Commercial Premises Accessibility Due Diligence in Alberta

1. Define the people, route and operation

Map the real journey from public sidewalk, transit stop or parking through exterior routes, entrances, reception, work and customer areas, vertical circulation, washrooms, amenities and emergency procedures. Include staff, customers, visitors, contractors and delivery functions relevant to the proposed operation.

A single ramp or powered door does not establish access to the service or workplace. Record the exact building, suite, floor, operating model and decision date before comparing premises.

• Arrival and parking
• Exterior path
• Entrance and doors
• Interior circulation
• Vertical access
• Washrooms and services

2. Keep three legal and operational questions separate

Building-code accessibility addresses regulated design and construction under Alberta's safety-code framework. Municipal planning, permits and inspections address the address-specific use and work. The Alberta Human Rights Commission describes a separate duty for employers, service providers and landlords to accommodate protected needs to the point of undue hardship.

A permit, old plan, landlord policy or physical feature does not answer all three questions. Route each conclusion to the authority or qualified professional responsible for it.

3. Reconstruct the approved and constructed record

Request available development, building, trade, occupancy and inspection records; approved plans; accessibility schedules; professional field reviews; deficiency correspondence; and any barrier-free relaxation decision applicable to the exact premises and work.

Alberta's relaxation process is property- and permit-specific and is not guaranteed. The absence of a record is not proof that a feature is approved, exempt, non-compliant or unnecessary.

4. Observe conditions without certifying them

Record dated observations of grade changes, surfaces, curb transitions, parking, routes, thresholds, door operation, clear circulation, elevators or lifts, counters, controls, signage, lighting, acoustics, washrooms and obstructions. Use measurements and photographs only with authority and within the agreed scope.

A broker or tour participant can identify a question but should not label a feature compliant. Architects, engineers, code consultants, occupational specialists and authorities control conclusions within their professional or statutory scope.

5. Test the proposed change

Compare the current approved use, layout and occupancy with the incoming tenant's rooms, equipment, staffing, public access and alterations. Calgary and Edmonton both identify accessibility information within commercial alteration and change-of-use reviews.

A prior tenant's occupancy does not prove that a new layout, service model or change of use can proceed without new review or work. Obtain the current address-specific pathway before waiving transaction conditions.

6. Allocate base-building, premises and operational work

List each access issue and assign investigation, design, permit, construction, maintenance, snow and obstruction control, outage, inspection and completion responsibility. Tie landlord work, tenant work, allowances and delivery evidence to possession, fixturing, rent commencement and opening.

A lease clause permitting a use or requiring legal compliance does not identify the actual scope, cost, authority or schedule. Counsel should control lease allocation and accommodation language.

7. Preserve accommodation and privacy controls

Maintain a process for accommodation requests affecting employees, customers and tenants. Record functional needs and agreed measures only through an authorized, privacy-conscious workflow; avoid placing medical or identifiable personal information in a property data room.

A building review cannot predetermine every individual accommodation. Conversely, an accommodation process does not waive applicable building, fire, safety or municipal requirements.

8. Convert gaps into a transaction decision

For each material item, record the source, status, responsible authority or professional, required response, cost range, timing, lease or purchase allocation and condition deadline. Keep source evidence, assumptions and later corrections versioned.

Commercially coordinates licensed commercial real estate search, disclosure and transaction evidence. It does not determine code compliance, calculate occupant load, approve a use, issue a permit, provide permission to occupy, decide a human-rights accommodation request or replace legal, architectural, engineering, fire, municipal or accessibility advice. The Commercially evidence register organizes questions and records; it does not issue an accessibility rating or compliance certificate.