Introduction and statement of commitment
In 2005, the Government of Ontario passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The goal of the AODA is to make Ontario accessible by 2025. The Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulations (IASR) under the AODA require that Agricorp establish, maintain and document a multi-year accessibility plan that outlines the organization's approach to prevent and remove barriers for persons with disabilities and to meet its requirements under the IASR.
Under the AODA, the following accessibility standards set certain requirements that are applicable to Agricorp:
- Customer Service Standard
- Information and Communications Standard
- Employment Standard
- Design of Public Spaces Standard (Accessibility for the Built Environment)
In accordance with the requirements set out in the IASR, Agricorp will:
- Establish, review and update this plan in consultation with persons with disabilities
- Post this plan on our website (agricorp.com)
- Report on the progress of the implementation of this plan on our website (agricorp.com), as required
- Provide this plan in an accessible format upon request
- Review and update this plan at least once every five years
Customer Service Standard
Our commitment
Since 2009, Agricorp has been in compliance with the Accessible Customer Service Standard under the AODA and will continue to comply with the Customer Service Standard under the IASR.
Agricorp is committed to providing agricultural business risk management programs in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of all of our customers, including those with disabilities. This commitment will be integrated wherever possible to ensure that customers with disabilities benefit from our services in the same way that other customers do.
How we are meeting this commitment
We are meeting our commitment to provide excellence in customer service by:
- Providing accessibility training to all individuals who, on behalf of Agricorp, deal with customers or other third parties and to those who are involved in the development and approval of customer service policies, practices and procedures
- Ensuring the training provided covers the various assistive devices that may be used by our customers
- Ensuring that completion of accessibility training is tracked and recorded
- Providing accessible telephone services to customers by offering to communicate with customers by TTY if telephone communication is not suitable to their needs
- Accommodating customers accompanied by a guide dog or other services animal in areas of Agricorp that are open to the public
- Ensuring that if a customer with a disability is accompanied by a support person, the support person is accommodated
- Providing our customers with notices at all public entrances about any planned or unexpected disruption of service or inaccessibility of facilities used by customers with disabilities (For long-term disruptions, Agricorp will post an announcement on our website informing our customers of the duration of the disruption and alternative solutions.)
- Continuing to welcome and appreciate feedback from all of our customers, including those with disabilities, through multiple communication channels
- Adding an "Accessibility" tab to the footer of our website (agricorp.com) to communicate Agricorp's customer service policy, including related procedures and guidelines
- Reporting compliance with the Customer Service Standard on the Accessibility Reporting tool at Service Ontario's One-Source for Business website.
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2010
Completion date: December 31, 2009
Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulations
Our commitment
Agricorp is committed to providing and maintaining premises that respect the dignity and independence of employees with disabilities.
How we are meeting this commitment
We are meeting our commitment to maintaining premises that respect the dignity and independence of employees with disabilities by:
- Making Agricorp's emergency procedures, plans and public safety information available in an accessible format or with appropriate communication supports, as soon as practicable, upon request.
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2012
Completion date: December 31, 2011
Workplace emergency response information
Our commitment
Where Agricorp is aware that an employee has a disability and that there is a need for accommodation, individualized workplace emergency response information will be provided to the employee as soon as practicable, if such information is necessary given the nature of the employee's disability.
How we are meeting this commitment
We are meeting our commitment to provide workplace emergency response information by:
- Developing individualized workplace emergency response information procedures for employees with disabilities, as required
- Providing assistance as required to disabled employees, with the disabled employee's consent, to help them evacuate the workplace in the event of an emergency or disaster (These plans for providing assistance will be set out in an individualized emergency plan for the employee.)
- Communicating these individualized emergency plans confidentially to the employee's manager and respective safety personnel, as needed
- Reviewing and assessing general workplace emergency response procedures and individualized emergency plans on an ongoing and regular basis, and in accordance with the applicable terms of the IASR, to ensure accessibility issues are addressed.
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2012
Completion date: December 31, 2011
Procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities
Our commitment
Agricorp is committed to incorporating accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities, except where it is not practicable to do so.
Where Agricorp has decided that it is not practicable to incorporate accessibility criteria and features, we will provide an explanation upon request.
Provide educational awareness and tools to internal stakeholders and communications to external stakeholders, with information on changes to procurement procedures and purchasing criteria.
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2013
Completion Date: December 31, 2012
Training
Our commitment
Agricorp is committed to implementing a process to ensure that all employees, third-party contractors who provide goods, services and facilities on Agricorp's behalf, and persons participating in the development and approval of Agricorp's policies, are provided with appropriate training on the requirements of the IASR and on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities, and are provided with such training as soon as practicable.
How we are meeting this commitment
We are meeting our commitment to provide training by:
- Providing training on the requirements of the IASR and Human Rights Code as they pertain to persons with disabilities to all employees, third-party contractors who provide goods, services and facilities on Agricorp's behalf, and persons participating in the development and approval of Agricorp's policies
- Ensuring that the training is provided to persons referenced above as soon as practicable
- Keeping and maintaining a record of the training provided, including the dates on which the training was provided and the number of individuals who received the training
- Providing refresher training to staff every three years
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2014
Completion date: December 31, 2013
Information and Communications Standard
Our commitment
Agricorp is committed to making corporate information and communications accessible to all of our customers, including those with disabilities. Agricorp will strive to incorporate new accessibility requirements under the Information and Communication Standard to ensure that our information and communications systems and platforms are
provided in accessible formats that meet the needs of Agricorp's customers, including those with disabilities.
How we are meeting this commitment
Feedback, accessible formats and communication supports
We are meeting our commitment to provide feedback, accessible formats and communication supports by:
- Ensuring that existing and new processes for receiving and responding to feedback are accessible to all of our customers, including persons with disabilities, by providing accessible formats and communication supports, upon request, in a timely manner
- Consulting with the customer who is requesting accessible formats and communication support to determine the suitability of the accessible format or communication support
- Providing accessible formats and communication supports that take into account the customer's accessibility needs due to disability, and at a cost that does not exceed the regular cost charged to other customers
- Notifying our customers about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2015, Accessible Formats & Communication Supports (or other applicable compliance as set out in the IASR)
Completion date: December 31, 2014
Accessible website and web content
Agricorp is meeting its commitment to provide an accessible website and accessible web content by:
- Meeting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA, for new websites and web content, except where it is not practicable to do so. 67% of Agricorp's websites are fully compliant with WCAG 2.0, Level AA.
- Making existing Agricorp websites WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliant, except where it is not practicable to do so
- Making all of our communications and publications accessible and making sure that they meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards, except where it is not practicable to do so
In cases where we aren't compliant with WCAG 2.0, Level AA, our customers with disabilities can ask us for accessible formats and communication supports, and we'll provide them in a timely manner.
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2021 – WCAG 2.0 Level AA for new websites and content
Completion date: December 31, 2021 (except where it was not practicable to do so)
Employment Standard
Recruitment
Our commitment
Agricorp is committed to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retain employees with disabilities. This includes providing accessibility across all stages of the employment cycle.
How we are meeting this commitment
We are meeting our commitment to provide accessible employment practices by:
- Notifying employees and the public of the availability of accommodation in the recruitment process for applicants with disabilities, including: o Reviewing and, as necessary, modifying existing recruitment policies, procedures and processes
- Specifying on job postings that accommodation is available for applicants with disabilities
- Notifying job applicants selected to participate in the assessment and selection process that accommodations are available, upon request, for materials or processes used during the assessment and selection process, by:
- Including a notice of availability of accommodation in the script for scheduling an interview or assessment
- Consulting with any applicant who requests accommodation and providing suitable accommodations in a manner that takes into account the applicant's accessibility needs due to disability
- When making offers of employment, Agricorp will notify the successful applicant of our policies for accommodating employees with disabilities, including: o A review and, if necessary, modification of existing recruitment policies, procedures and processes
- Inclusion of notification of Agricorp policies on accommodating employees with disabilities in offer of employment letters
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2014
Completion date: December 31, 2013
Informing employees
Our commitment
In accordance with the IASR, Agricorp will inform all employees of policies that support employees with disabilities, including, but not limited to, policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee's accessibility needs due to a disability.
How we are meeting this commitment
We are meeting our commitment to inform employees of policies that support employees with disabilities by:
- Informing current employees and new hires of Agricorp's policies that support employees with disabilities, including, but not limited to, policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee's needs due to disability
- Providing information under this section as soon as practicable after the new employee begins employment, specifically during the onboarding process
- Keeping employees up to date on changes to existing policies on job accommodations with respect to disability
- Where an employee with a disability so requests it, providing suitable accessible formats and communication supports for: o Information that is needed to perform the employee's job
- Information that is generally available to employees in the workplace
- Consulting with the requesting employee to determine the suitability of accessible formats and communication support
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2014
Completion date: December 31, 2013
Accommodation planning and return to work process
Our commitment
Agricorp will incorporate new accessibility requirements under the IASR to ensure that barriers in accommodation and return to work processes are eliminated and corporate policies surrounding accommodation and return to work are followed, where applicable.
How we are meeting this commitment
We are meeting our commitment to eliminate barriers in accommodation and return to work processes by:
- Following existing policies for the steps that Agricorp will take to accommodate an employee with a disability and to facilitate an employee's return to work after absence or leave due to disability
- Reviewing and assessing existing policies to ensure that they include a process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with a disability, if such plans are required
- Ensuring that the process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans include the following elements, in accordance with the provisions of the IASR:
- How the employee requesting accommodation can participate in the development of the plan
- How the employee is assessed on an individual basis
- How Agricorp can request an evaluation by an outside medical or other expert, at Agricorp's expense, to assist Agricorp in determining if and how accommodation can be achieved
- How the employee can request participation of another representative from the workplace
- What steps are in place to protect the privacy of the employee's personal information
- The frequency with which individual accommodation plans will be reviewed and updated and how this will be done
- Providing the employee with the reasons for the denial if an accommodation plan is denied
- How to provide the individual accommodation plan in a format that takes into account the employee's accessibility needs
- The inclusion of any individualized workplace emergency response information that is required and any information regarding accessible formats and communication supports that will be provided for the employee
- Any other accommodation that is to be provided to the employee
- Ensuring that the return to work process, as set out in its existing procedures, outlines: o The steps Agricorp will take to facilitate the employee's return to work after a disability-related absence
- The development of a written individualized return to work plan for such employees
- The use of individual accommodation plans, as discussed above, in the return to work process
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2014
Completion date: December 31, 2013, Updated April 2022
Performance management, career development and redeployment
Our commitment
Agricorp will take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when:
- Using our performance management process in respect of employees with disabilities
- Providing career development to our employees with disabilities
- Redeploying employees with disabilities
How we are meeting this commitment
We are meeting our commitment to take into account individual accommodation needs for performance management, career development and redeployment by:
- Reviewing and, as necessary, modify existing policies, procedures and practices to ensure compliance with the IASR
- Taking into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities and, as applicable, their individualized accommodation plans, when: o Assessing performance
- Managing career development and advancement
- Redeployment is required
- Reviewing and, as necessary, including accessibility criteria in performance management workshops
- Taking into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities when providing career development and advancement, including notification of the ability to provide accommodations on internal job postings
- Taking into account the accessibility needs of our employees with disabilities when redeploying employees, including review and, as necessary, modification of our employee transfer checklist
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2014
Completion date: December 31, 2013
Design of Public Spaces Standards (Accessibility for the Built Environment)
Our commitment
Agricorp is committed to designing public spaces that are free from barriers and that are accessible to all of our customers while undertaking new construction or planned significant floorplan changes.
How we are meeting this commitment
We are meeting our commitment to design public spaces that are free from barriers and that are accessible to all customers by complying with the AODA Design of Public Spaces Standards (Accessibility Standards for the Built Environment) when undertaking new construction or planned significant changes to public spaces.
Note: Agricorp currently has no public spaces.
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2016
Completion date: December 31, 2015
