Who is Canadian Tire?

For purposes of this Accessibility Plan,"Canadian Tire" means Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited and itsfamily of companies including Canadian Tire Financial Services Limited,Canadian Tire Bank, Canadian Tire Real Estate Limited, Mark's Work WearhouseLimited (Mark’s), FGL Sports Ltd. (FGL),Canadian Tire Petroleum and PartSource. Canadian Tire also includes any successors or subsidiaries of theabove-listed companies.[1] 

Background

The Accessibility for Ontarians withDisabilities Act (AODA) was adopted in 2005 with a goal of making Ontariocompletely accessible for individuals with disabilities by 2025.  To reach this goal, businessesand organizations that provide goods and services to people in Ontario, arerequired to meet certain accessibility standards in 5 areas: (1) CustomerService; (2) Information and Communications; (3) Employment; (4)Transportation; and (5) the Design of Public Spaces. 

Canadian Tire is committed to eliminatingbarriers and improving accessibility for persons with disabilities and toproviding goods and services in a way that respects the dignity andindependence of people with disabilities. In2012 we implemented an Accessible Customer Service Policy to ensure that peoplewith disabilities are given the same opportunity to access and benefit from ourgoods and services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

The Integrated Accessibility StandardsRegulation (“IASR”) under AODA, which incorporates the remaining 4 accessibilitystandards, requires us to establish, implement, maintain and document amulti-year accessibility plan which outlines our strategy to prevent and removebarriers for persons with disabilities through the requirements under the IASR. 

Thefollowing accessibility standards are applicable to Canadian Tire under theIASR:

1.      General Requirements

2.      Information and Communications

3.      Employment

4.      Design of Public Spaces

In accordancewith the IASR, Canadian Tire will:

·        Establish, review and update this AccessibilityPlan

·        Post this Accessibility Plan on CanadianTire’s public website at www.canadiantire.ca

·        Provide this Accessibility Plan in an accessibleformat, upon request

·        Review and update this Accessibility Plan atleast once every 5 years

Purpose

The purpose ofthis Accessibility Plan is to outline Canadian Tire’s strategy to prevent andremove barriers to address the current and future requirements set out under theIASR.

Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation

General Requirements

Training

Commitment:

We arecommitted to implementing a process to ensure that all employees, volunteers,third party contractors who provide goods, services and facilities on behalf ofCanadian Tire, and persons participating in the development and approval of CanadianTire’s policies, are provided with appropriate training on the requirements ofthe IASR and on the Ontario Human RightsCode as it pertains to persons with disabilities, and are provided withsuch training as soon as practicable.

PlannedAction:

In addition tothe training we provide to our employees under the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service, we will providetraining to our employees, volunteers, persons who participate in developingthe organization’s policies and other staff members who provide goods, servicesor facilities on behalf of Canadian Tire on the requirements of the Integrated Accessibility StandardsRegulation and on the Human RightsCode as it relates to persons with disabilities.  Training will be provided in a way that bestsuits the individual’s actual duties.

Since January1, 2015 we completed the required training of our employees, volunteers,persons who participate in developing the organization’s policies and otherstaff members.  In order to meet thisobligation, we:

·        Develop appropriate training content.

·        Deliver training to employees, volunteers andothers required to participate.

·        Maintain a record of the training provided,including the dates that the training was provided and the number ofindividuals to whom it was provided.

·        Ensure that training is provided on any changesto the prescribed policies on an ongoing basis.

Self-Service Kiosks

Commitment:

We are committed to eliminating barriers andimproving accessibility for persons with disabilities and toproviding goods and services in a way that respects the dignity andindependence of people with disabilities. 

Actions Taken:

Should we design, procure or acquire any self-service kiosks on or afterJanuary 1, 2014, we will have regardto the accessibility for persons with disabilities.  We will ensure that any employees involved inthe procurement or acquisition are apprised of the need to consider accessibilityfeatures in choosing the appropriate self-service kiosk.

Information and Communication Standards

Commitment:

We arecommitted to making company information and communications accessible topersons with disabilities.  We willincorporate new accessibility requirements under the Information andCommunication Standard to ensure that our information and communication systemsand platforms are accessible and are provided in accessible formats that meetthe needs of persons with disabilities.

Actions Taken:

1.      EmergencyProcedure, Plans or Public Safety Information

Effective January 1, 2012, public safety information that is prepared byCanadian Tire and made available to the public will be made available in anaccessible format or with appropriate communication supports, as soon aspracticable, upon request.

2.       Accessible Websites and Web Content

Inorder to ensure all of our internet websites, and all content posted on thosewebsites since January 1, 2012, is accessible, we are continually working toimprove our digital assets and aim for all our digital properties to be WCAG2.0 AA compliant.:

3.       Feedback

Feedbackregarding the way Canadian Tire provides goods and services to people withdisabilities can be made by completing the feedback form, sending an e-mail tothe store (form and address details available through customer service desk) orby speaking directly with a manager on duty. 

4.       Accessible Formats and CommunicationSupports

Where a request for an accessible formator for communication supports is received, we will:

·        Consult with the individual making the requestto determine their accessibility needs and what would be a suitable format orsupport.

·        Provide the requested information in a timelymanner.

·        Provide the information at regular cost (if any).

Employment Standards

Commitment:

We arecommitted to fair and accessible employment practices that attract and retainemployees with disabilities.  Thisincludes providing accessibility across all stages of the employment cycle.

ActionsTaken:

The followingmeasures were implemented effective January1, 2012:

1.      WorkplaceEmergency Response Information

In situations where we are aware that anemployee has a disability and that there is a need for accommodation,individualized workplace emergency response information are provided to theemployee as soon as practicable if such information is necessary given thenature of the employee’s disability. These individualized emergency response plans are:

·        Communicated to the employees’ respectivemanager and Safety personnel, where the employees’ consent has been obtained andon an as needed basis.

·        Reviewed and assessed on an ongoing and regularbasis to ensure that accessibility issues are addressed.

2.      RecruitmentGeneral

We will notify employees and the publicof the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in therecruitment process.  This will include:

·        A review and, as necessary, modification ofexisting recruitment policies, procedures and processes.

·        Specifying that accommodation is available forapplicants with disabilities on job postings.

3.      Recruitment,Assessment and Selection

We will notify job applicants, when theyare individually selected to participate in an assessment or selection processthat accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials andprocesses to be used in the assessment/selection process.  This will include:

·        A review and, as necessary, modification ofexisting recruitment policies, procedures and processes.

·        If a selected applicant requests anaccommodation, consult with the applicant and arrange for provision of suitableaccommodations in a manner that takes into account the applicant’saccessibility needs.

4.      Noticeto Successful Applicants

When making offers of employment, wewill notify the successful applicant of our policies for accommodatingemployees with disabilities.  This willinclude:

·        A review and, as necessary, modification ofexisting recruitment policies, procedures and processes.

·        Inclusion of notification of Canadian Tire’spolicy on accommodating employees with disabilities in offer of employmentletters.

5.       Informing Employees of Supports

We will informall employees of policies that support employees with disabilities, including,but not limited to, policies on the provision of job accommodations that takeinto account an employee’s accessibility needs due to a disability.  This will include:

·        Informing current employees and new hires ofCanadian Tire’s policies supporting employees with disabilities.

·        Providing information under this section as soonas practicable after the new employee begins employment.

·        Keeping employees up to date on changes toexisting policies on job accommodations with respect to disability.

6.      AccessibleFormats and Communication Supports for Employees

Where an employee with a disability sorequests it, we will provide or arrange for provision of suitable accessibleformats and communication supports for:

·        Information that is needed in order to performthe employee’s job.

·        Information that is generally available toemployees in the workplace.

In order to meet this obligation, wewill consult with the requesting employee to determine the suitability of anaccessible format or communication support.

7.      DocumentedIndividual Accommodation Plans/Return to Work Process

Our existing processes include stepsthat we will take to accommodate an employee with a disability and tofacilitate an employee’s return to work after absenteeism due to disability.

We will review and assess the existingprocesses to ensure that they include a method for the development of documentedindividual accommodation plans for employees with a disability, if such plansare required.

We will ensure that the process for thedevelopment of documented individual accommodation plans includes the followingelements, in accordance with the provisions of the IASR:

·        The manner in which the employee requestingaccommodation can participate in the development of the plan.

·        The means by which the employee is assessed onan individual basis.

·        The manner in which we can request an evaluationby an outside medical or other expert, at Canadian Tire’s expense to assist usin determining if and how accommodation can be achieved.

·        The steps taken to protect the privacy of the employee’spersonal information.

·        The frequency in which individual accommodationplans will be reviewed and updated and the manner in which this will be done.

·        If an individual accommodation plan is denied,the manner in which the reasons for the denial will be provided to theemployee.

·        The means of providing the individualaccommodation plan in a format that takes into account the employee’saccessibility needs due to disability.

·        If individual accommodation plans areestablished, ensure that they include:

§ Individualized workplace emergency responseinformation.

§ Any information regarding accessible formats andcommunication supports that have been provided for or arranged, in order toprovide the employee with:

·        Information that is needed in order to performthe employee’s job.

·        Information that is generally available toemployees in the workplace.

·        Any other accommodation that is to be providedto the employee.

8.      PerformanceManagement, Career Development and Redeployment

We will take into account theaccessibility needs of employees with disabilities, as well as individualaccommodation plans:

·        When using our performance management process inrespect of employees with disabilities;

·        When providing career development andadvancement to our employees with disabilities;

·        When redeploying employees with disabilities.

In order to meet this obligation, wewill review, assess and, as necessary, modify existing policies, procedures andpractices to ensure compliance with the IASR.

Design of Public Spaces Standards

We will meetthe Accessibility Standards for the Design of Public Spaces when building ormaking major modifications to public spaces. 

For more information

For moreinformation on this Accessibility Plan, or for a copy of this plan in anaccessible format, please contact Canadian Tire by any of the following means:

By telephone:                   

English: 1-800-387-8803
French: 1-800-565-3356

By email:                              customerservice@cantire.com

By regularmail:                 Please forward yourcomments & questions to the following address:

PO Box 2000, Station Main
Welland, ON
L3B 5S3