Accessibility Plan 2025 – 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, damian@pwt.ca
221-18th Street SE, Suite 204
Calgary, AB
Definitions
Accessibility: Refers to the needs of persons 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.”
Employment
Potential Barrier 1: Representation in the workplace.
Pacific Western Transportation is an equal opportunity employer. Despite our commitment to inclusivity, we recognize the need to proactively address this disparity and create equal employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Action Item(s):
- 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 accommodations during the application and interview stages. This contact person will be knowledgeable about accessibility and prepared to address 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.
Potential Barrier 2: Expand our understanding of the range and variety of accommodation options available to persons with disabilities interested in becoming professional drivers.
Action Item(s):
- 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, persons with disabilities and a disability accommodation consultant to assess and identify options for a wider range and variety of potential accommodations.
Built Environment
Potential Barrier 1: Some spaces within the office and yard may limit the mobility of employees and visitors with disabilities.
Action Item(s):
- Annually review workspaces for hindrances and potential accommodations.
- Establish a standing advisory committee of internal stakeholders to provide feedback on additional proposed design changes to the built environment and assign priority for completion.
Potential Barrier 2: Safety signage in our buildings and yard may not be accessible for people with low vision.
Action Item(s)
- Improve illumination of current signs regarding safety and direction indicators
- Review sign material and font size.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
Potential Barrier 1: Potential inaccessibility of technologies in commonly used meeting and collaboration spaces can limit the ability of facilitators and attendees to participate meaningfully.
Action Item(s):
- 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
Potential Barrier 1: Ensure the Company has a consistent process to ensure alternate formats of communication that it issues to employees and other stakeholders are available and provided in a timely manner.
Action Item(s)
- Prepare standard resources and commonly issued company communication in alternative formats so that they are ready to be distributed upon request.
Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities
Potential Barrier 1: Ensuring all programs, processes and services, moving forward, have taken accessibility into account.
Action Item(s):
- Develop and promote guidelines on how to apply the accessibility lens when reviewing company policies, programs and services.
- Provide training on the Accessible Canada Act and Accessible Canada Regulations for those whose role is to develop programs, processes and procedures.
Transportation
Potential Barrier 1: The Company is currently limited in the options that it provides for employees that experience challenges and concerns with driving during dawn, dusk, or nighttime driving.
Action Item(s)
- Identify and potentially implement schedules, where able, that will shift and/or shorten driving hours to align with dawn and dusk hours.
Consultations
In line with the Company’s dedication to creating an inclusive workplace, we have collaboratively developed our Accessibility Plan and will continue to improve through extensive consultation with our employees, including those with disabilities and allies. This ensures that their valuable perspectives and insights are incorporated into our efforts to make our workplace environment accessible to all.
We will continue to gather feedback and input from our team members in including:
- Anonymous 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 received 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 conducted personalized interviews with those who volunteered to share their lived experiences working at our organization. Through these meaningful exchanges, we are better equipped to develop targeted strategies and initiatives that address the specific needs of our employees with disabilities.
To track our progress and ensure the successful implementation of the changes outlined in our Accessibility Plan, we will maintain an ongoing survey initiative. This initiative will encompass all employees.