Central Presbyterian Church is committed to providing accessible customer service to people with disabilities. This policy is intended to meet the requirements of Ontario Regulation 429/07 under the Accessibility for Ontarians Disabilities Act, 2005. This policy aims to ensure that persons with disabilities are given equal opportunity to obtain, use and benefit from the goods and servicesw hich Central Presbyterian Church provides. Reasonable efforts will be made to ensure that goods and services are provided in a manner which respects the guiding principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.
1. Support Persons
Persons with disabilities are permitted to be accompanied by their support person in premises that are open to the public, when accessing goods and services provided by Central Presbyterian Church.
Central Presbyterian Church may deem it necessary to require a support person for a person with a disability in order to protect the health and safety of that person or of others. This will only occur after consultation with the person with a disability and when it is the only means to allow the person with a disability to access the services provided by the Church.
When an admission fee is charged for an event run by Central Church which takes place on church property, support persons will not be required to pay. When a fee is charged for an eventrun by other organizations or taking place in different locations, each case will be considered on an individual basis.
2. Service Animals
Persons with disabilities are permitted to be accompanied by their service animal and keep that animal with them in areas that are open to the public, when accessing goods and services provided by Central Presbyterian Church, unless otherwise prohibited by law. In the event that a
service animal is prohibited by law from the premises, the Church will endeavour to undertake other measures to enable the person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from the goods and services provided by the Church.
Service animals must be supervised by their owners and kept in control when used to access the Church’s goods and services. Service animals not in control may be asked to leave.
This provision does not apply to animals or pets for any other purpose. Central Presbyterian Church reserves the right to specify that other animals not be permitted on church property or at church events.
3. Service Disruptions
In the event of a planned service disruption to facilities, services or systems that are relied upon by people with disabilities to access the Church’s goods or services, notice of the disruption shall be provided in advance.
Notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration and a description of alternative facilities, services or systems that may be available.
Notice may be given by posting the information in a conspicuous place on premises owned or operated by the provider of goods or services, or posted on the Church’s web site or by such other method as is reasonable under the circumstances. In the event of an unexpected disruption, notice will be provided as soon as possible.
4. Assistive Devices
Persons with disabilities may use assistive devices as required in accessing goods and/or services provided by Central Church unless otherwise prohibited by law.
5. Communication
Communications with a person with a disability will be conducted in a manner that takes the person’s disability into account.
6. Format of Documents
As required by Ontario Regulation 429/07, Central Presbyterian Church will prepare one or more documents, describing the following, and provide them upon request to any person:
Policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of goods and services topeople with disabilities;
Policies, practices and procedures governing the use of service animals and supportpersons;
The steps the Church will take with regard to a temporary disruption of facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities;
The Church’s policy on providing training on accessible customer service; and,
The Church’s process for receiving and responding to feedback on the provision of goods and services to people with disabilities.
If the Church is required by Ontario Regulation 429/07 to provide documents to a person with a disability, the document or the information contained in the document will be provided in a format
that takes into account the person’s disability. The Church will make reasonable efforts to respond to requests for documents in alternate formats in a timely manner.
7. Training
As required by Ontario Regulation 429/07, the following individuals will receive training on a number of topics outlined in the regulation:
staff, volunteers, agents/contractors and any other individuals who interact with the public or other third parties on behalf of Central Presbyterian Church and,
staff, volunteers, agents/contractors and any other individuals who participate in the
development of the Church’s policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of goods and services to members of the public.
The training will include all items required by the legislation, as outlined in Appendix 2
8. Feedback Process
Central Presbyterian Church shall create and maintain a feedback process so that members of the public are able to comment on the provision of goods and services to people with disabilities.
The feedback process will allow for comments in person, by telephone, in writing, by email, or during a visit by an elder or pastoral visitor.
The feedback process will specify the actions that will be taken by the Church, if complaints or suggestions are received.
Adopted by Session February 2014
