Collage of three images. Image 1 is of a person with short, curly brown hair wearing glasses and a black and white striped shirt, holding a green support cane. Image 2 is off two people, both in wheelchairs and wearing convocation attire, on the convocation stage. The first person has short gray hair, and the second person has long brown hair and is wearing glasses. Image 3 is of two people looking at a tablet. The first person has long brown hair and is wearing a cream coloured blouse with a floral pattern. The second person has long brown hair and is wearing glasses and a black blazer with a white blouse underneath. Under the collage is a blue colour block with bold, white text that reads ‘Accessibility Plan Launch Event’ with green text underneath that reads ‘Dec 2, 2022 | 3:00 – 4:30 p.m., McCain Atrium’. The MSVU logo appears above the text in white.

Our Committment to Accessibility

The MSVU Accessibility Plan 2022-2025 provides direction on how the MSVU Community will work to remove even more barriers and support our staff, students and visitors to our community. The purpose of this plan is to work toward full and equitable access to education, programs, and services at Nova Scotia Post-Secondary institutions through a collaboratively developed and value-based commitment to accessibility that prioritizes institutional accountability within a human rights framework. Through this plan, we will continue to create spaces where diversity is our strength.

This Accessibility Plan was developed by the MSVU Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC), composed of students, staff, faculty and community members and working groups in each area of commitment. The focus of the AAC is identifying, preventing, and eliminating barriers experienced by people with disabilities in post-secondary education – not limited to program, services, attitudinal, structural, systemic and built environment. The objectives of the plan align with MSVU’s Strategic Plan and the institutional commitment to EDIA.

Aligned with the areas of focus identified by the province, the plan has eight areas of focus:

  • Awareness and Capacity Building
  • Built Environment
  • Employment
  • Delivery of Goods and Services
  • Information and Communication
  • Teaching, Learning and Research
  • Transportation
  • Monitoring and Evaluation

In 2017, the province of Nova Scotia passed the Accessibility Act, an Act respecting accessibility in Nova Scotia. This act outlines how the province will remove barriers and work towards having an accessible Nova Scotia by 2030. Designated as a public body by the province, Mount Saint Vincent University is responsible for creating and implementing a comprehensive multi-year accessibility plan and presenting it to the government in 2022. The plan is to be reviewed annually and updated at least every three years, in accordance with the Accessibility Act.

Supporting Documents:

MSVU Accessibility Plan 2022-2025 Plain Text Version

MSVU ACCESSIBILITY PLAN 2022-2025 Word Version

Nova Scotia Accessibility Act

Nova Scotia Post-Secondary Accessibility Framework

Public-Sector-Bodies-Toolkit

Active listening and acting on feedback is critically important to the implementation and development of the MSVU Accessibility Plan. If you have comments about the plan or would like to highlight an accessibility issue, please email AccessibilityFeedback@msvu.ca