Accessibility and Accommodation Policy

Accessibility Policy

Date of first approval: July 30, 2025

Introduction:

We are committed to complying with the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act. Our policies, practices, and measures reflect the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity for people with disabilities.

If a barrier to accessing our goods or services cannot be removed, we seek to provide alternate ways to access the goods or services.

The following policy statements, organizational practices and measures are intended to meet the requirements of the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service.

This policy applies to all employees, volunteers, contractors, managers, general managers, and executives at Edison Properties.

We are committed to our belief of People, not buildings, are at the heart of Edison Properties.
 

1: Meet communication needs.

Policy Statement:

We meet the communication needs of our tenants.

Practices and Measures:

• To meet communication needs, when appropriate we offer communication in different ways, such as writing things down, reading things outload, and taking additional time to explain things.
• We also:
  • have pens and papers available to write things down
  • Offer a chair when longer conversations are necessary
  • Offer a quiet space or private office when necessary
  • Sit down to engage a tenant in a wheelchair

• Our publications are available in alternate formats upon request

• We write and use signs and documents in plain language
• We have employees who speak multiple languages to mirror the communities we operate in

 

2: Accommodate the use of assistive devices.

Policy Statement:

We accommodate the use of assistive devices when tenants are accessing our goods, services, or facilities.

Practices and Measures:

• We do not touch or move tenants assistive devices without permission.
• We are trained in how to use the assistive devices that we provide, including:
  • Automatic doors.
  • Wheelchair accessible tables or desks in offices.
• In cases where the assistive device presents significant and unavoidable health or safety concerns, we attempt to use other measures to ensure the person with disabilities can access our goods and services.
• We have accessible washrooms available for tenants.

 

3: Welcome support people.

Policy Statement:

We welcome support people and will always accommodate based on tenants’ requests.

Practices and Measures:

• We address the tenant and not the support person, unless requested by the tenant to do otherwise.
• We make space for support people on-site and ensure tenants always have access to their support people.

 

4: Allow service animals.

Policy Statement:

We allow service animals on our premises.

Practices and Measures:

• We:
  • Treat a service animal as a working animal
  • Do not distract a service animal from its job by petting, feeding, or playing with it, unless given permission by the person with the service animal to do so.
  • If we have concerns, we may ask if the animal has been trained to help a person with a disability-related need.
  • We do not inquire about the disability.
• We expect the person who is handling the service animal to maintain control of the animal physically, or through voice, signal, or other means.
• If the service animal shows signs of not being controlled (ie by barking, whining, or wandering), we may provide a warning to the handler to control the animal.
• If the service animal continues to misbehave, we may ask the handler to leave.

 

5: Maintain accessibility features.

Policy Statement:

To ensure barrier-free access to our goods, services, or facilities, we maintain our accessibility features so they can be used as intended.

Practices and Measures:

• We organize our space so that there is room for people with wheelchairs, electric scooters, and walkers.
• Our seating accommodates people of varying sizes and abilities.
• We keep hallways, aisles, entrance and reception areas, waiting rooms, and meeting rooms clear of clutter.

• We keep our entrances free of snow and ice in the winter months.
• We place standing signs out of the way to avoid tripping hazards.
• We use both audio and visual cues to inform tenants it is their turn to be served.
• Alternatives to our accessibility features include:
  • We allow online access to our goods and services

 

6: Let the public know when and why an accessibility feature is unavailable.

Policy Statement:

We let the public know when and why an accessibility feature is temporarily unavailable, how long it will be unavailable, and other ways to access our goods and services.

Practices and Measures:

• If one of our accessibility features becomes temporarily unavailable, we prepare and post a notice and/or announcement on our website about the disruption, the reason for the disruption, how long it will last, and whether there are other ways we can provide our access to our goods and services like providing an alternative access door.
• If requested, we work with our tenants to find other ways to provide goods and services.
• We let the public know about disruptions in the following ways:
  • Posted on our website, on social media
  • Posted on our building entrance, elevators, and high traffic areas.
  • Through employees and managers in person

 

7: Welcome and respond promptly to feedback.

Policy Statement:

We welcome and respond promptly to feedback we receive on the accessibility of our goods and services.

We document the actions we take to respond to the feedback we receive, and that information is available on request in a format that meets the tenant’s communication needs.

Practices and Measures:

• We invite feedback the following ways:
  • Directly through our website using the Contact us form or
  • By calling us directly using the phone number on our website
• All feedback is directed to the relevant property.
• If the feedback requires us to follow up, the person responsible will respond directly to the tenant that mirrors the tenant’s feedback.
• We respond to feedback in the way that meets the communication needs of the tenant.

 

8: Provide the required training to employees and management.

Policy Statement:

We provide the required training on accessible customer service to employees and management. We are trained on:

• How to interact and communicate with people who face barriers to accessing goods and services, use assistive devices, are assisted by a support person and/or service animal.
• How to use any equipment or assistive devices that are available on-site.
• An overview of the Accessibility for Manitoba Act, the Human Rights Code of Manitoba.
• Our organizational policies, practices, and measures, including updates or changes.

Practices and Measures:

• We train new employees and management within two weeks of hire.
• We provide refresher training regularly, including updates to policies practices, and measures. Training is offered annually to all employees.

• Human Resources keeps a timeline and record of all training certificates and policy sign offs.
• Feedback on the accessibility of our goods and services addresses in quarterly Health and Safety meetings
• All employees have access to an internet homepage to provide feedback directly to Human Resources for concerns and issues.

 

9: Keep a digital record of accessibility and training policies.

Policy Statement:

We keep a digital record of our accessibility and training policies. Our digital documentation includes a summary of our training materials and when training was completed.

We let the public know through our websites that our policies are available upon request.

Practices and Measures:

We let the public know that our accessibility and training policies are available in the following ways:

• Posted on our websites
• Through employees, and management in person.
• We provide our policies within a reasonable timeframe, at no cost, and in a format that meets the needs of the individual

Date of next policy review: July 30, 2026