Accessibility

Our Commitment

Adamson and AAI strive to provide our services in a manner that is accessible to all of our clients, the public, or other third parties on their behalf and respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are committed to offering equal opportunity to access our services and to providing the benefit of the same services, in the same place, and in a similar manner to all clients. Adamson and AAI are committed to excellence in serving all clients, including people with disabilities, and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

Communication

In our communications, Adamson and AAI ensure everyone is treated with respect and dignity by giving them our full attention by taking the time to understand the needs of each individual person. We put ‘the person’ first by providing flexible service that meets the needs of each individual and understanding that some methods of service may not work for all people.

Telephone Services

Adamson and AAI are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our clients, the public, or other third parties on their behalf. Staff will communicate over the telephone in simple, plain language, speaking clearly and slowly.

Assistive Devices

Adamson and AAI are committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use, or benefit from our services. We will ensure that our staff is familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by clients with disabilities while accessing our services. Such devices may include walkers, braces, oxygen tanks, wheelchairs, scooters, canes, hearing aids, etc.

Support Persons

We welcome any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter our premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises. Should there be a need to have a conversation involving confidential information, we will ask for consent from the individual with the disability before the conversation takes place.

Accessible Emergency Information

Adamson and AAI are committed to providing our clients with emergency information upon request. We will provide employees with disabilities with individualized emergency response information when necessary.

Employment

Adamson and AAI are committed to fair and accessible employment practices. This Accessibility Statement and Plan for Employment is available in an accessible format upon request.

Employment Standards

Adamson and AAI are committed to ensuring that reasonable accommodations are made available to employees with disabilities.

  • Inform potential employees on our web site as well as during the interview process of policies for supporting employees with disabilities including advising of changes on an ongoing basis
  • Provides accessible formats and/or communication supports to employees, upon request;
  • Provides individualized workplace emergency response information to employees or any person designated to provide assistance to an employee
  • Return to work processes developed for employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and require reasonable accommodations to return to work
  • Reviews and considers the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities throughout the career development process

Service Animals

Adamson and AAI are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

Adamson and AAI provide clients with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be placed at all public entrances and appropriate counters on our premises.

Availability and Format of Documents

Our policy will be made available upon request. Adamson and AAI will strive to provide the information contained within this policy to a person with a disability upon request and in a format that considers their disability.

Training for Staff

Adamson and AAI will provide training to all employees and others who deal with clients, the public, or other third parties on their behalf as well as those who are involved in the development and approvals of practices and procedures on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities. This policy will be communicated to all staff via e‐mail and posted on our intranet. New employees will be informed during orientation through the office policy and procedures manual. We will provide retraining when there are changes to our accessible customer service plan.

Training will include the following:

  • The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
  • Review of Adamson and AAI customer service policy
  • How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
  • How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
  • How to use the equipment or devices available at the workplace to assist with providing services to people with disabilities
  • What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing our services
  • Training on the requirements of the IAS and Human Rights Code
  • Review of Accessibility Statement and Plan on an ongoing basis and update training when required

Feedback Process

Feedback from members of the public about the delivery of our architectural services to persons with disabilities should be directed to the human resources manager, Christopher Lloyd, and can be submitted in the following ways:

  • In-person (by visiting our office)
  • By mail to 401 Wellington Street West, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5V 1E7
  • By phone 416-967-1500 ext 2149
  • By email to clloyd@adamson-associates.com

​If the individual providing feedback wishes to be contacted, they must provide their name and contact information. Complaints will be addressed by human resources and/or principals. Where appropriate, an investigation into a complaint may be conducted. If the individual making the complaint so requests, the individual will receive a response to his or her complaint from human resources and/or principals.