Accessibility Progress Report
2024
Introduction
In 2023 Tbaytel prepared and published our first accessibility plan to support the goal of realizing a barrier-free Canada by 2040 through the identification, removal and prevention of barriers faced by persons with disabilities. In follow up to our accessibility plan, we have prepared this progress report in accordance with requirements under the Accessible Canada Act (A.C.A.) and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (C.R.T.C.) Accessibility Reporting Regulations.
General
On the accessibility services page of our website, you can review the current accessibility plan Tbaytel is working on, find other accessibility information, and learn how to give your feedback. These sections of our website are all Level AA compliant with version 2.0 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (W.C.A.G.).
If there is an accessible format that works best for you, you can request to review this progress report, our accessibility plan, or a description of our feedback process in an alternative format using any of our feedback methods. We will provide it to you in print, large print, or an electronic format within 15 days of your request. If you require Braille or an audio format, we will provide it to you within 45 days of your request.
Tbaytel’s Accessibility Officer is responsible for receiving feedback on barriers facing persons with disabilities and on progress made with our accessibility plan. The Accessibility Officer is located at 1046 Lithium Drive, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 6G3.
Feedback will also be accepted through our online form, email, and telephone. To request an alternative format of this progress report, our accessibility plan, or a description of the feedback process, please use one of the following designated channels:
You can submit your feedback anonymously but we will not be able to acknowledge that we received it. If you would like us to follow up with you or if you have questions for us, we can better assist you if you provide your name and contact information. By providing your contact information, you agree to the collection, use, and storage of your personal information so we can respond to you and improve Tbaytel’s overall level of accessibility.
Progress Made in Priority Areas
The A.C.A. identifies seven priority areas where accessibility barriers exist that can hinder a person’s full and equal participation in society. This report provides an overview of all the items actioned by Tbaytel to remove the barriers identified in our 2023-2025 accessibility plan, as well as our progress made to date.
Employment
Barrier identified:
- Some external job postings include listed requirements that exclude persons with disabilities even though they may not be mandatory to perform the duties of the position.
Action(s) taken:
- Tbaytel has completed a full review of all existing job descriptions with an accessibility and employment equity lens. All new job descriptions will continue to be reviewed as they are created.
- The job descriptions of customer-facing positions have also been updated to include A.S.L. abilities or skills under the list of preferred qualifications. This includes the job descriptions for Business Sales Advisor, Customer Engineering Associate, Customer Relationship Manager, Direct to Consumer Sales Representative, Hardware Specialist, Sales Associate, Sales Associate - Team Lead, Sales Partner Coordinator, Installation and Repair Technician, and Operations Technician.
Barrier identified:
- Misconceptions and internal biases about persons with disabilities can impact employees’ full participation in the workplace.
Action(s) taken:
- Tbaytel’s Human Resources department explored options for providers of comprehensive corporate accessibility training programs. Consideration was given to the subject matter required for each employee group to best equip them in their roles. It was determined, for example, that customer-facing staff have different training needs than non-customer facing staff so they can be supported in areas like accessible communication and customer service. Consideration was also given to ensuring that the training modules being delivered are also designed in an accessible format.
- Our accessibility committee is currently reviewing and auditing each training module and the program will be rolled out to all staff after the review is complete. All employees will receive training, which includes education about accessibility in the workplace and an overview of different disabilities, both visible and invisible.
The Built Environment
Barrier identified:
- Automatic door buttons should hold the door open longer for some doors.
Action(s) taken:
- An audit of Tbaytel’s buildings was completed to ensure that all doors have automatic openers in good working condition that are properly positioned for persons with mobility or dexterity disabilities and wheelchair users. Automatic door openers were replaced or the timing adjusted in multiple locations, including entrances to buildings and employee bathroom doors.
Barrier identified:
- At Tbaytel’s main corporate location, it is difficult to access the security scanner in relation to where the automatic door button is located.
Action(s) taken:
- The scanner used by employees to scan their security badges at the front entrance of Tbaytel’s main location was moved. It is now in a more accessible spot closer to the automatic door opener.
Barrier identified:
- Work stations at the retail store are spaced too closely together creating a barrier for persons with mobility disabilities and wheelchair users.
Action(s) taken:
- Plans to reconfigure and optimize the physical space at Tbaytel’s retail store are currently being finalized to make it safer and more accessible for customers and employees. The renovation project is scheduled for completion this year.
Barrier identified:
- Accessible parking spots in parking lots have been occupied by vehicles without accessible parking permits.
Action(s) taken:
- Additional accessible parking signage was added to better mark designated spaces with the goal of deterring wrongful parking. Our accessibility committee also worked with Tbaytel’s Corporate Security department to establish a reporting system for employees to identify any vehicles they notice parked in accessible parking spots without visible permits.
Information and Communication Technologies (I.C.T.)
Barrier identified:
- When customers call in, all of their directional answers should be given in a verbal format.
Action(s) taken:
- Tbaytel initiated a project for the introduction of Automatic Voice Recognition (A.V.R.) for our customer contact solution. The functionality was soft launched in September 2023 with adjustments from the first phase of the project made in January 2024. These enhancements are currently being tested.
Barrier identified:
- Websites can be difficult to navigate or use even when they are designed to accepted accessibility standards. Every person’s lived experience with a disability is different. Using a website is the best way to get information for many people with a disability but it can still be challenging.
Action(s) taken:
- Tbaytel completes regular audits of our corporate website for accessible design in areas of functionality, navigation, and ease of use. We continue to build and design new pages or sections of our website to current W.C.A.G. standards but we also actively look for ways that we can enhance existing pages to be more accessible.
- For example, we are currently reviewing all instances where "focus" may be used on the site to better optimize functionality for users who prefer to navigate websites only using a keyboard. This enhancement eliminates the need for the use of a mouse, which can be a barrier for persons with various types disabilities.
Barrier identified:
- Tbaytel does not offer a chat function to communicate with customers.
Action(s) taken:
- Our Customer Care chat tool is now available through Tbaytel’s website to assist customers through written communication using a chatting option.
Barrier identified:
- English is actually the second language of some people with certain disabilities. Even using an online chat function requires use of simple, plain language. Short replies may be needed to participate fully in the conversation.
Action(s) taken:
- Tbaytel provides customer service representatives with etiquette and communication training that covers the use of plain language, as well as tips to ensure that the responses they provide to customers are as clear and concise as possible. We currently do not use any chatbot functionality in our chat tool as all responses are inputted directly by our employees.
Communication, Other than I.C.T.
Barrier identified:
- For in-person interactions, sales associates communicate with customers who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or have significant hearing loss by writing notes back and forth (either using a notepad or typing into a mobile device). A more effective way to communicate would be to use A.S.L. or L.S.Q.
Action(s) taken:
- Tbaytel has explored options available for providers of on-demand Video Relay Service (V.R.S.) so translation services can be made available during transactions in our retail store location. We are also currently exploring the service packages available to determine if on-demand V.R.S. can also be made available for technicians during repair or installation appointments when they are working with customers who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or have significant hearing loss.
Barrier identified:
- Tbaytel does not have a dedicated accessibility center or support line with A.S.L. or L.S.Q. translators available to assist customers from the Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard of Hearing communities.
Action(s) taken:
- To assist customers who may face barriers with communication, Tbaytel continues to make investments in our self-service platform with the goal of empowering customers and providing more flexibility in how we serve and support them. Recent improvements include the creation of an online technical support hub for troubleshooting and the ability to change a wireless plan directly through the application. Work is planned to continue throughout 2024 to further enhance the self-serve options available, including several account changes that would previously have required that customers call in.
The Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities
Achieving the highest degree of accessibility possible involves considering how to remove barriers throughout our organization. As a Tbaytel best practice, when sourcing equipment, materials, goods, and services we are looking to incorporate accessibility functions and requirements into our decision making and selection criteria.
Action(s) taken:
- Our Product Marketing department has added accessibility considerations to the product roadmap used when developing products in each of Tbaytel’s product lines. Accessibility enhancements have also been added to the product and technology roadmap to be considered as we evolve products, services, and features in each of our product lines.
- Tbaytel also introduced the requirement for physical accessibility checks of facilities when planning events, including those off-site. Company-wide communication to remind employees in all areas of the company of this requirement, including communication to our Joint Health and Safety Committee, will be sent.
- Our accessibility committee has circulated an accessible events checklist with considerations for venue selection, parking, room set up, and speech and presentation format (i.e. requirements for screens, presenters, language, audio, etc.). This checklist is to be used when planning corporate events to ensure that they are accessible for all Tbaytel employees.
- We are also currently working to incorporate accessibility considerations into the information we ask for from community partners and recipients under our corporate social responsibility program. This may include asking applicants about accessibility planning and their considerations for community events or other community-based programming that we support.
The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services
Barrier identified:
- It is not always clear that service representatives are aware that the customer they are interacting with has a disability like a speech or intellectual disability. There could be confusion about what they are hearing on the phone, or not recognizing what may be required during face-to-face interactions. Although persons with disabilities usually appreciate when effort is made to be patient or helpful, sometimes interactions are just frustrating or uncomfortable.
Action(s) taken:
- Employees at Tbaytel who work directly with customers are scheduled for enrolment this year in the more comprehensive accessibility training available in the areas of communication and customer service.
Barrier identified:
- Customer accounts should be marked to identify if the customer has self-identified as a person with a disability. This should be communicated to the service technicians visiting the customer’s home.
- When confirming installation and repair appointments, Tbaytel calls customers to verify the date and time, but this is a barrier for customers from Deaf, Deaf-Blind, or Hard of Hearing communities.
Action(s) taken:
- A review of the technical requirements to remove this barrier, as well as what options we have in our current field service management tool is currently underway. This review will identify if there is built-in functionality available to identify customers who have self-identified as persons with disabilities.
- For all new projects, Tbaytel’s standard project initiation document has also been modified to include a section that asks about accessibility considerations. Going forward, before our project managers start developing a new project or initiative, accessibility needs will be scoped out and included in the project plan.
Transportation
Tbaytel does not provide transportation services so this area does not apply.
Consultations
Tbaytel held a consultation with all our employees through four in-person sessions to review the action items included in our accessibility plan and the progress we have made as an organization. The sessions included a question and answer period and a post-session survey that was distributed to all employees electronically.
In the fall of 2023, Tbaytel also participated in national accessibility consultations facilitated through the Canadian Telecommunications Association (C.T.A.) with 16 different organizations. Representatives from all of the groups were invited to review Tbaytel’s accessibility plan and our accessibility offerings. Participants were also provided with the opportunity to meet with us for individual consultations. This resulted in follow up from three organizations including one individual who is also a Tbaytel customer and local Thunder Bay resident.
In addition to these efforts, Tbaytel’s designated consultation sub-committee is developing a plan for facilitating regular consultation activities with persons with disabilities throughout the year. We are working to grow our network of contacts and build on the existing relationships we have with accessibility organizations local to the region we serve. This includes maintaining a database of community contacts who are willing and available to participate in consultation activities. It also includes evaluating interest in establishing an external Tbaytel accessibility advisory panel with representatives from the accessibility community local to Thunder Bay and the northwestern Ontario region.
Feedback
Since Tbaytel opened our accessibility feedback channels we have received 14 instances of feedback, three of which were submitted anonymously. Six instances were submitted through the online form, one by telephone and seven were emailed. Of the feedback received, three were spam or unrelated to accessibility, one was complimentary, four were constructive and identified barriers, and six were neutral in nature.
Specific barriers identified included a request for additional self-service functionality, voice-enabled capabilities for customer equipment, and simplification of the information included on customer invoices. We also received several inquiries about accessibility discounts available for Tbaytel services. Although specific barriers were not identified in all instances of the feedback we received, some individuals did use the feedback channels to inquire about accessible products, services, and options available for persons with disabilities.
Tbaytel carefully reviewed all of the feedback we received and considered how best to respond or action each item. We provided answers to inquiries, actioned any current items that were already included in our accessibility plan, and flagged new barriers for future consideration where we may be able to adjust the planned activities within our plan.