Accessibility Standards

Purpose:
 
Ontario Regulation 429/07 (Accessibility Standards for Customer Service) made under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 came into force on January 1, 2008.
 
This Regulation establishes accessibility standards for customer service within the Province of Ontario and applies to every designated public and private sector organization that provides goods and services to members of the public or other third parties and has at least one employee. The Accessibility Standards for Customer Service apply to municipalities and designated public sector organizations on and after January 1, 2010 and other providers of goods and services on or after January 1, 2012.
 
Policy:
The Ontario Professional Planners Institute (hereinafter referred to as OPPI) shall establish policies, procedures and practices governing the provision of accessible customer service to all customers including people with disabilities doing business with OPPI. Goods and service includes those that are provided by employees, contractors, consultants, temporary and other workers and members (herein after collectively referred to as affected parties). Affected parties are required to exercise high standards of professionalism, integrity, and impartiality in the conduct of OPPI business. In addition, affected parties are required to adhere to all applicable laws that regulate their conduct in the performance of their respective duties.

The OPPI shall promote accessibility through the development of policy, procedures and practices and by ensuring consideration is given to persons with disabilities. To do this, we must ensure policies, procedures and practices address dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.
 
Dignity - Service delivery that treats people as customers and clients who are valued and as deserving of effective and full service as any other customer. Employees will not treat people with disabilities as an afterthought or force them to accept a lesser service of quality or convenience.
 
Independence - Services for people shall support the freedom from the control of influence of others, being free to make own choices.
 
Integration - Services that allow people with disabilities to fully benefit from the same services, in the same places and in the same or similar ways as other customers.
 
Equal Opportunity - Providing services that offer the same chances, options, benefits and results for all customers
 
 
References:
Ontario Regulation 429/07
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001
 
Review/Revision:      Yearly