Accessibility

Accessibility Disclaimer

The Township of Howick is committed to responding to the accessibility needs of the community.  This commitment extends to our website.  The Township's website has been designed to be WCAG 2.0 level AA compliant and meets the Province of Ontario's Accessible Information and Communications Standards (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005).

Whenever possible, documents (PDF, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint) are posted to the website as accessible documents.  An ongoing effort is being made to make historical documents available and compliant with the standard, although there are some limits in our ability to do so.

The Township recognizes situations where it is not practicable or possible to present content in an accessible format.  In these cases, best efforts are used to provide citizens an accessible alternative or assistance in acquiring the information they need.  Should you need assistance in obtaining an accessible alternative for non accessible content, contact the Township of Howick by dialing 519-335-3208 or emailing deputyclerk@howick.ca.    

Examples of such exceptions include:

• Mapping or GIS data
• Engineering drawings or complex technical data
• Legacy applications or data that cannot be updated with reasonable effort/expense
• Vendor web applications where the Township was unable to negotiate contractual obligation to maintain accessibility
• Presentation content where rendering accessibility would hinder the ability to achieve its intended purpose
• Content that cannot be rendered accessible without significant impact
• Excel documents i.e. financial information

The inclusion of everyone in all aspects of the community is important. Accessibility Ontario has created an Accessible Event Planning Guide that provides information on no-cost and low-cost actions that can help reduce barriers for people with disabilities and make all types of events more inclusive. If you are planning an event be sure to check out this guide.

We welcome your feedback on Howick's accessibility initiatives. Please fill out the Accessible Customer Service Barrier Report form found at the bottom of this webpage.

Standards for External Contributors

In order to maintain its accessibility standards, the Township expects all content provided by external contributors to be delivered in compliance with the WCAG 2.0 Level A and the Province of Ontario's Accessible Information and Communications Standard.

The Township will accept no responsibility for converting non accessible content provided by external contributors, train external contributors on accessibility or incur costs related to acquiring tools required to meet the requirement.

Integrated Accessibility Standards Policy

Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), all public and private sector organizations must meet the requirements of accessibility standards established by regulation. With the adoption of the Integrated Accessibility Standards Policy, the Township of Howick can ensure its commitment to equal access and participation for people with disabilities and be aligned with the requirements as mandated under the Integrated Accessibility Standards (Ontario Regulation 191/11 and Ontario Regulation 413/12).

Do you have an Accessibility Concern? Please Submit an Accessibile Customer Service Barrier Report Form