Multi-Year Accessibility Plan


Message from the CEO/Owner:


On behalf of Canadian Curtis Refrigeration, I am pleased to share with you our Multi-Year Accessibility Plan which outlines our continued commitment to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility. We are taking necessary steps to meet those requirements and improve opportunities for people with disabilities to do our part to make Ontario a more accessible Ontario for everyone.

I have been with Curtis for over 20 years and in that time, I have seen us strive for excellence, not only in our production, but also within the people that we hire. Creating a positive, safe, diverse and accessible workplace is of the utmost priority to us. On our website we claim that ‘Since 1934 only the best work here’, and that is something that we will continue to work toward. That is why it is so important to create a more diverse and accommodating workplace through this Multi-Year Accessibility Plan.

Our plan which is supported by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Canadian Curtis Refrigeration’s Corporate Accessibility Policy, will be updated minimally once every 5 years or as needed.

It is my personal promise to you, and to all Curtis employees, present and future, that we will continue to work towards a safe workplace that is inclusive for all employees.


Michael Gilhespy

Section 1. Past Achievements to Remove and Prevent Barriers


Customer Service

  • Personal Assistive Devices: Canadian Curtis Refrigeration has trained our employees to be familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods, services and facility.
  • Service Animals: Canadian Curtis Refrigeration has welcomed people with disabilities in ways that take into account their service animal. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.
  • Support Persons: Canadian Curtis Refrigeration has accommodated for persons with a disability who are accompanied by a support person on our premises.

Information and Communications

  • Canadian Curtis Refrigeration has communicated with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability such as making publicly available information accessible by recreating it in a different format such as printing it in a large print for someone with vision loss, or reading it aloud for someone with hearing loss
  • Make publicly available information accessible online in a format that a screen reader can access

Employment

  • Canadian Curtis Refrigeration has committed to fair and accessible employment practises
  • Canadian Curtis Refrigeration has accommodated people with disabilities during the recruitment and assessment processes and when people are hired
  • Canadian Curtis Refrigeration has taken the following steps to develop and put into place a process for developing individual accommodation plans and return-to-work policies for employees that have been absent due to a disability:
    • Involve employees in the development of their plans
    • Assess the accommodation needs of employees
    • Protect the privacy of employees’ personal information
    • inform employees why they would be denied a request for an accommodation plan
    • provide plans in accessible formats, and
    • review and update the plans with employees

Training

  • Canadian Curtis Refrigeration has provided training to employees, volunteers and other staff members on Ontario’s accessibility laws and on the Human Rights Code as it related to people with disabilities. Training has been provided in a way that best suits the duties of employees, volunteers and other staff members. Training has commenced upon hiring, and has also been provided when policies are updated.

Section 2. Strategies and Actions

Customer Service

  • Canadian Curtis Refrigeration is committed to providing accessible customer service to people with disabilities. This means that we will provide goods, services and facilities to people with disabilities with he same high quality and timeliness as others.
  • Training will be provided as soon as possible after hiring
  • Training will include:
    • an overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
    • the company’s plan related to the customer service standard
    • how to interact and communicate with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a Service Animal or a Support Person
    • what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing the company’s goods and services
  • Employees will also be trained when changes are made to the Company’s accessible customer service plan in a timely manner

Information and Communications


Canadian Curtis Refrigeration is committed to making our information and communications accessible to people with disabilities.

  • Canadian Curtis Refrigeration is committed to keeping all forms of communication accessible to those with disabilities
  • This will include:
    • making publicly available information accessible by recreating it in a different format such as printing it in a large print for someone with vision loss, or reading it aloud for someone with hearing loss
    • Make publicly available information accessible online in a format that a screen reader can access

Employment

Canadian Curtis Refrigeration is committed to fair and accessible employment practises.

  • Canadian Curtis Refrigeration is committed to fair hiring practises and will not discriminate against those with both visible and non-visible disabilities
  • Interviews will be made to be accessible for those with disabilities
  • Support Animals and Support Persons will be allowed to attend interviews if needed and if/when hired on
  • Personal Assistive Devices will be allowed to be used during the interview process and if/when hired on

Training


Canadian Curtis Refrigeration is committed to providing training in the requirements of Ontario’s accessibility laws and the Ontario Human Rights Code as it applied to people with disabilities.

Canadian Curtis Refrigeration is committed to training its employees with the most up to date training possible

Employees will be trained on the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, upon hire, as well as updated as necessary

Transportation


Canadian Curtis Refrigeration is committed to accessible transportation services.

  • Canadian Curtis Refrigeration is committed to training its employees who operate heavy machinery such as transportation trucks, and installer vehicles with the latest information as it pertains to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities