We're committed to customer service excellence and supporting the Government of Canada's Accessible Canada Act (ACA). For details about the actions we plan to take to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility, see our Accessibility Plan below or download our Accessibility Plan PDF.

General

SaskTel is the leading provider of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) products, services, and solutions in Saskatchewan. We are building the most extensive and advanced broadband networks throughout the province for the benefit of our customers, the people and businesses of Saskatchewan. With approximately $1.3 billion in annual revenue and over 1.4 million customer connections, SaskTel is a major contributor to Saskatchewan's economy.

As a Saskatchewan Crown Corporation, SaskTel has approximately 3,300 employees, making it one of Saskatchewan's largest employers. SaskTel delivers a wide range of ICT products and services designed for consumers and businesses throughout Saskatchewan. These include wireless services, television services, local access, internet and data services and security monitoring.

SaskTel's Commitment to Accessibility

SaskTel is committed to customer service excellence and supporting the Government of Canada's Accessible Canada Act, which strives to make Canada barrier-free by 2040. We continuously strive to have a product mix that meets the needs of the people of Saskatchewan. We offer a variety of accessible products and services that enable people who experience disability to get the most out of their SaskTel products and services.

SaskTel values a diverse workforce that is reflective of the people of Saskatchewan. Our employees can be found throughout the province, working, raising families, and volunteering in their communities. SaskTel's Representative Workforce Strategy has been instrumental in guiding our employment practices, by ensuring a fair and equitable hiring experience for all prospective employees.

Through this initiative, SaskTel has hired employees who experience disability in a variety of professional roles including Engineers, Marketers, Information Systems Specialists etc. Understanding the diversity of people who experience disability, SaskTel has also seen success working with partners in the disability community to launch a Supported Employment Program, which enables people who experience more complex disabilities to experience the independence and empowerment that employment provides. Promoting SaskTel as an employer of choice for people who experience disability remains a priority for SaskTel. We acknowledge that our practices must continue to evolve to meet the needs of all people who seek employment at SaskTel.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) continue to be important goals at SaskTel. We believe having a diverse and inclusive organization is the responsibility of all employees. It's about building an environment that is inclusive and not only accepting of people's differences but valuing them and leveraging that uniqueness.

SaskTel's Accessibility Feedback Process

We are always open to receiving feedback from our customers who experience disability. If you'd like to provide feedback regarding our products and services or on, the implementation of our ACA accessibility plan, please contact us in one of the following ways:

• In Person: Visit a SaskTel Store
• By Phone:
  • 1.800.SASKTEL (1.800.727.5835)
  • Deaf access line: 1.800.552.3595 (TTY users only)
• By Email: accessibility@sasktel.com
• By Mail:
  • SaskTel Accessibility Feedback
  • 12th Floor, 2121 Saskatchewan Drive
  • Regina, SK S4P 3Y2

Our designated person to receive feedback regarding Accessibility is Shara McCormick, Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Services.

Anonymous feedback is accepted; however, we'll be unable to provide a receipt of acknowledgement or further follow-up.

For a description of our feedback process in an alternative format, please contact us at one of the methods provided above.

By contacting us, you agree to the collection, use, and storage of your personal information for the purposes of responding to you and improving accessibility of our products, services, and processes.

Information collected for this purpose is done so in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Introduction

The Accessible Canada Act (the ACA) came into effect in July 2019, and SaskTel as the Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC) serving the Province of Saskatchewan is covered by the requirements of the ACA. It must be noted that SaskTel has in the past and in the future continually works on identifying, removing, and preventing accessibility barriers as they are identified.

In response to the requirements of the ACA, SaskTel appointed an internal Accessibility Advisory Committee that is representative of SaskTel's workforce including business planners from across the organization reporting to a senior leadership Director Advisory Committee. These committees are responsible to identify barriers, assist with decision making and oversee the development and successful implementation of SaskTel's Accessibility Plan.

As part of the ACA, SaskTel is required to file its initial Accessibility Plan that presents the barriers that SaskTel has identified through consultation with external and internal groups and individuals with disabilities, and its plans to address these barriers in over the course of the next three years where possible.

As per the ACA, SaskTel has categorized the barriers it has identified into the 7 key areas of focus described in Section 5 of the ACA. These areas are (1) Employment; (2) the built environment; (3) information and communications technologies; (4) communication, other than information and communication technologies; (5) the procurement of goods, services and facilities; (6) the design and delivery of programs and services; (7) transportation.

Consultation

SaskTel continues to consult with both external accessibility advocacy groups and internal employees who experience disability to understand the barriers individuals experience when interacting with SaskTel as both a customer and/or employee. These consultations guided SaskTel's internal team to determine the barriers faced by persons with disabilities across the organization and form the basis of the remainder of this report.

External Consultations

SaskTel was an active participant in the virtual industry consultation sessions facilitated by the Canadian Telecommunications Association (CTA) with registered Accessibility groups and carrier representatives from across Canada held in October 2024. These sessions provide valuable feedback from external customers regarding the various focus areas included in our Accessibility plan.

Internal Consultations

SaskTel continues to work directly with employees experiencing disability directly, and through the SaskTel Employee Network on Disability (SEND). Similar to external group sessions, these employees provided their perspectives of barriers through lived experience both as an employee of SaskTel, as well as a customer of the company.

Areas of focus

The feedback received from SaskTel's consultation with external and internal participants helped us understand the barriers persons who experience disability have experienced when interacting with the company. The following sections provide the progress that SaskTel has made in addressing the barriers identified in its initial Accessibility Plan during the past 12 months.

1. Employment

From consultations with various groups, several barriers were identified.

In response to the feedback received, SaskTel implemented the following actions:

• Accessibile Corporate Training
  • SaskTel's Learning & Development team developed a standardized set of accessibility practices based on WCAG 2.1 principles and feedback from members of SaskTel's Employee Network on Disability (SEND)
  • Training for large audiences, including any corporately required training, e-learning is designed with a screen reader accessible path users can select.
  • SaskTel implemented SuccessFactors Learning in 2024 which offers modern web developed and improved accessibility practices.
• Accessible Collective Agreement
  • An accessible version of SaskTel's Collective Agreement was posted to their internal intranet site in February 2025
• Rick Hansen Accessibility Training
  • Employees from SaskTel's Corporate Services – Building Design team, members of SaskTel's Employee Network on Disability (SEND) and Accessibility team completed the Rick Hansen Inclusion & Accessibility Training (IAT) course in 2024-25.
• Accessible Job Postings
  • Launch of new HR platform (SAP SuccessFactors) that incorporated accessibility requirements into design.
  • In addition to testing performed in 2024, a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) was provided by SAP.
  • Based on site testing, navigation with a screen reader is accessible.
• Assessments and testing for candidate selection processes
  • eSkill skills tests and hiring assessments are screen reader accessible to enable candidates that experience disability to complete them.
• Online internal employee information and time tracking
• A new Fiori environment is available for some applications, providing more accessibility for users.
• Working towards launching additional Fiori applications with increased accessibility in 2025-26.
• New Recognitiion Platform
  • A new recognition platform was launched in April 2025.
  • All features and branding in the new platform meet WCAG 2.1AA compliance requirements.
  • A new mobile application is also available that meets accessibility requirements.
• SaskTel Gear Shop
  • Contract with existing vendor is ending in 2025-26.
  • An RFP will be issued for a new platform that will include accessibility requirements, ensuring a more positive experience for users.

2. The Built Environment

SaskTel continues to regularly assess and evaluate its facilities to ensure they meet the needs for all customers and employees, including the provision of ramps, elevators, braille signage and elevator buttons, accessible washrooms, and other specific accessibility accommodations as required. When accessibility related issues are identified, and/or when a major renovation is planned, Corporate Services follows national/local building codes and regulations as they pertain to accessibility.

The construction of the Prince Albert Retail Store was completed in 2024, with warranty work finalized in 2025. This project set a new benchmark for all SaskTel Retail Stores. Accessibility and inclusivity were at the forefront of the design, and considerations and implementations were made to exceed the minimum National Building Code. Eleven additional retail locations will undergo a similar transformation in the coming years.

3. Information and communication technologies (ICT)

External feedback noted that while the website was generally functional, the following items could be improved:

• Continue to work on improvements to navigation on SaskTel's external facing websites.
• SaskTel's externally facing Business Solutions site on sasktel.com underwent a complete overhaul in 2024-25. Bringing the site up to date on accessibility standards WCAG 2.2AA, as well as improving user navigation and customer experience. The updated site is expected to launch at the end of May 2025.
• SaskTel's Integrated Voice Response (IVR) system was also raised as a barrier. A review is underway, investigating potential accessibility changes to both the IVR and voice authentication systems. Work will continue in 2025-26.

Internal feedback focused on positives that have occurred in recent years with the introduction of new technologies allowing for virtual meetings which have enabled employees who experience disability to utilize assistive technologies such as screen readers and closed captioning to better participate in meetings.

• SaskTel continues to seek out accessible software vendors and focus on accessibility when implementing new applications
• Training is being prepared to raise awareness of the ACA and Accessibility. A lab is being developed to allow for internal testing of websites and applications for WCAG compliance.

4. Communications other than ICT

In this category, no external feedback was received. Internally, feedback was focused on the accessibility of internal software systems used within the company for business purposes, as well as the accessibility of internal training platforms.

SaskTel's graphics teams continues to update corporate forms into a more accessible format.

SaskTel's Corporate Intranet (The Source) was migrated into Microsoft's SharePoint Online product in 2024. SharePoint Online offers a higher level of conformance to WCAG 2.1AA guidelines. The corporate intranet is undergoing a review of all pages and tables and is expected to be completed by the end of August 2025.

As well, SaskTel is developing documentation for assistive technology users to aid in easier navigation of content hosted on the internal intranet.

5. The design and delivery of programs and services

Feedback received from both external and internal groups regarding the products and services offered by SaskTel was very similar.

• External groups focused on the accessibility of:
  • SaskTel's maxTV platform.
  • The cost and complexity of technology.

In response to the feedback received, SaskTel has undertaken the following:

• Continue to work with vendor to ensure mandatory accessibility functions are available on its TV platform, such as closed captioning and described video.
• Continual review of wireless plans in light of Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2023-41.
  
• On 21 January 2025, SaskTel launched unfettered access to VRS for Lüm wireless subscribers, offering zero rating for all VRS traffic on all mobile devices regardless of rate plan. With the zero rating for Lüm subscribers, all SaskTel wireless subscribers (postpaid, prepaid, Lüm) now have access to zero rated VRS traffic.
  
• In April, 2025, SaskTel sent emails to approximately 120,000 wireless customers to help raise awareness of the availability of the RAZ Memory phone. The RAZ Memory cell phone is a user-friendly device designed for the elderly or those with memory loss, dementia, or Alzheimer's. It can also be used as an easy monitorable starter phone for children, allowing them to stay in contact with their parent or guardian without distractions of other applications.
  
• On 2 April 2025, SaskTel set all twelve SaskTel Stores across the province in sensory shopping mode for the duration of the day in recognition of World Autism Day. In the future SaskTel plans to make this an annual event.

6. The procurement of goods, services and facilities

For this topic, feedback focused on the need to ensure any new systems and software procured includes accessibility features to prevent further barriers moving forward.

In response to the feedback received:

• Accessibility statements and evaluation criteria are included in RFP template where applicable.
• An accessibility review of the Ariba application was completed with the vendor in 2024. A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) was provided by SAP indicating WCAG 2.1AA compliance of the Ariba application.
• Updates to maxTV Stream are expected in 2025 which will increase accessibility such as improved voice control.
• An upgrade to Webmail 8.0 is expected in 2025 for Sasktel.net email. SaskTel will continue to work with the vendor to increase accessibility to the platform.

7. Transportation

Transportation does not apply to SaskTel's operations.

Conclusion

SaskTel recognizes that our customers who experience disability rely on our products and services daily. We take this responsibility very seriously and that is why we continue to strive to deliver an outstanding customer experience by working with our customers in ways that minimize the impact of their disability. We remain committed to being an employer of choice for people who experience disability, and we recognize that by creating an inclusive environment internally that values all perspectives and abilities, we are enabling our employees to do the same for our customers.