MULTI-YEAR accessibility policy

MLSE MULTI-YEAR ACCESSIBILITY PLAN – INTEGRATED ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS

Last Updated June 26, 2021

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Introduction

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (“MLSE”) Partnerships’ Multi-Year Accessibility plan is designed to support the principles and requirements outlined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”), and Ontario Regulation 191/11 – “Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation” (the “Regulation”). This plan outlines MLSE’s strategy to prevent and remove barriers to accessibility from 2014 to 2018.

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Statement of Commitment

MLSE is committed to meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner and consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity. We will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the AODA.

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Application

This plan applies to all MLSE operations including all facilities owned and/or operated by MLSE and its affiliated entities.

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Accessible Emergency Information

MLSE has always been committed to providing the customers and clients with publicly available emergency information in an accessible way upon request. Specifically, our accessible emergency procedures are available in hard copy located at the Fan Services station at each of our venues and the hostess stand at each of our restaurants. We will also provide employees with disabilities with individualized emergency response information when applicable. MLSE shall provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees who have a disability, if the disability is such that the individualized information is necessary and the employer is aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability.

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Customer Service

MLSE will continue to provide equitable access  for all individuals, to fully participate and engage in our games, events and concerts, using reasonable efforts. AODA Customer Service Policies for MLSE venues currently outline how MLSE has and will continue to provide accessible customer service for all our games, events and concerts.

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Assistive Devices

MLSE will continue to welcome fans with disabilities and allows them to use their own personal assistive devices. MLSE also offers Assistive Listening Devices and wheelchair escorts at our live event venues. We will keep these items in good working order and will inform our fans of their availability or any disruption of service. Please note that we do not have wheelchairs that fans may keep for the duration of an event.

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Support Persons

MLSE will continue to welcome fans with disabilities and their support person. All fans entering our live event venues, including those acting as a support person, are required to hold a valid ticket. Tickets for a support person are subject to standard event pricing. If a fan and their support person come to an event and have tickets in different sections, our Fan Services team will do their best to relocate them to a location where they can be seated together. The ability to do this will be based on availability and cannot be guaranteed. If they cannot be seated together, we will ensure that our fan can access their support person while in our venue. If a support person does not have a ticket to the event, our Ticket Office will work with the fan to allow them to purchase a ticket, where available.  

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Service Animals

MLSE will continue to welcome fans with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals may accompany a fan in any areas open to the general public. To ensure the safety of our fans and their service animals, we require that they be seated in an accessible seating section.

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Notice of Temporary Disruption

MLSE will provide notice to the public when there is a temporary disruption of facilities or services usually used by our fans with disabilities to access our goods or services. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration and a description of alternative facilities or services that may be available. We will post this notice in reasonable places including the Ticket Office, Fan Services booths and, where possible, at the point of disruption. When possible, disruptions that are known in advance will be posted online.

These facilities or services include our passenger elevators, escalators, family washrooms, accessible stalls in all men’s and women’s washrooms, wheelchairs and Assistive Listening Devices.

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Fan Feedback

MLSE is committed to providing exceptional fan service. We appreciate feedback from our fans on all issues, especially related to the way we provide goods and services to people with disabilities. All feedback should be directed to our Fan Services team in the method most preferred by the fan.

In person during an event, fans may visit our Fan Services locations.  For all other methods, please use the contact information below.

Fan Services 50 Bay Street, Suite 500, Toronto, ON, M5J 2L2

Phone: (416) 815-5982

Email:  https://www.mlse.com/contact-us

We strive to respond to all feedback within two business days of receipt.

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Training

MLSE will provide training to employees, volunteers  and other staff members on Ontario’s accessibility laws and on the Human Rights Code as they relate to people with disabilities. Training will be provided in a manner appropriate to the duties and roles of particular employees, volunteers and other staff members.

MLSE will take the following steps to ensure employees are provided with the training needed to meet Ontario’s accessibility laws by January 1, 2015:

  • MLSE will provide suitable training to all staff members (full-time and part-time) and volunteers on Ontario’s accessibility laws, health and safety, and the Human Rights Code. This education will also be integrated into our full time and part time new hire orientation processes.
  • Currently, all full-time employees must review the AODA module posted on the corporate intranet site This site contains all relevant AODA and Customer Service requirements. Each employee must complete an online Agreement, acknowledging that he/she has reviewed the AODA module in full. All new and returning part time employees are provided with AODA education as part of our onboarding process.

Kiosks

Effective January 1, 2014 MLSE will ensure employees consider the needs of people disabilities when designing, procuring or acquiring self-service kiosks.

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Information and Communication

MLSE is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. We will consult with people with disabilities to determine their information and communication needs.

(a) Feedback:

MLSE currently has a process for receiving and responding to feedback that is accessible to people with disabilities. We will continue to receive this feedback via:

MLSE will ensure that our procedures for receiving and responding to feedback are accessible to people with disabilities by providing accessible formats and communication supports upon request. Further, MLSE will regularly review feedback received to look for ways to remove barriers to accessibility and improve our customer service for people of accessible needs.

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(b) Accessible Formats and Communication Supports:

MLSE will provide or arrange for the provisions of accessible formats and communication supports with respect to MLSE-generated documents, to people with disabilities on request by January 1, 2016. MLSE will:

  • do so in a timely manner and in a way that considers the person’s accessibility needs due to disability.
  • consult with the person making the request for accessible formats or communication supports by.
  • provide the information at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to others.

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(c) Accessible Websites:

MLSE will continue to make the websites and web content controlled by MLSE conform to the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, initially at Level A and increasing to Level AA by January 1, 2021.

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Employment

(a) Recruitment:

MLSE is committed to fair and accessible employment practices. No later than January 1, 2016 we will take the following steps to notify the public and staff that, when requested, MLSE will accommodate people with disabilities during the recruitment and assessment processes and when people are hired:

  • When posting an employment opportunity, the notice will include information about the availability of accommodation for persons with disabilities on request, where needed, to support their participation in the recruitment process.
  • Employment postings will be written in plain language and will be available in alternate formats on request.
  • MLSE will consult with any selected applicant who requests accommodation and provide or arrange for the provision of accommodation in a way that takes into account their accessibility needs.
  • MLSE will notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities when making an offer of employment.

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(b) Information, Communication Supports and Accessible Formats for Employers:

MLSE will support its employees with disabilities by providing information in a clear and accessible way in order to effectively perform their jobs by January 1, 2016.

  • MLSE will inform employees regarding its policies to support employees with disabilities. This information will include, but is not limited to, policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs.
  • MLSE will provide information to employees about its policies to support employees with disabilities as soon as it is practicable after they commence employment.
  • MLSE will consult with an employee to provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for information that is needed to perform the employee’s job.
  • MLSE will consult with an employee to provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for information that is generally available to employees in the workplace.
  • MLSE will provide updated information to all employees whenever there is a change in an existing policy.

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(c) Return to Work Process

MLSE is committed to supporting employees in the return to work process when they have been absent from work due to disability and require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work. MLSE will have the following changes in place by January 1, 2016:

  • MLSE will develop a documented return to work process. The process will outline the steps to be taken in order to facilitate the return to work of employees who were absent from work due to their disability.
  • MLSE will develop documented individual accommodation plans as part of the return to work process for employees who were absent from work due to disability.

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(d) Performance Management, Career Development and Advancement and Redeployment

MLSE will take into account the accessibility needs of its employees with disabilities and individual accommodation plans, if any, when using performance management, providing career development and advancement, and/or redeploying employees. MLSE will have the following changes in place by January 1, 2016:

  • MLSE will review its current practices regarding performance management, career development and advancement, and redeployment to ensure they comply with the Regulation.
  • MLSE will ensure that managers, supervisors and directors understand their responsibility to take accessibility needs and individual accommodation plans into account when using performance management, when providing career development and advancement, and when redeploying employees.
  • MLSE will provide information regarding performance management, career development and advancement, and redeployment in an accessible format upon request.

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Design of Public Spaces

While MLSE has no current plans to engage in new construction or significant redevelopment of its facilities at present, MLSE will meet the Accessibility Standards for all built obligations should any such construction or redevelopment take place in the future.

MLSE will put procedures in place to prevent service disruption to its accessible parts of public spaces. In the event of a service disruption, MLSE will notify the public of the service disruption and available alternatives.

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