SENATORS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ACCESSIBILITY STANDARD FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

Purpose

In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA), Canadian Tire Centre is committed to excellence in serving our fans and in making our facility accessible to all persons including those with disabilities.

Our Commitment

Canadian Tire Centre is dedicated to creating fans for life in keeping with our corporate vision and values.

We strive to provide our fans with service that reflects the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity. Our commitment is to provide all fans including those with disabilities, with the same opportunity to access, and benefit from, our goods and services.

Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

Canadian Tire Centre is committed to removing barriers to accessibility for all our fans including those with disabilities.

1. Communication - We will communicate with fans with disabilities in ways that take their disability into account. We will train our people on how to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disabilities.

2. Telephone Services - We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our fans. We will train our people to communicate over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly. We will offer to communicate with fans using the relay service or by email if telephone communication is not suitable for their needs or is not available.

3. Assistive Devices - Canadian Tire Centre welcomes our fans with disabilities and allows them to use their own personal devices as well as offering wheelchair escorts. 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 the event. Note on Oxygen Tanks: Fans requiring the use of an oxygen tank may bring it with them into the building, however, we ask that they notify our Guest Services team so that we can determine if their current seat is the best accommodation for this assistive device.

4. Accessible Seating - Canadian Tire Centre is committed to providing an exceptional experience for all fans and is pleased to offer accessible seating. Accessible seats may be purchased by phoning Ticketmaster at 877-788-3267. Seats may be purchased as a single or in pairs to accommodate the fan and a support person. It is recommended that fans that require an accessible seat purchase this type of ticket in advance.

   Fans that are in possession of a ticket for a standard seat, but require an accessible seat will need to exchange their ticket prior to the event, subject to availability.

   Season Seat Owners - Season Seat Owners looking to exchange their standard seat for an accessible seat should contact Ottawa Senators Guest Services at (613) 599-0100 during regular business hours. Exchanges will be processed based on ticket availability.

   Gifted directly from a Season Seat Owner - If a fan is given a ticket for a standard seat from a Season Seat Owner and requires an accessible seat, they should contact Ottawa Senators Guest Services at (613) 599-0100 during regular business hours to confirm availability. If an accessible seat is available, the fan will be asked to contact the Season Seat Owner and have them contact their Account Representative to request and confirm the exchange. This permission/confirmation will be required in writing from the Season Seat Owner. 

   Ticketmaster Purchase - If a fan purchases a ticket for a standard seat through Ticketmaster and requires an accessible seat, they should contact Ticketmaster at 877-788-3267 to confirm availability. If an accessible seat is available, the exchange will be processed and the difference between the ticket prices will be refunded or charged. 

   Third Party/Unknown - If a fan purchases a ticket for a standard seat from a third party, or any other method that cannot be traced, and they require an accessible seat, an exchange or refund cannot be offered. These fans should contact Ottawa Senators Guest Services at 613-599-0100 or Ticketmaster at 877-788-3267 during regular business hours to inquire about the availability of an accessible seat to purchase.

   At the event, fans who show up and require, but do not hold, a ticket for an accessible seat, should visit our Box Office located just inside Gate 1. Our Guest Services team will work with our Box Office staff to try and find a solution for the fan. Accommodations will be based on availability and cannot be guaranteed.

5. Documentation - All published documents can be made available in hard copy, large print and email if required.

Support Persons

Canadian Tire Centre welcomes fans with disabilities and their support persons. All fans entering our venue, 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 Guest 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 Box Office will work with the fan to allow them to purchase a ticket, when available.

Service Animals

Canadian Tire Centre welcomes our fans with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals may accompany the fan in areas open to the general public. Fans should ensure that they have the proper documentation that identifies their animal as a certified service animal.

Notice of Temporary Disruption

Canadian Tire Centre will provide notice to the public when there is a temporary disruption of facilities or services 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 Box Office, Guest Services booth (located outside section 201 on the Main Concourse) 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, family washrooms, accessible stalls in all men's and women's washrooms, wheelchairs and Assistive Listening Devices.

Employee Training

Canadian Tire Centre will provide training to all employees and others who interact with our fans, as well as those who are involved in the development of corporate policies, practices and procedures. Canadian Tire Centre will also ensure that the staff of all third parties operating within our venue have received training on serving our fans with disabilities.

Training will cover the following:

• The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard.
• How to interact and communicate with fans with various types of disabilities.
• How to interact with fans with disabilities that use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or support person.
• The location of our assistive devices and the persons who know how to use them.
• What to do if a fan with a disability is having difficulty accessing our goods or services.
• Canadian Tire Centre policies, practices and procedures relating to the customer service standard.
• Those involved in policy development will receive additional training about providing goods or services to the public or third parties.

This training will be done as part of our preseason training program each year. For all staff members that join our team after this point, this training will be provided within their new hire training classes. Ongoing training will be provided with respect to any changes to the Canadian Tire Centre's policies, practices and procedures.

Fan Feedback

Canadian Tire Centre is committed to providing exceptional customer 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 Guest Services team in the method most preferred by the fan.

In person during an event, fans may visit our Guest Services team at the Guest Services booth located outside section 201 on the Main Concourse. For all other methods, please use the contact information below:

Canadian Tire Centre 
1000 Palladium Drive
Ottawa, ON K2V 1A5
Phone: (613) 599-0100 (during regular business hours) 
or (613) 599-0128 (during events & Ottawa Senators games only)
Email:  [email protected]

Where possible, fans should include the date of their visit and seating location. If they wish to be contacted about their feedback, fans should provide their name and contact information. Canadian Tire Centre will endeavour to provide timely responses to any feedback where requested.

Questions About This Policy

Any questions about this policy should be referred to our Canadian Tire Centre Guest Services team at the contact information noted above.