Bell Temple LLP is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for all stakeholders, including clients, employees, job applicants, suppliers, and any visitors who enter the firm’s premises and/or access the firm’s services.
The firm is committed to ensuring equal access and participation for people with disabilities. The firm will strive to identify, remove, and prevent barriers for persons with disabilities and to meet our accessibility requirements under Ontario’s accessibility laws.
Definitions
Barrier: Anything physical, architectural, technological, or attitudinal, anything that is based on information or communications, or anything that is the result of a policy or a practice that hinders the full and equal participation in society of a person with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, or sensory impairment, or a functional limitation.
Disability: Any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, and sensory impairment, or functional limitation that is either permanent, temporary, or episodic in nature. It can be evident or not in interaction with a barrier to hinder a person’s full and equal participation in society.
Guidelines
Accessibility Plan
The accessibility plan includes an overview of our policies, programs, practices, and services in relation to the identification and removal of barriers and the prevention of new barriers. The accessibility plan was prepared and published by (June 1, 2023), and updated every three years following that, or sooner if necessary.
The accessibility plan was developed in consultation with persons with disabilities and indicate how they were consulted. This process is followed for the creation of and any updates to the plan. Bell Temple LLP adheres to all requirements made by regulation in the development and ongoing maintenance of the accessibility plan.
The accessibility plan is written in simple, clear, and concise language to ensure it can be comprehended. The plan includes a “General” section with information, including the name of the designated individual feedback should be submitted to and their company contact information to ensure anyone can request the plan in accessible formats or provide feedback. It also includes designated sections on accessibility in the areas of employment, the built environment, information and communication technologies, communication, procurement of goods, services, and facilities, the design and delivery of programs and services, and transportation. The plan also includes a “Consultation” section with information on how consultations with persons with disabilities contribute to preparing the accessibility plan.
The accessibility plan is offered in any of the following formats upon request:
Request for accessible formats of the accessibility plan can be made by phone or e-mail.
The accessibility plan will be made available as soon as feasible. In the instance of a request for the plan in a Braille or audio format, it will be provided 45 days after the day the request was received. Requests for other formats will be provided within 45 days after the day the request was received.
Employment
Bell Temple LLP understands that improving workplace accessibility and ensuring an accessible recruitment and selection process for applicants with disabilities can contribute to a more diverse and welcoming workplace culture. The firm makes every effort to identify, remove, and prevent barriers by developing inclusive employment procedures that support persons with disabilities. Where necessary, accommodations are made during the recruitment and selection stages, and throughout the employment lifecycle. All training and development programs provided consider an employee’s barriers and abilities.
Submitting Feedback
Bell Temple LLP welcomes feedback from its employees regarding the accessibility plan and any barriers encountered by persons with disabilities. Employees who provide formal feedback receive acknowledgement of their feedback, along with any resulting actions based the concerns or complaints they submit.
Employees can submit feedback to:
Rose Devoe
416-581-8210
900-70 York Street
Toronto, ON
M5J 1S9
[email protected]
Employees can provide feedback anonymously if desired, and feedback remains confidential unless the person consents to the disclosure of their personal information. Feedback is received in whatever format the individual providing the feedback is most comfortable with. The feedback process is published in conformance with all applicable legislation. Any changes to the accessibility plan or the feedback process are published as soon as possible and notice of any changes are reported to the accessibility commissioner. The personal information of anyone who provides feedback remains confidential in accordance with all applicable privacy laws.
Progress Reports
Bell Temple LLP prepares, publishes, and submits a progress report to the accessibility commissioner regarding the implementation of the accessibility plan each year the plan is not required to be published or updated. This report follows a similar structure to the accessibility plan and includes feedback and contact information, information about the consultations completed for the development of the plan, and any feedback received on the accessibility plan. The report addresses how the consultations and feedback were taken into consideration during the process. Progress reports can be made available upon request and are available in all accessible formats the accessibility plan is available in.
Document Retention
The firm keeps detailed records of the creation, implementation, and updating of the accessibility plan and progress reports. The accessibility plan and feedback process are retained www.belltemple.com for seven years from the publication date. Any feedback provided to the firm is retained for seven years from the date it is received. Where necessary, names and personal information of individuals and employees who participated in the feedback process are redacted to ensure confidentiality and privacy.