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Armstrong Milling Co Ltd is committed to building a culture of inclusivity and accessibility. Not only is this part of our company culture but opening access to all is imperative to our continued growth and competitiveness as an employer. We will contribute to a barrier-free Canada for everyone by building an accessibility framework that will support employees and the public we serve have the best experience possible with our services, products and facilities. We know creating a barrier-free environment takes time and we are dedicated to the ongoing identification, removal and prevention of barriers. Armstrong Milling Co Ltd will build on our current efforts through the development of our initial Accessibility Plan as required under the Accessible Canada Act. This Accessibility Plan will guide our organization in meeting our accessibility commitments and in building an accessibility-confident culture. To address gaps in these areas, it is important to recognize and understand the needs of those with disabilities. For this reason, this plan was developed in consultation with employees who identify as having a disability via roundtable discussions and 1-1 interviews.
A summary of initial opportunities include:
• Improving the attraction of persons with disabilities to jobs in our company.
• Expanding the range and options for accommodation.
• Being better prepared to provide information in accessible formats when requested.
• Improving the knowledge of our IT team and leveraging the capabilities of accessibility features in current and future IT equipment, programs and systems.
Contact: Human Resources
Mailing Address: 1021 Haldimand Rd 20, Hagersville, On. N0A 1H0 Website:
Email: info@armstrongmilling.com
Phone: 905-779-2473
Web: armstrongbirdfood.com
At Armstrong Milling Co Ltd we are committed to making our organization and the services we provide accessible to all, including persons with disabilities. All Canadians have the right to benefit from our services equally and those who work with us have the right to perform their jobs free of barriers.
As required by the Accessible Canada Act, we will publish a status report every year that measures our progress against our commitments. We will also review and update our Accessibility Plan every three years. Progress Reports and updates to our Accessibility Plan will be shaped by consultation with persons with disabilities.
The "employment" area ensures that candidates and employees with disabilities and those who experience barriers are supported throughout the entire employment lifecycle.
The Issue: There is a need to expand our understanding of the range and variety of accommodation options available to persons with disabilities within our organization and for those looking for employment with us.
Actions:
• Develop a framework that helps managers understand their responsibilities in the accommodation process and guides them in supporting their employees and implementing suitable workplace adjustments.
• Develop a work team consisting of managers, employees with disabilities and the JHSC to identify options for a wider range and variety of potential accommodations.
The "built environment" area ensures that workspaces and the work environment are accessible for all.
The Issue: Some spaces within the office and plant may limit the mobility of employees and visitors with disabilities.
Actions:
• Create a ramp access into the side office door as there currently is a step up to allow full access with mobility devices. This project will be completed by December 2024
• Establish a designated work area on the first floor for employees or visitors with disabilities.
“Information and communication technologies” are various technological tools used to send, store, create, share or exchange information.
The Issue: Some of the software used in the company have accessibility capabilities that are not being used in an accessible way.
Actions:
• Deliver and promote user training on accessibility features for employees and visitors.
• Train IT to increase their accessibility knowledge and learn how to adapt our technology for persons with disabilities.
This area requires that organizations provide barrier free access for the public, clients and employees to all the communications that the Company produces for this audience.
The Issue: The company does not have a consistent process to ensure alternative formats of communication that it issues to employees and other stakeholders are available and provided in a timely manner.
Actions:
When asked, we commit to providing alternative formats as soon as possible and within time frames listed in the Accessible Canada Regulations: • Print
• Large print
• Braille
• Audio Format
• An electronic format that’s compatible with technology meant to help people with disabilities.
The “procuring (buying) goods, services and facilities” area ensures that accessibility is considered at the beginning of the buying process.
The Issue: Armstrong Milling Co Ltd.’s procurement procedures and practices inconsistently take into consideration accessibility requirements.
Actions:
• Update procurement procedures and practices to include accessibility checks when buying goods and services to make then accessible for peoples with disabilities.
When designing and delivering the Company’s internal and external programs and services, accessibility considerations must be part of the process right from the very start.
The Issue: Currently policies are underdevelopment for ensuring all programs, processes and services take accessibility into account.
Actions:
• Complete and promote guidelines on how to apply the accessibility lens when reviewing company policies, programs and services. Policy will be completed by the end of July2024
• Create an Accessibility Checklist to help ensure key accessibility considerations are considered. Checklist will be complete by the end of July 2024
• Investigate training on the Accessible Canada Act and Accessible Canada Regulations for those whose role is to develop programs, processes, and procedures.
This area of focus in the Accessible Canada Act covers the transport of people and goods. Vehicles that are used by organizations and regulated by the federal government must take into consideration barriers to operation and provide accommodation to the employee operating the vehicles as needed.
The Issue: Entering a transport truck and other warehouse vehicles could pose a problem for drivers over time due to the repetition and height of the steps.
Actions: Budget for a small inventory of folding steps which can reduce the climbing distance to get into the truck or warehouse equipment.
To align with Armstrong Milling Co Ltd’s commitment to make ourworkplace environment accessible to all, we have developed our AccessibilityPlan in consultation with our employees, including those with disabilities. We
gathered feedback andinput from our team members by:
• Consulting with our JHSCgroup (which includes people with disabilities) and 1-1 interviews withemployees with disabilities so they can share their current experiences andideas on future improvement.
• The feedback given by these consultations during this process are covered under “The Issues” sections in this document.
We will continue to survey employees, including those with disabilities and any working groups that have been developed as part of this Accessibility Plan, to measure progress and ensure that we realize the changes we’ve set out to achieve.
Accessibility: Refers to the needs of persons with disabilities being intentionally and thoughtfully considered when products, services and facilities are built or modified so they can be used and enjoyed by all.
Barrier: The Accessible Canada Act defines a barrier as “anything—including 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 persons with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment or a functional limitation.”
Disability: The Accessible Canada Act defines a disability as “any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment—or afunctional limitation— whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, or evident or not, that, interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society.”
Summary of the Accessible Canada Act:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/accessible-canada/act-summary.html
