Accessibility Customer Service Policy

Cambrian College (the ‘College’) is committed to ensuring that goods, services, and facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. This includes providing services and programs that people with disabilities can use and benefit from equally, equitably, and in a manner that respects their dignity and independence.

This policy applies to everyone in the College community.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005: The purpose of the AODA is to develop, implement, and enforce accessibility standards to remove barriers for Ontarians with disabilities on or before January 1, 2025, in relation to goods, services, facilities, accommodations, employment and buildings, structures and premises. The AODA came into effect on June 4, 2005.

Accessible: Does not have obstacles for people with disabilities – something that can be easily reached or obtained, the facility that can be easily entered, and information that is easy to access.

Assistive device: A device used to help a person – primarily with a disability – to perform a task. Examples include: a wheelchair, personal oxygen tank, assistive listening device, electronic device with adaptive technology, or visible emergency alarm.

Disability:
“(a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation, or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect of illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, …,
(b) a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
(c) a learning disability, or dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
(d) a mental disorder, or
(e) an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.”  (Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990)

There are two common ways of looking at what disability is:

• One way is to see a disability as a medical condition that a person has. From this perspective, disability covers a broad range and degree of conditions, some visible and some not visible. A disability may have been present from birth, caused by an accident, or developed over time. There are physical, mental, cognitive, and learning disabilities, mental disorders, hearing or vision disabilities, epilepsy, drug and alcohol dependencies, environmental sensitivities, and other conditions.
• A newer way of looking at disability is that it is not something a person has. A person with a medical condition is not necessarily prevented (or disabled) from fully taking part in society. If society is designed to be Accessible and include everyone, then people with medical conditions often don’t have a problem taking part. From this point of view, disability is a problem that occurs when a person’s environment is not designed to suit their abilities.

Emotional support animal: Emotional support animals provide comfort and security and do not have training for specific tasks. Therefore, emotional support animals do not qualify as service animals. Accommodation requests for emotional support animals should be directed to the Glenn Crombie Centre for Accessibility, Counselling and Wellness. Note that on occasions, emotional support dogs are intermittently brought onto campus under the direction of the Student Union or Student Services, or those staff certified under the Canine Ambassador Program (CAP). These dogs also require yearly certification and a specific handler.

Guide dog: A type of service animal trained to lead a person with visual impairments.

Service animal: An animal for a person with a disability as noted under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, S.O. 2005, c. 11, if:

• it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to their disability.
  • an animal that can be readily identified with visual indicators such as a vest or harness worn by the animal, or
  • the person provides medical documentation from a physician or other regulated health professional confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to a disability, along with other pertinent information.
• it is not a pet or an emotional support animal.
• it is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, alerting individuals to low blood sugar levels, providing minimal protection or rescue work to an individual during a seizure, or retrieving out of reach items. The animal may wear specialized equipment such as a backpack, harness, or special collar, but this is not a legal requirement.

Support person: A person who accompanies a person with a disability to help with the communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs, or access to goods and services.

Volunteer: A person who freely offers themselves to perform a service without pay

The College is committed to service excellence in serving all customers with dignity and inclusion in the following areas:

1. Providing goods, services, or facilities to people with disabilities
   1. The College complies with current and ongoing obligations with both the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) or obligations to people with disabilities under any other applicable law.
   2. The College is committed to address exceptional circumstances individually and in a timely manner.
2. Assistive Devices
   1. The College serves people with disabilities who require assistive devices to obtain, use, or benefit from goods, services, or facilities. The College will make best efforts to ensure that members of its staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices.
   2. 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/offered to ensure the person with a disability can access the College’s goods, services, or facilities.
3. Communication
   1. Communication with individuals/people with disabilities is based on the individual’s disability-related needs.
   2. The College provides training for all staff on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
4. Service Animals
   1. The College serves individuals who are accompanied by a service animal.
   2. Only approved service animals are permitted on campus.  All pets are prohibited from entry to all Cambrian College facilities/buildings.
   3. Service animals are allowed on the parts of the premises that are open to the public. Service animals are not permitted in areas where food is prepared and would otherwise be excluded by law.
   4. Where service animals are not permitted on or in a particular campus location or building due to health and safety laws or requirements, the College will endeavour to provide alternate support to permit access to goods and services or provide reasonable accommodation.
   5. The College ensures that all staff, volunteers, and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a guide dog or service animal.
   6. If service animals are prohibited by another law, the College will do the following to ensure people with disabilities can access the College’s goods, services, or facilities:
      • Explain why the animal is excluded; and
      • Discuss with the customer another way of providing goods, services, or facilities.
5. Support Persons
   1. The College serves people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person.
   2. Individuals accompanied by a support person are allowed to have that person accompany them at all times while on college premises.
   3. In certain cases, the College might require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person for the health or safety of the person with a disability or others on the premises.
6. Notice of temporary disruptions
   1. In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for individuals with disabilities, the College will alert/notify individuals accessing services or goods promptly.
7. Training
   1. The College provides accessibility customer service training as soon as practicable, and when changes are made to the Accessibility Customer Service Policy, to:
      • All employees and volunteers;
      • Any employee involved in developing College policies; and
      • Anyone who provides goods, services, or facilities to customers on our behalf.
   2. The training must include the following:
      • Overview of the purpose of the AODA and an awareness of the policy;
      • Instruction on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities;
      • Instructions on interacting with people living with disabilities who use assistive devices or require the assistance of a service animal or support person; and
      • Instruction on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing services.
8. Notice of availability of documents
   1. The College provides documents in an accessible format or with communication support, on request. The College consults with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the format or communication support. The accessible format is provided in a timely manner and, at no additional cost to the person with disabilities.

Vice President, Human Resources, Student Services and International is responsible for:

• Ensuring that this policy is reviewed, communicated, and fully implemented.

Human Resources is responsible for:

• Ensuring that all employees complete the customer service mandatory training upon hire and upon changes to the policy.

Employees, Volunteers and Contractors are responsible for:

• Completing the customer service mandatory training.

Person with a Disability is responsible for:

• Providing documentation as required. For example, to substantiate the requirement for a service animal or support person.
• Registering with the Glenn Crombie Centre if seeking support from the College

None