June 1, 2023
Downloadable formats
You can request an alternate format or download the PDF version of the Accessibility Plan.
June 1, 2023
You can request an alternate format or download the PDF version of the Accessibility Plan.
Revised as of: July 19, 2024
Our founder, Ted Rogers, believed in the power of communication to enrich, entertain, and embolden Canadians. At the age of 27, he purchased his first radio station, CHFI. From these modest beginnings, Rogers Communications has grown to become a leading Canadian technology and media company, that works hard to be the first choice for Canadians.
Our skilled and diverse team members work at locations across Canada. At Rogers, we are dedicated to delivering the best networks, reliable and easy to use services, and the most compelling entertainment to millions of Canadians.
We embrace diversity and inclusion for all, including persons with disabilities (PWD). Improving accessibility, and serving all Canadians, means providing products, services, and work experiences that are free of barriers. Doing so makes things better for all.
This Accessibility Plan applies to those subsidiaries and divisions of Rogers Communications Inc. (collectively referred to as Rogers) that have legal obligations under the Accessible Canada Act (the ACA) and its regulations, as amended from time to time. For clarity, these are: Rogers Communications Canada Inc., Rogers Media Inc., Shaw Satellite Services Inc., Comwave Networks Inc., and Rogers Bank.
“Rogers has a goal to be the first choice for Canadians. The only way we can make this a reality is by making decisions, and taking actions, grounded in accessibility. Whether it’s our products and services, or workplaces, an accessible experience is the only experience we are prepared to offer – and we’re committed to ensuring every interaction with our organization delivers on that.” – Bret Leech, Chief Human Resources Officer, Rogers
We value your feedback in helping us create a more accessible Rogers. The Manager of Accessibility is responsible for receiving accessibility-related feedback.
Please visit Rogers accessibility to learn how to provide feedback on accessibility and on our plan, or to request an alternate format of the plan or our feedback process. Alternate formats include print, large print, braille, audio, or electronic.
Contact methods are:
Mailing address: Manager for Accessibility, Rogers Communications, Accessibility Feedback, 333 Bloor Street East, Toronto, ON M4W 1G9
Phone: Accessibility feedback line 1-866-247-0000
Email: accessibilityfeedback@rci.rogers.com (Include “Accessibility Feedback” in the subject line)
Online form: Accessibility Feedback Form
In 2019, the Government of Canada passed the ACA. The goal of the ACA is to create a barrier-free Canada by 2040.
Federally regulated companies like Rogers must create public plans that identify existing barriers and detail actions to remove and prevent future barriers to accessibility. This includes in areas such as products, services, premises, communications, and employment.
Our 2023-2025 Accessibility Plan reflects Rogers and its operations as of March 31, 2023. We relied on help from accessibility experts to gather input and create our plan. This plan was created by consulting with, and listening to our customers, employees, and groups that represent persons with disabilities (PWD). Through our consultations, we learned that some customers encounter barriers in Rogers physical locations, online, and when interacting with us. We also learned there are opportunities to improve how we provide employees with disabilities the accommodations they need and how quickly we provide accommodations.
Our plan outlines barriers we identified through consultations, our actions to address them, and how we will prevent new potential barriers over the next three years. It also includes some of the accessibility initiatives we have already been working on.
We will review our plan annually and publish a yearly progress report. Every three years, we will share an updated plan that builds on our progress. The Human Resources Committee of the Board will continue to be made aware of our progress. We recognize that creating more accessible employee and customer experiences is an ongoing journey that will continue beyond 2025.
This Accessibility Plan describes Rogers expectations as of the date this plan was published and may be subject to change, in accordance with applicable law, in order to reflect the evolving accessibility needs of Rogers employees and customers.
Rogers is committed to the principle of “nothing about us, without us.” We consulted with PWD to develop this plan, through focus groups, surveys, a third-party assessment of accessibility at Rogers, feedback from accessibility experts, and secret shopping experiences. We also launched an accessibility feedback process on June 1, 2022 and have used this feedback to help create this plan.
We have developed priorities for the next three years to remove and prevent barriers based on what we heard. Our priorities are a mix of both short and long-term goals.
This document marks an important milestone for Rogers on our continuous journey to be more accessible. We will consistently listen, learn, and take action to create the best experiences possible for everyone.
At Rogers, we are committed to improving accessibility across our organization to provide a better experience for our team members and customers. We are taking a meaningful approach to removing and preventing barriers to accessibility across our products, services, retail locations, and virtual and physical workspaces. At the same time, we are evolving attitudes and behaviours to build a more inclusive experience for all.
According to Statistics Canada’s Canadian Survey on Disability (2017), nearly a quarter of the Canadian population (22%) that is aged 15 and over has a disability, and this number is growing due to the aging population. At Rogers, we embrace the social model of disability, which means ensuring that human differences are reflected in the design of products, services, or environments.
We respect the principles outlined in section 6 of the ACA. In addition, these are the principles that will guide the work we do every day:
Increasing accessibility is essential for the inclusion of PWD and also benefits many people as it has broader beneficial impacts. Increasing accessibility also reduces the need for individualised accommodations, as human difference is considered in the design.
We constantly strive to improve the experience of our customers and employees, including those with disabilities. Some of our accomplishments to date include:
We began our consultations in 2021 with an assessment of our accessibility gaps and opportunities. To ensure Rogers employees felt comfortable providing honest feedback, we asked third-party experts to assist with consultations. We invited employees with disabilities who had identified that they wished to be contacted to participate in inclusion activities to voluntarily participate in focus groups or surveys. About 20 percent (118 employees) chose to answer a survey and 8 percent (50 employees) were selected to participate in focus groups.
As well, we have an active diversity group for employees with disabilities called the Rogers AccessAbility Network (RAAN). RAAN members have generously shared their lived experiences to help us gain an understanding of the barriers they faced and where they have noticed improvements.
Through our consultations, we learned that in recent years there have been improvements in employee experience, specifically:
At the same time, our consultations found two main areas of improvement:
As part of our 2021 third-party assessment, Rogers also commissioned a survey that was completed by almost 250 customers who use Rogers or Fido accessibility services.
We also collected feedback using secret shoppers in both 2021 and 2022, when we hired PWD consumers to complete a shopping experience and provide feedback. This helps us understand what is working well for customers and where we can do better. All secret shoppers were PWDs.
Rogers used third-party experts to support this work to help participants feel comfortable to provide honest feedback. Rogers held four secret shops that were followed by a focus group. We made sure to include people with diverse types of disabilities including people with differences in vision, hearing, mobility, and neurodiversity.
Our external consultations uncovered areas in which Rogers is performing well:
At the same time, our consultations uncovered things we need to do better:
In addition to surveys and secret shopper experiences, in 2022 we worked with the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) to consult with a range of disability expert and advocacy groups from across Canada. Over 15 groups participated either by survey, written submission or in virtual meetings.
“Employment” refers to the recruitment, retention, and career advancement of individuals at Rogers. It also includes supporting individuals who request workplace accommodations.
“Built environment” refers to Rogers office buildings and retail locations.
"Information and Communication Technologies" (ICT) refers to technology tools used to store or share information.
This section refers to non-digital communication. This includes brand guidelines, advertising, marketing and formal employee gatherings.
“Procurement” is the process of buying goods and services, and leasing facilities from suppliers.
"The design and delivery of programs and services" refers to programs and services offered to employees, customers, and viewers/listeners including the design of services, such as customer service and technical support. It also includes the communication of accessibility features in products such as wireless, TV remotes, or accessibility discounts.
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regulates and supervises broadcasting and telecommunications in Canada. The CRTC has created a wide range of requirements under the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act that relate to the identification and removal of barriers and the prevention of new barriers. Rogers complies with the applicable conditions of licence, regulations, orders, and conditions of service. In the Appendix, we identify these by providing reference to the relevant CRTC regulations, policies, orders, and decisions.
This plan is one milestone on a long journey. Increasing accessibility will drive innovation, expand our market reach, and improve the quality of our offerings. It will also help us create a workforce that reflects the diversity of the Canadian population and help employees reach their full potential.
Please refer to the glossary at the end of this appendix for plain language definitions of key terms used.