5 Year Aleafia Health Accessibility Plan

The 2021-2026 Accessibility Plan outlines the policies and actions that Aleafia Health and its divisions have committed to implement in an effort to improve opportunities and accessibility for people with disabilities. This plan and policies will be reviewed and updated annually to ensure accuracy and alignment with current accessibility legislation and compliance standards.

Statement of Commitment

Aleafia Health is committed to supporting people.



Aleafia Health is committed to supporting people with disabilities through our corporate culture and company policies. Our AODA Employment Standards Policy states: “Aleafia Health is dedicated to providing accessible services and work environment for all employees, prospective employees, and clients1” and that “All goods and services provided by Aleafia Health Inc. will follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity2.”

We will incorporate the principles of integration and equal opportunity and meet accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) in order to identify, prevent and remove barriers to accessibility in a timely manner and in a way that allows people with disabilities to maintain their dignity and independence.

Accessible Emergency Information

We are committed to providing our employees and visitors with emergency information in accessible formats, upon request. Individualized emergency response plans are developed and maintained for employees with accommodation needs. The individual emergency response form can be found in the Manager Toolkit.

Training

The Customer Service Accessibility Standard requires that all employees of the Company, complete mandatory AODA Customer Service Standards Training. This training is done online via the HRDownloads.com platform and is provided to new employees when joining our organization as part of the orientation program.

As of February 2019, all employees are assigned mandatory training modules through HRDownloads.com, as required under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulations (IASR) on Ontario’s accessibility laws and the Ontario Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. The following steps have and/or will be taken to meet our commitment to training:

  • HR Downloads training records will be maintained to monitor completion of assigned mandatory training – Completed and ongoing.
  • Training will be made available to employees outside of Ontario who are covered under the AODA regulations – Completed and ongoing.
  • Training will be reviewed annually and employees will be advised (or re-trained, if necessary) when changes are made to policies, practices, and procedures – Ongoing


    • Information and Communications

    Aleafia Health is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. We will continue the implementation of our strategy to incorporate the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, (WCAG) 2.0 Level A requirements into new websites and content. We are committed to implementing the WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirement within the required timelines specified in the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation. 2 WCAG 2.0, Level AA requirements will be embedded into approval processes for the creation of new web content prior to June 1, 2021, where possible.

    Where possible, assistive technology will continue to be made available on our company websites. Our websites are compatible with a complimentary accessible browser. Upon request, existing processes will be made accessible to people with disabilities and publicly available information will be made accessible. We will work with individuals with disabilities to determine how we can improve our existing formats, processes, and communication supports to better suit their needs. Accessible formats will be provided in a timely manner at no cost to the public or requestee.

    Employment

    Aleafia Health is committed to fair and accessible employment practices including the provision of reasonable accommodation, accessible formats, and communication supports. Individualized emergency response plans are developed and maintained for employees with accommodation needs. As part of our obligations under human rights and employment equity, our employment policies and practices have been reviewed for potential barriers including accessibility for persons with disabilities.

    We will continue to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities in all new builds, construction and major renovations of our facilities and offices. The following steps have been, or will be, implemented to ensure the public and our employees are aware that we will provide accommodation for people with disabilities, upon request:

  • Information about the availability of reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities will be included in the application process.
  • All candidates that are invited to participate in interviews will be informed how to request an accommodation for disabilities3;
  • Hired candidates will be notified of our policies and processes for accommodating employees with disabilities as part of their new hire orientation process. We provide them with a digital copy of all our policies, including AODA upon hire.
  • We will review and communicate our accommodation policies and process to all employees and managers.
  • Where an employee requires accommodation or accessible formats, we will consult with the employee to identify and provide a response that meets their needs.
  • We will ensure the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities are taken into account during performance management, career development, and the return-to-work processes.
  • We will continue to review existing relevant policies and practices and monitor regulatory changes and policies to ensure we continue to comply with Ontario’s Accessibility legislation.
  • We will invite employees with disabilities to identify existing accessibility barriers and provide feedback and input on preventing and/or eliminating barriers.
  • When contracted resources from third-party organizations are hired for activities, the requirement for AODA compliance will be identified to the vendor. Third-party agencies are responsible for the accommodation needs of any assigned contractors under their respective company AODA policy.


    • Individual Accommodation Plans including Return to Work Process

    The accessibility requirements of all Aleafia Health employees will be incorporated into existing return-to-work processes to ensure that barriers in accommodation are eliminated. In support of this, we will review our existing accommodation policy and processes to ensure they encompass the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees who have identified the need for such accommodation. The accommodation plan will include the manner in which the employee can participate in the development of such a plan.

    Performance Management, Career Development and Advancement and Redeployment

    In our Diversity and Inclusion Policy, Aleafia Health will accommodate employees with accessibility needs and is committed to applying these policies across all areas of the business. This includes hiring, promotions, training, compensation, and any additional employment practices. Through our accommodation policy, accessibility needs, and accommodation plans will be taken into consideration in relation to employment processes.

    Contact Us: Accessible formats of this document are available free of charge upon request. For more information on Aleafia Health’s accessibility policies and multi-year plan please contact us.

    Should we need to contact you to provide further information, please include:

  • Full Name
  • Contact information (telephone number and/or email address)
  • Your feedback



    • You may provide us with your feedback on the above using the following means of communication: Website: https://aleafiahealth.com/contact/
    Email: accessibility@aleafiahealth.com
    Telephone: (416) 860-5665
    Fax: (416) 860-5626