Accessibility Plan

 

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​Message from the CEO

 

I am pleased to present the first Accessibility Plan for Hensall Co-op (HC). This plan fulfills our requirements under the Accessible Canada Act, but more than that, it represents our commitment to ensuring that all HC policies, programs, and services are developed and implemented with a focus on accessibility for employees, customers, and our community.

 

Overall, our accessibility plan is essential to ensure legal compliance, foster inclusivity, demonstrate social responsibility and provide an honest evaluation of our present stance. By proactively addressing accessibility barriers, we are contributing to a more equitable and inclusive society, benefiting individuals with disabilities, and the broader community.

 

The Accessibility Plan outlines HC's roadmap over the next 3 years toward the federal government's goal to be barrier-free by 2040. It outlines HC’s strategy and commitments in 7 areas required under the Act.

 

Our workforce plays a key role in helping HC innovate and remove barriers for employees as well as raise awareness of challenges and opportunities for creating an inclusive workplace.

 

By removing barriers, we will foster a culture of accessibility and inclusion. Our goal is to create an environment where all employees feel included and valued. While we have started to make progress in removing barriers for persons with disabilities, there is much work ahead. Success will only come if we work together.

 

I encourage you to read the Accessibility Plan to learn more about HC's activities and initiatives. We welcome your feedback on this plan and our accessibility activities as we are committed to being a barrier-free employer.

 

Thank you,
Brad Chandler

CEO, Hensall Co-op

 

 

Accessibility Plan

Introduction

The Accessible Canada Act (the Act) requires all Government of Canada departments and agencies to publish an Accessibility Plan that outlines how they will remove barriers to make their organizations more accessible by 2040.

 

A barrier (as defined in the Act) includes anything—physical, architectural, technological, or attitudinal, anything that is based on information or communications, or anything that is the result of a policy or a practice—that hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment or a functional limitation.

 

An Accessibility Plan must be published every 3 years. This plan outlines the Hensall District Cooperative, Inc. (HC) strategy and specific commitments to remove barriers to accessibility in the 7 priority areas outlined in the Act. This is HC's first Accessibility Plan.

 

Progress reports must be published each year on the anniversary of the initial plan's publication to provide updates, refine commitments, and include any feedback received by the public.

 

General

The Human Resources Department and Health and Safety Department are responsible for the development and coordination of this Accessibility Plan for HC, in accordance with regulations under the Accessible Canada Act. The Team is also responsible for the feedback process and progress reporting on this Plan.

 

For inquiries about this Plan please contact us in one of the following ways:

 

Contact: Human Resources Manager

By mail: Hensall Co-op Accessibility Feedback
1 Davidson Dr.,

Hensall, ON,

N0M, 1X0

Email: pschuster@hdc.on.ca or jessica.boughen@hdc.on.ca
Toll free telephone: 1-800-265-5190
Fax: 519-262-2317

 

Accessibility feedback form here

 

Accessibility Statement

 

Did you know?

Advancing accessibility has been an important long-term organizational goal for HC. HC has a strong commitment to employment equity, duty to accommodate, and diversity and inclusion, all of which have been incorporated into a Multi-Year Diversity and Employment Equity Plan.

 

HC has adopted a 'yes by default' approach to accommodations and established a single window for employees and managers to access services under the duty to accommodate.

 

These mark important steps forward in HC's accessibility journey and will continue to expand on these actions through this Accessibility Plan.

 

HC is also committed to ensuring the programs and services delivered to employees and customers are accessible, and that persons with disabilities are consulted as these programs and services are developed.

 

Consultations

Engagement with allies and employees with disabilities was central in identifying barriers to accessibility at HC and led to our commitment to integrate this Accessibility Plan.

 

HC is committed to ongoing collaboration with the employees and customers to identify activities and implementation strategies.

 

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Area 1: Employment

The goal of the Employment area under the Accessible Canada Act is to ensure access to employment opportunities and accessible workplaces. Ensuring HC is a diverse workplace that welcomes persons with disabilities, both visible and invisible has been a commitment of HC, as reflected in the Multi-Year Diversity and Equity Plan.

 

HC's objective

Provide access to HC jobs and long-term career prospects for persons with disabilities (PWD), focussing on:

  • Recruitment, retention, and promotion of persons with disabilities. 
  • Ensuring an accessible workplace with no barriers to employee accommodations.

 

Commitments

  1. Commitment 1: Working with the HC and key disability stakeholders, revise staffing and assessment tools, approaches and resources to ensure they are accessible and inclusive.
  2. Commitment 2: Support managers in meeting or exceeding HC hiring targets using an enhanced recruitment experience.
  3. Commitment 3: Enable career success and progression of employees with disabilities through onboarding, training, access to accommodations, talent management and mentorship.

 

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Area 2: Built Environment

The goal of the Built Environment area under the Accessible Canada Act is to ensure all people can move freely around federal buildings and public spaces.

 

HC buildings and facilities are a combination of owned and leased spaces, which include processing facilities, office accommodations and special purpose spaces.

 

HC's objective

Modernize all HC spaces to meet or exceed accessibility standards by 2040 focussing on:

  • Instituting an accessibility review for all new designs, builds and retrofits. 
  • Consulting and incorporating feedback of persons with disabilities who access the facilities at the planning and design stage and throughout any project.

 

Commitments

  1. Commitment 1: Work with internal departments to ensure that all new facility renovations or construction projects are accessible and implement an assessment process for existing facilities to identify potential accessibility upgrades to be incorporated into planned and future projects.
  2. Commitment 2: Continuously engage internal and external stakeholders to identify and remove barriers to the working environment and use innovative or novel technologies to support accessibility.

 

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Area 3: Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

The goal of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) area of the Accessible Canada Act is to ensure the accessibility of digital content and technologies.

 

ICT include hardware, software, applications, and websites for both external and internal facing systems for clients and employees.

 

HC's objective

All HC's ICT meet accessibility standards by focussing on:

  • New systems and applications being accessible for all employees and external users.
  • Accessibility of existing information technology (IT) systems getting assessed, and areas are identified for short and long-term improvement.

Commitments

  1. Commitment 1: Strengthen the current level of accessibility of ICT at HC by continuing to ensure new (internal and public facing) systems, including internally developed or procured hardware and software, meet modern accessibility standards.
  2. Commitment 2: Improve accessibility support (guidance and advice) to users in the development and procurement and acquisition of new software.
  3. Commitment 3: Promote accessibility awareness across HC by providing training and raising awareness to foster an accessibility-first mindset for all IT projects.
  4. Commitment 4: Strengthen the accessibility governance and process by developing internal policies and procedures for accessible ICT.

 

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Area 4: Communications, other than ICT

The goal of the Communications area of the Accessible Canada Act is to ensure barrier-free services and spaces for persons with disabilities.

 

HC has taken steps to ensure barrier-free communications for employees. For external communications with the public about programs, services and initiatives, HC adheres to Government of Canada accessibility guidelines and policies for advertising, social media, multimedia and web content.

 

HC's objective

Both the public and employees of HC can readily access and understand all communication materials whether they have a visible or invisible disability.

 

Commitments

  1. Commitment 1: Ensure HC external digital content and new internal digital content are accessible by default.
  2. Commitment 2: Provide HC communications products and events in accessible formats.

 

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Area 5: Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities

The goal of the Procurement pillar of the Accessible Canada Act is to ensure the purchasing of goods, services and facilities is accessible.

 

HC procures most of the goods, services and facilities needed for the operations of each facility, keeping in mind the needs of current and future employees. CSA standards will be adhered to with regards to disabilities and needs of our employees.

 

HC's objective

Implement modern procurement practices so the goods, services, and facilities procured by HC are accessible.

 

Commitments

  1. Commitment 1: Incorporate accessibility into procurement and contracting documents, templates and guidance.
  2. Commitment 2: Increase awareness amongst cost center managers to consider accessibility from the start of a procurement process through training, information sessions or guidance documentation.

 

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Area 6: Design and Delivery of Programs and Services

The goal of the Design and Delivery of Programs and Services area of the Accessible Canada Act is to ensure Canadians receive services that are accessible to all.

 

HC is committed to engaging persons with disabilities in the development of policies, the design and delivery of programs and services; and to ensuring that engagement with employees and customers is accessible.

 

HC's objective

HC programs and services are designed in consultation with persons with disabilities and are both accessible to, and consider the needs of, persons with disabilities.

 

Commitments

  1. Commitment 1: Build capacity to consult, develop, design, deliver and evaluate accessible and inclusive programs and services.
  2. Commitment 2: Integrate accessibility features into new and existing programs and services.

 

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Area 7: Transportation

The goal of the Transportation area under the Accessible Canada Act is to ensure a barrier-free federal transportation network.

 

HC has a limited role in this area. HC maintains a fleet of vehicles for specific operational purposes. The fleet is composed of commercial vehicles and standard passenger vehicles which have no modifications related to accessibility. In cases where an employee requires accessibility features to operate a fleet vehicle, an accommodation would have to be made.

 

At this time, HC does not have any fleet vehicles which would meet the technical definition of accessible, namely a motor vehicle designed and manufactured, or converted, for the purpose of transporting persons who use mobility aids.

 

HC's objective:

Assess the accessibility requirements for HC's fleet by focussing on current and future accessibility standards, and ensuring fleet purchases meet those standards.

 

Commitments

  1. Commitment 1: Identify any potential accessibility features available that can be included in new HC fleet vehicle acquisitions.
  2. Commitment 2: Implement any new accessibility standards relating to fleet vehicles as prescribed in the act.

 

 

Planning and Reporting Framework

This Accessibility Plan represents a continuation of HC's commitment to accessibility and marks the beginning of the commitment to publicly monitor and report on progress. The planning and reporting cycle will meet or exceed the requirements under the Accessible Canada Regulations.

 

Progress reports

HC is committed to ongoing consultation for future iterations of its Accessibility Plan and on its progress reports. Both the Accessibility Plan and the progress reports will outline how consultations occur. In addition, progress reports will contain information on the input received both through consultations and the feedback mechanism process.

 

Feedback mechanism

The primary method for monitoring barriers to accessibility and collecting input from employees and the public is through a feedback mechanism, a required component of the Accessible Canada Act. HC's feedback mechanism is a process for receiving and handling input on the Accessibility Plan and any accessibility barriers encountered when interacting with HC. The form to provide feedback is published on HC's page on https://hensallco-op.ca/Accessibility-Services.htm, with a description of the process to submit the form.

 

The feedback received will be used to refine HC's commitments and activities to align with the needs of persons with disabilities and be reflected in the feedback section of future progress reports.

 

Conclusion

This Accessibility Plan is part of the ongoing efforts and commitment to the long-term goal of a barrier free Canada by 2040. Every HC employee has a role in increasing accessibility awareness and contributing to an accessible by default workplace of inclusion and acceptance. At the same time, HC must ensure programs and services are accessible by design and developed in consultation with persons with disabilities.