method including in-person at any OMAFRA office that is open to the public.
Planned Action(s):
OMAFRA will continue to review and ensure that feedback on accessibility
related matters informs continuous improvement to the way the ministry
conducts its business.
All feedback will be collected, reviewed and analysed to identify trends
and potential gaps to ensure appropriate action was taken.
A statement outlining the channels available to provide feedback will
remain posted on OMAFRA's public website.
Implementation Timeframe: December 2010 - December
2011
Focus Area: Customer Service - Customer Service - Staff Training
Commitment: Ongoing
OMAFRA will ensure that all staff receive training on the provision of
goods and services to people with disabilities.
Planned Action(s):
- OMAFRA will continue to show leadership in the area of training by
requiring all new staff and management who join the ministry to complete
training on the provision of accessible customer service within three
months of hire.
- Orientation for new staff and management will continue to include
information about the requirement to complete "May I Help You?"
training modules 1 and 2 as well as OMAFRA-specific training on providing
services to persons with disabilities.
- OMAFRA-specific training will continue to include a review of the
policies for providing services to people with disabilities. To complete
the training staff are required to read the OPS ACS policy adopted by
OMAFRA.
- This training will be provided on an on-going basis and is available
in various formats such as in-person sessions, on-line through our internal
website and by CD or hard copy.
- The status of staff training will continue to be monitored and tracked
quarterly to ensure a minimum of 90% of staff are fully trained at all
times across the ministry.
- OMAFRA will continue to promote the use of the Inclusion Lens as part
of its Accessibility Awareness Plan to help staff identify and mitigate
any potential barriers to persons with disabilities in the development
of new initiatives, policies, practices or procedures.
Implementation Timeframe: December 2010 - December
2011
Focus Area: Customer Service - Format of Documents
Commitment: Ongoing
OMAFRA will ensure that notice is posted publicly to indicate that any
and all documents required by the Accessible Customer Service (ACS) standards
are available upon request and in alternate formats.
Planned Action(s):
OMAFRA policies, practices and procedures will continue to dictate that
alternate formats of documents can be obtained through a request using
our many existing feedback channels. A statement outlining the channels
available will remain posted on OMAFRA's public website.
The document will be provided in a timely manner and in a format that
takes the persons disability into account.
The ACS policy continues to be available in all ministry locations and
is posted electronically on the ministry's internal and external websites.
OMAFRA policy will ensure a link to ODA plans is maintained on the accessibility
page of its external website.
Implementation Timeframe: December 2010 - December
2011
Information and Communication Commitments
Information and the methods of communication are key to delivering many
government programs and services to the public. It is essential that we
provide the same quality and service to everyone in the province.
In anticipation of the pending standards guiding Information and Communications,
the government of Ontario is continuously looking for opportunities to
prevent and remove barriers to person with disabilities when creating,
procuring, conveying, receiving or distributing information and communications
to the public.
OMAFRA has launched a readiness initiative in anticipation of the AODA
compliance timelines for the Information and Communications Standard.
In addition, the ministry will continue to exhibit leadership in its commitment
to accessibility and will continue to identify opportunities to ensure
accessibility in Information and Communications.
Focus Area: Information and Communication - Accessible Websites and
Content
Commitment: New and Ongoing
OMAFRA is implementing enhanced accessibility features through the planned
launch of the Online Design Program (ODP) by January 1st, 2011, the common
look and feel for all Ontario ministry websites as directed by Cabinet
Office Communications.
Planned Action(s):
To better enable improvements in the accessibility of OMAFRA's web-based
resources, future training around requirements for the development of
accessible web-based resources will be focused on the subject matter experts
tasked with the development of such resources in addition to web development
staff.
Implementation Timeframe: October 2010 - May 2011
Focus Area: Information and Communication - Creating Alternate Formats
Commitment: Ongoing
OMAFRA policy will require staff to incorporate accessibility considerations
into the preparation of communication materials to ensure that communication
products are accessible to everyone.
Planned Action(s):
As part of OMAFRA's accessibility awareness plan, the ministry will encourage
all staff to take the training prepared by the Diversity Office which
provides instruction on creating accessible documents (i.e. Microsoft
word and PDF) and how to create braille ready documents to increase knowledge
in the production of literature in different formats.
OMAFRA will continue to communicate best practices when sending PDF documents
and emails to ensure a greater level of accessibility.
Implementation Timeframe: October 2010 - December
2011
Other Accessibility Commitments
Accessibility Improvement Initiatives to Identify, Remove or Prevent
Barriers in preparation for AODA standards currently under development.
In anticipation of the upcoming standards the Government of Ontario has
planned several corporate initiatives in the following areas, Transportation,
Employment, Built Environment and others. The goal of these focus areas
is to make it easier for people with disabilities to travel in Ontario,
ensure accessibility for people with disabilities across all stages of
the employment life cycle and break down barriers in buildings. Many of
the corporate initiatives identified for 2010-2011 aim to support ministries
in their journey towards compliance with the upcoming standards.
To review a list of corporate initiatives please refer to the Ministry
of Government Services 2010-2011 Accessibility Plan.
OMAFRA together with the OPS Diversity Office will continue to exhibit
leadership in its commitment to accessibility and will continue to explore
and proactively identify areas from across the ministry's operations which
can be improved to be more accessible to persons with disabilities.
Focus Area: Employment - Barrier-free Recruitment Practices
Commitment: Ongoing
The ministry will continue to ensure there are no potential barriers
in employment policies, processes, practices or tools for people with
disabilities.
Planned Action(s):
- Interview questions and assignments will be reviewed with the Recruitment
Centres to remove barriers and ensure the use of plain language.
- Job ads will be shared with employment networks that assist persons
with disabilities in their job search.
Implementation Timeframe: December 2010 -December
2011
Focus Area: Employment - Emergency Management Practices
Commitment: Ongoing
Emergency procedures for persons with disabilities will continue to be
communicated to staff as part of the ministry's accessibility awareness
plan.
Planned Action(s):
- Annual emergency evacuation training including training on evacuation
procedures for persons with disabilities will be provided to designated
staff.
- The effectiveness of our evacuation procedures for persons with disabilities
will be tested annually through simulations that directly involve persons
with disabilities.
Implementation Timeframe: December 2010-December
2011
Focus Area: Other - Accessibility Awareness
Commitment: Ongoing
Through the on-going implementation of OMAFRA's accessibility awareness
plan, the ministry will continue to provide educational and outreach events
that will assist the ministry in meeting its regulatory requirements and
improve accessibility awareness among ministry staff, agencies and stakeholders.
Planned Action(s):
- Train staff on the production of literature in different formats in
anticipation of the Information and Communications standard.
- Provide on-going training sessions for new ministry staff on the provision
of accessible customer service.
- Promote the use of the Inclusion Lens, developed by the OPS Diversity
Office.
- Host the 3rd annual Southwest Accessibility Expo to continue to build
broader accessibility awareness.
- Embed accessibility considerations into other outreach activities
such as Emergency Preparedness Week.
Implementation Timeframe: January 2011-December 2011
Focus Area: Other - Accessible Procurement Practices
Commitment: Ongoing
OMAFRA will continue to integrate considerations around accessibility
in ministry procurement processes as part of its ongoing efforts to seize
opportunities to embed accessibility in ministry operations.
Planned Action(s):
- Enhance procurement contract language as it pertains to consideration
of accessibility requirements.
- Integrate new procurement directive accessibility requirements into
ministry tools, templates and checklists.
- Encourage staff to build accessibility criteria into the vendor selection
process.
- Ensure staff are supported and encouraged to use the Inclusion Lens
when developing ministry procurement documentation.
Implementation Timeframe: September 2010 - December
2011
Focus Area: Transportation
Commitment: Ongoing
OMAFRA does not anticipate any impacts from the requirements under the
transportation standard as they relate specifically to public transportation
and the transportation sector.
Planned Action(s):
- Continue to monitor progress of the standard to ensure that there
are no future implications to OMAFRA or its external stakeholders.
Implementation Timeframe: September 2010 - March
2011
Act(s), Regulation(s), Policy(s) being reviewed to
prevent Barriers to Persons with Disabilities
In support of the commitment to remove and prevent barriers for persons
with disabilities, the Government of Ontario will continue to review all
new legislation, and policies under development to identify and remove
barriers.
To support the implementation of the Accessibility Standards for Customer
Service regulation by January 1, 2010, OMAFRA conducted a review of its
policies, procedures and practices to ensure our clients receive the accessible
services they require and so our employees with disabilities are able
to reach their full potential.
OMAFRA's review of new Act(s), Regulation(s) or Policy(s) includes a
process for identifying and removing any barriers to persons with disabilities.
To ensure the success of future policies, programs and services, OMAFRA
will apply the concepts from the Inclusion Lens developed by the OPS Diversity
Office in the review or development of human resources and general business-related
policies, programs or services.
Glossary of Terms/Acronyms
AODA - Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
ACS - Accessible Customer Service
CNIB - Canadian National Institute for the Blind
ODA - Ontarians with Disabilities Act
ODP - On-line Design Program
OMAFRA - Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
OPS - Ontario Public Service
TTY - Telephone Teletype
W3C - The World Wide Web Consortium
For More Information
- Questions or comments about the ministry's accessibility plan are
always welcome.
Please contact:
General inquiry number: 519-826-3100
TTY number: 519-826-7402
Toll-free number: 1-877-424-1300
E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca
Ministry website address: www.omafra.gov.on.ca
Visit the Ministry
of Community and Social Services Accessibility Ontario web portal.
The site promotes accessibility and provides information and resources
on how to make Ontario accessible province for everyone.
Alternate formats of this document are available free upon request
from:
ServiceOntario
Publications
Phone: 1-800-668-9938
TTY: 1-800-268-7095
Queen's Printer for Ontario
ISSN 1710-291X
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