AODA

NORFOLK COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

Customer Service Policy Statement: Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

1. Our mission
The mission of The Norfolk County Agricultural Society is committed to the great agricultural tradition of the annual fall fair and creating unique, educational experiences in partnership with volunteers and our community.

2. Our commitment
In fulfilling our mission, The Norfolk County Agricultural Society strives at all times to provide its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

3. Providing goods and services to people with disabilities
The Norfolk County Agricultural Society is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

3.1 Communication
We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.

We will train staff who communicate with customers on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.

3.2 Telephone services
We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our customers. We will train staff to communicate with customers over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly.

We will offer to communicate with customers by e-mail and relay services if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.

3.3 Assistive devices
We are committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from our goods and services. We will ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

3.4 Billing
We are committed to providing accessible invoices to all of our customers. For this reason, invoices will be provided in the following formats upon request: hard copy or e-mail as requested by the customer.

We will answer any questions customers may have about the content of the invoice in person, by telephone or e-mail.

4. Use of service animals and support persons
We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties. We will also ensure that all staff, volunteers and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter The Norfolk County Agricultural Society’s premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises.

Customers with disabilities and support persons shall be charged regular Admission to The Norfolk County Agricultural Society’s premises, except in the following cases:

The Annual Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show
Customers with disabilities who purchase admission tickets in advance of the opening day of the Fair shall, when requested, be provided with an additional ticket at no cost for use by a support person.

Third Party Rentals and Leaseholders
If admission to an event is operated by, and fees are payable to a third party, the Support Person is permitted to attend the event at their own cost. Where admission fees are charged, the service provider will provide notice ahead of time on what admission, if any, would be charged for a support person of a person with a disability.

5. Notice of temporary disruption
The Norfolk County Agricultural Society will provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

The notice will be placed at all public entrances and service counters on our premises and through social media at our disposal.

6. Training for staff
The Norfolk County Agricultural Society will provide training to all employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approvals of customer service policies, practices and procedures. Individuals in the following positions will be trained:
Full Time, Part Time and Seasonal Staff, Board of Directors, Committee Volunteers, Site and Event Volunteers
This training will be provided prior to having to provide customer service duties.

Training will include the following:

• • The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
  • How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
  • How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
  • How to use the elevators and automatic door activation
  • What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing The Norfolk County Agricultural Society’s goods and services
  • The Norfolk County Agricultural Society’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the customer service standard.

Applicable staff will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way goods and services are provided to people with disabilities. Staff will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.

7. Feedback process
The ultimate goal of The Norfolk County Agricultural Society is to meet and surpass customer expectations while serving customers with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.

Feedback regarding the way The Norfolk County Agricultural Society provides goods and services to people with disabilities can be made verbally, e-mail and feedback survey. All feedback will be directed to Karen Matthews, General Manager or the Manager in the Department of topic. Customers can expect to hear back within seven days.

8. Modifications to this or other policies
We are committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities.

Any policy of The Norfolk County Agricultural Society that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

9. Questions about this policy
This policy exists to achieve service excellence to customers with disabilities. If anyone has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of a policy is not understood, an explanation should be provided by, or referred to, George Araujo, Facilities Manager of The Norfolk County Agricultural Society.

Norfolk County Fair & Horse Show

Area	Conditions	Activity
Grounds & Infield	Paved & Grass Surfaces	Food, Carnival, Commercial Vendors, Horse Shows, Parking.
Entrance Gates	Vehicular – Paved or Grass Pedestrian – Queen St Paved Pedestrian – South Drive Paved Pedestrian – Evergreen Hill Grass	Vehicle Entrances Pedestrian Entrance Pedestrian Entrance Pedestrian Entrance
Building #1 Junior Farmers Building	Ramp access at West End.  Level Tile Accessible Washrooms	Art Show, Restaurant, Photography Competition
Building #2 Homecraft	Ramp access upstairs, level access lower access.  Level Concrete	Upstairs: Homecraft, Quilts, Culinary Canada 150: Lower Level: Junior Fair Crafts, Arts
Building #3 First Aid	Level Access. Level Tile	First Aid Services
Building #4 Shop the Fair	Level Access, Level concrete	Commercial Vendors
Building #5 Shop the Fair – Flavourfest Farmers Market	Level Access. Level concrete	Commercial & Community Displays Farmers Market
Building #5 Craft Brew Lounge	No Accessible Access. Carpet and Tile	Licensed Lounge
Building # 6 Shop the Fair	Level and Ramp Access.  Level Concrete	Commercial Vendors
Building #7 Rec Centre	Level Access, Elevator, Accessible Washrooms Various Flooring	Entertainment,  Taste of Norfolk, Licensed, Displays
Building #8 Rec Centre	Level Access, Elevator Various Flooring Accessible Washrooms	Licensed Restaurant, Displays.
Building #9 Aud/Cattle Barn	Level Access, Accessible Washrooms, Polymer and Tile Floor – Loose straw/bedding & rubber mats	Livestock & Agricultural Awareness Displays and Demonstrations
Building #10 Show Ring	Level Access Concrete Floor	Livestock Judging & Demonstrations
Building #11 Grandstand	Outdoors: Ramped area and level apron Concrete Floor Indoors: Level access on west side.  Accessible Washrooms	Outdoors: Horse and Grandstand Shows. Indoors: Ontario’s Garden Fruit, Bees,  Vegetable, Flowers, Displays
Building #13	Upper: Ramped access. Wood Floor Lower: Level Access Packed Dirt.	Upper Poultry Display Lower Horse Stalls
Building #14	Upper & Lower Rough Level access. Concrete Floors	Horse Stalls