Accessibility Policy

Our Commitment to Accessibility

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience for all individuals, including people with disabilities. We strive to ensure that our services, communications, and digital content are accessible in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities and provides them with equal opportunity to access our information and services.

This Accessibility Policy describes how we work to meet our obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 ("AODA"), Ontario Regulation 191/11 (the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation), and the Ontario Human Rights Code. It applies to our website and to our other public-facing services.

Statement of Organizational Commitment

We are committed to:

• Treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence;
• Promoting integration and equal opportunity;
• Meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner;
• Preventing and removing barriers to accessibility; and
• Meeting our obligations under the AODA and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Scope

This Policy applies to:

• All employees, volunteers, contractors, agents, and other individuals who deal with the public or third parties on our behalf;
• All third parties who participate in developing our policies, programs, practices, and services; and
• All public-facing digital content, including our website, online forms, quizzes, emails, and documents we publish.

Web Accessibility Standards

We are committed to making our website and our public-facing online content conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA, published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), in accordance with the AODA's Information and Communications Standards.

We work to apply the four core WCAG principles across our digital content:

• Perceivable — Information and user-interface components are presented to users in ways they can perceive (e.g., providing text alternatives for non-text content, sufficient colour contrast, resizable text).
• Operable — User-interface components and navigation are operable (e.g., keyboard-accessible navigation, no content that flashes in ways that could trigger seizures, clear focus indicators).
• Understandable — Information and the operation of the user interface are understandable (e.g., readable text, predictable behaviour, input assistance).
• Robust — Content is robust enough to be reliably interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers).

We are aware that newer versions of WCAG (such as WCAG 2.1 and 2.2) have been published, and we work toward those higher standards on a continuous-improvement basis where reasonably practicable.

Ongoing Efforts

Accessibility is an ongoing process. We work to identify and remove barriers in our digital content through measures such as:

• Considering accessibility when designing, procuring, or updating our website and digital tools;
• Periodic reviews and testing of our website against WCAG 2.0 Level AA criteria;
• Engaging accessibility consultants, testers, or service providers from time to time as appropriate;
• Training employees, contractors, and content creators on accessibility requirements;
• Considering accessibility feedback we receive from users; and
• Incorporating accessibility into our procurement of goods, services, and facilities, except where it is not practicable to do so.

While we make every reasonable effort to meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA, we recognize that some content (such as certain complex graphics, third-party content, or legacy materials) may not yet fully conform. We are continuously working to address such gaps.

Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

Upon request, and in consultation with the person making the request, we will provide accessible formats and communication supports for information about our services, in a timely manner that takes into account the person's accessibility needs.

We will provide these accessible formats and communication supports at no greater cost than the regular cost we charge other persons. Where information cannot be converted, we will provide the person with:

• An explanation of why the information cannot be converted; and
• A summary of the information.

To request information in an accessible format or with a communication support, please contact us through the Services.

Customer Service

We are committed to providing accessible customer service to people with disabilities. This includes:

• Communicating with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability;
• Welcoming the use of assistive devices, service animals, and support persons in any physical premises we operate that are open to the public, in accordance with applicable law;
• Notifying the public in the event of a temporary disruption to facilities or services that people with disabilities usually use to access our services.

Training

We provide training on accessibility requirements under the AODA and on aspects of the Ontario Human Rights Code that relate to people with disabilities, as required by law. Training is provided to:

• Employees and volunteers;
• Persons who participate in developing our policies; and
• Other persons who provide goods, services, or facilities on our behalf.

The training is appropriate to the duties of the person and is provided as soon as practicable. We maintain records of the training we provide as required by the AODA.

Feedback Process

We welcome feedback about the accessibility of our website, our services, and this Policy. Your feedback helps us identify and remove barriers.

When you contact us, please let us know:

• The accessibility issue you experienced or feedback you would like to share;
• The page, document, or service involved (if applicable);
• Your preferred method of follow-up (if you would like a response); and
• Any accessible format or communication support you require for our reply.

We will acknowledge your feedback and respond in a timely manner, taking into account your accessibility needs. Feedback may be provided by any reasonable means.

If your feedback raises a concern that we have not addressed, you may also contact:

Accessibility Directorate of Ontario Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility Website: https://www.ontario.ca/page/accessibility-laws

Notice of Availability

This Policy, and any related accessibility documents we are required to make publicly available, are available on our website. They are also available in accessible formats upon request, free of charge.

Modifications to This Policy

We may revise this Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our practices, our digital content, or applicable law. We will ensure that any policy changes respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.