Tbaytel's Accessibility Plan
2026
General
This accessibility plan has been prepared by Tbaytel in accordance with the Accessible Canada Act (A.C.A.) and supporting regulations including the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (C.R.T.C) Accessibility Reporting Regulations. Our accessibility program considers other requirements under the Employment Equity Act and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and it respects subsections of the Telecommunications and Broadcasting Acts.
Tbaytel’s Accessibility Officer is responsible for receiving feedback on barriers facing persons with disabilities and on our accessibility plan. The Accessibility Officer is located at 1046 Lithium Drive, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 6G3.
If you would like to provide feedback on our plan or about general accessibility practices at Tbaytel (anonymous or not), you can contact us in one of the following ways:
If you would like to review this plan or a description of our accessibility feedback process in an accessible format that better meets your communication needs, you can request it using any of the feedback methods listed above. 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.
For more accessibility related information, please visit the accessibility services page of our website, which is compliant with current Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (W.C.A.G.) standards.
Accessibility Statement
Tbaytel is committed to helping realize the A.C.A.'s goal of a barrier-free Canada by 2040 through the identification, removal, and prevention of barriers faced by persons with disabilities. We welcome opportunities for meaningful consultation with individuals and groups from various accessibility communities, our employees, and the greater public.
Executive Summary
In 2023, Tbaytel published our first three-year accessibility plan followed by progress reports in 2024 and 2025. This is Tbaytel’s second three-year plan. Under the direction of Tbaytel’s Accessibility Officer, Tbaytel’s employee Accessibility Committee reviewed the progress we made to date and worked to finalize action items for our 2026 accessibility plan.
The A.C.A. identifies the following priority areas where accessibility barriers exist that hinder a person’s full and equal participation in society:
- employment
- the built environment
- information and communication technologies (I.C.T.)
- communication, other than I.C.T.
- the procurement of goods, services, and facilities
- the design and delivery of programs and services
- transportation
This plan outlines barriers that were identified to Tbaytel in each area and the activities that we will undertake to remove them. The action items are organized by short-term activities that we will more immediately initiate, as well as future items that make up our medium to long-term action plan.
Consultations
To gather new information and identify accessibility barriers that still exist at Tbaytel, we consulted with persons with disabilities through various activities. This included an anonymous employee consultation survey that was distributed to all employees, allowing them to self-identify as a person with a disability and provide feedback for consideration by the Accessibility Committee.
Tbaytel also conducted an external survey among representatives of local and regional accessibility organizations in the region we serve. We received valuable feedback from several respondents identifying barriers in four of the seven priority areas of the A.C.A.
Additionally, Tbaytel also participated in the national accessibility consultation sessions facilitated by the Canadian Telecommunications Association (C.T.A.). The sessions were attended by the following groups:
- Canada Deaf Grassroots Movement
- Canadian Association of the Deaf
- C.A.Y.A. (Communication Assistance for Youth and Adults)
- Deaf Wireless Canada Committee
- Deaf-Blind Planning Committee
- Newfoundland and Labrador Association of the Deaf
- Diane Ontario Association of the Deaf.
- Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
- A.L.S. Society of Canada
- Autism Canada
- Brain Injury Canada
- Canadian Council of the Blind
- Canadian Hard of Hearing Association
- C.N.I.B.
- Confédération des organismes de personnes handicapées du Québec
- March of Dimes Canada
- Regroupement des aveugles et amblyopes du Quebéc
Employment
Tbaytel is committed to working with our employees to remove accessibility barriers in the workplace by consulting employees, developing new training programs, understanding how to accommodate employees, and effectively communicating internal processes.
Barriers Identified
- Misconceptions and internal biases can impact full workplace participation.
- There is a lack of open communication regarding the choice to disclose disabilities to managers or co-workers.
- Work environments can be distracting and noisy and lighting that cannot be adjusted creates sensory barriers for employees.
- Workplace culture lacks awareness of neurodiversity and meeting language could be improved.
Short-Term Action Plan
- Develop an internal communication plan to more widely and regularly share information about: Tbaytel’s accessibility policies; disclosure and privacy practices; available support for A.S.L. and L.S.Q. classes; and possible accommodations like individual workspace modifications for sensory needs.
- Create templates or guidelines for accessible documents and presentations to make communication widely accessible across departments.
Medium to Long-Term Action Plan
- Continue inclusion, diversity, and bias training, and increase communication about supports for A.S.L. and L.S.Q. classes.
- Provide training specifically on neurodiversity and inclusive language for meetings and group settings.
The Built Environment
Understanding how persons with disabilities interact with physical spaces and the environment around them is essential to removing barriers that prevent full access for employees at work, visitors who come to our office buildings, and customers served at our retail store.
Barriers Identified
- Larger bathrooms are needed on the main floor of the corporate headquarters.
- Automatic door buttons should hold doors open longer, and some accessible toilets have inaccessible pull doors.
- Lunchrooms lack accessible appliances for wheelchair users.
- Security scanners are difficult to access in relation to automatic door buttons.
- In general, retail environments can present issues: work stations are spaced too closely; entrances are poorly marked; there is a lack of seating for those with mobility issues; and background noise creates communication barriers.
- Environmental stimulants cause sensory issues for people with certain disabilities.
Short-Term Action Plan
- Equip the retail store with additional seating.
- Train employees on how to use speech-to-text apps to assist hard-of-hearing customers.
Medium to Long-Term Action Plan
- Work with Human Resources and the Joint Health and Safety Committee to design more accessible workspaces, break areas, and bathrooms as opportunities arise.
- Conduct regular audits to ensure all doors have functioning automatic openers that are properly positioned, and move security scanners to more accessible spots if needed.
Information and Communication Technologies (I.C.T.)
Reducing I.C.T. barriers ensures that customers and employees with disabilities can fully and equally navigate our systems, websites, applications, and other I.C.T. tools.
Barriers Identified
- Directional phone answers should be given in a verbal format.
- Digital communication, like newsletters, lacks A.S.L. or L.S.Q. content.
- Tbaytel’s website and Webmail service can overwhelm users with cognitive disabilities due to complex text, moving images, and difficult navigation.
- Tbaytel’s TV service and marketing emails are not fully compatible with screen readers.
- Complex audio and visual captchas block screen reader users from logging in to view bills.
- App updates frequently remove vital accessibility features.
Short-Term Action Plan
- Continue building and designing website pages to most current W.C.A.G. standards.
- Reintroduce our online chat tool for technical support and train newly hired technicians to use it.
- Replace complex captchas with simplified authentication mechanisms.
- Review marketing emails for opportunities to maximize accessibility like integrating alternative text links.
Medium to Long-Term Action Plan
- Review Tbaytel Webmail, TV service and marketing emails to identify possible improvements for increased screen reader compatibility.
- Explore opportunities to simplify website navigation and reduce moving imagery.
- Conduct accessibility testing before deploying app or website enhancements wherever possible.
- Launch automatic voice recognition services for customer contact solutions.
Communication, other than I.C.T
We recognize that persons with different disabilities have varying communication needs, making interpersonal interactions and flexible formats crucial.
Barriers Identified
- Product information does not recognize sensory disabilities, and leave-behind literature is geared toward individuals without disabilities.
- Sales interactions heavily rely on writing notes rather than A.S.L., and there is no dedicated support line with translators.
- Service representatives sometimes lack interaction skills, speaking too quickly or shouting, and struggle to assist with accessible devices.
- Sales representatives or field technicians, including third party contractors, lack training on neurodiversity and disability sensitivity during home visits.
Short-Term Action Plan
- Coach employees to slow down, speak clearly, and avoid shouting during interactions.
- Educate customer-facing employees on common assistive technologies so they can better support customers.
Medium to Long-Term Action Plan
- Better align printed materials with clear print guidelines.
- Explore options for making a Video Remote Interpreting (V.R.I.) solution available on-demand at Tbaytel’s retail store location.
- Equip Tbaytel’s retail store with a portable induction loop for use at the customer service desk and checkout counters to readily accommodate individuals with hearing difficulties during one-on-one interactions.
- Ensure all in-home technicians and field representatives receive mandatory training on accessible communication and interacting with neurodivergent individuals.
- Explore options as we implement upgrades to Tbaytel’s field service management system for customers to self-identify as a person with a disability so accommodations can be communicated to the service technicians visiting the customer's home.
The Procurement of Goods, Services, and Facilities
Accessible procurement is essential to ensure that goods, services, and facilities are usable by everyone, including the equipment installed in customers’ homes, while also helping to ensure that new barriers are not created.
Barriers Identified
- When customer equipment relies on lights rather than audible feedback or tactile markers it is not fully accessible.
- In-home devices, remotes, and set-top boxes have small print, small buttons, and lack audible keypads, making them inaccessible for users with blindness, low vision, or dexterity barriers.
- Physical payment machines cannot be used by the visually impaired.
- Customers do not have enough options other than the more expensive TV tiers to get accessible remotes, or new plans can require device upgrades that remove necessary accessibility features.
Medium to Long-Term Action Plan
- Build an accessibility checklist and train Tbaytel’s procurement team to use it so we are sourcing the most accessible equipment available to us or considering what companion devices or equipment are also commonly used.
- Use ongoing feedback to build higher levels of accessibility into the replacement or upgrade of equipment.
- Inquire about accessibility training and certifications for vendors and contractors to ensure accessibility is prioritized in procurement.
The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services
Our goal is to ensure accessibility is considered at every stage of the customer journey, from product development and pricing to installation and support.
Barriers Identified
- It is not always clear when customers have disabilities, and customer accounts lack flags for those who self-identify, creating confusion for service reps and field technicians.
- Confirming appointments by phone is a barrier for Deaf/Hard of Hearing customers.
- Basic services and roaming data for accessibility apps are priced out of reach for vulnerable populations.
- Account security measures, like a password or P.I.N., pose barriers for persons with cognitive disabilities, and in-store staff inappropriately redirect disabled customers online for identity verification.
- Data throttling caps can compromise video streaming resolutions, restricting sign language communication.
Short-Term Action Plan
- Provide flexible, standardized, and easy-to-understand identity verification methods to assist customers who struggle with a P.I.N.
- Ensure the verification process is communicated consistently across all channels and provide additional training for in-store staff to manually process applications.
Medium to Long-Term Action Plan
- Provide additional training to employees on the use of more prompts to reduce barriers, and provide customers more opportunities to disclose their accessibility needs during interactions.
- Explore field service management system functionality to prepare technicians for appointments with persons with disabilities.
- Review internal processes to consider introducing automatic emails or SMS text messages to confirm appointments instead of relying solely on voice calls.
- Continue to regularly review plans, features and service offerings to ensure customers with various disabilities can use the Tbaytel services that are most needed both in and outside of their homes.
Transportation
Tbaytel does not provide transportation services so this area does not apply.
Conclusion
In keeping with the principles of the A.C.A., Tbaytel is committed to treating all persons with dignity, supporting barrier-free access for our employees and customers, and designing our programs and services to account for the wide spectrum of needs among persons belonging to various disability communities.
Through our consultation activities, we have learned that the best way to work towards a barrier-free Canada is to collaborate with persons with lived experience. We will continue to aim for the most accessible Tbaytel, monitor our progress in removing barriers, and apply what we learn in our everyday practices, policies and corporate culture.
Tbaytel will continue our efforts to prioritize accessibility at all levels of our organization by working to remove barriers through accessibility planning, adhering to new Canadian accessibility standards as they are introduced, and following C.R.T.C. directives as they are issued.
View Past Plans