Copyright © 2023. PiVAL, Ontario, Canada.

Message From our President

PiVAL International is committed to ensuring equal access and participation for people with disabilities. We are committed to treating people with disabilities in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence.

We believe in integration, and we are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner. We will do so by removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and be meeting requirements under Ontario’s accessibility laws.

PiVAL International is committed to excellence in serving and providing goods, services or facilities to all customers including people with disabilities.

With the launch of our DEI initiative this summer, PiVAL strives to make the organizational shift from tolerance to inclusion to belonging.  Through the creation of our Community Diversity Workgroup, PiVAL’s employees work together to find creative ways in which all types of diversity, including people living with disabilities, can fully contribute to the organization. In line with this DEI initiative, PiVAL will continue to update our AODA policies to surpass our standards annually and will review regularly to ensure that they reflect our commitment to inclusion.

Our Commitment

PiVAL International strives to meet the needs of its employees and customers with disabilities and is working hard to remove and prevent barriers to accessibility.

PiVAL International is committed to fulfilling our requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). This accessibility plan outlines the steps we are taking to meet those requirements and to improve opportunities for people with disabilities.

Our plan shows how we will play our role in making Ontario an accessible province for all Ontarians. The plan is reviewed and updated at least once every 5 years.

We train every person as soon as practicable after being hired and provide training in respect of any changes to the policies.

We maintain records of the training provided including the dates on which the training was provided and the number of individuals to whom it was provided.

Past Achievements to Remove and Prevent Barriers

Customer Service – Information and Communication

Our policies are guided by the following principles: Dignity, Independence, Integration, and equal opportunity. We consider a person’s disability when communicating with them and ensure our employees are prepared to communicate with customers who have various types of disabilities in a way that considers their disability. We allow assistive devices, service animals, and support persons in the parts of our premises that are open to the public and third parties. We have a policy and process in place for receiving and responding to feedback and will ensure that those processes are provided in accessible formats and with communication support upon request.  We notify the public about the availability of the accessible formats and communication supports by posting it on our website and mentioning it verbally upon request. We are also striving to meet internationally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA website requirements in accordance with Ontario’s accessibility laws.

Employment

We have made our job postings accessible and have notified employees and the public that we will accommodate the needs of people with disabilities in our hiring process. We have posted this information on our website and included it in our job postings. We communicate accessibility and accommodation policies to our employees and also inform new employees when they are hired both verbally, through email, newsletters, staff meetings and bulletin boards. We provide workplace information in an accessible format if an employee asks for it. This includes: any information needed to perform their jobs as well as general information that is available to all employees at work. We will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to any employee with a disability. We will consider the needs of an employee with a disability while we manage their performance and career development and redeployment. We have a process for writing accommodation plans as well as for return to work.

Training

We provide online training to all of our staff on accessible customer service, on work-related accessibility training that is relevant to your employee’s responsibilities, the Ontario Human Rights Code (as it relates to people with disabilities) as well as changes to our accessibility policies.

Design of Public Spaces

We will commit to making the following accessible if we are creating new spaces or making major changes to existing spaces: outdoor eating areas, outdoor play spaces, outdoor paths, and we will maintain accessible elements.

For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact our Human Resources department by:

• Email: hrinfo@pival.com
• Phone: 514-684-1600

Our accessibility plan is posted publicly on our website. Click here to access our AODA policies pages.