On December 14, 2009, Council approved an Accessible Customer Service Policy for the City of Port Colborne. This policy and the associated procedures are part of the municipality's compliance to the "Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, O. Reg. 429/07".
The Accessible Customer Service Handbook is part of the City of Port Colborne's training program with respect to Accessible Customer Service. This training must be provided to all persons who deal with members of the public or other third parties on behalf of the Corporation and all persons who participate in developing City policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of goods and services to members of the public or third parties.
Although training sessions were provided to staff in 2008 and 2009, it is important that new staff be trained and that refresher training be provided periodically. It is also imperative that the training program be expanded beyond municipal staff to include Council, members of Boards and Committees of Council and volunteers for the City.
In addition to the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, there are four proposed standards that are awaiting approval by the Minister of Community and Social Services: Transportation, Accessible Information and Communication, Accessible Built Environment and Employment Accessibility. These standards and our City's compliance to the standards will help to achieve the vision of a barrier-free Ontario by 2025.
Respectfully,
Robert J. Heil
Chief Administrative Officer
