ACCESSIBILITY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES – GUEST SERVICES POLICY
PURPOSE
CARA is committed to providing the Perfect Guest Experience to all Guests. CARA will provide goods and/or services, both electronically and/or in person, in a manner that respects the independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity for persons with disabilities. CARA is committed to providing accessible and equitable customer service to each and every one of our diverse and valued Guests. This policy outlines the provision of goods and/or services to persons with disabilities, the use of assistive devices, service animals and support persons by persons with disabilities, notice of temporary disruptions in services and facilities, training, Guest feedback regarding the provision of goods and/or services to persons with disabilities, and the notice of availability and format of documents.
DEFINITIONS
Assistive Device: A device used by persons with a disability to facilitate access and/or independence in everyday tasks. Such devices include mobility equipment (i.e.: wheelchairs and walkers) as well as portable communication devices, head wands, hearing aids and much more.
Disability:
- Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device;
- a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability;
- a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
- a mental disorder; or
- an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
Service Animal: An animal is a service animal for a person with a disability,
(a) if it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability; or
(b) if the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.
Support Person: Means, in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies him or her in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods and/or services.
PROVIDING GOODS AND SERVICES TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
CARA will make every reasonable effort to ensure that its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity by:
- Ensuring that all Guests receive the same value and quality;
- Allowing Guests with disabilities to do things in their own ways, at their own pace when accessing goods and/or services as long as this does not present a safety risk;
- Using alternative methods when possible to ensure that Guests with disabilities have access to the same services, in the same place and in a similar manner;
- Taking into account individual needs when providing goods and/or services; and
- Communicating in a manner that takes into account the Guest’s disability.
COMMUNICATION – PRINT MATERIAL ACCOMMODATIONS
CARA will communicate to persons with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. We will train our service Associates on how to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disabilities.
COMMUNICATION – TELEPHONE SERVICES
CARA is committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to all Guests. We will train CARA Associates to communicate with Guests over the telephone in plain language while speaking clearly and slowly. We will also make our Associates familiar with technologies intended for persons with disabilities.
ASSISTIVE DEVICES
CARA welcomes the use of assistive devices by our Guests to access our goods and/or services. We will ensure our Associates are trained on how to interact with individuals using various assistive devices and alternative service methods.
BILLING/INVOICES
CARA is committed to providing accessible billing/invoices to all our Guests and third party business partners. CARA will answer any questions Guests may have about the content of the billing and will be responsible for ensuring that the alternative formats are available upon request as required.USE OF SERVICE ANIMALS AND SUPPORT PERSONS
SERVICE ANIMAL
Persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal are welcome at all CARA properties when accessing our goods and/or services except where excluded by law.
SUPPORT PERSON
All support persons are welcome at all CARA properties. For any admission fees required of a support person, advanced notice will be provided. Support persons will not be included where group gratuity fees apply.
NOTICE OF TEMPORARY DISRUPTION
Where required by law, during a temporary disruption in services, CARA will make a reasonable effort to provide Guests with notice of the reason for the disruption and its anticipated duration. Notices will be posted at the entrance as soon as possible. If alternate facilities and/or services are available during the disruption we will also include this information in the posted notice.
TRAINING
Where required by law, CARA will provide training for all Associates on accessibility for persons with disabilities. This includes all required Associates and third party business partners contracted by CARA engaging with our Guests on our behalf. In addition, everyone who is involved with and/or influences Guest experience policies and standard operating practices and procedures will also be trained. Training will be recorded and updated in respect to any changes to the policies, practices, or procedures surrounding accessibility for persons with disabilities. Training will be provided within the first week of employment.
Training will include:
- Purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and requirements of the standard
- Policies, practices, and procedures
- How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disability in a manner that takes into account his or her disability
- How to interact with persons with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
- How to use equipment or devices available that may help with the provisions of goods and/or services
- What to do if a person with a particular type of disability is having difficulty accessing goods and/or services
- Policies, practices, and procedures pertaining to providing accessible customer service to persons with disabilities
FEEDBACK PROCESS
Where required by law, CARA has established a feedback process specifically for the accessibility of our Guest services. The ultimate goal of CARA is to provide the Perfect Guest Experience while serving persons with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated. Feedback is accepted in the following formats: in person, by telephone, by mail, by email or by website e-submission.
CARA shall notify Guests that documents related to the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service are available upon request and in a format that takes into account the Guest’s disability. Notification will be given by posting the information in a conspicuous place owned and operated by CARA, the CARA website and/or any other reasonable method.
MODIFICATIONS TO THIS OR OTHER POLICIES
CARA is committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on persons with disabilities. Any policy of CARA that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities will be modified or removed. This policy and its related procedures will be reviewed as required in the event of legislative changes.
AODA Compliance Statement
The Milestones on the Falls Restaurant is proud to adhere to all federal, provincial and local laws and regulations towards creating a fully accessible environment for everyone. The Milestones on the Falls Restaurant is committed to providing quality service that is accessible to all guests and members of the public. It is our goal to ensure that everyone is able to experience our services with the same attention to detail and in the same manner.
Customer Service Policy [pdf], View Accessibility Compliance Report [pdf] and Multi-Year Accessibility Plan [pdf]
The Milestones on the Falls Restaurant believes in providing an environment that is accessible for all and strives to provide a customer experience that meets or exceeds your expectations. We are committed to improving accessibility for all persons who use our services and we welcome your comments, questions and suggestions about the provision of our services to people with disabilities. You can use one of the following methods to provide feedback:
Via email: https://www.milestonesonthefalls.com/contact-us
Via mail: 6755 Fallsview Boulevard, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, L2G3W7
Via telephone: 1-800-618-9059
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS POLICY
The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework through which CARA can achieve the Perfect Guest Experience for persons with disabilities. If anyone has a question about the policy, if the purpose of a policy is not understood, or to provide general feedback, please direct your enquiries to Cara Operations Limited, as follows:
- In Person/By Mail: 199 Four Valley Dr, Vaughan, ON L4K 0B8
- By Phone: 1-905-760-2244
- Email Address/Website: info@cara.com or www.cara.com