Hanover is prepared for tough new provincial accessibility standards.
The deadline for the town to finish its Customer Accessibility plan was January 1st.
Mayor Kathi Maskell says it’s long overdue and she calls it a matter of equal opportunity, respect and dignity.
She says the Customer Service Accessibility plan is about making Hanovers services accessible to all.
This goes well beyond physical barriers and includes attitudes.
All of Hanover’s employees, councillors, volunteers and contract workers — more than 200 people — have received specialized training in this area.
Aquatics Coordinator Bert Lennox says the Customer Service Accessibility plan is just the first of five phases that will be implemented over the next several years.
Maskell admits there will be a huge cost involved with compliance, but says it’s well worth it to ensure everyone is treated equally.
The new accessibility legislation comes with steep fines of 50 thousand dollars a day for directors and a 100 thousand dollars a day for a corporation.
