You don’t have to go through this alone. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured, we can help. Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.
You don’t have to go through this alone. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured, we can help. Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.
This policy is intended to meet the requirements
of Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07 under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and applies to the provision of goods and services to the public or other third parties, not to the goods themselves.
All goods and services provided by MD Lawyers will follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.
Assistive Device – is a technical aid, communication device or other instrument that is used to maintain or improve the functional abilities of people with disabilities. Personal assistive devices are typically devices that customers bring with them such as a wheelchair, walker or a personal oxygen tank that might assist in hearing, seeing, communicating, moving, breathing, remembering and/or reading.
Disability – the term disability as defined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and the Ontario Human Rights Code, refers to:
Guide Dog – is a highly-trained working dog that has been trained at one of the facilities listed in Ontario Regulation 58 under the Blind Persons’ Rights Act, to provide mobility, safety and increased independence for people who are blind. Service Animal – as reflected in Ontario Regulation 429/07, an animal is a service animal for a person with a disability if:
In accordance with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07, this policy addresses the following:
MD Lawyers will make every reasonable effort to ensure that its policies, and procedures are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity by:
accessing goods and services as long as this does not present a safety risk;
to the same services, in the same place and in a similar manner;
customer’s disability.
Customer’s own assistive device(s):
Persons with disabilities may use their own assistive devices as required when accessing goods or services provided by MD Lawyers.
In cases where the assistive device presents a safety concern or where accessibility might be an issue, other reasonable measures will be used to ensure the access of goods and services. For example, open flames and oxygen tanks cannot be near one another. Therefore, the accommodation of a customer with an oxygen tank may involve ensuring the customer is in a location that would be considered safe for both the customer and business. Or, where elevators are not
present and where an individual requires assistive devices for the purposes of mobility, service will be provided in a location that meets the needs of the customer.
A customer with a disability that is accompanied by guide dog, service animal or service dog will be allowed access to premises that are open to the public unless otherwise excluded by law. “No pet” policies do not apply to guide dogs, service animals and/or service dogs.
Food Service Areas
A customer with a disability that is accompanied by guide dog or service dog will be allowed access to food service areas that are open to the public unless otherwise excluded by law.
Other types of service animals are not permitted into food service areas due to the Health Protection and Promotion Act, Ontario Regulation 562 Section 60.
Exclusion Guidelines
If a guide dog, service animal or service dog is excluded by law (see applicable laws below)MD Lawyers will offer alternative methods to enable the person with a disability to access goods and services, when possible (for example,
securing the animal in a safe location and offering the guidance of an employee).
Applicable Laws
Food Safety and Quality Act 2001, Ontario Regulation 31/05: Animals not intended for slaughter or to be euthanized are not allowed in any area or room of a meat plant. It also makes an exception for service dogs to allow them in those areas of a meat plant where food is served, sold or offered for sale to customers and in those areas that do not contain animals or animal parts and are not used for the receiving, processing, packaging, labelling, shipping, handling or storing of animals or parts of animals.
The Health Protection and Promotion Act, Ontario Regulation 562 Section 60, normally does not allow animals in places where food is manufactured, prepared, processed, handled, served, displayed, stored, sold or offered for sale. It does allow guide dogs and service dogs to go into places where food is served, sold or offered for sale. However, other types of service animals are not included in this exception.
Dog Owners’ Liability Act, Ontario: If there is a conflict between a provision of this Act or of a regulation under this or any other Act relating to banned breeds (such as pitbulls) and a provision of a by-law passed by a municipality relating to these breeds, the provision that is more restrictive in relation to controls or bans on these breeds prevails.
Recognizing a Guide Dog, Service Dog and/or Service Animal
If it is not readily apparent that the animal is being used by the customer for reasons relating to his or her disability, MD Lawyers may request verification from the customer. Verification may include:
Care and Control of the Animal
The customer that is accompanied by a guide dog, service dog and/or service animal is responsible for maintaining care and control of the animal at all time.
Allergies
If a health and safety concern presents itself for example in the form of a severe allergy to the animal, MD Lawyers will make all reasonable efforts to meet the needs of all individuals.
If a customer with a disability is accompanied by a support person MD Lawyers will ensure that both persons are allowed to enter the premises together and that the
customer is not prevented from having access to the support person.
There may be times where seating and availability prevent the customer and support person from sitting beside each other. In these situations MD Lawyers will make every reasonable attempt to resolve the issue.
In situations where confidential information might be discussed, consent will be obtained from the customer, prior to any conversation where confidential information might be discussed.
Admission Fees
If payment is required by a support person for admission to the premises MD Lawyers will ensure that notice is given in advance by posting notice of admission fees for support persons where MD Lawyers fees are posted.
Service disruptions may occur due to reasons that may or may not be within the control or knowledge of MD Lawyers (ie. elevator). In the event of any temporary disruptions to facilities or services that customer’s with disabilities rely on to access or use MD Lawyers goods or services, reasonable efforts will be made to provide advance notice. In some circumstances such as in the situation of
unplanned temporary disruptions, advance notice may not be possible.
Notifications will Include
In the event that a notification needs to be posted the following information will be included unless it is not readily available or known:
Notifications Options
When disruptions MD Lawyers will provide notice by:
MD Lawyers will provide customers with the opportunity to provide feedback on the service provided to customers with disabilities. Feedback forms along with alternate methods of providing feedback such as verbally (in person or by telephone) or written (hand written, delivered, website or email), will be available upon request.
Submitting Feedback
Customers can submit feedback to:
Cheryl Scollard,
Director of Operations
Telephone: (519) 672-1953 ext. 5230
Email: info@md-lawyers.ca
285 King Street, Suite 500
London, ON N6B 3M6
md-lawyers.ca
Customers who wish to provide feedback by completing an onsite customer feedback form or verbally can do so to any MD Lawyers employee.
Customers that provide formal feedback will receive acknowledgement of their feedback, along with any resulting
actions based on concerns or complaints that were submitted.
Training will be provided to:
Training Provisions:
As reflected in Ontario Regulation 429/07, regardless of the format, training will cover the following:
Training Schedule
MD Lawyers will provide training within the first 30 days of employment. Training will be provided to new employees and volunteers, who deal with the public. Revised training will be provided in the event of changes to legislation, procedures and/or practices.
Record of Training
MD Lawyers will keep a record of training that includes the dates training was provided and the number of employees who attended the training.
MD Lawyers will notify customers that the documents related to the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service are available upon request and in a format that takes into account the customer’s disability. Notification will be given by posting the information in a conspicuous place owned and operated by MD Lawyers, the MD Lawyers website and/or any other reasonable method.
If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or its related procedures please contact:
Cheryl Scollard,
Director of Operations
Telephone: (519) 672-1953 ext. 5230
Email: cscollard@md-lawyers.ca
285 King Street, Suite 500
London, ON N6B 3M6
md-lawyers.ca
This policy and its related procedures will be reviewed as required in the event of legislative changes.