Novus

Accessibility Plan

1. General

1.1 Introduction

Since 1996, Novus has been specializing in providing services to exclusive high-rise buildings in downtown Vancouver. Over the years, we’ve expanded our state-of-the-art fibre optic network to cover Metro Vancouver, including Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Port Moody, and North Vancouver.

Our cutting-edge fibre optic network enables us to deliver the fastest speeds and highest-quality services to our customers, ensuring they receive top-notch entertainment and communication experiences.

But we are more than just your local Internet and TV provider; we’re your neighbors, sharing the same communities and love for our city.

Guided by our core values, we prioritize accessibility and inclusivity in everything we do. Putting our customers first drives every decision we make. We’re deeply committed to improving accessibility across all aspects of our organization.

Diversity and inclusion are integral to our culture, ensuring everyone feels valued and barriers are removed. With these values at our core, we’re dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels like they belong.

1.2 Contact Information & Feedback Process

At Novus we strive to ensure that our services and facilities are accessible to all individuals. Your feedback is essential to help us identify barriers, improve accessibility, and enhance the overall experience of customers, employees, and guests.

Ways to provide accessibility feedback:

• Online Form

Please share your accessibility feedback using our online form.

• Email

You can send an email to: accessibilityfeedback@novusnow.ca.
Please use the subject line ‘Accessibility Feedback’.

• Social Media

Facebook – @novusnow
Twitter – @novusnow

• Mail

Accessibility Committee
300 – 112 E 3rd Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5T 1C8

• Phone

604-642-6688

1.3 What following alternative formats are available upon request

• Print
• Large Print
• Audio Format (a recording of someone reading the text out loud)

For more information about the feedback process for accessibility at Novus, please visit our Accessibility Feedback webpage.

Accessibility Feedback | Novus (novusnow.ca)

All feedback is anonymous. It is only used by the Novus Accessibility committee for the purpose of enhancing and improving our Accessibility Plan.  All feedback will be stored at Novus for 7-years.

1.4 Accessible Canada Act (ACA)

The Accessible Canada Act came into force in 2019 with its goal of making Canada barrier – free country by January 1, 2040.  Here are some key points about the ACA.

1.5 Purpose

The ACA aims to create a barrier – free Canada by addressing barriers in the following priority areas:

• Employment
• Built environment (including buildings and public spaces)
• Information and communication technologies
• Communication (beyond information and communication technologies)
• Procurement of goods, services, and facilities
• Design and delivery of programs and services  
• Transportation (including airlines, rail, road, and marine transportation providers that cross provincial or international borders)

1.6 Principles of the Act

The ACA is guided by and adheres to the following principles:

• Everyone must be treated with dignity
• Everyone must have the same opportunity to make for themselves the life they are able and wish to have
• Everyone must be able to participate fully and equally in society
• Everyone must have meaningful options and be free to make their own choices, with support if they desire
• Laws, policies, programs, services, and structures must take into account the ways that different kinds of barriers and discrimination intersect
• Persons with disabilities must be involved in the development and design of laws, policies, programs, services, and structures, and
• Accessibility standards and regulations must be made with the goal of achieving the highest level of accessibility

1.7 Definitions

Barrier: Anything 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: Any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment or a functional limitation that, in interaction with the barrier, hinders a person’s full participation in society.

Accessibility: The design of products, devices, services, environments, technologies, policies, and rules in a way that allows all people, including people with a variety of disabilities, to access them.

 Summary of the Accessible Canada Act – Canada.ca  

2. Priority Areas Described under the ACA

2.1 Employment

At Novus we’re dedicated to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and respected. We prioritize diversity and inclusivity in our hiring process, ensuring equal opportunities for all candidates. Embracing our uniqueness and diversity is one of our core values. To accommodate diverse needs, we offer flexible work options, such as remote work and adjustable schedules.

Additionally, we regularly collect feedback from our employees through surveys and actively collaborate with them to enhance the Novus experience.

Barriers

• Limited awareness: Some employees may lack awareness or understanding of accessibility issues and how they impact their colleagues
• Unconscious bias: Unconscious bias may influence the treatment and opportunities available to employees with disabilities

Action/Plan

• Awareness training: Develop and implement training programs to raise awareness about accessibility and inclusivity among employees
• Accessibility audit: Conduct annual audits of our physical workplace to identify and address any remaining barriers
• Continues feedback from employees to identify additional barriers and areas for improvement

2.2. Built Environment

Under the Accessible Canada Act, Novus is dedicated to creating a workplace that is accessible to all employees, customers, and visitors. Our current service location is designed with accessibility in mind, featuring easy access to the building entrance, push to open activation switch, elevator, customer reception area and accessible washrooms. We regularly assess and evaluate our workplace to ensure it meets the needs of our diverse customer and employee base.  

Barriers

• Lack of accessibility features on the main office door, such as a push to open activation switch, making it difficult for individuals with mobility impairments to enter independently
• Traditional round doorknobs on office doors might pose challenges for individuals with dexterity or grip limitations, hindering their ability to open doors easily
• The temporary elevator outages present a significant challenge for individuals with mobility impairments who rely on elevators to access our office

Action/Plan

• Install push to open activation switches on the main office door to improve accessibility for individuals with mobility impairments
• Replace traditional round doorknobs with lever-style handles on office doors to enhance ease of use for individuals with dexterity or grip limitations
• Regularly assess and address any additional accessibility barriers within the office environment to ensure inclusivity for all employees and visitors
• Clear communication and signs about elevator outages to minimize the impact on individuals with mobility challenges

2.3 Information and Communication Technologies

Based on feedback from our customers survey, the following information and communication technologies could be improved under the Accessible Canada Act.

Barriers

• Website design complexity: The website design and layout are crowded and complex, making navigation challenging for customers
• Small font size: Default font size on the website is small, which may lead to readability issues, especially for individuals with visual impairments
• Our brand colors may pose challenges to read for people with color blindness or visual impairments
• Limited accessibility features: The website does not provide font scaling options or other accessibility features, excluding users with specific needs

Action/Plan

• Website design: Simplify the website design and layout to improve customer experience and ease of navigation
• Font size adjustment: Increase the default font size on the website to enhance readability for all customers
• Information organization: Restructure the website to make important information more accessible and easier to find
• We are exploring re-branding with colors that contrast well
• Ensure our website is compatible with screen readers, keyboard navigation, and other assistive technologies to accommodate users with disabilities
• Accessibility enhancement: Introduce the font scaling options and other accessibility features to accommodate customers with diverse needs
• Digital documents: Make sure that all digital documents, such as PDFs and online forms, are accessible to individuals with visual impairments by providing alternative text, proper formatting, and compatibility with screen readers
• Communication platforms: Enhance accessibility features on communication platforms such as email, messaging apps, social media tools to facilitate effective communication for employees and customers with disabilities
• Training and support: Providing training and support for employees to create accessible content and utilize accessible features in our information and communication technologies

These improvements align with our commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, ensuring that everyone can access and benefit from our digital resources and communication channels.

2.4 Communication (beyond information and communication technologies)

Based on feedback from our customers survey, the following communication beyond information and communication technologies could be improved under the Accessible Canada Act.

Barriers

• Poor audio quality: Audio quality during phone conversations with Customer Service Representatives might not always be clear, affecting customers with hearing impairments or facing language barriers
• The language used on our website and in documents may not be easily understood by all customers, particularly customers with cognitive disabilities or limited literacy skills

Action/Plan

• Improve audio system: Upgrade our audio systems for customers service interactions to ensure clear communications, addressing potential hearing and language barriers
• Review all communication within and outside Novus to identify any barriers
• Offer training to Novus employees to increase awareness about different forms of accessible communication and how to meet such requests
• Simplify language where possible to be more widely understood by a variety of readers

2.5 Procurement of Goods, Services, and Facilities

At Novus we use various software, devices, and equipment from external vendors that power and support the services we provide to our customers. However, despite our efforts, there are some barriers we encounter in ensuring accessibility for all.  

Barriers

• Lack of accessibility features in certain technologies and software
• Incompatibility with assistive devices used by individuals with disabilities
• Challenges in providing accessible customer support and service
• Difficulty in ensuring accessibility across all stages of acquisition and deployment

Action/Plan

• Prioritizing the acquisition of technologies and equipment with built-in accessibility features
• Working closely with suppliers to ensure compatibility with assistive devices
• Improving our customer support systems to accommodate diverse needs
• Implementing accessibility standards and guidelines throughout the acquisition process

By identifying and addressing these barriers, we aim to create a more accessible and inclusive environment for both our employees and customers.

2.6 Design and Delivery of Programs and Services

At Novus, we’re always looking to make things better. In the development of our Accessibility Plan, we acknowledge the chance to improve both the design and delivery of our programs and services to better meet the needs of persons with disabilities.

Barriers

• Our Employees who visit customer homes and business need training on how to assist people with disabilities during installations and maintenance. It’s essential to talk with customers about where to place equipment in an accessible way

Action/Plan

• Provide a training program for our Installation and Construction Teams. The program should include disability awareness, effective communication with customers with disabilities and proper techniques for accommodation during installation and maintenance of the equipment
• Novus will continue to seek out and review feedback from our employees and customers with disabilities to improve our services

2.7 Transportation (including airlines, rail, road, and marine transportation providers that cross provincial or international borders)

Novus does not offer transportation services and therefore has nothing to report under this heading.

3. Consultation

In developing our Accessibility Plan, we made sure to hear from the most important voices: our employees and our customers. Through surveys, we reached out to them asking for their thoughts, experiences, and ideas. Their feedback was invaluable in helping us understand what works well and what needs improvement. By listening to their perspective, we’re better equipped to create an inclusive environment that meets everyone’s needs.