Multi-year Accessibility Plan

This plan is established in order to maintain compliance under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and Ontario Regulation 191/11. This plan will be used to implement and maintain Whitby-Oshawa Imports Ltd. (dba Whitby Oshawa Honda) (the "Dealership") strategy to prevent and remove barriers. This plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every five years.

 

Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

This multi-year accessibility plan (“Accessibility Plan”) outlines the policies and actions that  Whitby Oshawa Honda  (referred to as “Company”) has put in place and will maintain to prevent and remove barriers for people with disabilities, in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (“AODA”). The Accessibility Plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every 5 years.

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

The Company is committed to the objectives of the AODA and the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Company will continue to provide its goods and services to persons with disabilities consistent with the core principles of independence, dignity, integration, and equality of opportunity.

For more detailed information on our accessibility policies, plans, and training programs, please contact the Human Resources department.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

The Company strives at all times to provide goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. The Company is also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

The Company will continue to take the following steps to ensure it continues to meet AODA requirements:

• Provide training on accessible customer service to all new employees who interact with the general public and third-party vendors.
• Review and update policies and standards regularly to ensure high-quality, accessible customer service.
• Review all customer feedback and take appropriate action.
• Continue to implement service disruption protocol by posting signs to advise the public where alternate service may be obtained, while repairs to existing services are completed.

Please refer to our Customer Service Policy for more details on the above.

TRAINING

The Company will continue to provide training to all employees, volunteers, and other staff members on the requirements of the accessibility standards under the AODA and on the Human Rights Code of Ontario 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.

The Company will continue to take the following steps to ensure all employees are provided with the training needed to continue to meet AODA requirements:

• Provide ongoing training to all employees, volunteers, and other staff members by means of online, in-person, and self-directed materials.
• Record all training to ensure that all employees, volunteers and other staff have received training.
• Continue to ensure our policies and training materials are made part of our orientation/onboarding package.

ACCESSIBLE EMERGENCY INFORMATION

The Company is committed to providing our customers and clients with publicly available emergency information in an accessible way, upon request.

The Company will continue to take the following steps to ensure its customers, clients, and employees are provided with accessible emergency information as per the AODA requirements:

• Provide publicly available emergency procedures/plan or public safety information in an accessible format. i.e.: evacuation procedures, floor plans, health, and safety information.
• Provide individualized emergency response information to employees with disabilities when necessary.
• Prepare for the specific needs employees with disabilities may have in emergency situations.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

The Company 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.

WEBSITES AND WEB CONTENT

The Company will maintain compliance with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level A, and increase to WCAG 2.0, Level AA by January 1, 2021. We will work with our web development group as well as utilizing online accessibility validator tools to identify and address any accessibility problems.

The Company will continue to take the following steps to ensure it continues to meet AODA requirements:

• Work with our web development group to ensure WCAG 2.0 Level A/Level AA are met as required.
• Conduct an assessment of the Company’s website and conduct testing for accessibility.

FEEDBACK

The Company will take the following steps to ensure any feedback processes are accessible to people with disabilities:

• Encourage feedback about our accessibility, including customer service, website, and employment practices.
• Feedback can be submitted by any of the channels provided under “For More Information”.
• The Company will ensure all publicly available information is made accessible upon request.
• Post on our website that we can provide accessible information upon request.
• If a person with a disability asks for it, we will work with them to figure out how to meet their needs within a reasonable timeframe.

ACCESSIBLE FORMATS AND COMMUNICATION SUPPORTS

The Company will continue to take the following steps to ensure its policies and information are accessible to people with disabilities upon request:

• Upon request, provide or arrange for information in accessible formats and/or provide communication supports for people with disabilities.
• Ensure that the information is provided in a timely manner, at no extra cost, and that the person making the request is consulted in order to determine the most appropriate format or support.
• Train all staff in the availability of communications in accessible formats and to whom requests should be forwarded.
• Ensure that specific people (Human Resources, Marketing, Information Technology are aware of the importance of responding to information requests).

EMPLOYMENT

The Company is committed to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retain talented employees with disabilities.

RECRUITMENT

The Company will continue to take the following steps to ensure it continues to meet the employment standards and in accordance with its policies:

• Notify employees and public about availability of accommodation(s) for applicants in the recruitment process.
• Notify applicants who have been invited to participate in a recruitment, assessment or selection process that accommodation(s) are available.
• Notify successful applicants of policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.
• Inform all employees of all polices used to support employees with disabilities (existing employees, new hires and when there is a change to the policy).
• Provide, in an accessible format, information needed to perform the job and information which is generally available to employees in the workplace.
• Train hiring managers and monitor their success in telling prospective employees that accommodations are available throughout the interview process.

WORKPLACE EMERGENCY RESPONSE INFORMATION

The Company will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees with disabilities where the disability is such that individualized information is necessary and the Company is aware of the need for accommodation.

Where an employee who receives individualized workplace emergency response information requires assistance, the Company will designate a person to provide assistance and, with the employee’s consent, the Company will provide the workplace emergency response information to such person.

The Company will review an employee’s individualized workplace emergency response information, at minimum, whenever:

• The employee moves to a different location within the company;
• The employee’s overall accommodation needs or plans are reviewed; or
• The Company reviews its general emergency response policies.

INDIVIDUAL ACCOMMODATION PLANS AND RETURN-TO-WORK

The Company will maintain the processes for developing individual accommodation plans and return-to-work policies for employees that have been absent due to a disability. In this regard, the Company will continue to:

• Work to identify those employees that require an individual accommodation plan and involve them in the development of said plan which outlines the accommodations we will provide.
• Provide plans in accessible formats or using communication supports, as required.
• Keep all individualized accommodation plan information private.

Work in consultation with the employee with disability to ensure that the appropriate communication supports and accessible formats are utilized.

The accommodation and return to work policy will document the steps the employer will take to facilitate the return to work of employees who are away from work due to disability.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND RE-DEPLOYMENT

We will continue to ensure the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities as well as individual accommodation plans are taken into account if the Company is using performance management, career development, and redeployment processes:

• Performance plans can be provided in large print or can be read aloud to an employee with low vision.
• Review an employee’s individualized accommodation plan to understand their needs and determine whether the plan needs to be adjusted to improve his or her performance on the job.
• Adjust the accommodation plan, with the employee’s participation, to meet any new role or responsibilities in the event of a promotion or re-deployment.

ACCESSIBILITY REPORT

The Company will file the next accessibility report as per the stipulated timeline.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

By email: [email protected]

By telephone: (905) 666-1772

By mail:  Whitby Oshawa Honda

               Attention Accessibility Department,

               300 Thickson Road S.

               Whitby, ON L1N 9Z1

Accessible formats of this document are available free upon request from the above contacts.

 

Requirements