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Accessible Customer Service Policy

Approved September 2020

 

Purpose

Details the standards Scouts Canada’s employees, volunteers, agents, contractors, and other third parties must follow for programs, activities, goods, services, and facilities to comply with provincial/territorial accessible customer service standards.

 

Our Commitment

Our Accessible Customer Service Policy uses the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”) and Regulation 191/11, as amended from time to time, as its benchmark for accessible customer service, due to its recognition as currently being the most comprehensive provincial legislation with respect to establishing accessibility standards for persons with disabilities.  We are committed to helping our Groups, Areas, and Councils meet these standards in accordance with this Policy and the corresponding Scouts Canada Accessible Customer Service Procedure.

 

It is intended that all aspects of this Policy shall comply with the AODA and other applicable provincial/territorial accessibility legislation and human rights legislation (jointly referred to as “the Applicable Legislation”).   The Applicable Legislation, as it may from time to time be amended, is incorporated herein and will prevail if greater than the terms of this Policy.

 

Our Policy

We are required to meet the requirements of the Applicable Legislation and corresponding Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.

 

We will make every reasonable effort to ensure that our policies, practices, and procedures are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration, and equal opportunity.

 

When communicating with a person with a disability, we will make reasonable efforts to do so in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability.

 

When accessing programs, goods, services, or facilities that we provide, persons with disabilities may use their own assistive devices as required.

 

A customer or member with a disability who is accompanied by a guide dog, service animal, or service dog (jointly referred to as “service animal”) will be allowed access to premises that are open to the public, unless otherwise excluded by law. “No-pet” policies do not apply to service animals.

 

If a service animal is excluded by law from the premises, we will ensure that other measures are available to enable a person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from our services, goods, or facilities. 

 

If a customer or member with a disability is accompanied by a support person, we will ensure that both persons are allowed to enter the premises together and that the customer or member is not prevented from having access to the support person.

 

Service disruptions may occur due to reasons that may or may not be within the control or knowledge of Scouts Canada.  In the event of any temporary disruptions to facilities or services that customers or members with disabilities rely on to access or use Scouts Canada’s programs, goods, or services, reasonable efforts will be made to provide advance notice. In some circumstances, such as unplanned temporary disruptions, advance notice may not be possible.  In cases of unplanned temporary disruptions, notice of the disruption including the reason, anticipated duration, and alternative services available, will be made.

 

We will give customers and members the opportunity to provide feedback about the manner in which service is provided to customers and members with disabilities.  Information about the feedback process will be readily available to all customers and members and notice of the process will be made available on Scouts Canada’s website, scouts.ca.  Feedback forms and alternate methods of providing feedback—such as verbally (in person or by telephone) or written (handwritten, delivered, website, or email)—are available on request.

 

We will provide training to all employees, volunteers, agents, and/or contractors who deal with members and the public, or other third parties that act on behalf of Scouts Canada. These include salespersons, drivers, vendors, event operators, call-centre and third-party marketing agents, and those who are involved in the development, implementation, and approval of customer service policies, practices, and procedures.

 

Scouts Canada will notify customers and members that the documents related to the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service are available on request and in a format that takes into account the member’s or customer’s disability.  We will give notification by posting the information in a conspicuous place owned and operated by Scouts Canada such as Scouts Canada’s website and/or any other reasonable method.

Uncontrolled When Printed: When printed, document cannot be guaranteed to have the current information and should be used with caution. This document is marked “uncontrolled” and the user is responsible for determining if the current version is active. To find the most updated version, please refer to Scouts Canada BP&P on Scouts.ca.