MULTI-YEAR ACCESSIBILITY PLAN

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) develops, implements, and enforces accessibility standards so that goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures, and premises are accessible to persons with disabilities.

Under the AODA, Ontario Regulation 191/11, entitled, "Integrated Accessibility Standards" (Regulation), came into force on July 1, 2011. The Regulation establishes accessibility standards for information and communication, employment, and transportation. The Office of the Auditor General (Office) must comply with the phased-in requirements of the Regulation beginning January 1, 2012.

This Plan has been developed in accordance with the Regulation. It outlines a strategy to prevent and remove barriers and address the current and future requirements of the AODA. It will be provided in an alternative format upon request.

In accordance with the requirements, the Office will:

• report annually on its website on its progress on implementing this plan;
• provide all information relating to the plan in alternative formats upon request; and
• review and update the plan at least once every five years.

Focus Area: General Requirements of the Regulation—Accessibility Policies

Completed Action: The Office has drafted a policy that addresses how the Office achieves or will achieve accessibility through meeting the Regulation's requirements. The Office's Accessibility Achievement Policy is available on our website.

Completion Date: January 1, 2012

Focus Area: General Requirements of the Regulation—Procurement or Acquisition of Goods, Services, or Facilities

Planned Actions: The Office will:

• put a process in place to:
  • use accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services, or facilities, except where it is not practical to do so; and
  • upon request, provide an explanation when it is not practical to do so; and
• make the Office's premises fully accessible.

Completion Target Date: January 1, 2013

Focus Area: General Requirements of the Regulation—Training

Planned Actions: The Office will:

• provide training to all employees on the requirements of the Regulation and on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities; and
• maintain a record of the dates when training is provided and the number of individuals to whom it was provided.

Completion Target Date: January 1, 2013

Focus Area: Requirements Under Information and Communication Standards—Emergency Procedures, Plans, or Public Safety Information

Planned Action: The Office, in co-operation with our building manager, will update its emergency procedures to ensure that they can be followed by persons with disabilities.

Completion Target Date: January 1, 2013

Focus Area: Requirements Under Information and Communication Standards—Accessible Websites and Web Content

Planned Action: The Office will make the Office's Internet and Intranet websites and the web content on those sites conform to Level AA of version 2 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Completion Target Date: January 1, 2013

Focus Area: Requirements Under Information and Communication Standards—Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

Planned Actions: The Office will:

• upon request, provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports to persons with disabilities in a timely manner, taking into account the person's accessibility needs;
• put a statement on the Office website about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports; and
• provide, upon request, accessible formats and communication supports for receiving and responding to feedback from persons with disabilities.

Completion Target Date: January 1, 2013

Focus Area: Requirements Under Employment Standards—Workplace Emergency Response Information

Planned Action: The Office will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have disclosed a disability.

Completion Target Date: January 1, 2013

Focus Area: Requirements Under Employment Standards—Recruitment

Planned Actions: The Office will:

• on the Office's website and on job advertisements, specify that accommodation is available for job applicants with disabilities; and
• inform candidates about the availability of accommodations:
  • when called for an interview;
  • during the selection process;
  • at the time of job offer; and
  • at orientation.

Completion Target Date: January 1, 2013

Focus Area: Requirements Under Employment Standards—Support Information for Employees

Planned Actions: The Office will:

• inform current employees and new hires soon after they begin employment of Office policies supporting employees with disabilities; and
• keep employees up-to-date on changes to policies.

Completion Target Date: January 1, 2013

Focus Area: Requirements Under Employment Standards—Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees

Planned Action: The Office will provide accessible formats and communication supports to any employees who request them.

Completion Target Date: January 1, 2013

Focus Area: Requirements Under Employment Standards—Documented Individualized Plans

Planned Actions: The Office will provide:

• an individualized accommodation plan in writing to any employee with a disability; and
• an individualized return-to-work plan in writing for any employee who has been absent from work due to a disability and requires disability-related accommodations to return to work.

Completion Target Date: January 1, 2013

Focus Area: Requirements Under Employment Standards—Performance Assessment, Career Development and Advancement, and Redeployment

Planned Actions: The Office will take the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities and their individualized accommodation plans into account:

• when assessing their performance;
• in managing their career development and advancement; and
• when redeploying them.

Completion Target Date: January 1, 2013

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