Ontario Heritage Trust Accessibility Plan

Introduction

On January 1, 2012, the Ontario Public Service (OPS) published a Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (MYAP). The MYAP includes the following commitment:

The OPS endeavours to demonstrate leadership for accessibility in Ontario. Our goal is to ensure accessibility for our employees and the public we service in our services, products and facilities.

The Ontario Heritage Trust Accessibility Plan builds on this commitment and the regulatory MYAP framework in order to outline how we will contribute to a barrier-free Ontario by 2025.

The Ontario Heritage Trust (referred to as the “Trust”)

The Ontario Heritage Trust, established in 1967, is the province’s heritage agency, with a statutory responsibility to identify, preserve, protect and promote cultural and natural heritage across the province.

The Trust’s activities and programs support the preservation of Ontario’s heritage as a living legacy. The agency identifies as the heritage trustee and steward for the people of Ontario; an adviser for heritage conservation; a centre for heritage information and education; and a significant promoter of Ontario’s natural and cultural heritage.

The Trust’s mandate, as the province’s heritage agency, is set out in the Ontario Heritage Act.

The Trust’s role is to:

Identify, protect, renew and promote Ontario’s rich and diverse cultural and natural heritage that has influenced and continues to shape our society for the benefit of present and future generations.

The Ontario Heritage Trust strives to provide its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of all people, including people with disabilities. The Trust is committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services, thus allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar manner, as other customers.

Scope

The Trust’s accessibility commitments apply to its corporate operations, public programs, museum sites and to all business enterprises operated by the Trust.

Modification to this or other policies

The Ontario Heritage Trust is committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities. Any policy of the Ontario Heritage Trust that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

Revision dates

January 2022
October 2015
July 2015
March 2015
October 2014

Commitments

The Trust is committed to:

Customer service

Identifying and implementing promotional tactics that will expand awareness of Trust programming and activities
Ensuring that the corporate website, Doors Open Ontario website and all subsites are fully compliant, and ensuring that any new communications channels — including social media — are also in compliance with AODA standards
Maintaining active updates regarding the accessibility status of all Trust venues and public spaces, and providing real-time updates regarding any disruptions of service
Adopting an online application tool for key outreach initiatives — such as the Recognition programs and the Doris McCarthy Artist-in-Residence Program — thereby expanding access to these programs
Establishing multi-channel customer feedback mechanisms on the Trust’s websites and onsite at all heritage venues, museum sites and theatres to measure performance against client service standards
Regularly evaluating, reporting and responding to any feedback received, and addressing any potential barriers
Actively promoting access to, and engagement in, Trust programs and activities to capture the access and engagement approaches in the Trust’s Interpretive Plan
Welcoming persons with disabilities who are accompanied by service animals or support persons to areas of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties at no admission charge; ensuring that staff, volunteers or others interacting with the public are trained to interact with all guests
Providing barrier-free access for key building facilities (for example, washrooms, Box Office, help desks, bars, etc.) at all heritage venues, museum sites and theatres
Providing all volunteers, staff, managers, supervisors and students (whether working full- or part-time with the Trust) with the appropriate training in line with principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity
Requiring all staff to complete mandatory training on the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation requirements and Ontario’s Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities (please see section titled Staff training for more information)

Information and communications

Linking to, and sharing with, all staff the resources available through the I&IT Accessibility Centre of Excellence
Providing content in plain language and accessible formats
Adapting font size used in print materials, publications and signs to meet accessibility standards
Employing a minimum of size 11-point font for all email communications
Through the Provincial Plaque Program, continuing to employ a respectful, multilingual approach to telling Ontario’s stories, including third-language plaques, where possible and appropriate
Training staff to communicate with people in ways that take into account their disability
Providing fully accessible telephone services to customers and training staff to communicate with customers over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly
Training staff to ensure that they are familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities, and how to provide an environment for those who benefit from such devices

Employment

Working with HROntario to develop barrier-free job descriptions and provide notice to potential job applications that accommodation is available throughout the hiring process
Employing plain language in communicating interview questions and assignments
Communicating standards and methods of employment accommodation for employees with disabilities
Including accessibility performance commitments in all employee performance plans

Built environment

Assessing the 26 Trust-owned cultural heritage sites and identifying existing conditions that align with AODA/accessibility standards for the built environment (Ontario Regulation 191/11)
Using the information above to inform the capital plan and support decision-making regarding accessibility enhancements
Ensuring that the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre is equipped with, and staff are trained to, operate the following assistive devices:
- Infrared Sound Enhancement System in both theatres (approximately 40 devices — both headset and loop devices are offered)
- Two oxygen tanks on the premises
- Two Automated External Defibrillators (AED)
- Two wheelchairs
- Elevator for wheelchairs for access to the lower-level lounge

Continuing to provide respectful accommodation for patrons with disabilities at the Trust’s owned sites and properties
Considering the accessibility limitations of the Trust’s heritage spaces when planning Trust events, ensuring space selection provides accessibility for persons with disabilities
Providing customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services of a site typically used by people with disabilities, including: reason for disruption, duration, description of alternatives, etc.

Many of the Trust’s built assets are provincially and nationally significant heritage buildings and, depending on the period of construction, are not fully accessible by current standards. The Trust remains committed to ensuring that capital projects are fully leveraged to enhance accessibility where possible.

Procurement and billing

Incorporating accessibility and AODA requirements in all procurement documents
Providing accessible invoices to all of our customers, on request, in the following formats: hard copy, large print, email, braille, disc and other formats, as feasible

Service animals and support persons

The Ontario Heritage Trust welcomes service animals and support persons assisting people with disabilities onto its sites and properties.

Guide dogs and other service animals accompanying persons with disabilities are welcome on all Trust premises that are open to the public or other third parties. The Trust acknowledges that these animals are not pets, but are considered working animals and are used by people with disabilities to overcome barriers — similar to assistive devices, such as white canes or wheelchairs.

The Trust is committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by support persons. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter any of the properties owned and operated by the Trust with his or her support person. When a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person, the Trust will ensure that the support person and the person with a disability remain together at all times. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on any Trust premises.

The Trust does not charge a fee for admission to its sites for any person serving as a support person/caregiver.

To protect the health and safety of persons with disabilities, or the health and safety of others, Trust staff will use discretion when requiring a person with a physical disability to be accompanied by a support person/caregiver during a visit to the premises. On rare occasions, a manager may determine that a support person is required. In these instances, a manager may suggest appropriate alternatives and provide assistance.

Procedure for disruptions of service

If a temporary disruption of service takes place within a normal day of operation at an Ontario Heritage Trust site, the site will immediately post a notice on the public entry door(s) to the site and/or any conspicuous place(s). The notice will include the reason for the disruption, the anticipated length of the disruption and, where possible, a description of an alternative facility or service as available.

This notice will be posted in English and French until normal service has been restored.

The Trust will also post a notice of the disruption on the Ontario Heritage Trust website when the disruption is to be longer than twenty-four (24) hours in duration. The notice of the disruption will include particulars of its impact on visiting the site for persons with disabilities and, where possible, a description of alternative services that have been made available. This notice will remain posted on the website until the disruption has been remedied. The Trust is responsible for immediately removing the notice when normal service has resumed.

The Trust will immediately notify all staff working at the site at the time of the disruption. Staff will speak to public visitors and notify them of the temporary disruption and of any alternative facility or service available to the visitors (if feasible).

Staff training

As per the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07 (created under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005), the Ontario Heritage Trust is required to train new staff, volunteers and/or students who meet with members of the public, or other third parties who participate in developing policies, practices and procedures on the provision of goods or services to the public, or other third parties in accordance with the training requirements set out in the standard. Training is to be provided within two weeks after the duties are assigned.

Individuals in the following positions will be trained:

All staff who work either full- or part-time at Ontario Heritage Trust sites
All managers or supervisors at Ontario Heritage Trust sites
All students who work either full- or part-time at Ontario Heritage Trust sites
All volunteers at Ontario Heritage Trust sites

This training will be provided within two weeks for any manager, supervisor, student or volunteer commencing employment at a Trust site.

Training will include the following:

The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the Customer Service Standard
How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device, or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
What to do if a person with a disability is experiencing difficulty accessing goods and services provided by the Trust
The Trust’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the Customer Service Standard

The following courses are mandatory:

May I Help You? Welcoming customers with disabilities
May I Help You? Supplementary: Ten Things You Need to Know about Accessible Customer Service
Working Together. Introduction to the Ontario Human Rights Code and how it relates to persons with disabilities and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR) — overview of the IASR and the actions the OPS is taking to comply with the regulation

All staff at the Trust and its owned and operated sites follow the practices and procedures in keeping with the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity under this standard, using reasonable efforts to ensure that they are consistent, whereas:

Dignity — service is provided in a way that allows a person with a disability to maintain self-respect and the respect of other people
Independence — service is provided in a way that allows a person with a disability to do things on their own without unnecessary help or interference from others
Integration — service is provided in a way that allows a person with a disability to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in the same or similar way as other customers, unless an alternative measure is necessary to enable a person with a disability to access goods or services
Equal opportunity — service is provided in a way that allows a person with a disability to have an opportunity to access goods or services equal to that given to others

Receiving feedback for goods or services to people with disabilities

The Ontario Heritage Trust has established a process for receiving and responding to feedback about how the Trust provides goods or services to persons with disabilities.

The Trust welcomes feedback on the goods and services provided in the following ways:

In person at any Ontario Heritage Trust-owned and -operated site
By writing to the Head Office at 10 Adelaide Street East
By telephone at 416-325-5002
By email at feedback@heritagetrust.on.ca
By electronic text on disc
By other feasible methods

Please give full particulars in your feedback, describe your visit (for example, date, place, what happened, etc.), what remedies were offered, whether these remedies were feasible and the final outcome of the situation. Learning when a site has exceeded your expectations is also appreciated.

The Ontario Heritage Trust reviews all feedback and/or comments and responds as necessary within 10 business days. Not all comments will receive a response. Should you require a response to your feedback, please indicate your wishes in your feedback message.

This policy exists to achieve service excellence to customers with disabilities. If anyone has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of the policy is not understood, an explanation will be provided by writing to: Ontario Heritage Trust, Marketing and Communications, 10 Adelaide Street East, Toronto, Ontario M5C 1J3. Copies of this document are available on request and, where necessary, documents will be provided to people with disabilities in a format that takes into account the person’s disability.

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