Smilegate West Inc., strives to meet the needs of its employees and customers with disabilities and is working hard to remove and prevent barriers to accessibility.
Smilegate West Inc. is committed to fulfilling our requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. This accessibility plan outlines the steps we are taking to meet those requirements and to improve opportunities for people with disabilities.
Our plan shows how we will play our role in making Ontario an accessible province for all Ontarians.
The plan is reviewed and updated at least once every 5 years.
All employees are required to complete training which covers Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and its applications. We maintain records of the training provided including the dates on which the training was provided and the number of individuals to whom it was provided.
Smilegate West Inc. is compliant with the Customer Service Standards as set out in Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and will continue to adhere to the Standards.
The Customer Service Standard mandates that a service provider must find ways to break down barriers that prevent customers with disabilities from accessing services. Due to the nature of business at Smilegate West Inc., the main barriers for our customers would be due to Technology, and Information & Communication, as our offices are closed to the public.
The Employment Standard requires that employers must make their workplace and employment practices accessible to potential or current employees with disabilities.
Smilegate West will notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment process.
Smilegate West will notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate further in an assessment or selection process that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used.
If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, Smilegate West will consult with the applicant and provide, or arrange for the provision of, a suitable accommodation in a manner that considers the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability.
When making offers of employment, Smilegate West will notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.
Smilegate West will continue to inform its employees of its policies (and any updates to those policies) used to support employees with disabilities, including policies on the provision of job accommodations that consider an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability. This information will be provided to new employees as soon as practicable after commencing employment.
Upon the request of an employee with a disability, Smilegate West will consult with the employee to provide, or arrange for the provision of, accessible formats and communication supports for information that is needed to perform their job, and information that is generally available to other employees.
In determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication Smilegate West will consult with the employee making the request.
Smilegate West will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability, if the disability is such that the individualized information is necessary, and if Smilegate West is aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability. Smilegate West will provide this information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for accommodation.
Where the employee requires assistance, Smilegate West will, with the consent of the employee, provide the workplace emergency response information to the person designated by Smilegate West to provide assistance to the employee.
Smilegate West will review the individualized workplace emergency response information when the employee moves to a different location in the organization, when the employee’s overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed.
Smilegate West will maintain a written process for the development of documented individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities.
If requested, information regarding accessible formats and communications supports provided will also be included in individual accommodation plans.
In addition, the plans will include individualized workplace emergency response information (where required), and will identify any other accommodation that is to be provided.
Smilegate West maintains a documented return to work process for its employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and who require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work.
The return to work process outlines the steps Smilegate West will take to facilitate the return to work and will include documented individual accommodation plans as part of the process.
This return to work process will not replace or override any other return to work process created by or under any other statute (i.e. the Workplace Safety Insurance Act, 1997).
Smilegate West will consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individual accommodation plans, when conducting performance management, providing career development and advancement to employees, or when redeploying employees.
Smilegate West will ensure that training is provided on the requirements of the accessibility standards referred to in the Regulation and continue to provide training on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities, to:
The training will be appropriate to the duties of the employees, volunteers and other persons.
Employees will be trained when changes are made to the accessibility policy. New employees will be provided such training as part of their orientation.
Smilegate West will keep a record of the training it provides.
Training will consist of the following:
For more information on this accessibility plan, or to request an accessible format of the plan, please contact:
Chihiro Tamaru | HR Assistant | Phone: (416) 849-8558 ext. 807 or
Connie Zhou | HR Assistant | Phone: (416) 849-8558 ext. 812
Email: info@smilegatewest.com
Last updated July 2023