Accessibility

In fulfilling our mission, WAHA strives to respect the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services allowing them to benefit from the same service, in the same place, and in a similar ways as other individuals.

For more information on WAHA’s Accessibility standards, please see our Governance Policy – Customer Service Standard.

To learn about WAHA’s commitment to ensuring staff, patients, visitors and volunteers are able to access the hospital safely, please see our Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2025-2030.

Accessibility Policy

1.0 Purpose

Weeneebayko Area Health Authority is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for all interest-holders, including our clients/customers, employees, job applicants, suppliers, and any visitors who may enter our premises, access our information, or use our services. As an organization, we respect and uphold the requirements set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005), and its associated standards and regulations.
Providing an accessible and barrier-free environment is a shared effort, and as an organization, Weeneebayko Area Health Authority is committed to working with the necessary parties to make accessibility for all a reality.
This policy is designed to be read in conjunction with the WAHA Accessibility Plan.

2.0 Application

All WAHA workers, physicians, learners, volunteers, contractors, consultants, etc.
All WAHA sites/locations.

3.0 Definitions

Accessibility – giving people of all abilities opportunities to participate fully in everyday life by identifying and removing barriers, and addressing the needs of those with different disabilities, as defined by the AODA. (Government of Ontario, 2005)
Accessibility Plan – WAHA is required to develop a multi-year accessibility plan which outlines the specific measures taken by WAHA to achieve compliance with the requirements of AODA (Government of Ontario, 2025b). This plan is posted to WAHA’s public website.
Accessible Formats – Formats that are an alternative to standard formats and are accessible to persons with disabilities, including, without limitation, braille, accessible audio formats, large print, text transcripts of visual and audio information, and other formats usable by persons with disabilities. (Government of Ontario, 2025a).
AODA – Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, including the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation. (Government of Ontario, 2005)
Assistive Device – A device that assists users in accomplishing day-to-day functions. These include, but are not limited to, eyeglasses, dentures, wheelchairs, hearing aids, adaptive computer technologies, ventilators, walkers, crutches and personal sound amplification devices. (Ontario Health atHome, 2025)
Communication Supports – Supports that individuals with disabilities may need to access information. These include, but are not limited to, captioning, alternative and augmentative communication supports, plain language, sign language and other supports that facilitate effective communications.
Communications – means the interaction between two or more people or entities, or any combination of them, where information is provided, sent or received.
Disability:
1. any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness,
2. a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
3. a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
4. a mental disorder, or
5. an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
  (Ontario Human Rights Commission, n.d.)
Interest Holders – Groups with legitimate interests in an issue/issues addressed by a controlled document. These terms replace the “stakeholder,” which may have colonial connotations for some populations and be perceived as disrespectful (Akl et al., 2024).
WAHA – Weeneebayko Area Health Authority

4.0 Standards: Customer Service

The Provision of Goods and Services to Persons with Disabilities
1. WAHA 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 (Government of Ontario, 2022) by:
  1. Ensuring that all customers receive the same value and quality;
  2. Allowing customers with disabilities to do things in their own ways, at their own pace when accessing goods and services as long as this does not present a safety risk;
  3. Using alternative methods when possible, to ensure that customers with disabilities have access to the same services, in the same place and in a similar manner;
  4. Taking into account individual needs when providing goods and services; and
  5. Communicating in a manner that takes into account the customer’s disability.
2. As a provider of transportation services to interest holders, WAHA endeavours to provide accessible transportation services where possible. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to request any additional services needed.
The Use of Assistive Devices
1. Customer’s Own Assistive Device(s)
  1. People with disabilities may use their personal assistive devices when accessing our goods, services or facilities.
  2. 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 used to ensure the person with a disability can access our goods, services or facilities.
  3. WAHA ensures that our workers are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that are on site or that are provided that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods, services or facilities.
Service Animals
1. WAHA welcomes service animals.
2. 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.
3. When WAHA workers cannot easily identify that an animal is a service animal, our workers may ask for documentation (template, letter or form) from an approved Regulated Health Professional (Government of Ontario, 2026) that confirms the person needs the service animal for reasons relating to their disability.
4. If service animals are prohibited by another law or by WAHA policy, WAHA will do the following to ensure people with disabilities can access our goods, services or facilities:
  1. Explain why the animal is excluded
  2. Discuss with the customer another way of providing goods, services or facilities
5. The customer who is accompanied by a guide dog, service dog and/or service animal is responsible for maintaining care and control of the animal at all times.
6. If a health and safety concern presents itself, for example, in the form of a severe allergy to the animal, WAHA will make all reasonable efforts to meet the needs of all individuals.
The Use of Support Persons
1. If a customer with a disability is accompanied by a support person, WAHA will ensure that both people are allowed to enter the premises together and that the customer is not prevented from having access to the support person. There may be times when seating and availability prevent the customer and support person from sitting beside each other. In these situations, WAHA will make every reasonable attempt to resolve the issue. In situations where confidential information might be discussed, consent will be obtained in keeping with WAHA’s privacy/consent policies and procedures.

5.0 Standards: Notice of Disruptions in Service

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for people with disabilities, WAHA will notify the applicable persons promptly using clearly posted signs which will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if applicable. This could include:
1. Closures of entrances and barrier-free paths of travel for maintenance or
2. Construction
3. Downtime of information technology

6.0 Standards: Customer Feedback

WAHA provides all customers with the opportunity to provide feedback on the service provided to customers with disabilities via the WAHA Patient Experience process, as outlined on WAHA’s public website, and in the published WAHA Accessibility Plan.

7.0 Standards: Training

Training is provided in keeping with Ontario Regulation 429/07 (Government of Ontario, 2016).

Training Schedule

WAHA will provide training during orientation as soon as possible. Training is provided for new employees, volunteers, and learners. Agents and/or contractors are expected to provide proof of training; if not available, training is provided. Training is revised in the event of changes to legislation, procedures and/or practices.

Record of Training

WAHA keeps records of training in accordance with applicable legislation and the WAHA Policy: Retention and Disposal of Records. 

8.0 Standards: Notice of Availability and Format of Documents

WAHA notifies customers that documents related to the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service are available upon request and in a format that considers the customer’s disability via the WAHA Website. Notification will be given by posting the information in a conspicuous place owned and operated by WAHA, the WAHA’s website and/or any other reasonable method.

9.0 Standards: Employment Standards

WAHA is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and volunteering opportunities for people with disabilities. WAHA advises potential applicants of this commitment and the opportunities for accommodation at the earliest point of employment candidacy. The process includes provisions under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation 191/11. It covers areas of:

Recruitment, assessment and selection
Accessible formats and communication support for employees
Workplace emergency response information
Documented individual accommodation plans
Return to work process
Performance management
Career development and advancement
1. Redeployment

10.0 Standards: Emergency Response Planning

WAHA takes into consideration the needs of individuals when developing emergency response procedures. WAHA also endeavours to remove barriers and enhance infrastructure to support individuals with disabilities during times of emergency.

Throughout the accommodation process, individuals with disabilities are encouraged to identify the need for assistance during an emergency to ensure adequate planning and training can occur to ensure the safety of employees. 

WAHA Accessibility Plan

12.0 References

Akl, E. A., Khabsa, J., Petkovic, J., Magwood, O., Lytvyn, L., Motilall, A., Campbell, P., Todhunter‐Brown, A., Schünemann, H. J., Welch, V., Tugwell, P., & Concannon, T. W. (2024). “Interest‐holders”: A new term to replace “stakeholders” in the context of health research and policy. Cochrane Evidence Synthesis and Methods, 2(11), e70007. https://doi.org/10.1002/cesm.70007
Government of Ontario. (2005). Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, S.O. 2005, c. 11. Ontario e-Laws. Retrieved March 3, 2026, from https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/05a11
Government of Ontario. (2016). O. Reg. 429/07 Accessibility Standards For Customer Service. Ontario e-Laws. Retrieved March 3, 2026, from https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/070429
Government of Ontario. (2022, October 5). How to make customer service accessible. ontario.ca. Retrieved March 3, 2026, from https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-make-customer-service-accessible
Government of Ontario. (2025a, July 31). How to make information accessible. ontario.ca. Retrieved March 3, 2026, from https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-make-information-accessible#section-2
Government of Ontario. (2025b, July 31). How to create an accessibility plan and policy. ontario.ca. Retrieved March 3, 2026, from https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-create-accessibility-plan-and-policy#section-0
Government of Ontario. (2026, January 8). Accessibility in Ontario: what you need to know. ontario.ca. Retrieved March 3, 2026, from https://www.ontario.ca/page/accessibility-ontario-what-you-need-to-know#section-7
Ontario Health atHome. (2025, December 19). Policy: Accessibility. Retrieved March 3, 2026, from https://www.ontariohealthathome.ca/blobohahprod4cd80afe1b/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/OHaH-Accessibility-Policy-EN.pdf
Ontario Human Rights Commission. (n.d.). What is disability? Retrieved March 3, 2026, from https://www3.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-ableism-and-discrimination-based-disability/2-what-disability
Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (n.d.) Accessibility. Retrieved March 26, 2026 from https://waha.ca/about/accessibility/