CBC/Radio-Canada launches new National Accessibility Plan to better serve and represent Canadians with disabilities

First-ever National Accessibility Plan, Breaking Barriers, will position Canada's national public broadcaster to be an industry leader in accessibility

MONTRÉAL, May 29, 2023 /CNW/ - CBC/Radio-Canada today launched its 2023–2025 National Accessibility Plan. This new three-year plan, Breaking Barriers, provides a framework for the national public broadcaster to better serve people with disabilities, better represent them in its content, and become the accessible public broadcaster that all Canadians deserve.

The plan shows where we are, what we learned from consulting people with disabilities, and where we plan to be three years from now.

"To be a truly public broadcaster is to be an accessible broadcaster. I am confident that with this plan, we will uphold the trust placed in us by all Canadians, and most importantly those with disabilities, to become a barrier-free CBC/Radio-Canada. An accessible public broadcaster is not only possible — it's within our grasp."

— Catherine Tait, President and CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada

"People with disabilities have shaped every step of this process. And as someone living with a disability, it's been incredible for me to see CBC/Radio-Canada tackle accessibility issues head-on and embrace the change that's necessary for us to become a barrier-free public broadcaster. This gives me so much optimism for building not only a more accessible Canada, but a more accessible world."

— Rachel Desjourdy, Manager (Accessibility Lead), CBC/Radio-Canada

The comments we heard from Canadians with disabilities during our consultations across the country inform the seven objectives on which we will focus in the next three years to make the public broadcaster more accessible:

• Improve the inclusion of employees with disabilities: for example, develop resources to help employees and their managers more easily implement workplace accommodations
• Increase the recruitment, retention and promotion of people with disabilities in our workforce: facilitate and encourage the participation of employees with disabilities in employee development and advancement initiatives
• Create and promote content that reflects the diversity of people with disabilities living in Canada: include more representation of people with disabilities in our content, for example in our images libraries
• Increase opportunities for creators with disabilities in the media industry: provide networking, development and/or production opportunities for creatives with disabilities through programs such as AccessCBC, Synergies, and other projects
• Increase the accessibility of our content, with a focus on digital: for instance, create and deliver more transcribed on-demand audio content
• Improve the accessibility of our technology and infrastructure: incorporate accessibility criteria in the procurement of information and communication technology goods and services
• Develop accessibility knowledge and skills: develop digital accessibility skills in our workforce, for example by offering training

This plan responds to our responsibilities under the Accessible Canada Act and is a part of the continuous improvement of our accessibility efforts. CBC/Radio-Canada is committed to the realization of a Canada without barriers by 2040.

Read the full accessibility plan for more details.

About CBC/Radio-Canada

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada's trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages: Cree, Dehcho Dene Yati, Dëne Sųłıné (Chipewyan), Gwich'in, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Sahtu Got'ine Godi, and Tłı̨chǫ (Tlicho). We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

SOURCE CBC/Radio-Canada

Media contact: Emma Iannetta, Senior Specialist, Media Relations, CBC/Radio-Canada, cell. 647 615-1087, [email protected]