Providing goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities

The Opinicon is committed to meeting all obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code respecting non-discrimination.

The Opinicon understands that obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA. Its accessibility standards do not substitute or limit its obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code or obligations to people with disabilities under any other law.

The Opinicon is committed to complying with both the Ontario Human Rights Code and the AODA.

The Opinicon is committed to providing an exceptional guest experience for all patrons including people with disabilities.

Our accessibility guest focused policies are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity for people with disabilities.

Assistive Devices

People with disabilities may use their personal assistive devices when accessing our services or facilities.

In cases where the assistive device presents a significant and unavoidable health or safety concern or may not be permitted for other reasons, other measures will be considered  to ensure the person with a disability can access our services or facilities.

The Opinicon is committed to ensuring that our staff are trained and/or are familiar with various assistive devices we have on site. For example, all staff should be familiar with accessible parking areas and wheelchair accessible entrances and exits.

Communication

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.

The Opinicon is committed to providing appropriate and accessible telephone service to all guests. We will train employees to communicate with guests over the telephone in plain language, while speaking clearly and slowly. We will also ensure employees are familiar with technologies intended for persons with disabilities. We will offer to communicate with guests by email, text, or letter if telephone communication is not suitable to their needs or is unavailable.

We will work with the person with a disability to determine what method of communication works for them.  Alternate methods of communication with our guests visiting our premises includes:

-Providing a notepad and pen to a guest to allow for communication in writing.

-Opinicon employee reading information aloud to a guest.

-Providing alternate forms of documents, such as braille menus, as well as informing guests information is available on our websites.

-If a solution or accommodation is not readily available or provided, the guest’s request will be recorded and accommodated to the best of our ability.

Service Animals

The Opinicon welcomes people with disabilities and their service animals.

When we can not easily identify that an animal is a service animal, our staff may ask for documentation from a regulated health professional that confirms the person needs the service animal for reasons relating to their disability.

A service animal can be easily identified through visual indicators, such as when it wears a harness or a vest, or when it helps the person perform certain tasks.

If service animals are excluded by law, The Opinicon will provide alternative ways for persons with disabilities to access its good and/or services including:

-Take-out services

-Bringing the goods and/or services to a reasonable location where the service animal is permitted

If a health and safety concern presents itself, for example, another guest has a severe allergy to the service animal, we will make all reasonable efforts to meet the needs of all guests by providing distant seating arrangements.

Support Persons

Support persons will be permitted access to our services and facilities in the same manner as any other guest.  We will ensure that both the guest with the disability and the support person are allowed to enter the premises together and that the guest is not prevented from having access to the support person.

In certain circumstances, The Opinicon might require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person for the health or safety reasons of the person with a disability or others on the premises.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities, The Opinicon will notify customers promptly.

Guests will be verbally notified of the temporary disruption in service when they are making a reservation online or over the telephone.

Notices will be posted on both of our message boards on the main driveway and at the front entrance of the building and on our website. Notices will include information about the reason for the disruption, the anticipated length of time and a description of alternative facilities or services if applicable or available.

All efforts will be made to rectify any service disruption as soon as possible.

Training

The Opinicon will provide Accessible Customer Service training to:

-All employees and volunteers

-Anyone involved in developing our policies

-Anyone who provides services or facilities to customers on our behalf

Training will include:

-Purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirement of the customer service standard

-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 support person

Current Opinicon employees have completed training. Training of new employees will be conducted during onboarding and orientation prior to beginning their first ‘shift’. Alternative training formats will be available, one on one, in writing, etc. upon request to meet the needs of the individual. Training content will include all aspects of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service and any other information as is necessary. Training needs will be reviewed and updated as required to reflect any legislative or organizational changes.

Feedback

The Opinicon welcomes feedback on how we provide accessible customer services. Guest feedback will help us to identify barriers and respond to concerns.

Guests who wish to provide feedback on the way in which we provide services and facilities to people with disabilities can contact us in the following ways:

-Email to eatwithus@opinicon.com

-Verbally, either in person or at 613-359-5233 ext. 209

All feedback will be referred to the General Manager. Guests can expect a response within 7 days.

The Opinicon will ensure that our feedback process is accessible to people with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communications support upon request. 

Notice of Availability of Documents

The Opinicon will notify the public that documents related to accessible customer service are available on our website: .opinicon.com/accessibility

The Opinicon will provide this document in an accessible format or with communication support, on request. We will provide the accessible format in a timely manner and at no additional cost.

Modifications to this Policy

Any policies of The Opinicon that do not respect and promote the principles of dignity, independence, integrations and equal opportunity for people with disabilities will be modified or removed.