Kincardine approves accessibility standards for customer service
By Liz Dadson

Kincardine Council(continued)

Kincardine council has approved the proposed accessibility standards for customer service but wants them reviewed and a report back to council in August.

Clerk Donna MacDougall told council June 3 that, according to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, businesses and organizations, including the municipality, must provide services and goods to disabled people and meet certain accessibility standards in five areas: customer service, transportation, information and communications, built environment, and employment.

The municipality must be in compliance with the customer service aspect by Jan. 1, 2010, she said. The draft policy for Kincardine includes specifics relating to assistive devices, service animals, support persons, notice of service disruption, training, and a feedback process.

Councillor Kenneth Craig said it seems like a long list of employees who need to be trained in this proper customer service. "What about volunteers and consultants we hire with a contracted company?" he asked.

MacDougall said a clause can be included in the tender that the companies have to be trained to provide customer service to people under the accessibility standards policy.

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06/06/2009 08:27 PM

"This sets out basically how we interact with disabled individuals," she said, "but (recreation director) Karen Kieffer is going to look at universal recreation equipment being available."

Councillor Ron Hewitt said the document should be circulated to the various departments for input, especially those committees most affected.

MacDougall said it was circulated to senior staff.
"I would like it to go to the recreation committee," said councillor Guy Anderson. "I'm concerned about the need for modifications."

"If I were a disabled person and there were things I couldn't access, I would find that very frustrating," said Craig. "We don't understand what they're dealing with. We should go ahead and implement this policy. We can still circulate it."

Council approved the accessibility standards for customer service and will circulate it to all committees.