CUSTOMER SERVICE ACCESSIBILITY POLICY

Effective January 1, 2012 the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (Customer Service Standard) made under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) came into effect in Ontario. Pinedale Properties Ltd. (“Pinedale”) is pleased to share this policy which demonstrates its commitment to these principles.

1. Purpose and Commitment

Pinedale is committed to maintaining an accessible environment for persons with disabilities in the delivery of its goods and services. Pinedale will use reasonable efforts to ensure that its policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of its services to persons with disabilities are consistent with the following principles:

• Goods and services are provided in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.
• Persons with disabilities are able to benefit from the dame services, in the same place and in a similar way as other clients.
• Persons with disabilities have opportunities equal to as others to obtain, use and benefit from Pinedale’s goods or services.

2. Definitions

For the purpose of this policy:

“Disability” means,

a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impedimerit,_-deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device;

1. a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability;
2. a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
3. a mental disorder, or;
4. an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.

“Guide dog” means a dog trained as a guide for a person who is blind or visually impaired.

“Service animal” means an animal for a person with disabilities where it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability or where the person provides ·a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that he or she requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.

“Support person” means, in relation to a person with disabilities, another person who accompanies him or her in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods and services.

3. Application of Policy

This policy applied to Pinedale’s services that are provided externally to the public or third parties.

The policy applies to all staff at Pinedale, suppliers, tenants and visitors to Pinedale properties. All Pinedale properties are accountable for providing accessibility to persons with disabilities.

4. Providing goods and services to persons with disabilities

Pinedale is committed to excellence in serving all tenants, including persons with disabilities, and will carry out its functions and responsibilities by:

• Communicating with persons with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.
• Serving persons with disabilities who use personal assistive devices. Pinedale will provide its staff with training on how to use the assistive devices available on Pinedale’s premises.
• Ensuring that persons with disabilities who are accompanied by their guide dog or other service animals are permitted to enter the premises of Pinedale with the animal and to keep with them, unless the animal is excluded by law from the premises.
• Ensuring that persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person are permitted to enter Pinedale’s premises with their support person. At no time will persons with disabilities who are accompanied by their support person be prevented from having access to their support person while on Pinedale’s premises.

5. Support Persons

Person with disabilities may enter Pinedale’s premises with a support person and have access to the support person while on the premises. Pinedale does not charge fees for support persons or if fees are charged for admission to the premises (e.g. special events), Pinedale shall provide notice of the amount in advance.

Pinedale may require persons with disabilities to be accompanied by a support person when on the premises, but only if a support person is necessary to protect the health and safety of the person with disabilities or the health or safety of others on the premises.

6. Service Animals

A person with disabilities may be accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal when on Pinedale’s premises. In the event that service animals are excluded by law from certain areas of the premises, Pinedale will provide other resources or supports to enable the person with disabilities to access the services and goods offered by Pinedale.

7. Notice of Temporary Disruption

Pinedale will notify the public in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by persons with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

The notices will be posted at all public entrances and on any designated bulletin board of Pinedale, or communicated by such method as is reasonable in the circumstances.

8. Training for Staff

Pinedale will train its staff and other individuals who provide services to the public on Pinedale’s behalf on the provision of its goods or services to persons with disabilities.

The training will be provided as soon as practicable after a staff commences his or her duties and will include the following topics:

• the purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard;
• how to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disabilities;
• how to interact with persons with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a guide dog, service animal or a support person;
• how to use or access the equipment or devices available on Pinedale’s premises or otherwise that may help with the provision of goods or services to persons with disabilities;
• what to do if a person with a particular type of disability is having difficulty in accessing Pinedale’s goods and services; and
• Pinedale’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the client service standard.

Pinedale will provide training on an ongoing basis when changes are made to Pinedale’s policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of goods or services to persons with disabilities.

9. Feedback Process

Pinedale welcomes any feedback regarding the methods it uses to provide goods and services to persons with disabilities. Individuals may provide their feedback in person, by telephone, in writing, or by delivering an electronic text by email to accessibility@pinedaleprop.com or by calling Joanne at 416-256-2900 ext.374.

10. Modifications to this or other policies

Changes will not be made to this policy unless the impact of the changes on persons with disabilities has been considered.

Any Pinedale policy that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities will be modified or removed.

11. Questions about this Policy

If anyone has questions about the policy, or if the purpose of the policy is not understood, please contact Joanne DeGiorgio at 416-256-2900 ext. 37 4.

12. Maintenance of Documents

Pinedale will maintain documents describing its policies, practices and procedures and, upon request, shall give a copy of a document to any person.

The documents will include policies, practices and procedures with respect to the following:

• use of support persons;
• use of guide dogs or service animals;
• the steps to be taken in connection with a temporary disruption;
• the training policy, including a summary of the contents of the training and details of when the training is to be provided;
• records of the training provided under this policy, including the dates on which the training is provided and the number of individuals to whom it is provided;
• the feedback process.

Pinedale will notify persons to whom it provides goods and services of its policies, by posting the information at a conspicuous place on Pinedale’s premises, on Pinedale’s website or by such method as is reasonable in the circumstance.

When required under this policy to give a copy of a document to a person with disabilities, Pinedale will provide the document or information in a format that takes into account the person’s disabilities.

ADDENDUM

Glossary of Terms

Accessibility – Accessibility is the degree to which persons with disabilities can access a device, service or environment without barriers. Accessibility is also a process – it is the proactive identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities.

Accessibility Standards – Regulations or rules created under the AODA that provide minimum levels for improving accessibility to meet the goals of the AODA across the province.
Personal Assistive Devices – Devices that a client may bring with them to a meeting.

Support Person – In relation to a person with disability as another person who accompanies him or her in order to assist with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods or services.

Goods and Services – Goods are tangible things (e.g. laptop), which services are things that someone does for you but are not tangible (e.g. legal advice).

PINEDALE PROPERTIES LTD.
MULTI-YEAR ACCESSIBILITY PLAN
AUGUST 2023

Pinedale Properties Ltd., is committed to maintaining an accessible environment for persons with disabilities in the delivery of its goods and services. Pinedale will use reasonable efforts to ensure that its policies, practises and procedures governing the provision of its services to persons with disabilities are consistent with the following principles:

1. Goods and services are provided in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.
2. Persons with disabilities are able to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other clients.
3. Persons with disabilities have opportunities equal to as others to obtain, use and benefit from Pinedale’s goods or services.

Pinedale Properties Ltd., is committed to fulfilling our requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act.2005. Our plan shows how we will play our role in making Ontario an accessible province for all Ontarians. This plan will be reviewed and updated every five (5) years, if required, with our Accessibility panel.

We strive to meet the needs of our employees and customers with disabilities and are working to remove and prevent barriers to accessibility.

We train every person in respect to the policies. We maintain records of the training provided including the dates on which the training was provided.

POLICY – INTEGRATED ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS REGULATION {IASR)

1. Customer Service
   Pinedale Properties Ltd., is committed or providing accessible customer service to people with limitations and disabilities. We will provide goods and service to people with limitations and disabilities with same respect and quality as all others.
2. Information and Communications
   We will ensure that all visitors/customers have access to the appropriate feedback mechanisms and have the ability to contact Pinedale Properties Ltd., in a variety of ways (web- site, phone, e-mail, and mail) regarding any concerns.
3. Employment
   We remain committed to fair and accessible employment practices.
4. Training
   We are committed to continuing to provide training in the requirements of Ontario’s accessibility laws as it applies to people with disabilities.
5. Design of Public Spaces
   Pinedale Properties Ltd., will meet accessibility laws when making major changes to public spaces.

POLICY ON PREVENTATIVE AND EMERGENCY MAINTENACE

Service disruptions may occur due to reasons that may or may not be within the control or knowledge of Pinedale Properties Ltd.

In the event of any temporary disruptions to facilities or services that customers with disabilities rely on to access or use Pinedale Properties Ltd., goods or services, reasonable efforts will be made to provide advance notice.

When disruptions occur Pinedale Properties Ltd., will provide notice by:

1. Posting notices at the main entrances of the building and on our Rent Cafe Website, notices will include the following information:

• Reason for disruption;
• Duration of disruption;
• A description of alternative facilities or services, if any