The Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR)

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH) is committed to providing a respectful, accessible and inclusive environment for all patients, employees and visitors.  We are dedicated to meeting the standards outlined in the province’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

Please click here to read a message from SJHH President Mike Heenan, outlining the Hospitals’ commitment to meet the standards of this important initiative.

The goal of the AODA is to develop a fully accessible Ontario by the year 2025. In order to reach this goal five standards are being developed in the areas of Customer Service, Employment, Information and Communication, Built Environment and Transportation.

The Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation, 2011 (IASR) requires that "organizations establish, implement, maintain, and document a multi-year accessibility plan, which outlines the organization's strategy to prevent and remove barriers and meet its requirements under this regulation." For more information regarding SJHH's plan to meet the requirements of the AODA, please click here to access the SJHH Accessibility Plan 2024-2026 which is reviewed and updated annually.

Customer Service, Training & Awareness

Developing a Customer Service Standard for accessibility is simply the beginning of a series of initiatives that will be implemented to improve accessibility on our facilities. Guided by the vision of our founders the Sisters of St. Joseph, our respect for human dignity, and the core principles of this Act, our goal is to progressively work toward the elimination of barriers to access to the goods, services and employment opportunities provided by St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. We are working to make our facilities more accessible to all individuals with disabilities. For more information please refer to our Policy for Customer Service and the posted copies of this policy can be found at all main entrances of our facilities.

As outlined in the policy, specialized training is required for all staff, volunteers or third parties that interact with the public on behalf of SJHH, or who are involved in developing policies, practices and procedures. The required training must include information on how to communicate and interact with people with disabilities, how to interact with people who have an assistive device, service animal or support person, how to utilize assistive devices that are available on our premises, and what to do if a person has difficulty accessing our facilities.

To create awareness and to ensure compliance with the Policy and the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, SJHH shall ensure that all staff receive training as soon as possible on the Policy and the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, and on an ongoing basis as changes occur to the Policy and/or to the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.

Third party organizations providing goods or services on behalf of St. Joe’s shall provide relevant training, learning opportunities, or direction to their employees and volunteers regarding their roles and responsibilities under the AODA.

Guidelines & Types of Assistance

Please follow the links below to access detailed information regarding specific types of assistance that individuals with disabilities may require: