Accessibility Plan 2012-2013

Each year, the Ontario Public Service (OPS) sets a course to prevent, identify and remove barriers for persons with disabilities. Every ministry participates through the preparation of its annual accessibility plans, as required under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA).

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) is Ontario’s roadmap to become accessible by 2025. It includes accessibility standards in:

  • customer service
  • information and communications
  • employment
  • transportation
  • built environment.

This year, the accessibility plans must also address the Integrated Accessibility Regulation (IASR) under the AODA enacted June 2011. The IASR required the OPS to develop a multi-year accessibility plan (MYAP) to prevent and remove barriers for persons with disabilities. It published the OPS MYAP on January 1, 2012. This included a statement of commitment for the OPS to demonstrate leadership for accessibility:

  • The OPS endeavours to demonstrate leadership for accessibility in Ontario. Our goal is to ensure accessibility for our employees and the public we serve in our services, products and facilities.

Building on the OPS Statement of Commitment, the OPS Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, and the Ministry’s 2011-2012 former Accessibility plan, the new 2012-13 accessibility plan will continue moving the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines and the OPS to the goal of demonstrating leadership in becoming an accessible province for all Ontarians.

This plan outlines the specific steps the government is taking to improve opportunities for persons with disabilities.

To view every ministry’s Accessibility Plans, visit Ontario.ca.

Section One: Report on Measures to Identify, Remove and Prevent Barriers in 2011-12

The Government of Ontario is working to achieve the most accessible province by 2025.

Since 2001, the OPS has been complying with the obligations of the ODA and prepared an annual accessibility plan, which it has made available to the public through the Government of Ontario’s public website. 

During the last ten years, the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines has been a leader in accessibility by working together with Ministries in the north to help achieve the Ontario Government’s goal to make Ontario more accessible to people with disabilities and to everyone who lives and visits here.

Launch of the Northern Mentorship Pilot Program: The Northern Mentorship Pilot Program is a joint partnership between the Northern Interministerial Council (NIC) and MNDM. The program focus was to develop and implement a reciprocal mentoring approach with two streams: Diversity and Talent Development. The Diversity Stream, modelled after the OPS Diversity Mentorship Program, was designed to educate and heighten cultural awareness for mentors by engaging in open, honest and sometimes difficult conversations with mentees with varying backgrounds. Mentees would develop their career management skills and abilities, open to all persons with disabilities working in the OPS located in Northern Ontario.

Diversity Considered in Ministry’s Employee Awards: MNDM up-dated their PRAISE nominations form to take into account diversity/accessibility workplace initiatives when determining the successful award recipients. PRAISE is MNDM’s recognition program that celebrates the accomplishments and achievements of its employees who contribute to improvements in service, operations and the work environment.

In 2011-12, the government continued to comply with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (ASCS) regulation. As well, it had begun applying initiatives to meet compliance of some of the requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation in the areas of employment, information and communications, transportation and procurement. The government continues to implement initiatives to enhance accessibility in other areas such as the built environment.

The following is a summary of the accessibility initiatives the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines implemented last year, as a result of the 2011-2012 Annual Accessibility Plan.

Reporting on 2011-2012 AODA obligations

Customer Service

In 2011-12 our ministry…

  • ensured all new classified and fixed-term staff and third-party service providers completed the necessary training to meet and exceed the requirements specified in the ASCS. This training included staff in the far north and remote locations throughout the province;
  • updated the MNDM Contact Us internet page to include our toll free TTY number and created a dedicated AODA e-mail account to enhance responsiveness to feedback on accessibility-related matters;
  • implemented a service disruption protocol to fully meet the requirements of the ASCS. The ministry’s Emergency Management Section led the development of a public service disruption notification that was responsive to the needs of ministry clients with a disability;
  • implemented the OPS Accessible Customer Service Policy, as well as associated practices and procedures, in accordance with the requirements of the ASCS.

Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines supported the broader efforts by the OPS to meet compliance to seven key requirements enshrined in the IASR, as follows:

  1. Accessibility policies -The IASR required that the OPS develop a statement of commitment as well as documented accessibility policies and a public document that describes our policies.
  2. Accessibility plans -The OPS was required to create a public facing multi-year accessibility plan to 2025 that outlines our vision and how we intend to prevent and remove barriers to accessibility. 
  3. Procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities -The regulation required that the OPS incorporate accessibility criteria and features into its procurement process.
  4. Self-service Kiosks – The OPS will be required to incorporate accessibility features into self-service kiosks it procures, designs, and/or acquires.
  5. Emergency and public safety information - OPS emergency procedures, plans and/or public safety information must be available in an accessible format, upon request, as soon as practicable. 
  6. New internet and intranet websites - New or significantly refreshed internet and intranet websites and web content on those sites must conform to WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.0 Level AA, other than live captions and audio descriptions (pre-recorded).
  7. Workplace emergency information - The OPS will be required to provide individualized workplace emergency response information to persons with disabilities.

Information and Communications

In 2011-12 our ministry…

  • worked with our Communications Branch to plan for the conformity of new internet and intranet websites and web content with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA, which excludes live captions and audio descriptions;
  • updated the accessibility section on the MNDM intranet site to enable staff to easily locate guidelines for accessible documents and other resources by providing direct links to resources provided by the OPS Diversity Office;
  • promoted the use of OPS e-learning videos on creating accessible PDF and Word documents and other subjects related to IASR by having monthly newsletter articles or tidbit, added the training to the employee orientation site;
  • encouraged staff to incorporate accessibility considerations into the preparation of communication materials through employee memos and newsletter articles and the Webmaster reviewed and tested all internet postings to ensure it meets accessibility requirements;
  • complied with the guidelines and procedures for meeting public requests for publications in accessible formats.

Employment

In 2011-12 our ministry…

  • advised the public that accommodations for persons with disabilities are available upon request (e.g., accessibility considerations for job interviews) and;
  • reviewed job advertisements to identify and remove barriers to accessibility.

Built Environment

In 2011-12 our ministry…

  • ensured that facility alterations and improvement projects were designed and implemented in compliance with up-coming AODA Built Environment standards.

Procurement

In 2011-12 our ministry’s practices…

  • were consistent with the MGS Supply Chain Management/Procurement Tools & Template policy and considered accessibility for persons with disabilities to goods or services purchased through the procurement process for the use of the ministry, its employees or the public.

Section Two: Measures Planned for 2012-13 and Beyond

Our Statement of Commitment:

The OPS endeavours to demonstrate leadership for accessibility in Ontario.  Our goal is to ensure accessibility for our employees and the public we serve in our services, products and facilities.

This year, the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines accessibility plan focuses on seven areas.  In order to demonstrate leadership in accessibility, our ministry is planning to undertake the activities described below. At a minimum, these initiatives will support compliance with the existing Accessibility Standards for Customer Service and Integrated Accessibility Standards under the AODA and other areas.

  • Customer Service
  • Employment
  • Information & Communications
  • Built Environment
  • Procurement
  • Accessibility Training
  • Accessibility Feedback

Customer Service

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities receive accessible goods and services from us.  This means they will receive goods and services with the same high quality and timeliness as others.

In 2012-13 our ministry will:

  • ensure all new classified and fixed-term staff and third-party service providers complete the necessary training to meet and exceed the requirements specified in the ASCS by cross referencing new MNDM Employees to CFLL training records and will follow up where necessary;
  • continue to implement the OPS Accessible Customer Service Policy, as well as associated practices and procedures, in accordance with the requirements of the ASCS; and
  • apply the OPS Inclusion Lens to identify areas for improvement in accessibility with regard to service delivery in MNDM and will encourage staff training on using the lens.

Information and Communications

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is committed to making government information and communications accessible to people with disabilities.  The information we provide and how we communicate it are key to delivering our programs and services to the public.

In 2012-13 our ministry will:

  • continue to work with our Communications Branch for the conformity of new internet and intranet websites and web content with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA, which excludes live captions and audio descriptions;
  • update the accessibility section on the MNDM intranet site to enable staff to easily locate guidelines for accessible documents and other resources;
  • promote the use of OPS e-learning videos and resources provided on the OPS accessibility @ source on creating accessible PDF and Word documents and other subjects related to IASR;
  • encourage staff to incorporate accessibility considerations into the preparation of communication materials;
  • comply with the guidelines and procedures for meeting public requests for publications in accessible formats.

Employment

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is committed to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retain talented employees with disabilities.  People with disabilities who are OPS employees know they can participate fully and meaningfully in services and employment. The MNDM, alongside the broader OPS, is committed to meeting all requirements specified in the Accessible Employment standards in the IASR

In 2012-13 the ministry will:

  • Ensure accessibility requirements are met in its recruitment processes;
  • Ensure accessibility requirements are met in employee accommodation and supports
  • Ensure that accessibility requirements are met in the accommodation for employees returning to work; and
  • Ensure that accessibility requirements are met in accommodation as they relate to performance management, career development and redeployment; and

Built Environment

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is committed to greater accessibility in, out of and around the buildings we use.

In 2012-13 the ministry will:

  • ensure that planned facility alterations and improvement projects are designed and implemented in compliance with Built Environment Standard

Procurement

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is committed to integrating accessibility considerations into our procurement processes. We will ask potential suppliers to tell us about the accessible options they offer.  We will include accessibility considerations in our evaluation criteria.

In 2012-13, our ministry will:

  • be consistent with the MGS Supply Chain Management/Procurement Tools & Template policy and will consider accessibility for persons with disabilities to goods or services purchased through the procurement process for the use of the ministry, its employees or the public.

Accessibility Training

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is committed to fulfilling the training requirements as specified in AODA regulation. All permanent and fixed term staff across the ministry and third party service providers will complete training.

For 2012-13 the ministry will:

  • fulfill the training requirements as specified in the ASCS.

Section Three: Review of Acts, Regulations and Policies

In support of our commitment to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines will continue to review government initiatives, including legislation and policies, to identify and remove barriers.   

Acts, Regulations and Policies Reviewed in 2011-12

Acts and Regulations

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines is committed to ensuring that our Acts and regulations are reviewed for potential accessibility barriers.

Acts, Regulations and Policies to Be Reviewed in 2012-13

Acts and Regulations

The OPS Diversity Office and the Ministry of the Attorney General have developed a coordinated approach to continue with the review of government legislation for accessibility barriers. In this next phase, high impact statutes that meet the following criteria will be reviewed:

  1. Statutes that affect persons with disabilities directly;
  2. Statutes that provide for the delivery of widely applicable services or programs;
  3. Statutes that provide benefits or protections; or
  4. Statutes that affect a democratic or civic right or duty; and

This phase of the review will be completed by the end of 2014. The government has decided to review these statutes because it is anticipated that changes in these areas will have the highest impact on those Ontarians who have accessibility needs. We will continue to report on the review in our annual accessibility plan.

Identifying, Removing and Preventing Barriers with the OPS Inclusion Lens

In 2011, the Ontario Public Service (OPS) launched the OPS Inclusion Lens. The OPS Inclusion Lens is an analytical tool that helps staff incorporate elements of inclusion into their work through an enhanced understanding of diversity and accessibility. The Inclusion Lens can be used when initiating a project or reviewing policies, programs, legislation, guidelines and procedures. The OPS Inclusion Lens can assist in identifying, removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and other dimensions of diversity.

In 2011-12,  Ministry of Northern Development and Mines used the OPS Inclusion Lens to review the Professional Geoscientist Act, 2000 for accessibility barriers.

In the future, MNDM will:

  • Continue to use, and encourage all staff to use, the OPS inclusion Lens to review all acts, regulations, policies, practises and services.
  • In 2013 and beyond, senior managers and direct reports will encourage all staff to include in their yearly learning plans the OPS Inclusion Lens e-course available through the Centre for Leadership and Learning.
  • Continue to be consistent with the MGS Supply Chain Management/Procurement Tools & Template policy and will consider accessibility for persons with disabilities to goods or services purchased through the procurement process for the use of the ministry, its employees or the public.