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Comfort. Care. Hope.

Accessibility at Hotel Dieu Shaver

At Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre (HDSHRC), we are committed to providing holistic and compassionate care that respects the dignity and independence of each individual.


Providing equitable care that meets the needs of people with disabilities is a priority. For this reason, we have developed policies that outline the steps we are taking to continually improve the accessibility of our facilities, policies, programs, practices, and services for patients and their family members, staff, health care practitioners, volunteers, and members of the community. Accessibility Commitment & Standards (Policy AODAS-1)

This policy outlines our commitment to:

  1. make every reasonable effort to meet the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner
  2. create one or more written documents describing HDSHRC's accessibility policies, make them available on the hospital website, and provide them in accessible formats upon request
  3. establish, implement, maintain, and document a multi-year accessibility plan to support adherence to accessibility standards and legislative requirements
  4. provide training to stakeholders, as appropriate, on the requirements of the accessibility standards referred to in Ontario Regulation 429/07 - Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 191/11 - Integrated Accessibility Standards, and on the Human Rights Code, as it pertains to persons with disabilities

Accessible Customer Service (Policy AODAS-2)

This policy outlines our commitment to:

  1. develop policies, practices, and procedures that are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity
  2. communicate using methods that consider the way in which individuals express, receive, and process information
  3. make reasonable efforts to ensure that our website is accessible
  4. provide any emergency procedures, plans, or public safety information that are made available to the public in an accessible format or with appropriate communication supports as soon as practical, upon request
  5. provide public notice that any documents required by the Customer Service Standards regulation are available upon request and will be provided in a format that takes into account the person's disability, if applicable
  6. provide public notice in the event of disruptions to facilities or services used by people with disabilities
  7. support the use of personal assistive devices to access services within our facility
  8. support access to our facilities and services by persons with disabilities who are accompanied by service animals and/or support persons
  9. provide training on this policy to staff, volunteers, and other individuals who interact with the public or who develop policies, practices and procedures related to customer service
  10. welcome feedback through various channels, such as in person, in writing, or by phone, regarding the way we provide services to people with disabilities
  11. when receiving or responding to feedback, provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communications supports, upon request, in a timely manner that takes 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
  12. consult with the person making the request when determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support
  13. provide public notice about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports

Accessibility Standards for Procurement (Policy AODAS-3)

This policy outlines our commitment to:

  1. consider and incorporate accessibility criteria and features when designing, procuring, or acquiring goods, services, or facilities, including self service kiosks, except where it is not practicable to do so
  2. where it is not practicable to incorporate accessibility criteria and features, to provide an explanation upon request
  3. provide training on this policy to staff and other individuals who are involved in the procurement of goods, services, or facilities

Emergency Response Informaton (Policy AODAS-4)

This policy outlines our commitment to:

  1. provide individualized workplace emergency response information to staff members who are known to have a disability that requires accommodation in emergency response situations
  2. to modify the environment and standard emergency response procedures where necessary to accommodate individualized emergency response needs of staff
  3. provide training on this policy to staff and other individuals who are involved in developing or enacting individualized emergency response plans

Individual Accommodation Plans (Policy AODAS-5)

This policy outlines our commitment to:

  1. make every reasonable effort to the point of undue hardship to accommodate the employment needs of employees who are protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) to enable them to perform the essential duties of their job
  2. develop and document individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities
  3. work together with all involved parties to facilitate accommodation in a manner that respects the dignity of the individual
  4. take the interests of all parties into account and deal with every case fairly and equitably on an individual basis
  5. provide for employees to request an evaluation by an outside medical or other expert, at HDSHRC's expense
  6. provide for employees to request the participation of a representative from their bargaining agent or other representative from the workplace
  7. review and update individual accommodation plans at defined periods
  8. provide reasons to the employee for any accommodation plan that is denied
  9. share accommodation information on a need-to-know basis, thus ensuring that the privacy of individuals is protected
  10. provide individual accommodation plans in a format that takes into account the employee's accessibility needs due to disability

Accessible Recruitment, Selection, & Employment (Policy AODAS-6)

This policy outlines our commitment to:

  1. notify employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in the recruitment process
  2. upon selection to participate in an assessment or selection process, notify applicants that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used
  3. consult with the applicant making the request in order to arrange for the provision of a suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant's accessibility needs due to disability
  4. when making offers of employment, notify the successful candidate of HDSHRC's policies for accommodating employees with disabilities
  5. provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports upon request and in consultation with the requesting employee, for information that is needed in order to perform the employee's job and for information that is generally available to employees in the workplace
  6. consider the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities and individual accommodation plans throughout the performance management, career development and advancement, and redeployment processes
  7. inform employees of the policies use to support employees with disabilities as soon as practicable after they begin employment and on an ongoing basis in respect to any changes

Early Safe Return to Work Program (Policy II-OH-17)

This policy outlines our commitment to:

  1. return workers who have experienced a work-related disability to work that is available, sustainable, suitable, and productive in a safe and timely manner
  2. document individual accommodation plans as part of the process

Disability Management Program (Policy II-OH-18)

This policy outlines our commitment to:

  1. return workers who have experienced a non-work-related disability to work that is available, sustainable, suitable, and productive in a safe and timely manner
  2. document individual accommodation plans as part of the process

The communication supports listed here are available for use within the hospital by patients. Please speak with a staff member to access these devices, or to get assistance in using these types of devices while receiving treatment at HDSHRC.

Accessibility Plan | Download

Accessibility Status Report | Download

Accessibility Devices Table | Download

Accessibility Brochure | Download

Renewing Hope. Rebuilding Lives.

Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre is a specialty hospital that excels in providing rehabilitation and complex care to thousands of patients across the Niagara Region.

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