Accessibilité

Purpose and Scope

Parkbridge is committed to providing a respectful, welcoming, and inclusive environment to all our colleagues with disabilities and individuals seeking access to the properties we manage and the services we provide. We are dedicated to ensuring that all services we provide and promote are derived from dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity principles.

This Policy is reviewed regularly to ensure we continue to meet our commitments.

Statement of Commitment

Parkbridge’s procedures and practicesstrive to be consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity for/with persons with disabilities by doing the following:

Providing the same value and quality of customer service to everyone
Encouraging and supporting safely and autonomous environments
Communicating in the clearest and most accessible way based on individual needs
Encouraging and supporting the use of assistive devices and/or service support animals and/or persons in the public domain

Training

Parkbridge is dedicated to training all employees in providing accessible customer service and in understanding other Ontario accessibility standards and aspects of the Ontario Human Rights Code related to persons with disabilities. Additionally, we will provide training to:

All individuals involved in developing the organization's policies; and
All other individuals who offer goods, services, or facilities on behalf of the organization.

Our training for employees on accessibility is designed to ensure thorough understanding. This training covers:

A detailed explanation of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the Customer Service Standards
Clear guidelines on our policies related to the Customer Service Standards
Effective strategies for interacting and communicating with people with various types of disabilities
Procedures for interacting with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or support person
Protocols for assisting a person with a disability who faces difficulty accessing our organization's goods, services, or facilities

We incorporate this training into our new hire orientation and promptly provide training regarding any policy changes. Parkbridge also maintains detailed records of the training provided, documenting dates and names of participants.

Assistive Devices

People with disabilities are permitted to use their personal assistive devices when accessing our goods,services, or facilities.

If the assistive device poses a significant health or safety concern that cannot be avoided, or for other reasons cannot be permitted, alternative measures will be taken to ensure that the person with a disability can still access our goods, services, or facilities.

When communicating with individuals with disabilities, Parkbridge employees will proactively consider their specific needs and provide communication in a manner that fully respects the dignity and independence of individuals with disabilities.

Communication

When communicating with an individual with a disability, Parkbridge employees will consider the individual’s needs and circumstances upon request. All communication will be provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of individuals with disabilities.

Service Animals

Parkbridge welcomes individuals with disabilities and their service animals.

In situations where it is not readily apparent that an animal is a service animal, our staff may request documentation, such as a template, letter, or form from a regulated health professional.

If service animals are prohibited by another law, we will take the following steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities can still access our goods, services, or facilities:

We will clarify the reasoning behind the exclusion of the animal.
We will engage in discussions with the customer to explore alternative ways of providing goods, services, or facilities.

Support Persons

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

Parkbridge provides notice when there is a temporary disruption in services or facilities that people with disabilities usually rely upon. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and, if applicable, a description of alternative facilities or services that may be available. Notice will be provided by various methods, depending on the circumstances, and may include postings in conspicuous places such as our properties' amenities, reception, and elevators.

Feedback Processes

We welcome feedback on our approach to accessibility, including this Policy, our Accessibility Plan, and/or any other accessibility-related feedback.

Please send your feedback by email to:

Email: [email protected]
Mail: Parkbridge Lifestyle Communities
70 Huron St, Collingwood ON L9Y 3Z1
Phone: (705) 429-6142
Fax: (705) 445-8311

All feedback including complaints will be addressed by the Parkbridge team in a timely manner.

We can provide it in print, large print, audio, electronic format, or other agreed-upon formats.

Notice of Availability of Documents

Parkbridge notifies the public that documents related to accessible customer service, are available upon request by posting a notice in conspicuous places such as our properties' amenities, reception, and elevators.

Parkbridge will consult with the individual making the request to assess the best format or communication support. The accessible format will be provided promptly and at no extra cost.

Self-Service Kiosks

When designing, procuring, or acquiring self-service kiosks, Parkbridge will ensure accessibility features and consider the needs of people with disabilities.

Parking

Parkbridge will ensure that, from January 1, 2017, any public spaces, including service counters and off-street parking, that it constructs or redevelops meet the built requirements as required in the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (ON 191/11). We will ensure that these legal provisions are met on sites that are occupied and on sites or properties that it manages, owns, and operates to ensure that contractors performing such construction or redevelopment adhere to these requirements.

This includes and not limited to:

New off-street parking should and will have the required Type A (minimum 3400 mm wide)
Type B (minimum 2400 mm wide) parking spots, access aisle (minimum 1500 mm wide), and the required signage.

Information and Communications

When requested, Parkbridge will provide information about our organization and its services, including public safety information, in accessible formats or with communication supports:

We will do so in a timely manner, considering the person's accessibility needs due to disability; and
We will provide this at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons.

We will work with the person making the request to determine the best accessible format or communication support. If we determine that information or communications cannot be converted, we will provide the requester with:

An explanation as to why the information or communications cannot be converted; and
A summary of the information or communications that cannot be converted.

Additionally, we will ensure that our website meets the internationally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA requirements in accordance with Ontario's accessibility laws.

Employment

Parkbridge offers accommodation for job applicants during the hiring process and informs successful applicants of our policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.

We notify successful applicants of policies for accommodating employees with disabilities when making offers of employment.

We will consult with employees when arranging for the provision of suitable accommodation in a manner that considers their disability. We will provide accessible formats and communication supports including: information that is needed to perform the employee’s job; and information that is generally available to employees in the workplace.

In cases where necessary, we will offer customized emergency information to assist employees with disabilities during an emergency. With the employee's consent, we will share workplace emergency information with a designated individual who will assist the employee during an emergency.

We commit to providing this information as soon as possible once we are aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee's disability.

We will review the personalized workplace emergency response information when:

The employee relocates within the organization,
The employee's overall accommodation needs or plans are reassessed, and
The employer revises its general emergency response policies.

Changes to Existing Policies

Any Parkbridge policies not supporting the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity for people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

This document is publicly available and can be provided in accessible formats upon request.

Accessibility Plan 2023 - 2027

Our Commitment

Parkbridge is committed to providing a respectful, welcoming, and inclusive environment to all our colleagues with disabilities and individuals seeking access to the properties we manage and the services we provide. This Accessibility Plan (the “Plan”) is informed by the Accessibility Standards Policy, which is guided by the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity.

This Plan is reviewed regularly and updated to continue to meet our commitments.

Training

Parkbridge launched a company-wide accessibility training program for our employees across Canada. The training includes requirements of the accessibility standard and the Human Rights Code. Parkbridge employees are required to undergo our accessibility training upon hire and every three years as a refresher. Parkbridge updated training in 2023, including audio and customer service training. However, we plan to update our training program to include information about an Accessibility Strategy. This updated strategy will ensure employees are familiar with our future goals for the organization. This training program will evolve to meet new regulations and best practice standards introduced across our operating regions.

Customer Service

Parkbridge is committed to providing accessible customer service on our properties. This includes helping identify barriers to accessible customer service and collecting input from our stakeholders through customer satisfaction surveys.Parkbridge has established customer service training focused on accessibility education within our properties and awareness for customer-facing staff.

Information and Communication

Parkbridge is committed to making our information and communication accessible to people with disabilities upon request, including information related to emergency procedures, plans, and public safety information. Parkbridge employees can access our accessibility policies through our intranet and new-hire onboarding. This Plan is also posted on our public corporate website.

Accessible websites:

To maintain compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), Parkbridge maintains a log, utilizes an AODA website compliance checker, and collaborates with partners to ensure that our websites meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards even after website modifications.

Feedback:

We review the procedures on an ongoing basis, outlining how we address persons with disabilities who request assistance or feedback. Any changes will be attended to as soon as practicable and noted in future updates of this Plan. All colleagues, customers and the general public can contact us through our Parkbridge website, email [email protected], call us, or write to us at our corporate head office (Attention: Accessibility) to provide feedback.

Employment and Human Resources

Parkbridge is committed to accessible employment practices and complying with AODA employment standards. In addition to the training referenced, we created processes and plans for accommodations following return to work and temporary, ongoing, or emergency accommodation. We have committed to providing colleagues with information in accessible formats and with communication support upon request, as AODA requires. As we advance, we will continue to monitor the integration of existing accessibility guidelines and best practices throughout the hiring and employee lifecycle and are committed to:

Incorporating the principles of accessibility into new programs as they are developed.
Seeking opportunities to promote accessibility in the workplace through education and storytelling.
Continuing to educate colleagues on our workplace and emergency accommodation plans.

The Built Environment

Design of Public Spaces

Parkbridge has processes to ensure AODA compliance for newly constructed or redeveloped public spaces, such as service counters, fixed queuing lines, waiting areas with fixed seating, on or off-site parking, outdoor paths of travel, and rest areas.

Self-Serve Kiosks

If applicable, Parkbridge will consider accessibility for persons with disabilities when designing, procuring, or acquiring self-service kiosks, as required by the AODA.

Existing Properties

Parkbridge has collaborated with the Rick Hansen Foundation to conduct accessibility assessments at several properties. These assessments aim to identify areas where improvements can be made to create inclusive and accessible environments. Parkbridge plans to continue these assessments regularly.

Parkbridge plans to benchmark its domestic portfolio of existing buildings against best practice accessibility criteria. In addition, we will continue working with our partners to develop internal tools to help identify, prevent, and remove barriers for people with disabilities in and throughout the built environment.

Maintenance and Notices of Temporary Disruptions

Parkbridge property teams perform regular site inspections that can help identify barriers to accessibility in public spaces within our properties and make corrections where applicable. This includes identifying obstacles that may impede an individual’s travel route or affect one’s ability to access goods and services as applicable to a given location.

In addition, Parkbridge property teams adhere to a preventative and emergency maintenance procedure for accessible elements in public spaces, such as wheelchair-accessible elevators, automatic door openers, and other location-specific features.

Parkbridge will provide notice when there is a temporary disruption to accessible elements in public spaces. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and, if applicable, a description of alternative facilities or services that may be available. Notice will be provided by various methods, depending on the circumstances, and may include postings in clearly visible areas such as entrances and elevators of our properties.

Contact

We welcome feedback on our approach to accessibility, including this Policy, our Accessibility Plan, and/or any other accessibility-related feedback.

Please send your feedback by email to:

Email: [email protected]
Mail: Parkbridge Lifestyle Communities
70 Huron St, Collingwood ON
L9Y 3Z1
Phone: (705) 429-6142
Fax: (705) 445-8311

If you need a copy in a different format, please contact us. We can provide it in print, large print, audio, electronic format, or other agreed-upon formats.