Accessibility Policy

Effective Date: March 15, 2025

STATEMENT
It is our commitment to provide a service to all of our visitors and users. We strive to meet the requirements of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (Ontario Regulation 429/07).

GUIDELINES
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, commonly referred to as the AODA, is a provincial legislation aimed at fostering an inclusive environment for individuals with disabilities throughout Ontario. Its primary objective is to develop, implement, and enforce a series of accessibility standards that ensure equal access to goods, services, facilities, accommodations, employment opportunities, buildings, structures, and premises for all residents.

One significant component of the AODA is Ontario Regulation 429/07, known as the "Accessibility Standards for Customer Service." This regulation went into effect on January 1, 2008, and is specifically designed to set forth clear accessibility standards for customer service. It applies to public sector organizations, as well as private entities that offer goods and services to the general public.
In light of these requirements, we are pleased to provide you with the following suggestions tailored to help you meet the accessibility needs of your organization and enhance the overall experience for all customers.

SCREEN MAGNIFICATION ON PC
For Windows operating systems: press Ctrl and + to zoom in (Ctrl and – to zoom out).
For Mac operating systems, press Cmd and + to zoom in (Cmd and – to zoom out).

TEXT TO SPEECH ON PC
For Microsoft Windows users, the capabilities of the feature (known as Microsoft Narrator) vary depending on your operating system:

Here are the steps to use Text-to-Speech (TTS) on Windows 10 and 11:

1. Open Settings:
- Click the **Start Menu** and select the gear icon to open **Settings**.

2. In Windows 10 go to Access Ease of Access:
- In the Settings menu, click on **Ease of Access**.
In Windows 11 go to Accessibility
- In the Setting menu, click on **Accessibility**.

3. In Windows 10:
- On the left-hand side, select **Narrator** under the Ease of Access menu.
In Windows 11:
- Under the **Vision** section , click on **Narrator**.

4. Turn on Narrator:
- Toggle the switch to **On** to activate the Narrator feature.

5. Customize Settings:
- Adjust the voice, speed, and pitch to your preference in the Narrator settings.

6. Use Narrator:
- Open a document or webpage, and the Narrator will read the text aloud. Use keyboard shortcuts like **Ctrl + Windows Key + Enter** to turn Narrator on or off.

Windows 7
Click the Start button and type "Narrator" in the search box.
Select Narrator from the search results to open it.
Adjust settings like voice speed and pitch in the Narrator options.

Windows 8.1
Press the Windows logo key + Enter to quickly turn on Narrator.
Alternatively, go to Settings > Ease of Access > Narrator and toggle it on.
You can also customize settings like voice and navigation options in the Narrator menu.

For Mac users, VoiceOver is available as a standard part of the OS X operating system.