Ensuring our services are accessible to everyone

Customer Accessibility Standards Policy

Introduction

Wealth One Bank of Canada (“WealthONE”) is committed to respecting and promoting the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. This Customer Accessibility Standard Policy outlines the steps we will take to bridge accessibility and accommodate the needs and requirements of individuals with disabilities through our customer service and our employment practices. WealthONE’s policies and procedures have been developed to promote respect for all individuals, and independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity for people with disabilities. If any person finds that a policy or procedure of the Bank do not meet these principles, these policies or procedures will be reviewed and modified where appropriate.

Accessible Information and Communication

WealthONE is committed to communicating with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. This includes providing accessible information and communications to all individuals, including our customers and staff. If an individual requests information to be provided in an alternative format to accommodate their disability, we will address the request to the best of our abilities.

Accessible Customer Service

WealthONE is committed to excellence in serving all individuals including people with disabilities. We will communicate respectfully with all individuals and ensure that we take into account the individual’s specific needs, requirements, and circumstances when communicating with people with disabilities. To that end, the Bank has implemented the following to ensure accessible customer service:

Assistive Devices

A personal assistive device is any device that is used, designed, made, or adapted to assist persons with disabilities in performing various, everyday tasks such as moving, communicating, reading, writing, or lifting.

Persons with disabilities may use personal assistive devices while accessing any service or location of WealthONE. Employees will work with individuals with personal assistive devices to improve access to WealthONE‘s services or goods.

A persons with disabilities is entitled to the protection of their privacy and is not required to disclose to WealthONE information about their disability and/or the need for a personal assistive device unless such information is required by us or other appropriate persons to create and implement an individualized accommodation plan.

Service Animals and Support Persons

Service animals and support persons accompanying individuals with disabilities are welcome by WealthONE.

Support Persons

WealthONE will use reasonable efforts to assist any support person who accompanies an individual with a disability in accessing our goods and services and our premises.

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to their support person while on WealthONE's premises.

In situations where confidential information might be discussed, consent will be obtained from the individual, prior to any conversation where confidential information might be discussed.

Service Animals

Service animals are welcome on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.

A service animal is defined as an animal that can be readily identified as one that is being used by the person for reasons relating to the person’s disability, as a result of visual indicators such as the vest or harness worn by the animal; or because the person provides documentation from a regulated health professional confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.

Where an employee cannot easily identify that an animal is a service animal, they may ask for documentation (template, letter or form) from a regulated health professional that confirms the person needs the service animal for reasons relating to their disability.

It is the responsibility of the person with a service animal to control the animal at all times.

If service animals are prohibited by another law, we will do the following to ensure people with disabilities can access our goods, services or facilities:

• explain why the animal is excluded
• discuss with the customer another way of providing goods, services or facilities

Notice of Temporary Disruption

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities, WealthONE will notify customers promptly. Appropriate notification of the disruption will be made visually and/or by a public announcement as necessary. These notifications will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

Visual notices will be made publicly available and placed at entrances and exits into WealthONE’s premises, on the website and in other affected areas.

Feedback Process

We welcome feedback on accessibility barriers and the Accessibility Plan. Client feedback helps identify barriers and respond to concerns.

The Bank reviews feedback from the public and WealthONE employees on our Accessibility Plan and on any issues related to accessibility. The feedback received will be taken into consideration as we continue to evaluate and improve our program.

If feedback received is a complaint regarding the manner in which the Bank provides goods, services or facilities to persons with disabilities, then refer to the Customer Complaints Handling Procedures that can be found here: https://www.wealthonebankofcanada.com/About+Us/Resolving+Your+Complaint.

Mailing Address

Wealth One Bank of Canada
Attn: Chief Compliance Officer
18 King Street East, Suite 1002
Toronto, ON
M5C 1C4

Telephone Number:
+1-866-392-1088. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (EST).
Bell relay calls are always accepted.

Email Address:
Email your accessibility feedback, request alternate formats, or ask accessibility questions: help@wealthonebank.ca.

Notice of Availability of Documents

WealthONE will provide documents related to accessible customer service in an accessible format or with communication support, on request. We will consult with the person making the request to determine the suitability of the format or communication support. The accessible format will be provided in a timely manner and, at no additional cost.

Information and Communications

WealthONE communicates with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. When asked, we will provide information about our organization and its services in accessible formats or with communication supports:

• in a timely manner, taking into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability; and
• at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.

WealthONE will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support. If we determine that information or communications are unconvertible, we will provide the requestor with:

• an explanation as to why the information or communications are unconvertible; and
• a summary of the unconvertible information or communications.

Accessible Employment

WealthONE is committed to:

• Achieving a culture and work environment that is supportive of employees with disabilities;
• Ensuring that each person with a disability will be considered individually, on a case-by-case basis, to determine accommodation requirements;
• Ensuring compliance with all applicable legislation and WealthONE’s policies; and
• Establishing an efficient accommodation process that is consistent with principles of confidentiality, dignity, respect, and shared responsibility.

Recruitment          

During recruitment processes, and if it is possible, WealthONE will:

• Notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities;
• Notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate in an assessment or selection process, that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used;
• If an applicant requests an accommodation, consult with the applicant and provide or arrange for the provision of a suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability while promoting the individual’s dignity and independence; and
• When making an offer of employment, notify the successful applicant of our policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.

During Employment

During the course of employment, WealthONE will:

• Inform employees of the policies in place to support employees with disabilities, including, but not limited to, policies to provide equitable job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability;
• Update employees whenever there is a change to existing policies;
• Upon request, and as is possible up to the point of undue hardship, consult with a disabled employee to provide or arrange for accessible formats and communication support for information that is needed to perform the employee’s job, and information that is generally available to employees in the workplace;
• Make individual accommodation plans that, if requested, including any information regarding accessible formats and communications support available;
• include individualized workplace emergency response information, and identify any other accommodation that is to be provided.

Updated in 2023. This policy is intended to meet the requirements of Ontario’s Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation 191/11 under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”), and applies to the provision of services to the public or other third parties.