Accessibility: Our Multi-Year Plan, 2026 - 2030

Joshua Paxton
1 day ago
4 min read

please click on the link above to download a printable PDF copy of the 2026-2030 Lansdowne Children’s Centre Multi-Year Accessibility Plan.

Accessibility Governance – Beyond Differences Committee

The Beyond Differences Committee serves as the organization's accessibility advisory and planning committee. The committee is responsible for supporting compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), advancing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) initiatives, identifying barriers, and promoting continuous improvement throughout Lansdowne Children's Centre.

ACCESSIBILITY HIGHLIGHTS, as of May 2024

Accessible parking spaces are available at each of Lansdowne's sites in Brantford, Caledonia, Dunnville and Simcoe
Accessible washrooms are available in Lansdowne operated sites
An Accessibility Toolbar powered by Userway, is available on the Lansdowne website (www.lansdownecentre.ca) providing features that can enhance a user's experience, navigation and engagement with the website
Translations, through partnership with Google Translate, are available on the Lansdowne website allowing provides users with an opportunity to change the base English-language text to another language of their choosing
Since 2024, Closed Captions/Subtitles (english language), are being included in Lansdowne video resources shared to the website and social channels

Statement of Commitment

Lansdowne Children’s Centre is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in inclusion and equitable opportunities. We are committed to meeting the needs of all people in a timely manner and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Lansdowne’s commitment to accessibility planning

Lansdowne Children's Centre is committed to:

The continual improvement of access to our facility, policies, programs, practices and services for all clients and their family members, staff, volunteers and members of the community;
The participation of people and family members with lived experiencein the development and review of accessibility plans;
Ensuring Lansdowne policies are consistent with the principles of accessibility; and
The establishment of an Accessibility Working Group at the Centre.

Accessibility Initiatives and Action Plan (2026–2030)

Information and Communication Standards

Barrier	Objective	Actions	Timeframe
Accessibility and inclusion standards may not be consistently applied across projects and resources	Establish a clear organizational review process	Develop an IDEA Approval Stamp for use on projects, communications, resources and initiatives that meet established accessibility, inclusion, diversity and equity standards	July 2026 – October 2026
Internal and external communications may not consistently reflect accessibility best practices	Promote inclusive and accessible communication	Develop Accessible and Inclusive Communication Guidelines addressing plain language, accessible document design, inclusive language, captioning, alternative formats and digital accessibility	November 2026 – February 2027
Individuals may require alternative formats and communication supports	Ensure equitable access to information	Continue providing accessible formats and communication supports upon request and notify the public of their availability	Ongoing
Accessibility needs and technology continue to evolve	Maintain accessible digital communications	Review website and electronic communications regularly to support compliance with accessibility requirements	Ongoing

Client Services and Program Accessibility

Barrier	Objective	Actions	Timeframe
Potential barriers within client intake processes and demographic data collection	Ensure services align with IDEA principles and support equitable access	Review client intake forms, client demographic information and service statistics to identify barriers, gaps and opportunities for improvement	March 2027 onward
Limited data regarding equity and accessibility outcomes	Improve understanding of client experiences and access	Analyze intake and service data to identify trends and support continuous quality improvement initiatives	Ongoing
Accessibility concerns may be identified by families and clients	Support responsive service delivery	Continue maintaining accessible feedback processes and incorporate findings into annual accessibility reviews	Ongoing

Employment Standards

Barrier	Objective	Actions	Timeframe
Potential barriers during recruitment and hiring processes	Maintain accessible employment practices	Continue advising applicants about accommodation availability throughout recruitment and selection processes	Ongoing
Employees may require accommodations to perform their roles successfully	Support an inclusive workplace	Maintain accommodation, return-to-work and individualized support processes in accordance with AODA requirements	Ongoing
Staff awareness of accessibility responsibilities may vary	Strengthen accessibility culture	Integrate accessibility and IDEA principles into employee orientation, leadership development and workplace practices	Ongoing

Training

Barrier	Objective	Actions	Timeframe
Employees, volunteers and students may not be familiar with accessibility requirements	Maintain compliance and awareness	Continue mandatory AODA and Ontario Human Rights Code training for employees, volunteers, students, managers and Board members	Ongoing
Accessibility best practices continue to evolve	Promote continuous learning and improvement	Provide periodic refresher training and accessibility education opportunities	Ongoing
IDEA principles require ongoing awareness and application	Embed inclusion throughout the organization	Incorporate Beyond Differences Committee resources, communication guidelines and IDEA initiatives into staff education programs	Beginning 2027 and ongoing

Physical Environment and Public Spaces

Barrier	Objective	Actions	Timeframe
Physical barriers may emerge through facility use and change	Maintain accessible facilities	Conduct periodic reviews of public spaces, service areas, entrances, meeting rooms and washrooms	Ongoing
Renovations and facility projects may create accessibility challenges if accessibility is not considered	Ensure accessibility is embedded in facility planning	Include accessibility requirements when planning renovations, upgrades and redevelopment projects	Ongoing
Staff, clients and visitors may identify physical accessibility concerns	Encourage proactive barrier removal	Maintain a process for reporting, reviewing and addressing physical accessibility concerns	Ongoing

Monitoring and Review

The Beyond Differences Committee will:

Review accessibility objectives annually.
Monitor progress on initiatives identified in this plan.
Review feedback received from clients, families, employees and community partners.
Monitor legislative changes and emerging accessibility best practices.
Support organizational accessibility reporting requirements.
Provide recommendations to Leadership Team regarding future accessibility priorities.

2026–2030 Key Deliverables

2026

Create IDEA Approval Stamp (July–October 2026) 2026–2027

Develop Accessible and Inclusive Communication Guidelines (November 2026–February 2027)

2027–2030

Review client intake forms and client statistics through an IDEA lens (March 2027 onward)
Monitor accessibility performance and identify opportunities for improvement
Continue AODA compliance and accessibility training
Maintain accessible employment and customer service practices