MULTI-YEAR ACCESSIBILITY PLAN AND POLICIES 2023-2028
P.G. Enns Farms strives to meet the needs of its employees and customers with disabilities and is working hard to remove and prevent barriers to accessibility.
P.G. Enns is committed to fulfilling our requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. This accessibility plan outlines the steps we are taking to meet those requirements and to improve opportunities for people with disabilities.
Our plan shows how we will play our role in making Ontario an accessible province for all Ontarians. The plan is reviewed and updated at least once every 5 years. We train every person as soon as practicable after being hired and provide training in respect of any changes to the policies. We maintain records of the training provided including the dates on which the training was provided and the number of individuals to whom it was provided.
P.G. Enns Farms is committed to ensuring equal access and participation for people with disabilities. We are committed to treating people with disabilities in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration, and we are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner. We will do so by removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and meeting our accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and Ontario’s accessibility laws. P.G. Enns is committed to meeting its current and ongoing obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code respecting non-discrimination. P.G. Enns understands that obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and its accessibility standards do not substitute or limit its obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code or obligations to people with disabilities under any other law. P.G. Enns is committed to excellence in serving and providing goods, services or facilities to all customers including people with disabilities. Our accessible customer service policies are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration, and equality of opportunity for people with disabilities.
P.G. Enns will ensure compliance with the AODA to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility by developing, implementing, and enforcing accessibility standards as outlined below:
• Set up policies on providing accessible customer service to people with disabilities according to the requirements of the standard.
• Make reasonable efforts to ensure that these policies are consistent with the key principles of independence, dignity, integration, and equality of opportunity.
• Communicate with individuals with disabilities in a way that takes into account the persons' disabilities.
• Train all employees and volunteers, third parties, and persons who participate in developing P.G. Enns policies on providing accessible customer service and how to interact with people with various types of disabilities.
• Allow people to bring their service animals onto parts of the premises open to the public or third parties. If a service animal is excluded by law, other measures will be used to provide services to the person with a disability.
• Allow people with disabilities to be accompanied by their support persons.
• Enable people to use their personal assistive devices to access goods, services, or facilities.
• Let the public know when facilities or services that people with disabilities usually use are temporarily unavailable.
• Train all staff on the Accessible Customer Service Regulation.
• Establish and enact a policy on receiving and responding to feedback on accessible customer service and ensuring our feedback process is accessible by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports, on request.
• Make it known through a publicly available posting the availability of the Accessibility Customer Service Standard policy in an accessible format upon request.
We are committed to training all staff and volunteers in accessible customer service, other Ontario’s accessibility standards and aspects of the Ontario Human Rights Code that relate to persons with disabilities. In addition, we will train:
a) all persons who participate in developing P.G. Enns policies; and
b) all other persons who provide goods, services, or facilities on behalf of P.G. Enns Training of our employees and volunteers on accessibility relates to their specific roles.
Training includes:
• purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the Customer Service Standards
• our policies related to the Customer Service Standards
• 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
• how to use the equipment or devices available on-site or otherwise that may help with providing goods, services, or facilities to people with disabilities.
• what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing our organization’s goods, services, or facilities.
We train every person as soon as practicable after being hired and provide training in respect of any changes to the policies. We maintain records of the training provided including the dates on which the training was provided and the number of individuals to whom it was provided.
ASSISTIVE DEVICES
People with disabilities may use their personal assistive devices when accessing our goods, services, or facilities. We ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods, services, or facilities.
COMMUNICATION
We communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. This may include the printed material in larger size fonts, electronic information, oral communication. We will work with the person with disabilities to determine what method of communication works for them.
SERVICE ANIMALS
Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and third parties, unless prohibited by law. P.G. Enns will ensure all employees are trained to identify a service animal and to effectively interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal. Service animals must be in the care and control of the person with the disability.
SUPPORT PERSONS
A customer with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises. If confidential information with a customer is discussed P.G. Enns will require consent from the customer with the disability to allow their support person to be present.
NOTICE OF TEMPORARY DISRUPTION
In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities, P.G. Enns will make reasonable efforts to notify customers. This clearly posted notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be made publicly available on our website.
FEEDBACK PROCESS
P.G. Enns welcomes feedback on how we provide accessible customer service. Customer feedback will help us identify barriers and respond to concerns. Feedback may be provided in the following ways: by telephone: 905-938-9038 by mail: P.G. Enns Farms, 1301 Irvine Road, Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON L0S 1J0
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS
P.G. Enns notifies the public that documents related to accessible customer service, are available upon request. We will provide these documents in an accessible format or with communication support, on request.
We will consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the format or communication support. We will provide the accessible format in a timely manner and, at no additional cost.
We communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. When asked, we will provide information about our organization and its services, including public safety information, in accessible formats or with communication supports:
a) in a timely manner, taking into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability; and
b) at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.
We will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support. If the organization determines that information or communications are unconvertible, the organization shall provide the requestor with:
a) an explanation as to why the information or communications are unconvertible; and
b) a summary of the unconvertible information or communications.
P.G. Enns will notify its employees and the public the availability of accommodations for applicants with disabilities during the recruitment process, upon request. We notify job applicants when they are individually selected to participate in an assessment or selection process that accommodations are available upon request. We consult with the applicants and provide or arrange for suitable accommodation.
We notify successful applicants of policies for accommodating employees with disabilities when making offers of employment. We notify staff that supports are available for those with disabilities as soon as practicable after they begin their employment. We provide updated information to employees whenever there is a change to existing policies on the provision of job accommodation that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to a disability.
We will consult with employees when arranging for the provision of suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the accessibility needs due to disability. We will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication supports specifically for:
a) information that is needed in order to perform the employee’s job; and
b) information that is generally available to employees in the workplace
Where needed, we will also provide customized emergency information to help an employee with a disability during an emergency. With the employee’s consent, we will provide workplace emergency information to a designated person who is providing assistance to that employee during an emergency.
We will provide the information as soon as practicable after we become aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability. We will review the individualized workplace emergency response information:
a) when the employee moves to a different location in the organization.
b) when the employee’s overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed; and
c) when the employer reviews its general emergency response policies.
We have a written process to develop individual accommodation plans for employees. We have a written process for employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work.
Any policies of this organization that do not respect and promote the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity for people with disabilities will be modified or removed. This document is publicly available. Accessible formats are available upon request.
To view P.G. Enns Farms’ publicly posted Accessibility Compliance Reports (ACR) please visit our seasonal fruit market during the seasonal hours of 9:00 to 5:00, Monday to Saturday