SPEAKERS
One in seven people in Ontario have a disability*.
Over the next 20 years, that number will rise to one in five as our population ages.
Reducing barriers to products and services makes good business sense. Canadians with disabilities spend $25 billion every year and influence the spending decisions of 12 to 15 million other consumers**.
The Region of Peel's Accessibility Advisory Committee is pleased to provide Peel's business community with tools and information to help provide inclusive, equal service to all customers.
*Statistics Canada, 2007
** cnib.ca
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Leslie Warren
Accessibility Directorate of Ontario
Accessible Customer Service Standard - What you need to know
Did you know that provision of accessible customer service to customers with disabilities is now the law in Ontario? Organizations in the private sector, including non-profits, must be in compliance with the accessible customer service standard by Jan. 1, 2012. This session will tell you what this standard means for your business; what the requirements of the standard are; and the resources available to help you comply and improve your customer service for people with disabilities.
Leslie has been with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario, Ministry of Community and Social Services, since 2006. She has worked on the development of accessibility standards as well as tools and resources to help organizations comply with accessibility standards.
Leslie has worked extensively with large umbrella organizations across the province to develop sector-specific resources for the tens of thousands of organizations that must comply with accessibility standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
PANEL DISCUSSION
All customers are your business. Learn how you can incorporate practices to better serve customers with disabilities.
Asha Luthra
Past President, Convenor, PBD-Canada 2011
Asha Luthra was the first woman president of the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), elected in 2008. She has been actively associated with the ICCC activities for more than a decade.
As ICCC president, Asha focused her efforts to increase membership through business events reflecting the range of interests between Canada and India. Under her leadership, ICCC launched an awareness project for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act to South Asian communities.
Sandra Hames
Councillor, Region of Peel
In 2010, Sandra was elected City Councillor for Wards 7 and 8. In addition, Brampton City Council elected Sandra to represent Brampton at the Region of Peel, as the City's additional Regional Councillor, for the 2010-2014 term.
She is a member of the Accessibility Advisory Committee, both at the City and Regional levels. Sandra supports and promotes the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act to make Peel accessible for all residents.
Sandra is also a Board Member for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and is the Chair of AMO's Accessibility Advisory Committee.
Marilyn L. Sanford
Manager Compliance, Scotiabank
Marilyn Sanford, has spent 24 years in the Canadian financial industry, all with Scotiabank. Along with experience in operations and sales, she is an accredited Financial Planner.
At present, Marilyn is the chairperson for the Scotia Universal Access Group - an employee resource group for persons with disabilities. This group offers support to co-workers in areas dealing with persons with disabilities. Providing accessible services to all people just makes economic sense for all businesses, and will continue to be a growing market as the population ages.
Fatima Finnegan
Director of Corporate Marketing & Development, Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA)
Fatima has been with the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association since 1999. In her capacity of developing marketing and benefit programs for its members, the priority will always remain the members and ensuring that we as Ontario's largest hospitality association provide value added programs and resources to our members across the province. Her extensive hospitality management background provided her with experience from Holiday Inns, Venture Inns, and Travelodge & Quality Inn properties. This experience led her to teach for a number of years at Humber College of Applied Arts & Technology.
Hans Sturzenbecher
Owner, Macy's Diner
Hans is a European Trained Chef & Hospitality Professional. Hans gained experience with Hilton Hotels in Germany, the Famous London Hilton and exclusive restaurants throughout Europe. Most recently Hans was the Food & Beverage and General Manager for the Toronto Congress Centre and is a Certified Professional Catering Executive (CPCE). Hans is the proud owner of his family run upscale diner, Macy's. Hans has clearly understood the need for accessibility in all aspects of his establishment and is the first Restaurant to have an Accessible Menu coded for accessibility and placed online so that persons with disabilities can access it with their assistive devices either at home, en route or in the Restaurant itself.
Glenn Barnes
Region of Peel Accessibility Advisory Committee Member
Over 15 years of extensive experience working as a consultant in a wide variety of policy development, governance training, strategic planning, as well as a variety of work in accessibility and disability related issues. His expertise is access focused identification of architectural barriers for public or private companies and facilities, funds development, event planning, volunteer development, workshop facilitator and motivational speaker.
Glenn has had extensive experience working with a wide variety of community issues, with accomplishments including extensive work experience across Ontario with Municipal, Regional and Provincial Governments with whom he consulted on a wide variety of policy development and legislation development.
