Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, or AODA, aims to identify, remove, and prevent barriers for people with disabilities. The AODA became law on June 13, 2005, and applies to all levels of government, nonprofits, and private sector businesses in Ontario that have one or more employees which include full-time, part-time, seasonal, or contract. The Customer Service Standard was the first standard to become law under the AODA. Customers and clients are vital to the success of an organization. Accessible customer service will help ensure everyone has access to the goods and services you provide.

Accessibility issues are not limited to community members who have a disability. Improving accessibility will also positively impact other facets of society, including seniors, parents, friends and families of persons with disabilities.

The purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, is to benefit all Ontarians by developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards in order to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities regarding goods, services, facilities, information, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures and premises on or before January 2025. The AODA is a law passed by the Ontario legislature that allows the government to develop specific standards of accessibility and to enforce them. The standards are made into laws called regulations that provide the details to help meet the goal of the AODA.

Green Maples Environmental Inc is committed to meeting its current and ongoing obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code respecting non-discrimination.

Green Maples Environmental Inc understands that obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and its accessibility standards do not substitute or limit its obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code or obligations to people with disabilities under any other law.

Green Maples Environmental Inc is committed to complying with both the Ontario Human Rights Code and the AODA.

Green Maples Environmental Inc is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities.

Our accessible customer service policies are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity for people with disabilities.

Accessibility Standard for Customer Service

The Customer Service Standard was the first standard to become law under the AODA. Customers and clients are vital to the success of an organization. Accessible customer service will help ensure everyone has access to the goods and services you provide. 

Persons with disabilities may require assistance or accommodation in the way that goods and services are provided to them. The type of accommodation provided may vary depending on the customer’s unique needs. In every case, you need to provide people with disabilities equal opportunities to access goods and services with the respect, dignity, and independence that people without disabilities enjoy.

The Customer Service Standard is about providing appropriate service to people with disabilities. A large component of that is ensuring that you and your staff know how to communicate with a person with a disability in a manner that takes into account his or her disability.

Assistive devices

People with disabilities may use their personal assistive devices when accessing our goods, services or facilities.

In cases where the assistive device presents a significant and unavoidable health or safety concern or may not be permitted for other reasons, other measures will be used to ensure the person with a disability can access our goods, services or facilities.

We will ensure that our staff is trained and familiar with various assistive devices we have on site or that we provide that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods, services or facilities.

Communication

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. We will work with the person with a disability to determine what method of communication works for them.

List different ways to communicate

(e.g., Sign Languages, devices, displays or a communications assistant)

Service animals

We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.

When we cannot easily identify that an animal is a service animal, our staff may ask a person to provide documentation (template, letter or form) from a regulated health professional that confirms the person needs the service animal for reasons relating to their disability.

A service animal can be easily identified through visual indicators, such as when it wears a harness or a vest, or when it helps the person perform certain tasks.

A regulated health professional is defined as a member of one of the following colleges:

• College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario
• College of Chiropractors of Ontario
• College of Nurses of Ontario
• College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
• College of Optometrists of Ontario
• College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
• College of Physiotherapists of Ontario
• College of Psychologists of Ontario
• College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario

If service animals are prohibited by another law, we will do the following to ensure people with disabilities can access our goods, services or facilities:

• explain why the animal is excluded
• discuss with the customer another way of providing goods, services or facilities

Support persons

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises.

We will notify customers of this by posting a notice in the following location:

Reception Area

In certain cases, Green Maples Environmental Inc might require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person for the health or safety reasons of:

• the person with a disability
• others on the premises

Before making a decision, Green Maples Environmental Inc will:

• consult with the person with a disability to understand their needs
• consider health or safety reasons based on available evidence
• determine if there is no other reasonable way to protect the health or safety of the person or others on the premises

Notice of temporary disruption

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities Green Maples Environmental Inc will notify Visitors/Staff promptly. This clearly posted notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

The notice will be made publicly available in the following ways:

• Clear signage 
• Our Website
• Training

Green Maples Environmental Inc will provide accessible customer service training to:

• all employees and volunteers
• anyone involved in developing our policies
• Anyone who provides goods, services or facilities to customers on our behalf.

Staff will be trained on accessible customer service within 3 Months after being hired.

Training will include:

• purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
• Green Maples Environmental Inc’s policies related to the customer service standard
• how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
• how to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
• how to use the equipment or devices available on-site or otherwise that may help with providing goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities. 
• what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Green Maples Environmental Inc’s goods, services or facilities

Staff will also be trained when changes are made to our accessible customer service policies.

Feedback process

Green Maples Environmental Inc welcomes feedback on how we provide accessible customer service. Customer feedback will help us identify barriers and respond to concerns.

Customers will be notified of how to provide feedback in the following ways:

• Inform our Management staff
• Inform our Customer service Team

Clients/Staff who wish to provide feedback on the way Green Maples Environmental Inc provides goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities can provide feedback in the following way.

Preferred method of communication to our Customer service Team or Management 

All feedback, including complaints, will be handled in the following manner:

• Feedback will be directed to the CEO and Policy makers
• Customers can expect to hear back in 7 days.

Green Maples Environmental Inc will make sure our feedback process is accessible to people with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports, on request.

Notice of availability of documents

Green Maples Environmental Inc will notify the public that documents related to accessible customer service, are available upon request by posting a notice in the following location.

[Reception/Customer Service Desk]

Green Maples Environmental Inc will provide this document in an accessible format or with communication support, on request. We will consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the format or communication support. We will provide the accessible format in a timely manner and, at no additional cost.

Modifications to this or other policies

Any policies of Green Maples Environmental Inc that do not respect and promote the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity for people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

Best Practices for Accessible Customer Service

Integrated service: Provide goods and services to persons with disabilities in an integrated manner with those who do not have disabilities, unless an alternative measure is necessary.

Responsive Communication: When communicating with a person with a disability, do so in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability. 

Speak to and look at the person with a disability, even if they are accompanied with a support person who communicates on their behalf.

Never touch or move an assistive device without permission, such as a wheelchair or cane. The same rule applies to service animals.

Ask “How may I help you?” instead of jumping to conclusions about what the person with a disability may need.

Wait for a customer or client to finish their sentence instead of cutting them off or jumping ahead.