1. Our commitment to accessibility
The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (the “Museum”) is committed to providing an inclusive, accessible and welcoming environment for all visitors, employees, volunteers and other members of the public.
We recognize that persons with disabilities may encounter barriers when accessing our facilities, aircraft displays, exhibitions, educational programs, events, communications and services. We are committed to identifying, preventing and removing accessibility barriers and providing accommodation in accordance with applicable law.
The Museum will respect the dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity of persons with disabilities and will work toward providing equitable access to Museum services and experiences.
2. Legislative framework
The Museum will comply with applicable accessibility legislation, including:
- The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).
- Ontario Regulation 191/11, Integrated Accessibility Standards.
- The Ontario Human Rights Code.
- Other applicable building, fire-safety, employment and privacy legislation.
This policy is intended to support the Museum's compliance with applicable legal requirements. It does not replace the legislation or limit the rights of individuals under the law.
3. Scope and application
This policy applies to the Museum's operations, including:
- Visitor services, admissions, tours and special events.
- Aircraft displays, exhibitions and educational programs.
- Public facilities and visitor amenities.
- Website content, online services and public communications.
- Recruitment, employment, training and workplace accommodation.
- Emergency procedures and applicable procurement activities.
Museum employees and volunteers are expected to follow the accessibility procedures relevant to their duties. Management is responsible for communicating this policy and supporting its implementation.
4. Accessible customer service
The Museum will provide services in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.
The Museum will:
- Communicate with visitors in ways that take their disability-related needs into account.
- Permit assistive devices, subject to applicable legal requirements and legitimate safety restrictions.
- Welcome service animals in public areas in accordance with applicable law.
- Accommodate support persons in accordance with applicable requirements and communicate any applicable admission arrangements.
- Consider reasonable accommodations to enable participation in tours, events, educational programs and other Museum services.
- Provide notice of temporary disruptions to accessible facilities or services, including available alternatives where possible.
- Maintain a process for receiving and responding to accessibility feedback.
5. Physical accessibility and aircraft displays
The Museum recognizes that historic aircraft, cockpits, elevated platforms, stairs and specialized aviation environments may present accessibility challenges.
The Museum will:
- Maintain accessible routes and facilities within the scope of applicable requirements.
- Keep accessible routes clear of avoidable obstructions.
- Provide accurate information about accessible entrances, parking, washrooms, seating and areas that can only be reached by stairs.
- Assess barriers in public areas, exhibitions and visitor facilities.
- Consider accessible alternatives when a particular aircraft, exhibit or area cannot be physically accessed.
- Include accessibility considerations in applicable construction, renovation and exhibition projects.
Where physical access to an aircraft or exhibit is not possible, the Museum will consider meaningful alternatives, such as accessible photographs, videos, recorded interpretation, replicas or staff-led explanations, as appropriate.
Alternative experiences do not replace an accommodation required by law.
6. Information and communications
The Museum will provide or arrange accessible formats and communication supports in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
When a person requests an accessible format or communication support, the Museum will consult with the individual to determine an appropriate solution and provide it in a timely manner, without additional cost where required by law.
The Museum will consider accessibility in visitor information, educational materials, signs, forms, publications, audiovisual content and emergency communications.
7. Website and digital accessibility
The Museum is committed to making its public website and applicable digital content accessible to persons with disabilities.
The Museum will meet the applicable web accessibility requirements under Ontario Regulation 191/11, including the relevant WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements, subject to the regulation's exceptions.
The Museum will review and address accessibility barriers in applicable web content, online forms, ticketing services and downloadable documents. Accessibility considerations will be included in relevant website development, procurement and maintenance activities.
8. Employment accessibility
The Museum is committed to accessible recruitment, employment practices and workplace accommodation.
In accordance with applicable requirements, the Museum will:
- Provide information about the availability of recruitment accommodation.
- Accommodate applicants during recruitment and assessment.
- Inform successful applicants about applicable accommodation policies.
- Provide accessible formats and communication supports to employees when required.
- Develop individual accommodation plans where required.
- Provide individualized workplace emergency response information where required.
- Maintain applicable return-to-work procedures.
- Consider accessibility in performance management, career development and other employment practices.
Accommodation requests will be assessed individually and handled confidentially in accordance with applicable law.
9. Training
The Museum will provide accessibility training to employees and volunteers as applicable to their duties and required by law.
Training will address applicable AODA requirements, the Ontario Human Rights Code as it relates to persons with disabilities, accessible customer service and the Museum's relevant accessibility procedures.
The Museum will maintain training records as required and update training when relevant legal requirements or practices change.
10. Emergency preparedness
The Museum will consider the needs of persons with disabilities in applicable emergency planning and safety procedures.
Where required, the Museum will prepare individualized workplace emergency response information for employees, consult with affected employees and review arrangements when circumstances change.
11. Feedback and accommodation requests
The Museum welcomes feedback about accessibility barriers and opportunities for improvement.
Visitors, employees and other individuals may submit accessibility feedback or requests through the Museum's published contact channels, in person, by telephone or by email. An accessible method of providing feedback will be made available upon request.
The Museum will review concerns, consult with individuals where appropriate and identify reasonable corrective action. Feedback will be treated respectfully and confidentially to the extent reasonably possible.
12. Accessibility planning and accountability
The Museum will maintain a multi-year accessibility plan as required by law. The plan identifies accessibility barriers, improvement measures, target timelines and implementation responsibilities.
The Museum will:
- Make its accessibility policy and multi-year accessibility plan publicly available.
- Provide these documents in accessible formats upon request.
- Review and update the multi-year plan at least once every five years.
- Prepare and file applicable accessibility compliance reports.
- Maintain required training and other compliance records.
- Consult persons with disabilities in accessibility planning as required.
- Monitor progress and consider feedback when setting improvement priorities.
Management is responsible for implementing this policy and assigning appropriate responsibilities to relevant departments.
13. Procurement and service providers
The Museum will incorporate accessibility criteria and features into applicable procurement activities where required by law.
Accessibility will be considered in relevant contracts, technology purchases, exhibition projects, construction, renovations and event planning.
14. Review of policy
The Museum will review this policy at least annually as a recommended governance practice and whenever legislative changes, operational changes or identified accessibility barriers make a review necessary.
The Museum will update its practices as needed to reflect applicable legal requirements and opportunities for improvement.
15. Contact and availability
This policy is publicly available through the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum's website.
A copy can be provided in an accessible format upon request.
For accessibility feedback, accommodation requests or questions about this policy, please contact the Museum using its current published contact information.
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
9280 Airport Road
Mount Hope, Ontario, Canada
Telephone: 905-679-4183
Website: warplane.com
Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2026 to 2030 (PDF)