Maple Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

The Maple Multi-Year Accessibility Plan was updated on December 11, 2023.

This Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlines the policies and actions that Maple Corporation ("Maple", "we", "us") will implement between 2021 and 2026 to improve opportunities for people with disabilities. This document outlines our phased-in strategy for identifying, removing, and preventing barriers to accessibility.

We're committed to reviewing this Plan on an annual basis, and updating it accordingly.

Statement of Commitment to Accessibility

We're fully committed to making our organization and services as accessible as possible for all. Equity is our guiding principle as we carry out our mission of building a connected healthcare experience for patients and practitioners.

We promise to apply the highest standards of inclusion, respect, autonomy, and equal opportunity in everything we do, and for everyone we serve. When it comes to our work environment, we're dedicated to fostering positivity, compassion, dignity, and independence for all.

Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 ("AODA"), the following accessibility standards set certain requirements that are applicable to Maple:

• Customer Service
• Information and Communication
• Employment

Customer Service Accessibility

We're committed to making our customer service accessible and training our staff on providing accessible service.

Action:

We implemented the following actions in 2020 since our company increased to more than 50 employees:

• Hired multiple dedicated vendors to work on the accessibility of our digital applications.
• Hired a dedicated contractor to work on company-wide accessibility requirements and strategy.
• Assessed and initiated remedial actions to ensure our consumer-facing digital applications are accessible.
• Initiated an employee survey to ascertain knowledge of what a disability is, the number of employees self-identifying as having a disability, and interest in developing accessible policies.
• Developed HR policies, procedures, and practices for addressing accessibility
• Ensured HR policies, procedures, and practices are consistent with principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality.
• Implemented a specific policy on allowing people to use their own assistive devices.
• Empowered the use of support people for accompanying persons with disabilities
• Created feedback mechanisms for persons with disabilities.
• Accommodated the provision of documents in PDF, email, and large font as required.
• Introduced a policy that permits service animals.
• Reported to the Government on compliance.
• Developed and published Maple's statement of commitment, multi-year plan, and policies pertaining to accessibility.

Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation

1. Accessible Emergency Information

We're committed to providing customers and employees with publicly available emergency information in an accessible way upon request. We'll also provide employees with disabilities with individualized emergency response information when necessary.

Planned Action:

Information about emergency procedures will be made available in an accessible format as soon as practicable, upon request.

2. Workplace Emergency Response Information

Where Maple is made aware that an employee has a disability and that there's a need for accommodation, individualized workplace emergency response information will be provided to the employee as soon as practicable if such information is necessary given the nature of the employee's disability.

Planned Action:

• When we become aware of the need to accommodate an employee's disability, we'll assess requirements and if necessary, will complete an individual emergency response as soon as possible.
• If the employee requires workplace emergency assistance, with their consent, we'll provide the workplace emergency response information to the designated person who will be providing assistance to the employee.
• We'll review the individual workplace response information when:
  • The employee moves to a different location in the organization;
  • The employee requests us to do so;
  • When the general emergency response is reviewed.

Required compliance date: December 31, 2020
Status: Completed

3. Training

We'll provide training to employees, volunteers, health practitioners, and persons participating in the development and approval of our policies, including appropriate training on the requirements of the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation ("IASR"), Ontario's accessibility laws, and on the Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Training will be provided in a way that best suits the duties of employees, volunteers, health practitioners and any other staff members.

We'll take the following steps to ensure employees are provided with the training needed to meet Ontario's accessible laws by January 1, 2022:

Planned Action:

• Develop and implement appropriate training materials.
• Create a plan for refresher training to ensure ongoing awareness.
• Keep and maintain a record of training provided, including training delivery dates, and the number of individuals to whom it was provided.
• Ensure that training is provided on any changes on an ongoing basis.

Required compliance date: January 1, 2023
Status: Complete

4. Equal Access to Medical Records

Planned Action:

• Develop text alternative support for complex documents and images, including scanned files.
• Implement a mechanism to offer visually impaired patients access to their medical records in a confidential manner via our applications.

Required compliance date: January 1, 2026
Status: In Discovery

Information and Communications Accessibility

We're committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities, and we'll consult with people with disabilities to determine their information and communication needs.

1. Feedback Processes

We'll take the following steps to ensure our feedback processes are accessible to people with disabilities upon request by January 1, 2022:

• Review and determine alternative formats for the provision of feedback processes upon request.
• Ensure that feedback processes are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports, upon request.
• Ensure that staff and management are informed and aware of any required accommodations pertaining to feedback processes.
• Provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication support for persons with disabilities in a timely manner that takes into account the person's accessibility needs, upon request.

Required compliance date: January 1, 2022
Status: Completed

2. Accessible Formats and Communication Supports

We'll take the following steps to make sure all publicly available information is made accessible upon request by January 1, 2022:

• Document in writing all policies and procedures on how we provide accessible customer service.
• Ensure Marketing or support materials are available in alternate formats.
• Determine communication strategy on how our content will be made available upon request.

Required compliance date: January 1, 2022
Status: Completed

3. Accessible Website and Web Content

In accordance with the IARS, our website and online content conforms with the Web Content Accessibility Guides 2.1 ("WCAG 2.0") Level AA.

From an application perspective, our Customer platform requires the highest priority for compliance as it is accessed by the greatest number of individuals.

All accessibility evaluation across platforms is being done at the WCAG 2.1 AA level. The remediation priority and commitment is at the WCAG 2.0 level, though opportunities to go beyond and strive for 2.1 compliance will be integrated as well.

Completed Action:

• Remediated our Customer platform across browsers at WCAG 2.1 level AA and communicated any exceptions with AODA.
• Delivered required reporting to the AODA.
• Identified and trained internal staff on accessibility requirements.
• Evaluated and remediated our marketing website and online content at the WCAG 2.1 level AA.
• Staffed "Accessibility Specialist" roles on our Product and Engineering teams.

Planned Action:

There are several other initiatives that are ongoing to ensure adherence to accessibility requirements including:

• Embedding accessibility considerations and requirements into the development lifecycle by conducting regular usability testing with disabled persons.
• Delivering process improvements to create accessibility workflows so that future features are designed and built in an accessible way.

Employment Standards

1. Recruitment

We're committed to fair and accessible employment practices. We'll notify the public and staff that, when requested, we'll accommodate people with disabilities throughout our recruitment and onboarding processes.

Planned Action:

• Review and make necessary modifications for existing recruitment policies, procedures, and templates.
• Update job postings and notify employees that accommodations for job applicants with disabilities are available upon request during the recruitment process.
• Include the availability of accommodation notices throughout the recruitment process, including on screening calls.
• If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, consult with the applicant and arrange for suitable accommodations that take into account the applicant's disability.
• When presenting an offer of employment, we will notify the successful applicant of our policies for accommodating employees with disability.

Required compliance date: January 1, 2022
Status: Completed

2. Employee Support

We're committed to complying with the provisions of the AODA regarding this requirement, with the objective of informing employees of accessible supports made available by Maple.

Planned Action:

• Inform employees of policies used to support employees with disabilities, such as job accommodations during on boarding, and on an ongoing basis as necessary.
• Notify employees of any changes to our employee accessibility policies.
• Provide suitable accommodations in order for employees with disabilities to perform their job.
• Make necessary arrangements upon request for accessible formats and communication that supports employees with disabilities

Required compliance date: January 1, 2022
Status: Complete

3. Individual Accommodation Plan and Return to work Process

We'll take the following steps to develop and implement a process for developing individual accommodation plans and return-to-work policies for employees that have been absent due to a disability:

• Review current processes and revise as necessary to include employee participation in the development of individual accommodation plans, including for returns from short and long term absences.
• Assess the effort required for accommodations, and leverage internal and external resources.
• Provide accommodation documentation in an accessible format taking an employee's disability into account.
• Include individualized emergency response information into accommodation plans.

Required compliance date: January 1, 2022
Status: Completed

4. Performance Management, Career Development, and Redeployment

We'll take the following steps to ensure the accessibility needs of employees with disabilities are taken into account during our performance management, career development, and redeployment processes:

Planned Action:

• Review and assess existing policies, procedures, forms, and templates to ensure compliance with IASR.
• Take into consideration the needs of employees with disabilities and their individual accommodation plans when assessing performance, managing career development and advancement, and considering redeployment if required.
• Ensure managers are trained on their roles and responsibilities pertaining to dealing with employees with disabilities.
• Train all staff and contract employees to appropriately serve persons with disabilities.
• Train everyone involved in developing customer service policies, procedures and practices.

Required compliance date: January 1, 2023
Status: Completed

File Compliance Report: File Accessibility Compliance report every 3 years. Reports required no later than June 30, 2021, December 31, 2023, 2026 and 2029.

Last file date: November 14, 2023
Next file deadline: December 31, 2026

For more information: For more information on this Accessibility Plan, please contact Roxana Zaman, Chief Operating Officer at Maple.

Phone: 647.497.7453
Email: roxana@getmaple.ca