Staff Report #9
April 24, 2024
To All Commissioners
Re: 2024 Work Program – Corporate Communications/Information Technology – First Quarter Update
Recommendation
The report be NOTED and FILED.
Background
The following report is provided as an update on major projects as set out in the 2024 Work Program that are ongoing in nature and were scheduled to commence and/or to be completed in the first quarter, with the lead on same being the primary responsibility of Corporate Communications and/or Information Technology.
4-3 – Communicating Policies and Procedures
An item in the Commission’s 2020-2025 Accessibility Plan is to ‘consider additional methods of communicating information with respect to policies and procedures to the public’. This initiative is intended to identify and gather feedback on additional methods that could be utilized to communicate various policies/procedures which impact London Transit customers. Through a review of common inquiries and/or customer contacts relating to specific policies as well as feedback from front-line personnel, administration has identified those policies/procedures that need to be better communicated and develop associated outreach campaigns.
The following table sets out the various policies/procedures affecting London Transit customers that are available on the corporate website and not well understood by the public and would therefore benefit from enhanced communications efforts.
| Policies & Procedures |
| Accessible Customer Service Policy |
| Lost & Found Policy |
| Digital Recording Surveillance System Policy |
| Human Rights and Diversity Policy |
| Mutual Respect Policy |
| Pets on Transit Policy |
| Priority/Courtesy Seating Policy |
| Service Animal Policy |
| Support Person Policy |
| Travel Safe Program |
A communications campaign, aimed at both the conventional and specialized riders, will be rolled out in the coming weeks that will highlight one of the above noted policy or procedure on a monthly/bi-monthly basis. The campaign will make its debut through London Transit’s social platforms with further messaging to be shared as appropriate i.e. through post-secondary institutions with printed material re Travel Safe program, temporary or permanent on-board signage re AODA awareness, etc.
As previously noted, currently these policies/procedures are available on the corporate website and the public is provided links to same should they request information. Additionally, should any of the information available on the website be required in an alternate format, administration will work with the individual requesting the information to arrange for the material to be provided in a suitable format.
The Accessible Public Transit Service Advisory Committee will continue to be consulted on the most appropriate methods to enhance the public understanding of the policies and programs.
4-7 – Website – AODA Compliance
As set out in Staff Report #4, dated November 29, 2023, when the review in preparation for the filing of the AODA Compliance report was undertaken, a number of issues with respect to some of the plug-ins utilized on the corporate website were resulting in compliance issues with the WCAG Level AA requirements as set out in the Integrated Standards Regulation under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. As such, the report was filed indicating non-compliance with this requirement including commentary that it was anticipated to be addressed by the end of the first quarter of 2024.
Since then, London Transit’s Information Services and Communications teams have worked diligently at identifying and rectifying the items that were resulting in compliance issues. Part of the fixes included running required WordPress updates, eliminating the X feed (plug-in) from the homepage, and improving navigation tools. The completion of these tasks has resulted in the corporate website returning to compliance, and the requisite forms have been filed with the Accessibility Directorate to indicate same.
Given the dynamic nature of the corporate website, with changes occurring daily, compliance assessments will be assessed on a monthly basis going forward to ensure the website and related content remains compliant.
Recommended by:
Caroline Roy, Manager of Corporate Communications
Patrick Cormier, Manager of Information Services
Concurred in by:
Kelly S. Paleczny, General Manager