Marine Atlantic continues its efforts to prevent and remove barriers to accessibility, both as a federally regulated transportation service provider and employer. The Crown Corporation published its first Accessibility Plan in December 2022 and continues to work on the initiatives included in the plan as well as other issues raised since its publication.

A progress report on activities was also published in December 2023. Unless otherwise noted, the information in the plan and progress report remains current and accurate.

The following progress report on these activities up to 30 September 2024 is provided here. This cut-off is necessary to ensure there is sufficient time to finalize this report, complete the required review processes, and allow for printing and publication before the end of year deadline.

Marine Atlantic welcomes feedback on any accessibility-related items. The Manager of Customer Relationships is the designated position that reviews and responds to accessibility-related feedback on behalf of the Corporation, collaborating with other parts of the organization as required. 

Feedback is accepted through any of the contact methods below. See also Our Feedback Process for more information.

This progress report is also available in alternative formats including print, large print, braille, and audio. 

Audio formats are available online; they are hosted on YouTube and can be found using links available at www.marineatlantic.ca/alternative-format.

Requests for one of these alternative formats may be made through the contact information above, as well as online at www.marineatlantic.ca/alternative-format. Alternative formats will be provided as soon as feasible after a request is received – within 15 days for print and large print formats and within 45 days for braille and audio formats.

As a federally regulated marine transportation service provider, Marine Atlantic is subject to the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations from the Government of Canada, which has the goal of removing barriers to transportation for persons with disabilities.

Various sections of the regulations are applicable to Marine Atlantic as the Corporation is both a terminal operator and a carrier which operates a combination of pre-existing and new vessels. Applicable sections include: 1–25, 28, 30–35, 37-38, 40-42, 46, 48-61, 134-138, 140, 142-144, 153, 178, 212–221, 223-225, 227, 229, 231 and 243. Applicable to pre-existing vessels: 39 and 164. Applicable to the Ala’suinu only: 139, 141, 145-152, 154-163, 165-177, and 179-182.

Information on the activities and services covered by these sections is presented in the following sections.

Marine Atlantic welcomed the Ala’suinu to its fleet in the summer of 2024. The vessel, named for a Mi’kmaq word for traveller, is a new five-year charter operating on both the Gulf and Argentia routes. The Corporation has the option to purchase the vessel at the end of the charter. Incorporating the latest accessibility standards, including the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations and the CSA standard on Accessible Design for the Built Environment, was a key priority during the building of the Ala’suinu. Marine Atlantic personnel were part of an international project team, including the vessel’s owners, marine architects and designers, shipyard and others, who worked closely together to produce one of the most accessible ferries in Canada and the world.

Passengers will notice many features throughout the vessel that are accessible and inclusive for a wide range of passenger needs, including an increased number of adapted cabins, wider hallways, and signage that includes braille and tactile lettering. The Ala’suinu also includes wider, accessible walkways throughout the vessel, including accessible paths of travel through all seating and food service areas. Contrasting colours have been used throughout the vessel and all food service and seating lounge areas have various seating options including seats with movable arm rests, transfer seats and mobility aid spaces.

International requirements for vessel safety conflicted with obligations under the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations in a small number of areas. For example, raised thresholds are required in some locations to provide the ability to make compartments watertight in emergencies. In these cases, accessibility was kept to the highest possible level while adhering to the required marine safety standards.

During the period an idea to add point of sale terminal extensions at ticket booths was reviewed. The extensions are long handles for the units which process debit and credit card purchases that are handed to customers through the window of their vehicle while being processed at the drive-through booths. The use of these devices could lessen the physical demands related to the units for both staff and passengers. Work to further investigate available options is ongoing.

There are ongoing concerns about the public access doors at some entrances to the Port aux Basques Terminal building. Harsh weather and wind conditions in the area have impacted the functionality and dependability of the automatic doors leading to a potential barrier to access. Further investigation into potential solutions for this issue are ongoing.

Marine Atlantic also continued with construction of a new administrative building in Port aux Basques throughout the year. Completion of the building was anticipated in late fall 2024 and employees were expected to move into the new facility prior to the end of the year. Accessibility has been a focus throughout the design and construction phases of this project and this new space will provide significant improvements in accessibility over many current work locations.

Prior work to have various accessibility items included in routine maintenance and facility checks is showing positive results. These checks are identifying issues and allowing them to be addressed in a timely manner. For example, a routine preventative maintenance check identified a functional issue with a wheelchair ramp on a terminal shuttle bus allowing repairs to be conducted before the issue became a barrier for any passengers.

Marine Atlantic uses resource codes to record accessibility related requests on customer reservations. There is no additional charge for these resources, which are recorded for the passenger’s reference on their itinerary. Some resources are added once the associated requirements are met, such as documentation requirements for emotional support animals and service dogs. Year-over-year comparison data is now available on the usage of these resources; however, it should be noted that ad-hoc requests made during travel are often accommodated but not necessarily added to the booking.

See also additional information on customer accessibility requests in the section on Feedback.

A proposal for a survey of employees on accessibility topics was completed this year. The aim of the survey is to better understand employees’ current knowledge on various accessibility topics, both as it relates to the transportation service provided by the Corporation, as well as their own employment. This information will be used to identify knowledge gaps and provide benchmarking information on which future progress will be measured. The survey proposal is currently in process for budgetary and implementation planning.

Marine Atlantic amended its approach to the sale of accessible cabins in the fall of 2024. Prior processes focused on mobility disabilities but did not adequately address the needs of passengers with other types of disabilities, including many invisible disabilities. Acknowledging this diversity and that passengers should not be asked to provide details about their disabilities to book accommodations, accessible cabins are now sold on a first-come, first-served basis to any customer who requests one.

Sections of fire and emergency plans for Marine Atlantic’s terminal buildings relating to persons with disabilities were reviewed. Updates to language and process were drafted and are in process for inclusion in the final plans for all terminals.

During the period, Marine Atlantic commissioned an external review of employee facing communication resources to identify opportunities to improve the current information offering while drafting accessibility guidelines for future internal information distribution. Various internal communication tools were reviewed, including digital sign content, the internal newsletter, employee bulletins, and intranet content. These communication vehicles were measured against various standards, guidelines, and resources, including Accessibility Standards Canada: Accessibility Standards for the Built Environment, Accessibility Standards Canada: Draft Standard on Web Accessibility, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and the CNIB Clear Print Guidelines.

Overall, the external reviewer found that the materials provided by Marine Atlantic met many accessibility standards and guidelines but require some improvements to ensure full accessibility for all users. Examples of some of the findings include poor colour contrast in some documents, missing alternative text, pieces of documents that could not be read by a screen reader, small fonts, cluttered layouts, and a need for more plain language.

The new telephone system used by Marine Atlantic’s reservations team was implemented in this period. This cloud-based system provides the ability for agents to work remotely, including in cases where there are accessibility-related needs. A pilot project is underway in the department.

Marine Atlantic also introduced a call back feature to its 1-800 line allowing customers to request a call back rather than waiting on hold for an available agent during times of high call volumes. It is anticipated this will have benefits to accessibility in addition to overall customer service as it allows customers to select the option that better suits their individual needs.

The Corporation, working with its vendors, continues to enhance the user experience and accessibility of its online presence. During the year, the transition from PDF versions of Marine Atlantic’s accessibility plan and progress reports to a web-based format was completed. The new format has more accessible features and will be used for all future publications.

Accessible design is incorporated at a foundational level for the development of new website features or components. Quarterly reviews of existing content are also done to ensure WCAG AA compliance. Over the year, a total of 10 defects were identified and addressed further improving the ongoing accessibility of the website. The scale and impact of these defects is also noted to be decreasing due to this process of continual review.

A project to investigate the use of adaptive technologies to assist persons with disabilities navigate public spaces at Marine Atlantic terminals was put on hold given other ongoing activities and plans. The potential use of these types of technologies will be further evaluated in future.

Work was completed during the period to provide on-demand entertainment content via personal electronic devices on the Leif Ericson, as was the documentation to assist passengers with use of the technology on all vessels. It should be noted that this option was also made available on the Atlantic Vision before the vessel’s charter was ended in the spring of 2024. Described video options are available on all vessels. Investigation continues into options for in-cabin remote controls for the entertainment system that include tactile features. Marine Atlantic is actively collaborating with its vendor to identify a viable solution.

The arrival of the new shuttle buses described in the accessibility plan has again been delayed by supply chain challenges. Delivery and entry into service is currently unknown but the initiative remains in progress.

Consideration of accessibility in the procurement process has increased since the implementation of an accessibility review form as part of Marine Atlantic’s internal supply chain process. The process is now being used for purchases over $100,000 given unrelated changes to the procurement process. The form helps to spark additional evaluation of potential barriers or benefits to accessibility at the purchase stage. To date, this process has been part of several significant purchases where the additional review was able to provide the purchasing team with suggestions on criteria that should be considered. The procurement team continues to investigate ways to include this lens on smaller purchases as well.

Marine Atlantic was honoured to have someone speak at the Accessibility Confident Employers event hosted by Sea Change CoLab, an organization dedicated to enhancing the capacity of employers throughout Nova Scotia to effectively recruit, hire, and retain individuals with disabilities. During the event, the Corporation’s Manager of Occupational Health participated in a panel discussion titled “360 Perspective on Supportive Employment,” sharing insights and experiences on creating an inclusive workplace for employees with both physical and invisible disabilities.

Individual workplace accommodations continue to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by departmental managers and the Occupational Health team with the goal of removing barriers to employment wherever possible. For example, during the year, work has been ongoing to enable some positions to work from home where various physical or situational barriers exist for employees. This has been successful in removing barriers to employment for some employees and continues to be investigated as an option where applicable. A review of updates to the Corporation’s workplace accommodation policy continues which is anticipated to be ongoing for some time.

A pilot project to introduce a new type of lashing also showed positive benefits for accessibility in the workplace. Lashings are chain-type fasteners used to secure vehicles to vessel decks to prevent movements while at sea. Traditional lashings are heavy and require significant physical force to apply and remove. The new lashings are applied and removed with the use of power tools, lessening the amount of physical ability required to perform the work, which opens the position to more individuals who may have some physical limitations. The pilot was successful, and the new lashings were fully implemented in the fall of 2024.

During the year, several activities were undertaken to highlight accessibility related topics with employees. A series of accessibility articles were featured in the monthly internal employee newsletter, including ones on large print, alternative formats, and screen readers. The goal of these articles was to help start conversations around accessibility, lessen any perceived stigma, and highlight its importance to everyone, regardless of personal circumstances or ability levels. The article on assistive devices is included below as an example.

Again this year, the Corporation highlighted National AccessAbility Week with informational toolboxes for staff and a featured article in the employee newsletter on episodic disabilities. During the week, employee contests were also held promoting the Easter Seals Red Shirt Day, including employee pledges and colouring pages for children. Below is an example of one of the digital signs about AccessAbility Week encouraging staff to read more about episodic disabilities in the internal newsletter.

Through its Customer Relations team, Marine Atlantic received nearly 400 inquiries, requests and pieces of feedback related to accessibility during the period from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024. The majority of these contacts, over 80%, related at least in part to travel with service dogs or emotional support animals. The other most common topics included access to accessible cabins (please see more on accessible cabins in the section on Design and Delivery of Programs and Services), passengers impacted by schedule changes or cancellations looking for assistance, and questions about travel with CPAP machines.

Customer Relations continues to work with passengers on requests to travel with service dogs and emotional support animals, providing information and options where applicable. While many requests are approved, an increasing proportion do not meet the published guidelines and are rejected. Marine Atlantic works with passengers to find alternative solutions in these cases but takes seriously its responsibility to ensure animals given full access to its facilities and vessels are properly trained.

Numerous additional inquiries and requests were also received and handled in the moment by staff in Reservations, at terminals and onboard vessels covering similar topics. Many requests, both for information and assistance, are fulfilled at the time of request, with more serious or complicated complaints or requests most often being referred to Customer Relations for further action or follow up. See additional information on customer accessibility resources in the section on Design and Delivery of Programs and Services.

As part of its ongoing post-travel customer satisfaction surveys, Marine Atlantic asks specifically for feedback relating to accessibility. Survey results indicate that 16.9% of survey respondents travelled with a person in their party who has a disability. Of those surveyed, 68.7% were “highly satisfied with Marine Atlantic experience in terms of accessibility.” When asked how Marine Atlantic could improve, the majority of people didn’t answer or had nothing specific to add. Of the responses provided, the most common feedback was on areas including (in descending order) improving access to elevator access while embarking and disembarking the vessel, the availability of cabins or other suitable sleeping accommodations, better parking onboard to ease navigation of vehicle decks, easier to navigate hallways and doorways, and priority loading/unloading for persons with disabilities.

Marine Atlantic maintains an Accessibility and Inclusion Advisory Committee that provides advice and recommendations on a variety of topics related to accessibility. Internal committee members represent various functional areas within the organization, while external members of the advisory committee represent various disability-related organizations including CNIB, Guide Dogs of Canada, Canadian Council of the Blind, NL Association of the Deaf, People First NS, Coalition of Persons with Disabilities NL, Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, and Spinal Cord Injury NL.

A draft of this progress report was shared with the members of the advisory committee and discussed. Feedback was provided on several topics:

• Alternative Formats – it was discussed that TTY is generally no longer used as it has been surpassed by newer technologies. Marine Atlantic has begun monitoring the use of its TTY number and is seeing no usage at all to date. It was suggested additional feedback be sought specifically from the representative of the NL Association of the Deaf.
• Built Environment – positive comments were made about the use of routine inspections to help ensure accessibility features and equipment are in good working order on a continual basis. It was noted that this can also help increase employee awareness of these devices/features and how they should function.
• Design and Delivery of Programs and Services – the change in approach to selling accessible cabins was applauded. It was noted that Marine Atlantic has removed a barrier for many people by adopting this approach which does not require passengers to disclose medical information. Feedback on the concern about potential for abuse was that the number of people who may abuse such an approach is likely smaller than the number of people who will now be assisted with respect and able to travel with dignity.
• Feedback – comments were made in support of Marine Atlantic’s approach to documentation requirements and differing access levels for service and guide dogs, and support or comfort animals. There are meaningful differences in these animals, their purpose, and their training. It is recognized there are many opportunities for abuse, which is having negative impacts on people with accredited guide and service dogs.