HomeCIA Accessibility Statement

CIA Accessibility Statement

In 2005, the Ontario government passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) to make Ontario accessible by 2025. The purpose of the Act is to benefit all Ontarians by developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards in order to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures and premises on or before January 1, 2025.

While the Institute recognizes that it must comply with AODA, it is the CIA’s policy that all services to customers at various locations (Head Office and at continuing professional development (CPD) events) are of high quality, equitable and accessible. The CIA will strive to provide services in person and electronically that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. 

Accessibility standards are laws that government, businesses, non-profits and public sector organizations must follow to become more accessible. They help organizations identify and remove barriers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities in five areas of daily life. They are: 

  • Customer service standard 
  • Information and communications standard 
  • Transportation standard 
  • Employment standard 
  • Design of public spaces standard 

Objectives 

Respect: To respect the dignity of a person with a disability by treating them as customers who are valued and deserving of effective and full service. 

Independence: To promote independence of any person with a disability. A person with a disability should have the right to do things on their own should they choose to. 

Integration: To promote the principle of integration. Integrated services are those that allow people with disabilities to fully benefit from the same services, in the same place and in the same or a similar way as other customers. 

Equal opportunity: To promote the principle of equal opportunity. Equal opportunity means having the same chances, options, benefits and results as others. 

Policy statement 

The Institute is committed to excellence in serving our diverse group of customers. For the purposes of this policy, customers are defined as members, non-members, contractors, suppliers, consultants, stakeholders and all third parties including persons with disabilities. 

Customer service 

Communication: The CIA will communicate to people with disabilities in ways that take their disabilities into account. We will train our staff on how to interact and communicate with our diverse customers, including those with various types of disabilities. 

Telephone services: The CIA is committed to providing a fully accessible telephone service to all customers. Staff will communicate with customers over the telephone in plain language and will speak clearly. 

Assistive devices: The CIA is committed to serving people with diverse disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from our materials and services. The Institute receives few guests at its Head Office and therefore we do not have any assistive devices on site, but welcome guests with their own assistive devices. 

Printed material: The CIA is committed to providing accessible printed material to all our customers. For this reason, printed material will be provided in alternative formats upon request. 

Service animals: We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals on our premises and to attend our CPD events. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises or at our CPD events that are open to the public and where the animal is not otherwise excluded by law. It is the responsibility of the person with a service animal to control and keep the animal with them at all times. 

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 or at our CPD events. When attending a CPD event, the registration fee of a support person will be limited to the food and beverage costs of the event plus applicable taxes. We will notify customers of the cost of a support person on the registration form for the event posted on the CIA’s website. 

Notice of temporary disruption: In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities, the Institute will promptly notify customers.  This 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 available on the CIA’s website. 

Training: The CIA will ensure that all staff receives training as required by the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service. In addition, training will be provided to Institute employees as part of their orientation training for new employees, and on a continuing basis as required. A record of training received by Institute staff will be kept in the employee’s file. Training includes: 

Feedback process: Customers who wish to provide feedback on the way the Institute provides goods and services to people with disabilities can do so in the following ways: 

  • Mail: 1740-360 Albert Street, Ottawa, ON, K1R 7X7
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Phone: 613-236-8196 ext. 103

All inquiries will be responded to within five business days. 

Notice of availability: The Institute will notify the public that our documents related to accessible customer service are available on the CIA’s website. 

Information and communications 

The Institute is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. When asked, the CIA will provide information and communications materials in accessible formats. As required, the CIA will consult with people with disabilities to determine their information and communication needs, if any. 

Employment 

The Institute will notify the public and staff that, when requested, we will accommodate disabilities during the recruitment and assessment processes and when people are hired. If needed, we will provide customized workplace emergency information to employees who have a disability. When using performance management, career development and redeployment processes, we will take the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities into account. 

Design of public spaces 

The Institute will meet the accessibility standard for the design of public spaces when building or making major modifications to its public spaces. 

Modification to this or other policies 

Any policy, practice or procedure of the Institute that does not respect and promote the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity for people with disabilities will be modified or removed. 

Contact 

The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework through which the CIA can achieve service excellence for people with disabilities. If anyone has questions about this policy, please contact Jacques Leduc, Associate Director, Membership, People and Culture or email [email protected].