Elm Grove Living Centre Inc. Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2024

Statement of Commitment

Elm Grove Living Centre Inc. (“Elm Grove”) is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We are dedicated to meeting the accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities in a timely manner. This commitment includes preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and complying with the requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).

Accessible Client Service

Elm Grove is dedicated to maintaining an accessible environment for people with disabilities in the delivery of our services. We endeavor to ensure that our policies, practices, and procedures are consistent with the following principles:

• Our services are provided in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.
• People with disabilities have equal opportunities to access, use, and benefit from our services, in the same place and in a similar way as other individuals.

Elm Grove’s commitment to excellence in serving all individuals, including people with disabilities, means that we will promote and achieve accessibility by:

1. Communication

Elm Grove will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that consider their specific needs. We will train our staff and volunteers on how to interact and communicate with individuals with various types of disabilities.

2. Assistive Devices

People with disabilities are welcome to bring and use their own assistive devices and/or use any assistive devices provided by Elm Grove. We will ensure that our staff and volunteers are trained on the different types of assistive devices that may be used by people with disabilities while accessing our services.

3. Support Persons

People with disabilities are welcome to access the parts of our premises that are open to the public and may be accompanied by a support person. Elm Grove may require individuals to be accompanied by a support person if necessary to protect their health and safety or that of others on the premises. Any fees associated with services provided to a support person will be communicated clearly in advance.

4. Service Animals

While Elm Grove does not allow residents to house service animals, visitors with disabilities may be accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal in areas open to the public, except where prohibited by law. If a service animal is excluded by law, we will provide alternative resources or supports to enable access to our services. Staff and volunteers will receive training on how to interact with individuals accompanied by service animals.

5. Notice of Temporary Disruption

Elm Grove will promptly notify individuals in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and any alternative facilities or services available. The notice will be posted at our public entrances or communicated through other reasonable methods.

Training for Staff

Elm Grove provides training to employees, volunteers, and other representatives on Ontario’s accessibility laws and the Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Training will be provided in a manner that best suits the duties of each individual and will include:

• The purposes of the AODA and the requirements of the customer service standard.
• How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
• How to interact with individuals using assistive devices, guide dogs, service animals, or support persons.
• How to use or access the equipment or devices available on our premises to assist people with disabilities.
• What to do if an individual with a disability is having difficulty accessing our services.
  
  

Training will be provided as soon as practicable after an individual commences their duties and will be updated as necessary.

Accessible Emergency Information

Elm Grove provides its clients and visitors with publicly available emergency information in an accessible format upon request. We will also provide employees with disabilities with individualized emergency response information when necessary.

Information and Communications

Elm Grove is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. Information and communications will be made accessible through the following:

Website and Content

In 2023, Elm Grove implemented several accessibility features on its website to conform with AODA standards, including:

• Seizure-safe mode
• Vision-impaired assistance
• ADHD-friendly options
• Cognitive disability support
• Keyboard navigation
• Blind user (screen reader) compatibility
• Content adjustment (scaling, readable fonts, alignment fixes)
• Color adjustments (contrast, text colors, saturation)
• Orientation adjustments

Feedback Process, Accessible Formats, and Communication Supports

Elm Grove ensures that our feedback processes are accessible to people with disabilities upon request by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports.

• We will ensure that feedback processes are accessible by offering various formats and communication supports upon request.
• Members of the public will be informed about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports.
• Requests for accessible formats and communication supports will be addressed in a timely manner, taking into account the individual’s specific needs.
• We will consult with the individual making the request to determine the suitability of the accessible format or communication support.
• Accessible formats and communication supports will be provided at no more than the regular cost charged to others.

Employment

Elm Grove is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. By January 1, 2016, we implemented the following measures to make employment at Elm Grove more accessible:

Recruitment

• Elm Grove notifies employees and the public about the availability of accommodations for applicants with disabilities during the recruitment process.
• We will review and modify, as necessary, our recruitment policies and procedures.
• Job applicants selected for an assessment or selection process will be informed that accommodations are available upon request.
• We will consult with applicants to provide or arrange suitable accommodations.

Supports for Employees

• We will inform all employees of our policies supporting employees with disabilities, including job accommodations.
• New hires will be informed of our policies during their orientation.
• Employees will be updated on any changes to our policies.
• Upon request, we will provide accessible formats and communication supports for information needed to perform their job.

Individual Accommodation Plans and Return-to-Work Process

Elm Grove will create and implement a process for developing individual accommodation plans and return-to-work policies for employees who have been absent due to a disability.

• We will review our policies to ensure they include steps to accommodate employees with disabilities and facilitate their return to work.
• Documented individual accommodation plans will be part of this process.

Performance Management, Career Development, and Redeployment

• We will review, assess, and modify our policies, procedures, and practices to ensure compliance with the AODA.
• The accessibility needs of employees with disabilities and their individualized accommodation plans will be considered in performance management, career development, and redeployment processes.

Design of Public Spaces

Elm Grove is committed to meeting accessibility standards for the design of public spaces when building or making major modifications to service-related elements.

Policy Access

Elm Grove notifies individuals of its policies by posting a notice in a conspicuous place on the premises, on our website, or by other reasonable methods.

• When required, Elm Grove will provide documents or information in a format that takes into account the individual’s disabilities.
• Any policy, practice, or procedure that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

Feedback Process

This plan and information about our related practices and procedures will be made available upon request.

Elm Grove welcomes and appreciates feedback on how we provide services to people with disabilities. Every complaint will be reviewed, and where possible, issues will be addressed. If a complaint cannot be resolved, the complainant will be informed.

Individuals may provide feedback in person, by telephone, by fax, in writing, or by email to:

Raquel Legaspi-Labuntog
Elm Grove Living Centre Inc.
35 Elm Grove Ave
Toronto, ON M6K 2J2
Tel: (416) 537-2465
Fax: (416) 537-9435
Email: raquell@elmgrovelivingcentre.com