About the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
In 2005, the government of Ontario passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”), which requires that Ontario achieve accessibility for persons with disabilities by 2025. Public, private, and non-profit organizations have obligations under the AODA to help make Ontario accessible. To guide organizations through that process, the AODA contains accessibility standards that assist organizations in the identification, prevention, and removal of barriers to accessibility for persons with disabilities. The AODA contains accessibility standards in a variety of areas, including:
- Customer Service
- Information and Communications
- Employment
The AODA and its standards are not a replacement or substitution for the requirements of the Human Rights Code (Ontario).
On July 1, 2011, the Integrated Accessibility Standards (Ontario Regulation 191/11) came into force. The regulation establishes standards to address barriers that persons with disabilities face in the areas of employment, information and communications, transportation, and built environment. As a large, private sector organization, TouchBistro has obligations under the Integrated Accessibility Standards that come into effect on a rolling basis.
TouchBistro is committed to meeting its obligations under the AODA and its regulations. In many cases, TouchBistro has already developed practices that bring our company into compliance with the requirements for large organizations ahead of schedule.
About this Document
TouchBistro’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (the “Plan”) is a road map for our path to increased accessibility as a company. The goal of the Plan is to provide the action steps that bring life to TouchBistro’s Integrated Accessibility Standards Policy and Commitment Statement. This document describes:
- how TouchBistro will meet accessibility requirements within the Integrated Accessibility Standards’ mandatory timelines,
- how TouchBistro will address current accessibility barriers in our organization, and
- how TouchBistro will identify and remove future barriers.
The document identifies the different standards applicable to TouchBistro and the dates on which compliance with each standard is implemented. It also provides information regarding TouchBistro’s progress to date with respect to each standard. Over time, this document will be updated with information that reflects the practices and procedures that TouchBistro has adopted throughout the compliance process envisioned by the Integrated Accessibility Standards.
TouchBistro is committed to reviewing the Plan at least once every five years. TouchBistro will prepare and file an annual status report on the progress of measures taken to implement the strategy outlined in our Plan and post the status report on our website. Status reports will be made available in an accessible format upon request.
be made available in an accessible format upon request.
| Applicable Integrated Accessibility Standard | Detailed Standard | Implementation Date | Actions | Status |
| Employment | Emergency Procedure, Plans or Public Safety Information – s. 13 | September 30, 2020 (most recent update) | TouchBistro has emergency response procedures, plans, and safety information.
Upon request, TouchBistro provides or arranges for accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account each person’s accessibility needs due to disability and (if applicable) at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons. TouchBistro consults with the person making the request for an accessible format or communication support for the procedures, plans, and public safety information when determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support. |
Ongoing compliance |
| Employment | Individualized Workplace Response Information – s. 27 | September 30, 2020 (most recent update) | TouchBistro provides individualized workplace emergency response information to employees with disabilities where the disability is such that individualized information is necessary and TouchBistro is aware of the need for accommodation.
In the event that an employee who receives individualized workplace emergency response information requires assistance, TouchBistro designates a person to provide assistance and, with the employee’s consent, TouchBistro provides the workplace emergency response information to the person. TouchBistro provides workplace emergency response information as soon as practicable after learning of the need for accommodation due to an employee’s disability. TouchBistro reviews individualized workplace emergency response information, at minimum, whenever:
|
Ongoing compliance |
| General Requirements under the IAS Regulation | Accessibility Policy – s. 3(1) | June 1, 2021
(most recent update) |
An Integrated Accessibility Standards Policy has been drafted and approved by TouchBistro’s management team, introduced to all employees and posted on the website in an accessible format that conforms with, at minimum, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level A.
Additionally, upon request, TouchBistro will provide or arrange for accessible formats and communication supports for the Policy for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account each person’s accessibility needs due to disability and (if applicable) at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons. TouchBistro will consult with the person making the request for an accessible format or communication support for the Policy when determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support. |
Ongoing compliance |
| Statement of Commitment – s. 3(2) | June 1, 2021 | A Statement of Commitment has been drafted and approved by TouchBistro’s management team, introduced to all employees and posted on the website in an accessible format that conforms with, at minimum, WCAG 2.0 Level A.
Additionally, upon request, TouchBistro will provide or arrange for accessible formats and communication supports for the Statement of Commitment for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account each person’s accessibility needs due to disability and (if applicable) at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons. TouchBistro will consult with the person making the request for an accessible format or communication support for the Statement of Commitment when determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support. |
Ongoing compliance | |
| Multi-year Accessibility Plan – s. 4 | June 30, 2021 | This Plan has been developed and approved by the management team, with input from applicable departments on an as needed basis.
The Plan has been introduced to all employees and has been posted on the website in an accessible format that conforms with, at minimum, WCAG 2.0 Level A. The Plan will be reviewed and updated at least once every five years. Additionally, upon request, TouchBistro will provide or arrange for accessible formats and communication supports for the Plan for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account each person’s accessibility needs due to disability and (if applicable) at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons. TouchBistro will consult with the person making the request for an accessible format or communication support for the Plan when determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support. |
Ongoing compliance | |
| Self-service kiosks – s. 6 | Ongoing | TouchBistro will consider accessibility features when designing software updates in our iPad POS system and self-ordering kiosks. | Ongoing | |
| Information & Communication Standard | Accessible websites & web content – s. 14(4) | June 30, 2021 | TouchBistro will ensure that new internet websites, including web content on those sites (that TouchBistro controls directly or through a contractual relationship that allows TouchBistro to modify the content), conform with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 at Level A. | In progress
TouchBistro is in the process of reviewing its website and content with its hosting agencies in order to determine the changes required to make its websites and content WCAG 2.0 Level A compliant. TouchBistro will make the changes necessary in order to ensure compliance. |
| General Requirements | Training – s. 7 | July 30, 2021 | TouchBistro will provide training to:
on the requirements of the accessibility standards referred to in the Integrated Accessibility Standards and continue to provide training on the Human Rights Code (Ontario) as it pertains to persons with disabilities. Training will be provided as soon as practicable. Training will also be included as part of Orientation for all new hires. The training provided will take into consideration and be appropriate to the duties of those receiving the training. TouchBistro will provide training, on an ongoing basis, with respect to changes made to the Integrated Accessibility Policy and Commitment Statement. Records of the training provided will be maintained and will include: (i) the dates on which training was provided and (ii) the number of individuals to whom training is provided. |
In progress |
| Information & Communication | Feedback – s. 11 | January 1, 2018 | TouchBistro will ensure that its processes for receiving and responding to feedback are accessible to persons with disabilities by, upon request, providing or arranging for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account each person’s accessibility needs due to disability and (if applicable) at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.
TouchBistro will consult with the person making the request for an accessible format or communication support when determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support. TouchBistro will continue to advise the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports with respect to its feedback processes through a notification on the website. The processes that TouchBistro develops to meet its feedback obligations under the Integrated Accessibility Standards will be complementary to, and will not detract from, the feedback processes TouchBistro has developed in accordance with the Customer Service Standards. |
Ongoing Compliance |
| Employment Standard | Recruitment – ss. 22 -24 | January 1, 2016 | In our recruitment processes, TouchBistro will advise our employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities.
TouchBistro will notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate further in an assessment or selection process, that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used. If a selected job applicant requests accommodation, TouchBistro will consult with the individual and provide or arrange for the provision of suitable accommodation that takes into account the applicant’s disability-related needs. When making offers of employment, TouchBistro will notify successful applicants of our policies for accommodating employees with disabilities. |
Ongoing Compliance |
| Information for employees regarding supports – s. 25 & 26 | January 1, 2018 | TouchBistro will notify our employees of TouchBistro’s policies (and any updates to those policies) for supporting employees with disabilities, including (at minimum) our policies regarding the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability.
This information will be provided to new hires as soon as practicable after they commence employment. If an employee with a disability asks for information in an accessible format or to receive communication supports, TouchBistro will consult with the employee to provide, or arrange for the provision of, accessible formats and communication supports for information that the employee needs to perform his/her job, as well as information that is generally available to other employees. In determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support, TouchBistro will consult with the employee making the request. |
Ongoing Compliance | |
| Documented Individual Accommodation Plans – s. 28 | January 1, 2018 | TouchBistro will develop and maintain a written process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities.
The process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans will include the following elements: 1. The manner in which an employee requesting accommodation can participate in the development of the individual accommodation plan. 2. The means by which the employee is assessed on an individual basis. 3. The manner in which TouchBistro can request an evaluation by an outside medical or other expert, at TouchBistro expense, to assist TouchBistro in determining if accommodation can be achieved and, if so, how accommodation can be achieved. 4. The manner in which the employee can request the participation of a representative from the workplace in the development of the accommodation plan. 5. The steps taken to protect the privacy of the employee’s personal information. 6. The frequency with which the individual accommodation plan will be reviewed and updated and the manner in which it will be done. 7. If an individual accommodation plan is denied, the manner in which the reasons for the denial will be provided to the employee. 8. The means of providing the individual accommodation plan in a format that takes into account the employee’s accessibility needs due to disability. If requested, information regarding accessible formats and communication supports provided will also be included in individual accommodation plans, in accordance with the Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employees Standard (s. 26). Additionally, the plans will include individualized workplace emergency response information (where required) and will identify any other accommodation that is to be provided, in accordance with the Workplace Emergency Response Information Standard (s. 27). Finally, individual accommodation plans will identify any other accommodation that is to be provided. |
Ongoing Compliance | |
| Return to Work Process – s. 29 | January 1, 2018 | TouchBistro will develop and maintain a documented return to work process for its employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and who require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work.
The return to work process will, as part of the process, outline the steps that TouchBistro will take to facilitate the return to work and will include documented individual accommodation plans. TouchBistro notes that this return to work process will not replace or override any other return to work process created by or under any other statute (for example, the Workplace Safety Insurance Act, 1997). |
Ongoing Compliance | |
| Performance Management (s. 30), Career Development and Advancement (s. 31), and Redeployment (s. 32) | January 1, 2018 | TouchBistro will take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when conducting performance management, providing career development and advancement to employees, or when redeploying employees. | Ongoing Compliance | |
| Information & Communication | Accessible formats and communication supports – s. 12 | January 1, 2018 | Upon request, TouchBistro will provide or arrange for accessible formats and communication supports for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account each person’s accessibility needs due to disability and at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.
TouchBistro will consult with the person making the request for accessible formats or communication support when determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support. TouchBistro will advise the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports through a notification on our company website. |
Ongoing Compliance |
| Information & Communication | Accessible websites and web content | June 30, 2021 | TouchBistro will ensure that its websites, including web content on those sites (that TouchBistro controls directly or through a contractual relationship that allows TouchBistro to modify the content), conform with the WCAG 2.0 at Level AA, except with respect to success criteria 1.2.4 (captions (live)) and 1.2.5 (pre-recorded audio descriptions) or where meeting the requirement is not practicable. | In progress.
TouchBistro is in the process of reviewing its website and content with its hosting agencies in order to determine the changes required to make its websites and content WCAG 2.0 Level A compliant. TouchBistro will make the changes necessary in order to ensure compliance by June 30, 2021. |
| Full Accessibility | January 1, 2025 | This is the date by which the development, implementation and enforcement of accessibility standards is contemplated by the AODA in order to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to goods, services, facilities, accommodation, employment, buildings, structures and premises. TouchBistro will ensure compliance with its obligations under the AODA and its regulations by this date. | In progress |