Accessible Canada Act, Accessibility Plan, 629112 Saskatchewan Ltd. (Saskatoon Media Group) 2024-06-01
Version 1, Amendment 1 (Submitted 2024-06-01)
ACCESSIBILITY PLAN POLICY
Intent
629112 Saskatchewan Ltd. (Saskatoon Media Group) is committed to providing a barrier-free environment for all stakeholders, including clients, employees, job applicants, suppliers and any visitors who enter the premises, access information provided by the company or use the company’s goods and services.
The company will work to identify and remove barriers, and prevent new barriers, for persons with disabilities as they relate to employment, communication, the built environment, goods and services and transportation at Saskatoon Media Group. This policy outlines the company’s accessibility plan and strategy for identifying, removing, and preventing these barriers.
General
Contact to receive feedback for the Saskatoon Media Group Accessibility Plan:
Human Resources Manager
219 Robin Crescent, 2nd Floor, Saskatoon, SK S7L 6M8
306-244-1975
hr@saskatoonmedia.ca
Executive Summary
We are a Canadian radio and digital media company with radio stations and internet portals in Saskatchewan. Serving Saskatoon and surrounding areas, we operate 3 radio stations and 4 internet portals in our communities. We also offer marketing and organizational development consulting to local businesses.
We generously give back to our communities by supporting organizations that support accessibility for persons with disabilities. By raising money and providing promotional radio/online support from our local radio stations and internet portals, we help promote fundraising campaigns for these organizations.
Internally, we seek to remove barriers to employment in areas such as our recruiting practices, gradual return to work policies for short and long-term disability cases, and by providing reasonable accommodation to individual requests.
Saskatoon Media Group solicited feedback/comments from the public, as required, beginning in June 2023, and none has been received. In the absence of feedback, we have worked at creating the best plan possible.
Definitions
Barrier: Anything physical, architectural, technological, or attitudinal, anything that is based on information or communications, or anything that is the result of a policy or a practice that hinders the full and equal participation in society of a person with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, or sensory impairment, or a functional limitation.
Disability: Any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, and sensory impairment, or functional limitation that is either permanent, temporary, or episodic in nature. It can be evident or not in interaction with a barrier to hinder a person’s full and equal participation in society.
GUIDELINES
Accessibility Plan
The accessibility plan includes an overview of our policies, programs, practices and services in relation to the identification and removal of barriers and the prevention of new barriers. The accessibility plan was prepared and published by June 1, 2024, and will be updated every three years following that, or sooner if necessary.
The accessibility plan has included an invitation for public consultation via feedback forms on our local internet portals. We intend to continue consultations with persons with disabilities on an ongoing basis. Saskatoon Media Group adheres to all requirements made by regulation in the development and ongoing maintenance of the accessibility plan.
The accessibility plan is offered in any of the following formats upon request:
- Print;
- Large print;
- Audio; and
- Electronic.
Requests to receive an accessibly formatted version of the Saskatoon Media Group Accessibility Plan are available by phone, email or via the Accessibility Feedback sections on each of our community portal’s home page.
The accessibility plan will be provided 20 days after the day the request was received.
Accessibility Plan Availability
The Accessibility Plan is available on the Saskatoon Media Group corporate website at the bottom of the Home page:
SMG-Accessibility-Plan. (www.saskatoonmediagroup.com)
Those visiting any of the Saskatoon Media Group online community portals will also be able to click on a link that will take them directly to the published Accessibility Plan.
AREAS OF ACCESSIBILITY
Our Employment Practices
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Administrator is aware of the Accessible Canada Act and our Saskatoon Media Group Accessibility Plan. Our online job postings state that, “Saskatoon Media Group is committed to providing a fair and equitable work environment and encourages applications from qualified women, men, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities”. We provide training on fair selection practices to our hiring managers.
We continue to seek input, work to identify and eliminate employment barriers when they are identified. Our goal is to identify barriers and make recommendations to management on how to eliminate the barriers. Reasonable timelines are established for eliminating barriers when identified.
Our Built Environment
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Administrator seeks input on our built environment from our staff, our listeners, and our clients. Our goal is to identify barriers and make recommendations to management on how to eliminate the barriers. Reasonable timelines will be established for eliminating when barriers are identified.
Our Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Administrator seeks input on our Communication and Information Technologies from our staff, our listeners and our clients. Our goal is to identify barriers and make recommendations to management on how to eliminate the barriers. Reasonable timelines will be established for eliminating when barriers are identified.
Communication other than ICT
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Administrator seeks input on our other types of communications including but not limited to verbal and signage. Our goal is to identify barriers and make recommendations to management on how to eliminate the barriers. Reasonable timelines will be established for eliminating when barriers are identified.
Our Processes to Procure Goods, Services and Facilities
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Administrator will seek input on our procurement process from our suppliers, listeners and clients. Our goal is to identify barriers and make recommendations to management on how to eliminate the barriers. Reasonable timelines will be established for eliminating when barriers are identified.
Our Design and Delivery or our Programs and Advertising Services
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Administrator will seek input on how we design and deliver our radio programs, online features and our advertising services with regard to accessibility. Our goal is to identify barriers and make recommendations to management on how to eliminate the barriers. Reasonable timelines will be established for eliminating when barriers are identified.
Our Transportation Considerations
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Administrator will seek internal and external input on our use of transportation with regard to accessibility. Our goal will be to identify barriers and make recommendations to management on how to eliminate the barriers. Reasonable timelines will be established for eliminating when barriers are identified.
PRINCIPLES OF ACCESSIBILITY
Saskatoon Media Group supports and believes in the principles of the Accessible Canada Act.
We believe that being an equitable and accessible company advances Saskatoon Media Group’s core purpose: We exist to make our communities better.
When establishing policies and/or changes to physical location, Saskatoon Media Group will take into account the principals of the Accessible Canada Act.
We currently take reasonable steps to remove and prevent barriers to provide accessibility for all persons and will continue to observe these principles.
Some existing initiatives are:
- New builds are constructed to be accessible.
- Managers are trained in equitable hiring practices.
- We provide gradual return to work plans for employees who have been on disability leave, including options for reasonable accommodation where needed
- Ensured corporate website contains font and contrast options
License Conditions Under Part II of the Broadcasting Act
We note that all Saskatoon Media Group stations are members of the Canadian Standards Broadcast Council.
Adhering to established codes is an important ongoing role that broadcasters play in eliminating barriers that may be present in radio broadcasts.
Consultations
- Through the work of our Accessibility Administrator, we have regular ongoing consultations addressing staff feedback that identifies barriers within the company. Our feedback form is available to staff 24/7 via the Saskatoon Media Group General Teams Channel.
- As part of their weekly reporting process, our managers’ report on all accessibility requests and any accommodations made or still required.
- Our Accessibility Plan is posted on our websites, saskatoonmediagroup.com. cjwwradio.com, 98cool.ca and thebull.ca. It will be accessible from the home page. We invite feedback on our plan and ask for input on identifying barriers.
- We will consider other methods of seeking input on our plan from our listeners, our clients and members of our community, including charitable organizations that we support.
Submitting Feedback
Saskatoon Media Group welcomes feedback from its listeners, clients, and members of the community regarding the accessibility plan and any barriers encountered by persons with disabilities. Individuals who provide formal feedback receive acknowledgement of their feedback along with any resulting actions. Individuals can submit feedback via our community online portals or by obtaining a physical copy of the feedback form from the front desk of our company location. Or by mail to:
Human Resources
Saskatoon Media Group
219 Robin Crescent, 2nd Floor, Saskatoon, SK S7L 6M8
hr@saskatoonmedia.ca
Saskatoon Media Group welcomes feedback from its employees regarding the accessibility plan and any barriers encountered by persons with disabilities. Employees who provide formal feedback receive acknowledgement of their feedback, along with any resulting actions based on the concerns or complaints they submit.
Employees can submit feedback via a digital form. Physical copies may be requested as well.
Employees can provide feedback anonymously if desired, and feedback remains confidential unless the person consents to the disclosure of their personal information. Feedback is received in whatever format the individual providing the feedback is most comfortable with. The feedback process is published in conformance with all applicable legislation. Any changes to the accessibility plan or the feedback process are published as soon as possible and notice of any changes are reported to the accessibility commissioner. The personal information of anyone who provides feedback remains confidential in accordance with all applicable privacy laws.
Progress Reports
629112 Saskatchewan Ltd. prepares, publishes, and submits a progress report to the accessibility commissioner regarding the implementation of the accessibility plan as required by legislation. This report follows a similar structure to the accessibility plan and includes feedback and contact information, information about the consultations completed for the development of the plan, and any feedback received on the accessibility plan. The report addresses how the consultations and feedback were taken into consideration during the process. Progress reports can be made available upon request and are available in all accessible formats the accessibility plan is available in.
Document Retention
The company keeps detailed records of the creation, implementation and updating of the accessibility plan and progress reports. The accessibility plan and feedback process are retained on Saskatoon Media Group’s digital file server for seven years from the publication date. Any feedback provided to the company is retained for seven years from the date it is received. Where necessary, names and personal information of individuals and employees who participated in the feedback process are redacted to ensure confidentiality and privacy.
Budget and Resources
Budget and resources will be made available as required for the work of our Accessibility Administrator – working to identify and eliminate barriers.
Our radio stations will continue to provide radio promotional support to many local organizations and events that work to overcome accessibility challenges.
We will continue to make donations to community charity organizations that support persons with accessibility challenges.
Training
We will be hosting a number of company-wide staff training sessions related to employment equity issues including mental health awareness and employment barriers that persons in equity categories face.
We view staff awareness and a positive company culture related to these matters as very important. We will do training from time to time when we see opportunities to train. This will include in-person sessions and on-line sessions (via zoom for example) on important topics – based on needs identified by our Accessibility Administrator.
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