Statement of Commitment
Great Gulf Group of Companies is committed to treating people with
disabilities in a manner that respects their dignity and
independence and to ensuring equal access and participation for
people with disabilities. We are committed to doing so by preventing
and removing barriers to accessibility and provide alternative ways
to meet the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a
timely manner. Great Gulf Group of Companies is committed to
continuing to ensure our organization is compliant in accordance
with Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
(“AODA”), the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation
191/11 (“IASR”) and the Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.19
(“HRC”) as it pertains to people with disabilities.
Training
Great Gulf Group of Companies will continue to train employees,
volunteers, and other persons on Ontario's IASR and on HRC as it
relates to people with disabilities. Training will be appropriate to
the duties of employees, volunteers, and other staff and as soon as
practicable.
Action:
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will determine and ensure that
appropriate training on the requirements of the IASR and HRC as it
pertains to persons with disabilities, is provided to:
- all employees or volunteers;
-
persons participating in the development and approval of Great
Gulf Group of Companies' policies; and
-
other persons who provide goods, services and facilities on
Great Gulf Group of Companies' behalf;
- Training will form part of new hire onboarding process;
- Training is available on an as-needed basis, as requested;
-
Training will be tracked and recorded and records will be
maintained on an on-going basis
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Great Gulf Group of Companies will continue to provide training in
respect of any changes to its current customer service policies on
an ongoing basis.
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2015
Status: Completed and on-going
Kiosks
Great Gulf Group of Companies will continue to consider
accessibility requirements when obtaining designing, procuring or
acquiring self-service interactive electronic terminals for public
use in Ontario that allows users to access services or products by
advising affected employees to review accessibility requirements
with the supplier, as required.
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2014
Status: Completed and on-going
Information and Communication
Great Gulf Group of Companies continues to provide or arrange, upon
request, the provision of accessible formats and communication
supports to people with disabilities in a timely manner and that
takes into account their disability and at a cost that is no more
than the regular cost charged to other persons. Great Gulf Group of
Companies will continue to consult with the person making such
request to determine the suitability of an accessibility format or
communication support. Great Gulf Group of Companies will also
continue to notify the public about the availability of accessible
formats and communication supports and will make available on its
website a form to request such accessible formats. Great Gulf Group
of Companies staff who receive such requests for accessible formats
will be trained on how to manage requests and assist in obtaining
accessible formats.
Accessible Emergency & Safety Information
In the event Great Gulf Group of Companies prepares emergency
procedures, plans or public safety information and such information
is made public, Great Gulf Group of Companies is committed to
providing such information in an accessible format or with
appropriate communication supports, as soon as practicable, upon
request. Great Gulf Group of Companies will provide individualized
workplace emergency response information to employees who have a
disability, if the disability is such that the individualized
information is necessary and Great Gulf Group of Companies is aware
of the need for accommodation due to the employee's disability.
Action:
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will continue to inform employees
that Great Gulf Group of Companies is committed to providing
accessible emergency response information as required and will
continue to determine whether any new or current employees require
same;
-
fire, safety and emergency response information that is publicly
available, is available in accessible formats or with appropriate
communication supports, upon request.
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2012
Status: Completed and on-going
Feedback, Accessible Formats and Communication Supports
Great Gulf Group of Companies continues to be committed to ensuring
that individuals with disabilities have the ability to access our
feedback process.
Action:
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will continue to provide and/or
arrange for the provision of accessible formats of information and
communication supports as requested;
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will continue to consult with
persons making information and/or communication support requests
to determine the suitability of the accessible format and/or
communication support;
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will continue to ensure feedback,
accessible formats and/or any communication support(s) requested
are available in more accessible formats upon request by
individuals with disabilities and at a cost no more than the
regular cost charged to other persons;
-
Feedback forms and Alternative Format Request forms are available
in an accessible format, taking the person's disability needs
into account, upon request;
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will respond to the feedback in a
timely manner and in an accessible format.
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2015
Status: Completed and on-going
Accessible Websites and Website Content
Great Gulf Group of Companies continues to be committed to making
publicly available information accessible upon request. Great Gulf
Group of Companies' website and web content conform with WCAG
2.0 Level AA.
Required legislative compliance: January 1,
2021
Status: Completed
Employment
Great Gulf Group of Companies is committed to ensuring our
employment practices are fair and accessible by removing any barrier
that prevents or hinders the recruitment process. We will also
ensure the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities are
taken into account if or when using performance management, career
development and redeployment processes.
Action:
Recruitment:
-
potential candidates, employees, staff and the public are notified
via our website, in job postings or verbally that Great Gulf Group
of Companies accommodates people with disabilities during the
recruitment and assessment process;
-
applicants are notified when they are selected for an interview
that accessible accommodation can be provided, accommodations are
available upon request in relation to the materials or processes
to be used;
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies shall consult with the applicant to
arrange suitable accessible accommodation taking into account the
applicants accessibility needs;
-
When Great Gulf Group of Companies notifies the successful
applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with
disabilities when making offers of employment.
Informing Employees of Supports and Accessible Formats:
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will inform its new and existing
employees of its policies, and any changes to same, used to
support employees with disabilities, including, job accommodations
taking into account the employee's accessibility needs;
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will provide accessible workplace
information to employees and staff upon request via email and on
its intranet and is available in accessible formats upon request;
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will consult with employees with
disabilities when requested, to provide accessible formats and
communication supports for information required to assist
employees perform their job and that is generally available to
employees in the workplace.
Workplace Emergency Response Information:
-
Individualized workplace emergency response information is
available for employees who have a disability, who have disclosed
an accessibility need and/or who have requested it as soon as
practicable;
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will continue to review
individualized workplace emergency response processes when
individual accommodation/needs change, if/when employee relocates
inter-company, and when Great Gulf Group of Companies will
generally review and/or update its general emergency response
policy.
Individual Accommodation Plans:
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will develop individual
accommodation plans for employees with disabilities in a format
that takes into account the employee's accessibility needs due
to disability, which process shall include:
-
The manner in which an employee requesting accommodation can
participate in the development of the individual accommodation
plan.
-
The means by which the employee is assessed on an individual
basis.
-
The manner in which the employer can request an evaluation by an
outside medical or other expert, at the employer's expense, to
assist the employer in determining if accommodation can be
achieved and, if so, how accommodation can be achieved.
-
The manner in which the employee can request the participation of
a representative from their bargaining agent, where the employee
is represented by a bargaining agent, or other representative from
the workplace, where the employee is not represented by a
bargaining agent, in the development of the accommodation plan.
-
The steps taken to protect the privacy of the employee's
personal information.
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The frequency with which the individual accommodation plan will be
reviewed and updated and the manner in which it will be done.
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If an individual accommodation plan is denied, the manner in which
the reasons for the denial will be provided to the employee.
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The means of providing the individual accommodation plan in a
format that takes into account the employee's accessibility
needs due to disability;
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will ensure Individual accommodation
plans shall:
-
include any information regarding accessible formats and
communication supports provided, if requested;
-
include individualized workplace emergency response information,
as described, if required; and
- identify any other accommodation that is to be provided.
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies will continue to ensure when
providing performance management, career development or
advancement and/or redeployment, Great Gulf Group of Companies
shall take into account the accessibility needs of the employee
with disabilities and any individual accommodation plan.
Return to Work:
-
Great Gulf Group of Companies has established and will continue to
implement and improve plans and processes in place for employees
absent from work due to a disability and require
disability-related individual accommodation plans and/or return to
work plans where appropriate; The return to work process shall,
-
outline the steps the employer will take to facilitate the return
to work of employees who were absent because their disability
required them to be away from work; and
-
use documented individual accommodation plans as part of the
process.
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2016
Status: Completed and on-going
Design of Public Spaces
Great Gulf Group of Companies will continue to meet its AODA requirements with respect to the design of public spaces in the event we newly construct or redevelop any public space on or after January 1, 2017.
Action:
- Great Gulf Group of Companies will continue to ensure the requirements under the Design of Public Spaces Standards (Accessibility Standards for Built Environment) are followed by any parties involved internally and any third parties requested to construct or redevelop any public space
Required legislative compliance: January 1, 2017
Status: Completed and on-going
* Accessible formats of this information are available for free upon
request.