Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)

AODA – What is the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act?

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) is a piece of legislation in the Province of Ontario aimed at making the places you work, live and learn as accessible as possible.

Several standards assist in fulfilling this goal: the Customer Service Standard and the various standards within the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation. Below you will find tip sheets, training modules, resources, relevant policies and our building access notices.

Purpose: Native Child and Family Services (NCFST)will strive to ensure that its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following core principles as outlined in the AODA.

Dignity – Service is provided to persons with disabilities in a way that their opportunity to access goods and services is equal to that given to others.

Independence – Accommodating a person’s disability means respecting their right to do for themselves and to choose the way they wish to receive goods and services.

Integration – Persons with disabilities can access all goods and services. They may require alternative formats and flexible approaches. It means inclusiveness and full participation; when communicating with a person with a disability, NCFST representatives shall do so in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability.  This is a fundamental human right.
 
Equal Opportunity – Service is provided to persons with disabilities in a way that their opportunity to access goods and services is equal to that given to others.

Statement of Commitment: NCFST is committed to providing services to our families, youth and children, the public and our staff that are free of barriers and biases.  NCFST strives to ensure that key principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity are reflected and valued in our learning and working environments.

We strive to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities in a prompt manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility.

In addition, we will endeavor to meet accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. Our conduct will demonstrate our belief in the strength diversity brings to our communities.
 
Availability and Format of Documents (Alternative Formats)

All documents required by the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, including NCFST’s Accessible Customer Service Policy, notices of temporary disruptions, training records, and written feedback process are available upon request. When providing these documents to a person with a disability, and by request, NCFST will endeavor to provide the document, or the information contained in the document, in a format that takes the person’s disability into account.

Policy Modification
Any policy of NCFST that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

Related Documents: