Accessibility Plan 2026 – Federal Operations

General

Pacific Western Transportation is committed to promoting a culture of inclusivity and accessibility as an integral part of our company values. We believe that providing access to all is crucial not only for the growth and competitiveness of our organization in the transportation sector but also for contributing to a barrier-free Canada for everyone. To achieve this, we are developing an accessibility framework that will improve the experience of both our employees and the public with our services, products, and facilities.

We acknowledge that creating a barrier-free environment takes time, and therefore, we are dedicated to ongoing efforts to identify, remove, and prevent barriers. Our Accessibility Plan, developed in compliance with the Accessible Canada Act, will serve as a guide to meet our accessibility commitments and build an accessibility-confident culture. This accessibility plan is offered in any of the following formats upon request: Print; Large print; Braille; Audio; and Electronic.

Pacific Western Transportation values the input of the public, stakeholders, and employees regarding our Accessibility Plan.

Your feedback is crucial to our efforts in promoting accessibility and inclusivity. Please utilize one of the contact methods below to provide your inquiry or feedback. We will promptly respond to all feedback received. If you require assistance while submitting your feedback, please inform us, and we will strive to accommodate your requirements.

Damian Bunnaman
Vice-President, Human Resources
(403) 248-4300
[email protected]
221-18th Street SE, Suite 204
Calgary, AB

 

Definitions

Accessibility: Refers to the needs of people with disabilities being intentionally and thoughtfully considered when products, services and facilities are built or modified so they can be used and enjoyed by all.

Barrier: The Accessible Canada Act defines a barrier as “anything—including 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 persons with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment or a functional limitation.”

Disability: The Accessible Canada Act defines a disability as “any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment—or a functional limitation— whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, or evident or not, that, interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society.”

This accessibility plan is offered in any of the following formats upon request: Print; Large print; Braille; Audio; and Electronic.

The 6 Principles of Accessible Canada Act (ACA) upheld by PWT:

Pacifica Western Transportation is committed to enacting and enforcing the six principles of accessibility in all aspects of our operations.

  • We will treat all individuals with dignity and respect regardless of their disabilities;
  • We will support independence by providing accessible options and accommodations, promote integrations so that all persons have the same opportunity to make for themselves the lives that they are able and wish to have regardless of their disabilities;
  • We will provide equal opportunity through fair and barrier-free access.
  • all persons will feel valued and welcomed and be able to make meaningful choices, with support if they desire, regardless of their disabilities;
  • All PWT policies, programs, services and structures will not only take into account the disabilities of a persons, but also the different ways that individuals interact with their environments, as well as the multiple intersecting forms of marginalization and discrimination they are faced with.
  • PWT welcomes and encourages all persons with disabilities to be involved in the development and design of our policies, programs, services and structures; including but not limited to the progress developments and revisions of accessibility standards as we strive towards having the highest level of accessibility for persons with disabilities.

What we have already accomplished to date:

As of June 18, 2026, PWT has surveyed and interviewed a mix of employees and will be launching our external stakeholder survey to members of the public by July 2, 2027.

Based on our internal survey results, we have broken down our findings under the following categories.


EMPLOYMENT

Pacific Western Transportation is an equal opportunity employer. Despite our commitment to inclusivity, we recognize the need to continually address any disparities that arise from our experiences and feedback to persistently enhance our equal employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Barriers:

  • Accessible friendly application process for opportunities with PWT
  • Accessible interview options
  • Accessible onboarding methods
  • Missing a list of options to accommodate disabilities that don’t interfere with Bonafide occupational requirements.

Actions:

  • We will educate hiring managers on accessible and barrier free recruiting.
  • We will use language that encourages and welcomes individuals with disabilities to apply to our jobs, emphasizing our commitment to providing equal opportunities and reasonable accommodations throughout the hiring.
  • We will provide a clear point of contact within our organization, ensuring that applicants with disabilities can easily request accommodation during the application, interview stages and hiring stages.
  • All of our Recruitment employees and Human Resource employees will be knowledgeable about accessibility and prepared to address any individual needs.
  • We will encourage hiring managers, when possible, to conduct remote interviews. This approach will offer increased flexibility and accessibility, allowing candidates to engage in the hiring process from the comfort of their preferred location.
  • Develop a framework that helps managers understand their responsibilities in the accommodation process and guides them in supporting their employees and implementing suitable workplace adjustments.
  • Develop a work team consisting of managers, drivers, people with disabilities and a disability accommodation consultant to assess and identify options for a wider range and variety of potential accommodations.
  • Expand our understanding of the range and variety of accommodation options available to people with disabilities interested in becoming professional drivers.


THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Barriers:

  • Some spaces within the office and yard may limit the mobility of employees and visitors with disabilities.
  • Safety signage in our buildings and yards may not be easily accessible for people with low vision.

Actions:

  • Annually review workspaces for hindrances and potential accommodations.
  • Establish an accessibility committee of internal stakeholders to provide feedback on additional proposed design changes to the built environment and assign priority for completion.
  • Gather feedback from external stakeholders through comment cards and an online form (example, QR codes placed for customers to scan and complete an accessibility survey)
  • Improve illumination of current signs regarding safety and direction indicators.
  • Review sign material and font size.
  • Provide a site map with large pictograms indicating location of safety hazards and legend explaining each pictogram.


INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICT)

Barriers:

  • Potential inaccessibility of technologies in commonly used meeting and collaboration spaces can limit the ability of facilitators and attendees to participate meaningfully.

Actions:

  • Review the technology used in common conference, learning and meeting spaces to ensure that it meets a high level of accessibility and respects all legal and policy requirements
  • Progressively introduce new accessibility functionality to IT systems


COMMUNICATION, OTHER THAN ICT

Barriers:

  • Ensure PWT has a consistent process to ensure alternate formats of communication are available for employees and other stakeholders and that said communications are provided in a timely manner.

Actions:

  • Prepare standard resources and commonly issued company communication in alternative formats so that they are ready to be distributed at the same time as other communication is issued.


PROCUREMENT OF GOODS, SERVICES AND FACILITIES

PWT has been a long-standing support of providing accessible services for people with disabilities. We have a dedicated webpage and fleet that accommodate a multitude of diverse levels of accessibility needs. We will continue to dedicate and enhance our accessible efforts by ensuring accessibility is considered whenever we purchase, lease, and contract upgraded or new equipment, services, technology; or physical spaces.

Barriers:

  • Some fleet vehicles are not ready for retirement or upgrading and are not able to provide full range of services.

Actions:

  • We plan to ensure that consideration for accessibility needs should start during planning stages with regards to equipment and facility upgrade selections, through to the implementation and ongoing evaluation stages with regards to procurement of goods, services, and facilities. We will ensure the necessary departments are apprised of barriers and ensure that we make any necessary upgrades a priority when our facility budgets allow for us to do so.

Current procurement of goods, services, and facilities ongoing efforts (Expected completion estimated prior to June 2027) :

PWT is currently in the stages of evaluating all procurement policies, processes, and services, to ensure we are taking accessibility into account. We will be adding an accessibility checklist to our procurement process that will have mandatory completion expectancy for all procurement of goods, services and facilities.

Following our internal and external surveys/interviews, we will utilize the results to build our internal training for operational and procurement professionals within our industry.


DESIGN AND DELIVERY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Barriers:

  • As a Transportation provider, we recognize that barriers can exist in the design and delivery of our programs and services, potentially limiting equitable access for the individuals with disabilities. Common barriers include inaccessible communication methods, limited availability of information in alternative formats, inconsistent staff knowledge of accessibility requirements and service processes that may not fully accommodate diverse mobility, sensory, cognitive, or communication needs. Physical and digital customer service channels may also present challenges if accessibility considerations are not incorporated during planning and implementation.

Actions:

  • To address these barriers, the company is committed to integrating accessibility principles into all aspects of program and service design. This includes reviewing policies, procedures, and customer-facing services to identify and remove barriers that may affect passengers, employees, and members of the public. Accessibility considerations will be incorporated into new initiatives, service changes, and operational planning to ensure that programs are inclusive and responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities.
  • Specific actions include providing information in accessible formats upon request, enhancing the accessibility of digital platforms and communication materials and ensuring that customer service practices accommodate a wide range of accessibility needs. The company will also deliver ongoing accessibility awareness needs. The company will also deliver ongoing accessibility awareness and customer service training to employees, equipping them with the knowledge and skills required to provide respectful and inclusive service.
  • In addition, we will establish mechanisms for receiving and responding to accessibility feedback from customers, employees, and community stakeholders. Feedback will be used to identify emerging barriers and inform continuous improvement efforts. Through these actions, the company aims to create a transportation experience that is accessible, inclusive, and equitable for all users while meeting applicable accessibility standards and legislative requirements in Alberta.


TRANSPORTATION

Barriers:

  • The Company is currently limited in the options that it provides for employees that experience challenges and are concerned with driving during dawn, dusk, or nighttime driving.

Actions:

  • Identify and potentially implement schedules that will shift and/or shorten driving hours to align with dawn and dusk hours.

 

CONSULTATIONS

All employees are encouraged to participate in identifying accessibility barriers as they arise. We also encourage employees to propose solutions when able to participate in supporting initiatives that enhance accessibility across the organization.

Barriers:

  • Not having a easily accessible feedback tool internally or on our website

Aligned with the Company’s dedication to creating an inclusive workplace, we have already collaboratively developed our Accessibility Plan and will continue to improve through extensive consultation with our employees annually as well as with external stakeholder input. Our goal is to hear back from people with disabilities. This ensures that their valuable perspectives and insights are all incorporated into our efforts to ensure our workplace environment is accessible to all.

Current and ongoing consultation efforts:

  • Company-Wide Survey: Distribution of an extensive survey to all employees, encouraging individuals with disabilities and allies to participate. The survey will cover various aspects of accessibility and receive responses from participants. This allowed us to gather diverse perspectives and valuable insights on accessibility barriers and potential solutions within our organization.
  • Interviews: We will reach out to our employees who have self-identified as individuals with disabilities and conduct interviews that outline their personalized experiences facing any barriers to date. Through these meaningful exchanges, we will be better equipped to develop targeted strategies and initiatives that address the specific needs of our employees with disabilities.

 

CONSULTATIONS PROGRESS

Barriers:

  • No anonymous outlets available for feedback, only employee consultations reviewed to date.

Actions:

  • We have published and internally announced our new feedback form located at pwt.ca/forms as of July 2, 2026, and we have committed to connecting with disability employment centers throughout Alberta to join us in consultation through feedback and discussion by June 1, 2027.

To continue tracking our progress and ensure our successful progress implementations, we will maintain bi-annual employee surveys and community initiatives to ensure we are progressing to our highest level of barrier free status.

Next commitment phase 

Pacific Western Transportation Ltd. Recognizes that accessibility is a shared responsibility and an ongoing process of continuous improvement.

Roles and responsibilities: All employees at Pacific Western Transportation play an important role in fostering, maintaining, and advancing a fully inclusive workplace. Every employee shares responsibility for creating an environment where all individuals are treated with dignity, respect, and equity, and where barriers to participation and inclusion are actively identified and removed.

Accessibility Committee:

As a further demonstration of our commitment to accessibility and inclusion, Pacific Western Transportation will establish an Accessibility Committee by August 2, 2026. The Committee will support the organizations ongoing efforts to identify, prevent, and remove barriers, engage employees and stakeholders in accessibility planning, and help advance the objectives of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA). The Committee should include a representative from each of the following departments:

Health and Safety
Operations
Human Resources
IT
Procurement
Finance
Learning and Development
Recruitment
Communications

Each representative will be responsible for barrier identification and solutions towards removing or preventing such barriers. This commitment is in addition to client and/or public consultation participants.

Determining and tracking intended outcomes:

In order to ensure Pacific Western Transportation captures identified barriers and our intended outcomes, we will ensure that all feedback and findings received, will be documented in our committee monthly minutes along with progress updates and timelines.

This process is expected to start August 2026 and continue Monthly moving forward.


FEEDBACK PROCESS

Pacific Western Transportation values the input of the public, stakeholders, and employees regarding our Accessibility Plan.

Your feedback is crucial to our efforts in promoting accessibility and inclusivity. Please note that should you share your feedback through any of the contact methods below to provide your inquiry or feedback, you will receive confirmation of receipt promptly and we thank you for your input.

Also, if you require assistance while submitting your feedback, please inform our Vice President of Human Resources, Damian Bunnaman via:

Email: [email protected]
By phone: (403) 248-4300,
By Mail or In Person: 1857 Centre Ave, Calgary, AB, T2E 6L3

Anonymous online form: www.pwt.ca/form à place the feedback section at the beginning of the document or webpage. We need to ensure that once the information is submitted, the recipient see’s that we have received their form.


PROGRESS TO DATE:

  • 2025 – Published Accessibility Plan on Company website
  • July 2, 2026 – Notify Accessibility Commissioner of an initial accessibility plan and updated accessibility plan

Future Progress reporting timelines:

  • June 1, 2027– Publish and notify of an initial progress report
  • June 1, 2028– Publish and notify of a progress report
  • June 1, 2029– Publish and notify of an updated accessibility plan