ACA, Accessibility Plan, South Fraser Broadcasting (Richmond) Inc.
V1, Amendment 1 (2024-11-21)
ACCESSIBILITY PLAN POLICY
Intent
South Fraser Broadcasting (Richmond) Inc. (CISF) (hereafter referred to as The Company) is committed to providing an environment free from all barriers and impediments for anyone, including employees, job applicants, suppliers, clients, and any visitors who enter our premises, use the company’s goods and services or access information provided by the company.
The company will work to identify and remove barriers and prevent new barriers for persons with disabilities as they relate to employment, communication, the infrastructure, goods and services, and transportation at The Company. This policy outlines The Company’s accessibility plan and strategy for identifying, removing, and future prevention of these barriers.
General
Contact to receive feedback for The Company’s Accessibility Plan:
Director
20800 Westminster Highway #1228 Richmond B.C., Canada V6V2W3
(604-961-7790)
sbadh@pulsefm.ca
Executive Summary
We are an independent radio company targeting a region called south of the Fraser with studios in Richmond, British Columbia. Our primary function is to offer music and cultural programming to our broadcast communities, but we also provide live streaming video services at events and conferences. Within these functions, we also offer a website that acts as a connection point to our listeners/viewers to access information and archived material.
We strive to do our best to support our communities by offering assistance to organizations that support accessibility for persons with disabilities. By helping them raise money and by providing promotional radio/online support from our multimedia platforms, we help promote fundraising campaigns for these organizations.
Internally, we continually seek to eliminate any existing and future barriers to employment. Specifically, by providing reasonable accommodation to individual requests, gradual return to work policies for short and long-term disability cases, and in relevant recruiting practices.
The Company solicited feedback/comments from the public, as required, beginning in June 2023, and to date, none have been received. Due to the absence of feedback, we have worked at creating the best plan possible.
Definitions
Barrier: Anything physical, architectural, technological, or attitudinal, anything that is based on information or communications, or anything that is the result of a policy, a practice or preconception that hinders the full and equal participation in society of a person with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, or sensory impairment, or a functional limitation.
Disability: Any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, and sensory impairment, or functional limitation that is either permanent, temporary, or episodic in nature. It can be evident or not in interaction with a barrier to hinder a person’s full and equal participation in society.
GUIDELINES
Accessibility Plan
The accessibility plan includes an overview of our programs, policies, practices, and services in relation to the identification and removal of barriers and the prevention of new barriers. The accessibility plan was prepared and published by June 1, 2024, and will be updated every two years following that, or sooner if necessary.
The accessibility plan invites public consultation via feedback forms through the internet using our website portals. Our intent is to seek ongoing consultations with persons with disabilities. The Company intends to adhere to all requirements made by regulation in the development and continuing upkeep and improvement of the accessibility plan.
The accessibility plan is offered in any of the following formats upon request:
- Print;
- Large print;
- Audio; and
- Electronic.
Requests to receive an accessibly formatted version of The Company’s Accessibility Plan are available by phone, email or via the Accessibility Feedback sections on our station’s (Pulsefm.ca) home page.
The requested format of the accessibility plan will be provided within 45 days after the day the request was received.
AREAS OF ACCESSIBILITY
Our Employment Practices
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Committee is aware of the Accessible Canada Act and The Company’s Accessibility Plan. Our online job postings state that, “CISF is an equal opportunity employer but will hereafter include, “South Fraser Broadcasting (Richmond) Inc. is committed to providing a fair and equitable work environment and encourages applications from qualified persons, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities. We provide guidance and input to all of our management personnel on fair selection practices.
We work continuously to identify and eliminate employment barriers when and as they are identified. With continued input, our goal is to identify all barriers and work with management and work with our landlord on how to eliminate them. Reasonable timelines are established for eliminating barriers when identified.
Our Built Environment
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Committee seeks input on our built environment (infrastructure) from our staff, our listeners, and our clients. As deficiencies or impediments are identified, we intend to work with management and facilities owners to eliminate those barriers within established and reasonable timelines.
Our Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Committee continues to seek input on our Communication and Information Technologies from our staff, our listeners, and our clients. As deficiencies or impediments are identified, we intend to work with management and facility owners to eliminate those barriers within established and reasonable timelines.
Communication other than ICT
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Committee continually seeks input on our other types of communications, including but not limited to verbal and signage. As deficiencies or impediments are identified, we intend to work with management and facilities owners to eliminate those barriers within established and reasonable timelines.
Our Processes to Procure Goods, Services and Facilities
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Committee will seek input on our procurement process from our suppliers, listeners, and clients. As deficiencies or impediments are identified, we intend to work with management and facility owners to eliminate those barriers within established and reasonable timelines.
Our Design and Delivery or our Programs and Advertising Services
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Committee will seek input on how we design and deliver our radio programming, online and video streaming content, and our advertising services with regard to accessibility. As deficiencies or impediments are identified, we intend to work with management and facilities owners to eliminate those barriers within established and reasonable timelines.
Our Transportation Considerations
Our Employment Equity and Accessibility Committee will seek internal and external input on our use of transportation with regard to accessibility. As deficiencies or impediments are identified, we intend to work with management and facilities owners to eliminate those barriers within established and reasonable timelines.
PRINCIPLES OF ACCESSIBILITY
The Company supports and believes in the principles of the Accessible Canada Act. We believe that being an equitable and accessible company advances our mission: Bringing our region together by entertaining, educating and sharing our values and stories throughout the South of the Fraser Region.
When establishing policies and/or changes to physical location, The Company plans to include the principals of the Accessible Canada Act. We currently take reasonable steps to remove and prevent barriers to provide accessibility for all persons, and will continue to observe these principles.
Some existing and planned initiatives are:
- New builds are constructed to be accessible.
- Managers are trained in equitable hiring practices.
- We will provide gradual return to work plans for employees who have been on disability leave, including options for reasonable accommodation where needed
- Ensured corporate website contains font and contrast options
License Conditions Under Part II of the Broadcasting Act
While CISF is not a members of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, we do subscribe to its core principals. Adhering to established codes is an important ongoing role that broadcasters play in eliminating barriers that may be present in radio broadcasts.
Consultations
- Through the work of our Accessibility Committee, we have regular ongoing consultations, addressing staff feedback that identifies barriers within the company. Our feedback form is available to staff 24/7 online via The Company’s shared documents folder.
- As part of their regular and quarterly reporting process, our department heads report on all accessibility requests, and any accommodations made or still required.
- Our Accessibility Plan is posted on our main websites, pulsefm.ca. It is be accessible from each home page. We invite feedback on our plan and ask for input on identifying barriers.
- We will consider other methods of seeking input on our plan from our listeners, our clients, and members of our community, including charitable organizations that we support.
Submitting Feedback
The Company welcomes feedback from its listeners, clients and members of the community regarding the accessibility plan and any barriers encountered by persons with disabilities. Individuals who provide formal feedback receive acknowledgement of their feedback along with any resulting actions. Individuals can submit feedback via our community online portals, or by obtaining a physical copy of the feedback form from the front desk of any of our company locations. Or by mail to:
Accessibility Feedback
20800 Westminster Highway, #1393
Richmond BC, V6V 2W3
sbadh@pulsefm.ca
The Company additionally welcomes feedback from its employees regarding the accessibility plan and any barriers encountered by persons with disabilities. Employees who provide formal feedback receive acknowledgement of their feedback, along with any resulting actions based on the concerns or complaints they submit.
Employees can submit feedback via a digital form. Physical copies may be requested as well.
Employees can provide feedback anonymously if desired, and feedback remains confidential unless the person consents to the disclosure of their personal information. Feedback is received in whatever format the individual providing the feedback is most comfortable with. The feedback process is published in conformance with all applicable legislation. Any changes to the accessibility plan or the feedback process are published as soon as possible, and notice of any changes are reported to the General Manager. The personal information of anyone who provides feedback remains confidential in accordance with all applicable privacy laws.
Progress Reports
The Company prepares, publishes, and submits a progress report to the accessibility commissioner regarding the implementation of the accessibility plan as required by legislation.
This report will follow a similar structure to the accessibility plan and will include feedback and contact information, information about the consultations completed for the development of the plan, and any feedback received on the accessibility plan. The report addresses how the consultations and feedback were taken into consideration during the process. Progress reports can be made available upon request and are available in all accessible formats the accessibility plan is available in.
Document Retention
The company keeps detailed records of the creation, implementation, and updating of the accessibility plan and progress reports. The accessibility plan and feedback process are retained on The Company’s digital file server for seven years from the publication date. Any feedback provided to the company is retained for seven years from the date it is received. Where necessary, names and personal information of individuals and employees who participated in the feedback process are redacted to ensure confidentiality and privacy.
Budget and Resources
Budget and resources will be made available as required for the work of our Accessibility Committee – working to identify and eliminate barriers.
Our radio station will continue to provide radio promotional support to many local organizations and events that work to overcome accessibility challenges.
We will continue to make monetary or service in kind donations to community charity organizations that support persons with accessibility challenges.
Training
We have ongoing staff training sessions related to employment equity issues including mental health awareness and employment barriers that persons in equity categories face.
We view staff awareness and a positive company culture related to these matters as very important. Further training will be initiated from time to time when opportunities are presented. This will include in-person sessions and on-line sessions (via zoom for example) on important topics – based on needs identified by our Accessibility Committee.