Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, Customer Service Guideline

Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities, Customer Service Guideline

Legislative History:

This Guideline was adopted in accordance with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07, under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. Sections 3, 4 and 6 below were amended in 2016 in accordance with Ontario Regulation 165/16, under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
Amendments approved by Maureen Armstrong

Approval Authority: University Secretary and General Counsel

Signature: Maureen Armstrong, Harriet Lewis


Description: Customer Service Guideline: Accessibility at York University (Assistive Devices, Support Persons and Support Animals). Has associated policy.


  1. Customer Service

York University is committed to providing goods and services in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. York University will use reasonable efforts to ensure that the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities will be integrated unless an alternative measure is necessary to enable a person with disabilities to obtain, use or benefit from the goods or services.

  1. Assistive Devices
    1. York University welcomes persons with disabilities to use their own personal assistive devices as may be reasonably required to access the services of the University.
    2. Definition: “Assistive devices” are equipment or methods which help a person with a disability to do everyday tasks and activities and can include such things as:
    • hearing aids, teletypewriters (TTY) for people unable to speak or hear by telephone
    • scooters, walkers or crutches to assist in mobility
    • magnifiers and white canes to assist vision-impaired persons
    • communication boards (used to create messages), and speech generating devices.
  1. Service Animals
    1. York University welcomes persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal onto the parts of the university premises owned or operated by the university and which are which are open to the person with a disability.
    2. If the service animal is excluded by law in an area of the University campus (e.g. health or safety laws), the university will strive to use other measures to accommodate the person with a disability.
    3. York University will also ensure that all staff who deal with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.
    4. Definition: For the purposes of this Guideline, an animal is a service animal for a person with a disability if,
      1. the animal can be readily identified as one that is being used by the person for reasons relating to the person’s disability, as a result of visual indicators such as the vest or harness worn by the animal; or
      2. the person provides documentation from a regulated health professional (e.g., Audiologist, Speech-Language Pathologist, Chiropractor, Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Optometrist, Physician, Surgeon, Physiotherapist, Psychologist, Psychotherapists or Mental Health Therapist) confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.
  1. Support Persons
    1. The university welcomes onto its premises persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Persons with disabilities will have access to their support person at all times, provided that the interaction does not compromise the university’s academic standards.
    2. The University may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person if after consulting with the person with a disability and considering the available evidence, it is necessary to protect the health or safety of the person with a disability or the health or safety of others on the premises  and there is no other reasonable way to protect the health or safety of the person with a disability or others on the premises.
    3. If a fee is charged for the admission of a support person, the fee will be communicated and posted.
  1. Notice of Temporary Disruptions
    1. York University will provide notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services normally used by persons with disabilities to participate in the activities of the University.
    2. A notice regarding a temporary disruption will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be placed in relevant conspicuous locations on the University premises and, when appropriate, will be placed on the University’s accessibility website at http://accessibilityhub.info.yorku.ca/.
  2.  Training
    1. York University will provide training about the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities to its employees and volunteers.
    2. Training will be provided on an ongoing basis and whenever there are changes to policies, practices and procedures.
    3. York University will keep records of the training provided, including the dates on which training is provided and the number of individuals to whom it is provided. Further information regarding training is available at:http://accessibilityhub.info.yorku.ca/get-involved/.
    4. York University will ensure that every person who deals with members of the public on its behalf; or participates in the development of policies, practices and procedures concerning the provision of goods and services to members of the public, receives training about the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities.
  1. Feedback
    1. The University welcomes feedback regarding the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities. Feedback may be provided in person, in writing, by email or by telephone.
    2. York University will review all feedback it receives and respond to such feedback where appropriate based on the nature of the feedback received.
    3. Where appropriate, York University will take feedback received into consideration as part of its ongoing policy review.
    4. Information regarding the University’s feedback process may be found at  http://accessibilityhub.info.yorku.ca/.
  1. Access to Customer Service Standards Documents
    1. York University has posted the documents prepared in compliance with the Customer Service Standards at: http://accessibilityhub.info.yorku.ca/.
    2. To request a copy of the documents in alternate format, please contact:

Leanne De Filippis, AODA Coordinator
Office of the University Secretary and General Counsel
York University
1050 Kaneff Tower
4700 Keele Street
Toronto ON M3J 1P3
416-736-5310
Email: defilip@yorku.ca