Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)

Strive is committed to providing excellent service to all customers including persons with disabilities. Strive’s goal is to focus on identifying, removing, and preventing barriers for persons with disabilities. This policy complies with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).

Strive will work to ensure that its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following core principles as outlined in the AODA:

FOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES

  • Dignity – ensure persons with disabilities are provided with services in a manner that will allow them to maintain self-respect and the respect of others.
  • Independence – ensure persons with disabilities have the right to work on their own and are able to do things in their own way.
  • Integration – ensure persons with disabilities fully benefit from the same goods and services, in the same place and in the same or similar manner as others. This may require alternative formats and flexible approaches.
  • Equal Opportunity – ensure persons with disabilities have the same chances, options, benefits, and results as others.

PROCEDURES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strive is committed to using reasonable efforts in providing goods and services to all customers including persons with disabilities and will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

COMMUNICATION

Strive is committed to ensuring that our employees are fully aware of how to interact and communicate with persons with disabilities. We will train our employees who communicate with customers, including but not limited to members, potential members or external stakeholders, and partners on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.

ASSISTIVE DEVICES

Strive is committed to serving persons with disabilities who may use assistive devices to obtain, use, or benefit from goods and/or services. We will ensure that employees are aware of and become familiar with various assistive devices that may be used while accessing our goods and/or services.

USE OF SERVICE ANIMALS AND SUPPORT PERSONS

  • Strive is committed to welcoming persons with disabilities and their guide dogs or service animals in the areas of our premises that are open to the public. Please note that a “guide dog” is a dog trained by the regulations under the Blind Persons’ Rights Act. Also, a “service animal” is an animal for persons with disabilities. If it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to their disability or if the person provides a letter from a physician or a nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability, then the individual may bring the service animal on office premises.
  • Strive will also ensure that our employees are trained on how to interact with customers with disabilities who are accompanied by a guide dog or service animal.
  • Any persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter Strive’s premises open to the public or other third parties with that person. At no time will persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to that person while on our premises.

NOTICE OF TEMPORARY DISRUPTION

  • We will provide visitors with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected temporary disruption in the Strive offices or services usually used by persons with disabilities. 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 will be given by posting the information in a visible place on premises owned or operated by the provider of goods and/or services.
  • In the event that an unexpected disruption occurs, notice will be given as soon as possible.

TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEES

Strive will provide training to all employees on AODA requirements as part of their orientation. Documentation of the training of employees shall be maintained by the HR team.

FEEDBACK PROCESS

Comments and feedback about the delivery of services to persons with disabilities are welcome, as it may help identify areas that require change and assist in continuous improvement. Such contact can be made by reaching out to HR. Feedback will be addressed immediately.

AVAILABILITY OF AODA POLICY

In accordance with the AODA, this policy will be made available to any person upon request.