Canadian Club Toronto is committed to improving accessibility and herewith enacts the following Accessibility Policy. This document outlines the Club’s policy and procedures for welcoming and providing accommodation for people with a disability. Canadian Club Toronto may review and revise this policy from time to time in light of the needs of its members and attendees at its events as well as its own financial resources.
Canadian Club Toronto will notify the public and staff that, when requested, it will accommodate disabilities during recruitment and assessment processes and when people are hired. If needed, it will provide customized workplace emergency information to employees who have a disability. If using performance management, career development and redeployment processes, it will take into account the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities.
I. Procedures for Submitting Requests: Deaf people and people with hearing loss seeking accommodation for a Canadian Club event must contact the Canadian Club and indicate the specific accommodation(s) being requested. Requests for such accommodation may be made either:
a.By phone to the Events Manager at 416-364-5590; or
b. By email to info@canadianclub.org. All e-mail requests should indicate “Request for Accommodation” in the subject line.
II. Accommodations Provided: Where requests are made in accordance with this Policy, the Canadian Club will book a sign language interpreter for the event and/or provide seating accommodation for Canadian Club events.
a. Booking of Sign Language Interpreter: Upon receiving a request for a sign language interpreter, the Canadian Club will schedule a sign language interpreter through the Canadian Hearing Society. The Canadian Hearing Society’s policy is that bookings must be made one month in advance of the date for which the sign language interpreter is required in order to guarantee that a sign language interpreter will be available. Where bookings are made less than one month in advance, Canadian Club Toronto cannot guarantee that it will be able to schedule a sign language interpreter for that event.
b. Seating for Each Canadian Club Event: Upon receiving a request by e-mail or telephone submitted in accordance with the procedures outlined above, the Canadian Club will attempt to accommodate the request for seating accommodation of the deaf person or person with hearing loss.
Seating for Canadian Club events is often confirmed and finalized one or two weeks prior to the event itself. Canadian Club Toronto reserves priority seating for each Canadian Club event to be filled by deaf people or people with hearing loss. Canadian Club Toronto holds these seats open for up to four days prior to the event itself. Where a request is made after seating arrangement are confirmed and finalized, Canadian Club Toronto cannot guarantee that it will be able to accommodate the specific request for seating of the deaf person or person with hearing loss.
III. Where Sign Language Interpreter Unavailable: Canadian Club Toronto will attempt to book a sign language interpreter from the OIS for its events but cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so. Where Canadian Club Toronto is unable to obtain a sign language interpreter for an event: which a deaf person or person with hearing loss wishes to attend, Canadian Club Toronto offers the following alternatives:
a. such person may arrange for his or her own sign language interpreter and Canadian Club Toronto will cover the costs for such interpreters for an amount up to the rates charged by the Ontario Interpreting Services (OIS) for sign language interpreters;
b. Canadian Club Toronto may be able to arrange alternative services such as FM systems where such request is made in a timely manner; or,
c. where the foregoing accommodations are not possible or not satisfactory, Canadian Club Toronto will reimburse the full cost of the person’s ticket to that Canadian Club event.
IV. Payment for Sign Language Interpreter: Canadian Club Toronto will cover the cost of the sign language interpreter for the scheduled time of the event. Canadian Club events normally run over a two-hour period between 12:00p.m. and 1:45p.m. with registration beginning at 11:45a.m. As the Canadian Club is only able to book its interpreters for two hour increments, Canadian Club Toronto will only cover the cost of ASL interpreters for two hours.
V. Interpreter Procedure at each Canadian Club Event: Upon arrival at a Canadian Club event, the sign language interpreter must see the Events Manager or the Executive Director of the Canadian Club at the Event Registration Desk. The Events Manager or Executive Director will then provide the sign language interpreter with:
a. an overview of the event;
b. information regarding event procedures;
c. details regarding where he or she may stand or be seated during the course of the event; and, d. any additional information the sign language interpreter may require.
During the course of the meal and the speaker’s address, Canadian Club Toronto will position the sign language interpreter in a position where the deaf person or person with hearing loss can view both the speaker and the sign language interpreter, subject to any security requirements. Canadian Club Toronto requires that the sign language interpreter abide at all times by its directions and the directions of any security personnel at the event.
Canadian Club Toronto will meet the Accessibility Standards for the Design of Public Spaces when building or making major modifications to public spaces and will make every effort to use venues that comply with the letter and spirit of its obligations to people with disabilities.
If there is a problem with facilities, equipment or services that people with disabilities rely on, Canadian Club Toronto will provide notice to the public. The way the Canadian Club provides the notice will be determined by the nature of the problem. The Canadian Club will always try to make alternative arrangements to provide service where possible.
Canadian Club Toronto is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. When asked, it will provide information and communications materials in accessible formats or with communication supports. This includes publicly available information about its goods, services and facilities, as well as publicly available emergency information. The Canadian Club welcomes feedback and will consult with people with disabilities to determine their information and communication needs.
This Accessibility Policy shall be reviewed by The Board at least every three years or as required by a change in legislation.
