1.  Introduction

An accessibility plan is a plan that sets out a comprehensive roadmap that transportation service providers (TSPs) use to improve accessibility and describes the actions a TSP will take to prevent and remove barriers. 

Bathurst Airport, in adopting this accessibility plan, commits to adhere to the standards of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (ATPDR).

DEFINITIONS

Accessible Canada Act (ACA)

Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (ATPDR)

Accessible Transportation Panning and Reporting Regulations (ATPRR)

TSP -Transportation Service Provider

Accessibility: Refers to the needs of persons with disabilities being intentionally and thoughtfully considered when products, services and facilities are built or modified so they can be used and enjoyed by persons of all abilities.

Barrier: The Accessible Canada Act defines a barrier as “anything—including anything physical, architectural, technological or attitudinal, anything that is based on information or communications or anything that is the result of a policy or a practice—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: The Accessible Canada Act defines a disability as “any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment— or a functional limitation— whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, or evident or not, that, interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society.”

Principles of Accessibility

Section 6 of the ACA sets out a series of principles that must be recognized and followed when the requirements of the ACA are carried out.

TSPs should therefore act in accordance with the following principles when preparing their accessibility plans, feedback processes, and progress reports:

all persons must be treated with dignity regardless of their disabilities;

all persons must have the same opportunity to make for themselves the lives that they are able and wish to have regardless of their disabilities;

all persons must have barrier-free access to full and equal participation in society, regardless of their disabilities;

all persons must have meaningful options and be free to make their own choices, with support if they desire, regardless of their disabilities;

laws, policies, programs, services and structures must take into account the disabilities of persons, the different ways that persons interact with their environments and the multiple and intersecting forms of marginalization and discrimination faced by persons; and,

persons with disabilities must be involved in the development and design of laws, policies, programs, services and structures.

For employment, ZBF commits to continue to identify, remove barriers, and prevent new barriers from being installed.


2.  General Information

Responsibility

The Manager of Regulatory Affairs for CZBF is the designate to receive feedback related to accessibility.

Providing feedback

The public can provide feedback through 3 different means and can request an alternate format of the feedback process be made available to them through large print, braille, electronic format, or adaptable technology.

By sending a letter to the mailing address:

NNBAA-Administration

2929 Route180
South Tetagouche, NB E2A 7B9, Canada

By calling:

(506) 549-5050 Option #6

By emailing:

 info@airbathurst.com

If you want to provide anonymous feedback:

do not state your name or provide any other identifying information (for example, your email address or phone numbers.

do not include your return address on the envelope if you send feedback by mail.


3.  Information and Communication Technologies

In order to identify and eliminate barriers, and to avoid creating new ones, CZBF has set up technological tools and procedures related to information and communication technologies.

  • Audio and visual formats for public announcements in the terminal
  • Accessible parking payment kiosks
  • Accessible website (WCAG 2.1 Compliant) 
  • Information requests available through email

Airlines and staff who must make announcements are provided with the procedure for using the public address system, which includes steps in development to ensure that audio announcements are displayed bilingually on screens in the terminal.

4.  Other Communication Methods

In addition to the technological means listed in the previous section, CZBF has other strategies to ensure respectful, accessible communications with persons with disabilities, as listed below.

Verbal communications which take the following into account:

Nature of the disability

Use of assistive devices

Information about the person’s preferred form of physical assistance

Description of the services that CZBF can provide

Public announcements made inside the terminal:

All announcements are bilingual pre-recorded and played several times during a flight.

Messages that are not recorded must be clearly enunciated in both official languages.

Initially, airport employees will receive ATPDR compliant training based on their role and responsibilities within their first 60 days of employment. This training includes guidance on interacting respectfully with persons with disabilities, and is reviewed on a three-year cycle.


5.  Procurement of Goods, Services, and Facilities

When procuring goods and implementing new services or opening new facilities, CZBF ensures that the process remains respectful of and accessible to persons with disabilities.

When procuring goods they must be checked to ensure compliance with accessibility standards.

When implementing new services, the impact on every step of the passenger journey must be checked, the staff on duty must be trained and everything must be accessible.

When procuring new facilities, the impact on the passenger journey must be checked and it must meet accessibility standards.

Staff in charge of procuring goods, implementing new services, or procuring new facilities must ensure that all elements comply with accessibility standards.


6.  Design and Delivery of Programs and Services

When designing and delivering new programs and services, CZBF ensures that the process remains respectful and accessible to persons with disabilities.

Staff are trained to provide physical assistance to persons with disabilities and support for efficient transportation of aides or service dogs.  You can call in advance or book through the accessibility section of our website.

Check-in, boarding, and deplaning assistance is provided by trained airline personnel, and can be pre-arranged by simply calling ahead at 506-549-5050 or by filling out our Assistance Request form via our airport website at www.airbathurst.com


7.  Transportation

The Bathurst Regional Airport (CZBF) is committed to providing a pleasant and accommodating travel experience to persons with disabilities. The terminal building is a one-level unit with curbside drop-off and pick-up along the front of the building.  Clients can get to CZBF by private car, taxi and a curbside zone to drop off and pick up persons with disabilities is available near the terminal’s main entrance.

Curbside Assistance can be provided by CZBF Security staff and can be arranged through the Accessibility section of our website: https://airbathurst.com/accessible-transportation/


8.  Built Environment

The CZBF terminal was built to the National Building Code standards at the time. All new projects are built to the most current standards, which meet universal design requirements. The following elements in the terminal meet CNIB and accessibility requirements:

Signage in and around the terminal:

  • Signage within reach in and around the terminal is being revised to contain embossed text. 

Washrooms:

  • There are accessible stalls in all washrooms.

Pet relief area:

  • In Year 1 there will be one pet relief area in development at CZBF—one outside the terminal building adjacent to the long-term accessible parking stalls

Parking lots:

  • In Year 1 Reserved parking spaces for persons with disabilities are available in both the short and long-term parking lots at CZBF. These lots shall be increased and modified with adapted walkways to better serve those with disabilities.

CZBF is planning additional consultations with CNIB and will publish updates in Appendix “A” of this document.


9.  Accessibility Provisions in Canadian Transportation Agency Regulations


CZBF must comply with the standards of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (ATPDR), namely the following: Parts 1 & 4; Divisions 1 & 2; Schedule 1 - Section 23


10.  Consultations

Before drafting its accessibility plan, CZBF consulted Ability NB, a support and service organization for persons with disabilities.

Our website: https://airbathurst.com/ is also regularly audited by Skynet Technologies to ensure WCAG 2.1 compliance for all features.


11.  Employment

CZBF is following the guidance of the ACA to identify, remove, and to prevent introducing barriers in employment.

CZBF is working to provide accessible employment opportunities and job postings.  Requests to modify workspaces and job duties are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.