1) General

Acadia Broadcasting Corporation (“Acadia”) recognizes accessibility as a fundamental right for all individuals, including those with disabilities. We are committed to ensuring equal access to information, services, and opportunities, fostering an inclusive environment for our audience and employees alike.

As an organization, fairness and representation are core to our values. We actively promote employment equity to ensure individuals, including persons with disabilities, are fully represented at all levels.

Our Commitment to Accessibility

At Acadia, the inclusion and equitable treatment of people with disabilities is central to our mission. We are dedicated to making the goals of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) a reality through proactive identification, prevention, and elimination of accessibility barriers.

Accessibility is not a one-time effort—it is an ongoing process. We believe in treating everyone with dignity and respect, empowering individuals to maintain their independence.

As a radio broadcasting company, community is at the heart of everything we do. More than a source of entertainment, Acadia is a vital part of the community fabric—fostering local engagement, promoting cultural diversity, supporting Canadian culture, and providing essential news and information. We believe in championing accessibility both as a media company and as an employer.

Communication with Acadia

We welcome feedback from people with disabilities—whether they are employees, clients, audience members, or stakeholders. Whether anonymous or direct, all accessibility-related feedback is carefully reviewed as we work to address and prevent barriers.

We invite the general public, our audience, clients, and stakeholders to share their insights on accessibility via the following channels:

• In person: Acadia’s office at 58 King Street, Saint John, NB, E2L 1G3
• Phone: (506) 648-2100
• Mail: 58 King Street, Saint John, NB, E2L 1G3
• Email: Fill out the form at Acadia’s contact page
• Employees: Acadia employees can reach out to the Human Resources Representative via the same contact form.

Our Human Resources Representative oversees accessibility-related feedback and ensures timely responses. A full description of our feedback process can be found at Acadia’s contact page.

2) Areas in Section 5 of the Accessible Canada Act

2.1 Employment

At Acadia, access, community, and belonging are central to our mission. Currently, 3% of our workforce identifies as persons with disabilities, and we remain committed to sustaining a diverse workforce while fostering a culture of acceptance and inclusion—ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Our Access, Community and Belonging policy underscores this commitment to accessibility.

Fair treatment for all employees is a core principle at Acadia. We actively promote employment equity, ensuring that individuals—including persons with disabilities—are fully represented at every level of our organization. Our employment equity program guarantees that hiring and promotion decisions are based solely on qualifications and ability, fostering a workplace where talent and skill drive opportunity.

Learning and Development

Expanding awareness and education on accessibility and inclusivity is key to enhancing our work environments—whether in our offices or at events.

Actions:

• By the end of 2025, Acadia will implement disability awareness and accessibility training for all new and existing employees.
• Status: Underway.

Progress:

• Accessibility and our Access, Community, and Belonging Policies have been integrated into our onboarding and orientation programs, ensuring all employees are familiar with our values, initiatives, and communication methods for providing feedback.
• We have established quarterly Town Halls to update employees on our Accessibility Plan, encourage discussions on inclusivity, and identify and remove potential barriers.
• As part of our Wellness Program, we have hosted live webinars and Q&A sessions on Neurodiversity and other accessibility-related topics to foster understanding and support.
• We are actively exploring and evaluating accessibility-focused training and courses to equip managers and employees with the knowledge and skills required to create inclusive workplaces and ensure equal access for all.

Workplace Accommodation

Barriers:

Acadia had an established workplace accommodation policy and process before the Accessible Canada Act, but we recognized an opportunity to enhance employees’ understanding of how to request and receive accommodations. Increasing awareness is key to ensuring accessibility for all.

Actions:

By the end of 2023, Acadia successfully implemented and communicated its Workplace Accommodations process and policy to all employees, including new hires, to foster better understanding and ensure equitable access.

• Status: Completed.

Progress:

Following a comprehensive review of our Workplace Accommodation policy and process, we identified the need for clearer communication and education regarding its availability. To address this:

• Training on workplace accommodations is now integrated into our onboarding program to ensure new employees are informed from day one.
• Managers receive regular updates on the process, enabling them to effectively support employees in navigating accommodations.
• Employees are reminded of available accommodations through corporate communications and meetings.
• Quarterly Town Halls provide a platform to promote our commitment to accessibility, invite employee participation, and strengthen efforts to create an inclusive workplace for all.

Talent Acquisition

Expanding accessibility in recruitment and onboarding is a priority at Acadia. We recognize the opportunity to enhance the accessibility of our job postings and strengthen relationships with community organizations that support individuals with disabilities in securing employment.

Actions:

By the end of 2025, Acadia is committed to:

• Improving the recruitment and onboarding process for individuals with disabilities.
• Status: Underway.
• Conducting a comprehensive review of job postings and developing an action plan to ensure they accommodate candidates with a variety of disabilities.
• Status: Underway.
• Enhancing the recruitment and selection process to attract more candidates with disabilities, including establishing and maintaining partnerships with organizations and associations that assist individuals in gaining employment.
• Status: Underway.

Progress:

• Job postings have been refreshed to explicitly communicate Acadia’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, ensuring candidates are aware of the process for requesting accommodations throughout recruitment.

• AI-driven and accessibility-focused tools have been integrated to optimize job ads, ensuring clarity, easy-to-read fonts, and improved accessibility for all applicants.

2.2) The Built Environment

Acadia is committed to creating spaces where everyone feels welcome, comfortable, safe, and supported. Ensuring accessibility and inclusivity in our offices is a top priority.

In 2021, our Halifax office underwent renovations to enhance accessibility, including the addition of a restroom designed for individuals with disabilities. With locations across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Northwestern Ontario, we continue to explore ways to improve accessibility in all our offices.

Barriers

We recognize the opportunity to identify and address potential areas of improvement related to the accessibility of our buildings and office designs.

Actions:

By the end of 2025, Acadia will:

• Consult with individuals with disabilities and organizations that support accessibility to better understand potential barriers within our buildings and office layouts.
• Status: Underway.
• Develop a comprehensive accessibility improvement plan based on findings from consultations and assessments.
• Status: Underway.

By the end of 2026, Acadia will:

• Ensure accessibility is prioritized throughout all phases of locating, purchasing, or renting new office spaces.
• Status: Underway.

Progress:

To strengthen our commitment to workplace accessibility, Acadia has:

• Held town halls and private consultations with employees to gather feedback and address accessibility concerns.
• Integrated accessibility into employment equity initiatives, fostering a more inclusive work environment.
• Established relationships with individuals with disabilities and advocacy organizations to collaboratively identify and remove potential barriers in our offices.

2.3) Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

Acadia is committed to ensuring that its websites and digital content comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). We recognize that accessibility is not only a legislative requirement but a human rights issue, and we strive to minimize barriers in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

We take a proactive approach in acquiring and utilizing ICT, working in partnership with service providers to eliminate barriers and promote inclusivity.

Barriers:

There is an ongoing opportunity to assess and enhance accessibility within our Human Resources Information System (HRIS), including our job application process and websites, to ensure they do not create obstacles for users—including potential applicants with disabilities.

Actions:

By the end of 2025, Acadia will:

• Consult with individuals with disabilities and accessibility-focused organizations to identify potential barriers in our HRIS and websites.
• Status: Underway.

Progress:

• We are currently defining the scope of our ICT project, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of potential accessibility barriers.
• We are building relationships with advocacy groups and organizations to gather valuable insights and recommendations for improving ICT accessibility.

2.4) Communication, other than information and communication technologies

At Acadia, we recognize that effective communication must be clear, direct, and accessible to all. Equitable access to information is essential, and we continuously seek ways to enhance interactions with employees, clients, stakeholders, audiences, and the general public. Our commitment is to ensure all communications are inclusive.

Barriers:

We see ongoing opportunities to:

• Improve communication practices overall, including the availability of information in alternative formats.
• Enhance accessibility at external, public-facing events, ensuring inclusivity for all participants.

Actions:

By the end of 2025, Acadia will:

• Develop partnerships with individuals with disabilities and organizations to identify barriers in communication.
• Status: Underway.
• Explore and implement alternative communication formats to improve accessibility.
• Status: Underway.
• Assess and remove barriers in external events, ensuring they are accessible and welcoming to all.
• Status: Underway.

Progress:

As a broadcasting company, public events are essential opportunities to connect with our audiences in person. Ensuring these events are inclusive, accessible, and welcoming is a top priority for Acadia.

To strengthen this commitment, we have:

• Refined event planning procedures, integrating accessibility considerations to make Acadia events more inclusive.
• Recognized accessibility not just as a legal requirement but a fundamental human right, guiding our approach to public engagement.

2.5) The Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities

Acadia is committed to embedding accessibility considerations into our procurement practices, ensuring that all goods, services, and facilities acquired are inclusive from the outset.

Barriers:

There is an ongoing opportunity to formalize accessibility within our procurement process, ensuring that all new purchases support a fully inclusive environment.

Actions:

By the end of 2025, Acadia will:

• Integrate accessibility criteria into procurement checklists, policies, and procedures.
• Status: Underway.
• Consult with external partners and organizations to identify best practices and potential accessibility barriers in procurement.
• Status: Underway.

Progress:

Acadia has enhanced procurement policies and procedures to prioritize accessibility considerations. Next steps include:

• Training staff responsible for procurement, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to evaluate accessibility in purchasing decisions.
• Embedding accessibility as a core principle across procurement practices, ensuring inclusivity remains at the forefront of all procurement activities.

2.6) The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services

At Acadia, accessibility is fundamental to our mission. As a broadcasting company, engagement with our audiences and the public is central to our operations. We are committed to creating a more inclusive, equitable environment for everyone, including individuals with disabilities.

We embrace a continuous improvement mindset, ensuring accessibility remains a core consideration in the design and delivery of all programs and services.

Barriers:

There is an opportunity to enhance accessibility when developing and implementing programs and services.

Action:

By the end of 2025, Acadia will:

• Prioritize accessibility and its impact on individuals with disabilities whenever creating new policies, programs, or initiatives.
• Status: Underway.

Progress:

• We actively investigate and implement best practices across our programs, policies, processes, services, and products to improve accessibility.
• Our commitment to accessibility is embedded in Acadia’s company culture, ensuring that efforts to remove barriers remain ongoing.
• We continuously adapt to new accessibility insights and evolving best practices, ensuring we stay current and implement meaningful improvements.

2.7) Transportation

While no specific barriers related to transportation have been identified, Acadia remains committed to continuous improvement. We will regularly review our travel policy and transportation-related communications to ensure they remain barrier-free and inclusive.

3. Consultations

Acadia actively engaged employees with disabilities throughout the year, incorporating their insights into our final 2024 Accessibility Progress Report. Feedback from these consultations played a critical role in shaping our approach to accessibility improvements.

We have fostered a company culture that encourages open dialogue, ensuring employees can communicate their feedback effectively. Through ongoing engagement, employees have helped identify areas where accessibility can be further prioritized. These discussions were promoted through internal communications, Quarterly Town Halls, and Employment Equity initiatives, reinforcing our commitment to continuous improvement.

Beyond internal consultations, Acadia recognizes a valuable opportunity to strengthen partnerships with external organizations that support individuals with disabilities. We are dedicated to enhancing collaboration to refine our policies, processes, and practices, ensuring we take meaningful steps toward eliminating barriers in the workplace.

Acadia remains fully committed to creating an environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and accessible to all.

4. Feedback

Acadia has a structured process in place to receive and address accessibility-related feedback. A full description of this process is available at Acadia’s Accessibility Policy.

All feedback received is carefully acknowledged, considered, and actioned to ensure continuous improvement in accessibility efforts.

Throughout 2023 and 2024, Acadia did not receive formal feedback regarding the implementation of our Accessibility Plan or our 2023 Progress Report via the feedback process outlined above. However, all accessibility-related insights were proactively sourced through direct consultations with employees with disabilities, ensuring their perspectives were incorporated into our initiatives.

5. Progress Summary and Conclusion

Acadia is committed to fostering a barrier-free environment for all—whether for employees, clients, audiences, stakeholders, or the general public. We recognize that accessibility is essential to our operations, ensuring policies, procedures, and physical spaces promote inclusivity.

As a radio broadcasting organization, accessibility is embedded in our medium. We are unwavering in our commitment to continuously enhance our approach, ensuring a welcoming and inclusive experience for all.

This year, we are proud of the progress made in strengthening our diversity and inclusion policies and procedures, with a heightened focus on accessibility and disability inclusion. However, we acknowledge that accessibility is an ongoing pursuit.

Looking ahead to 2025-2026, Acadia will:

• Expand partnerships with external organizations to identify and eliminate barriers in our environments.
• Enhance hiring practices, ensuring that recruitment efforts attract individuals with disabilities.
• Strengthen training and development programs to empower employees in fostering an inclusive workplace.
• Improve built environments and communication strategies, ensuring accessibility remains central to our operations.
• Continuously assess existing policies and practices to proactively identify and resolve potential barriers.

Acadia remains committed to creating an environment that is accessible, welcoming, and equitable for all.

The report is also available as a PDF.