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Accessibility

Accessible Stakeholder Service Plan

Food Banks Canada is committed to excellence in serving all stakeholders (organizations it works with, donors, and volunteers) including people with disabilities.

At Foods Banks Canada, we strive to provide services and resources in a way that respects the dignity and independence of all members of our community at all times. We also commit to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our services and resources, and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place, and in a similar way as other users. If a barrier to accessing our services and resources cannot be removed, we will seek alternative ways to access the services and resources.  

This plan complies with applicable legislative requirements regarding accessibility including meeting the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and its Customer Service Standards. Food Banks Canada commits to include accessibility in our planning processes. 

Assistive Devices – We will ensure that our staff is trained and familiar with various assistive devices, (provided) that may be used by stakeholders with disabilities while accessing our goods or services. 

Persons with disabilities will be permitted to obtain or use services or resources through the use of their own assistive devices. If an assistive device may pose a risk to health and safety of the stakeholder or others on the premises, Food Banks Canada will accommodate the stakeholder by providing an alternative where possible.

Communication – We will communicate with people in ways that take into account their disability. We offer a number of methods of communication, which will promptly be provided to our stakeholders as requested. 

Please feel free to ask us if there is a specific communication method you require and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Service Animals – We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals, however, we do not have any physical premises required to access our organizations services.  

Support Persons – A person with a disability who is supported by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them while accessing our services.   Support persons that accompany someone with a disability are permitted the same access as the person they are accompanying. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to their support person while receiving Food Bank Canada services. 

Notice of Temporary Disruption – If any services to accommodate disabled stakeholders are interrupted in a way that would limit them from gaining access to Food Banks Canada’s services or resources, stakeholders will be notified. Notice of the temporary interruption will be placed on Food Banks Canada’s website or another conspicuous location and include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

Training – To create awareness and ensure compliance, Food Banks Canada will provide accessibility training to employees, volunteers, and others who work with our stakeholders.

Training will include: 

  • An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
  • Food Banks Canada’s plan related to 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 a support person
  • How to use any equipment that may help with providing goods or services to people with disabilities 
  • What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Food Banks Canada’s information/meetings

Staff will also be provided with updated training when changes are made to Food Banks Canada’s accessibility policies, practices, and procedures. 

Notice of Availability – Food Banks Canada will ensure that information in this accessibility plan is available to its stakeholders upon request and on its website.

Provide accessible invoices and receipts to all of our stakeholders – Food Banks Canada will ensure to answer questions stakeholders may have about the content of the invoices, tax receipts and business receipts in person, or by telephone, or e-mail.

Any policy of Food Banks Canada that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

Questions or Feedback – Stakeholders who wish to provide feedback on the way Food Banks Canada conducts its work with people with disabilities can be made:

Alternative methods of communication, including meeting in person, are also available on request.

All feedback including complaints will be handled within 5 business days by the appropriate staff person, depending on the nature of the feedback. Please see Food Banks Canada’s complaints policy for more information on our response to complaints that we receive. If you would like to be contacted regarding your feedback, please include your name and contact information. We will do our best to respond to you as promptly as possible.