This 2014-21 accessibility plan outlines the policies and actions that The Aldo Group ("Aldo") will put in place to improve opportunities for people with disabilities and remove barriers to accessibility.
This Accessibility Plan and Aldo's Accessibility Policies will be posted in public areas of our Ontario locations and on Aldo's web site. If requested, they will be provided in an accessible format, such as large print.
This Multi-Year Accessibility Plan and Accessibility Policy will reviewed and updated at least every 5 years.
Statement of Commitment
Aldo is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
Customer Service
Aldo will communicate with all persons with disabilities in a manner that takes into account their disability. Any training conducted in respect of providing customer service will reaffirm the importance of this principle.
By January 1, 2012 and on an ongoing basis thereafter, Aldo will train employees, staff and volunteers who interact with the public or third parties on Aldo's behalf, or who participate in developing Aldo's policies, on the Customer Service Standard of the AODA.
Aldo shall ensure that any person accessing Aldo's goods, services or facilities is permitted to enter the premises with their service animal and to keep the animal with him or her unless the animal is otherwise excluded by law from the premises. If the service animal is excluded by law, Aldo shall ensure that other measures are put into place to enable the person to access its goods and services.
If a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person, Aldo shall ensure that both persons are permitted to enter the premises together and that the person with a disability is not prevented from having access to the support person.
Accessible Emergency Information
Aldo is committed to providing the customers and clients with publicly available emergency information in an accessible way upon request. We will also provide employees with disabilities with individualized emergency response information when necessary.
Training
Aldo will provide training to employees, volunteers and other staff members who participate in developing Aldo's policies, who interact with members of the public, or who provide goods, services, or facilities on Aldo's behalf, on Ontario's accessibility laws and on the Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Training will be provided in a way that best suits the duties of employees, volunteers and other staff members.
Aldo will take the following steps to ensure employees are provided with the training needed to meet Ontario's accessible laws by January 1, 2015 and on an ongoing basis thereafter.
Information and Communications
Aldo is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. We will consult with people with disabilities to determine their information and communication needs.
Aldo will take the following steps (among others) to make all new websites and content within its control on those sites conform with WCAG 2.0, Level A, by January 1, 2014 and on an ongoing basis thereafter.
Aldo will take the following steps to ensure existing feedback processes are accessible to people with disabilities upon request.
Aldo will take the following steps to make sure all publicly available information is made accessible upon request.
Aldo will take the following steps to make all websites and content conform with WCAG 2.0, Level AA.
By January 1, 2021, Aldo will work directly with its internal and external web-developers to ensure they meet the WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards on websites moving forward. Included among the measures that will be taken are:
Adding captions and audio descriptions to media
Adding captions and audio descriptions to media
Permitting text to be resized up to 200% without loss of content or functionality
Making menus available at the same location across web pages
Ensuring that icons and buttons are consistently identifiable
Implementing techniques to reduce the risk of unintentional input data
Ensuring that visual presentation of text and images has sufficient contrast
Provide multiple ways to locate a web page within a set of web pages, unless the web page is a step in a process, and make information available about the user's location in a set of web pages.
Employment
Aldo is committed to fair and accessible employment practices and will meet the following commitments by January 1, 2016 and on an ongoing basis thereafter.
We will take the following steps to notify the public and staff that, when requested, Aldo will accommodate people with disabilities during the recruitment and assessment processes and when people are hired.
We will take the following steps to notify employees and staff that Aldo will accommodate people with disabilities during employment.
We provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability, if the disability is such that the individualized information is necessary and the employer is aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee's disability.
Aldo will take the following steps to develop and put in place a process for developing individual accommodation plans and return-to-work policies for employees that have been absent due to a disability.
We will take the following steps to ensure the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities are taken into account if Aldo is using performance management, career development and redeployment processes.
Aldo will take the following steps to prevent and remove other accessibility barriers identified.
Point of Sale Devices and Service Counters
By January 1, 2014 and on an ongoing basis thereafter, Aldo will consider the accessibility of electronic terminals when designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks including point-of-sale devices. Aldo will consider the various needs of persons with disabilities prior to making any decisions regarding the purchase, implementation and use of self-service kiosks.
Design of Public Spaces
Aldo will meet the Accessibility Standards for the Design of Public Spaces when building or making major modifications to public spaces, including but not limited to service counters, fixed queuing lines, and waiting areas, as well as accessible off-street parking.
By January 1, 2017, Aldo will ensure that when constructing new service counters (or replacing existing service counters), there will be at least one service counter that reasonably accommodates a mobility aid. This service counter will be clearly identified and will:
Be at a height such that it is usable seated in a mobility aid;
Have sufficient knee clearance for a person seated in a mobility aid; and
Have sufficient floor space in front of the counter to accommodate a mobility aid.
By January 1, 2017, when constructing new fixed queuing guides, Aldo will ensure that the fixed queuing guides have sufficient width and floor area to allow for the passage of mobility assistive devices and are cane detectable.
Aldo will ensure that any outdoor paths of travel, like sidewalks, ramps, stairs, curb ramps, rest areas, access points to the building, off-street parking and accessible pedestrian signals under its control are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Aldo has in place the following procedures for preventative and emergency maintenance of accessible elements:
Aldo associates will monitor the accessible elements that are present in their respective workplaces on an ongoing basis.
Should maintenance be required with respect to an accessible element, the associates in that workplace will inform Aldo’s maintenance team through the maintenance platform. Aldo’s maintenance team will investigate the matter and make arrangements to carry out any required maintenance or upkeep.
Where maintenance or upkeep is being carried out and there is a temporary disruption of the accessible element, the procedures for dealing with temporary disruptions will be followed as set out below.
Aldo has the following procedures for dealing with temporary disruptions when accessible elements are not in working order:
Aldo will identify available alternatives.
Aldo will post a notice on its website and/or at the physical site (as appropriate) which will include information regarding the reason for the disruption of the accessible element, the anticipated duration of the disruption and the list of alternatives, if available.
These steps will be taken in advance of any planned temporary disruption or, in the event of an unplanned temporary disruption, as soon as reasonably practicable.
Service Disruption
In the event of a service disruption, Aldo will post a notice on its website and/or at the physical site (as appropriate) which will include information regarding the reason for the disruption, the anticipated duration of the service disruption and a list of alternatives, if available.
For More Information
For more information on this accessibility plan,
Please contact our Human Resource department at:
Phone: (514) 747-2536
Email: HumanResources@aldogroup.com