Our Commitment to Accessibility

Our Commitment to Accessibility CHES is committed to ensuring equal access for people with disabilities and to treating people with disabilities in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence and that embodies the principles of integration and equal opportunity.

CHES is committed to be a barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities in employment, in its communications and information, in the delivery of goods and services and in its built environment.

CHES is committed to ensuring that all its employees are aware of their responsibilities to foster an accessible and inclusive environment with, and for, persons with disabilities.

AODA Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

CHES Special Risks Inc. is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner, and will so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. This multi- year accessibility plan focuses on our initiatives in respect of the AODA’s Accessibility Standards including:

• Customer Service
• Information and Communications
• Policies and Training
• Employment
• Procurement
• Design of Public Spaces
• Feedback

This plan applies to CHES as required by the AODA.

Customer Service

The Accessible Customer Service Standard under the Integrated Accessibility Standard Regulation requires CHES to provide accessible service to people with disabilities and to ensure that policies and procedures are in place to support this requirement.

• Ensure every employee, including managers and senior managers, has and will receive training on engaging with customers of varying abilities, and keeping detailed records of the provided training.
• Assistive devices and service animals are allowed and will continue to be allowed in all CHES premises and locations accessible to customers.
• Support persons accompanying individuals with disabilities are welcomed and will continue to be welcomed in areas where the public or third parties are permitted or served.
• Customers will be notified in case accessible services are temporarily unavailable.

Information and Communications

In accordance with the AODA’s Information and Communication Standard, CHES will:

• Ensure internet websites and web content conform with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 at Level AA.
• Ensure CHES notifies the public and provides, on request, accessible formats and supports for people with disabilities in a timely manner and at no additional cost to others.
• Meet the communication needs of people with disabilities. We will consult with people with disabilities, where necessary, to determine their information and communication needs.

Policies and Training

CHES has and will continue to implement policies and practices and training initiatives in accordance with the AODA by taking the following steps:

• Implementing a policy outlining our commitment to accessibility for clients and employees.
• Implementing the accessibility plan on CHES’s website, if any, and provide the plan in an accessible format upon request
• Establishing training for our employees on accessibility in the provision of services to our clients.

Training will be implemented in a way that suits the nature of our people’s request. A Workplace Emergency Response Plan and Information will be provided to employees who have indicated to the company that they have a disability and require assistance in the event of an emergency.

Employment

In accordance with the AODA’s Employment Standards, CHES will:

Ensure inclusive employment processes for retention, recruitment and development within the company, including:

• Ensuring processes are implemented to support employee workplace accommodation requests following absences from work and during an employee’s employment.
• Ensuring employees’ disability and accommodation needs are taken into account within performance management and career development.
• Establishment of accessible formats and communication supports needed for employees’ accessibility needs.
• Notification of the company’s commitment to accessibility and availability of accommodation requests.
• Notify the successful applicant, when making offers of employment, of its policies for accommodating associates with disabilities.

Procuring or Acquiring Goods and Services, or Facilities

CHES has and will incorporate accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services or facilities to the point of undue hardship.

Design of Public Spaces

As of June 2025, CHES has no intentions of undertaking new construction or substantial redevelopment for its Ontario offices subject to the Design of Public Spaces Standard outlined in the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation. Nevertheless, in the event of future plans falling under the purview of this Standard, CHES will ensure compliance with the mandated responsibilities.

CHES will establish protocols to avert any disruptions to the accessible features in its public spaces, as mandated by the Design of Public Spaces Standard. Should a service disruption impact these accessible elements, CHES will inform the public about the disruption and present any available alternatives.

Accessibility Policies, Practices and Procedures

In accordance with applicable legislation, CHES maintains policies, practices, procedures, and documentation with respect to the following:

• Maintenance of an accessible environment for persons with disabilities.
• Provision of accessible information and communication supports.
• Use of guide dogs, service animals and support persons.
• Notice of service disruptions.
• Provision of information about emergency procedures, plans and public safety.
• Maintenance of web content that conforms with the required standards.
• Accommodation of applicants throughout the recruitment process.
• Accommodation of employees throughout their employment.
• Training of employees and other individuals who provide services.
• Receipt of feedback regarding the provision of goods, services or facilities to persons with disabilities.

Accessibility Feedback

CHES is committed to meeting accessibility requirements and to continuously taking steps to improve its services and website to comply with applicable legislation and its regulations. We will continue to identify and correct barriers that prevent access to our goods, services, websites, and print content.

We encourage feedback on the delivery of services to individuals with disabilities. The feedback received will be directed to the relevant personnel, addressed, documented and monitored. You can provide feedback through various channels, including by phone, TTY, email or in person at any of our service locations. We accept feedback in accessible formats and provide additional communication supports as needed. All feedback will be taken into consideration to enhance our services and customers can expect to hear back within two business days.

For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact:

By email: accessibility@chesspecialrisk.ca
Telephone: 905.304.2361
By mail: 100 King Street West, Suite 5140 Toronto, Ontario M5X 1E1

Accessible formats of this document are available free upon request.