AMI explores the accessibility of major Canadian cities in new TV series

Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) announced today that it will air a new original series that addresses the question: just how accessible are some of Canada’s major cities?

The four-part special, entitled Access Unlimited, is produced in partnership with Summerhill Media Inc. and travels across the country with stops in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax. Each 30-minute episode follows three local residents and examines their daily routine – everything from their commute to work, to visiting a local museum, to playing with their kids in the park. Those featured in the episodes are living with either vision loss or mobility restriction that can present a unique set of challenges when navigating their respective city. Episodes will also feature interviews with experts and decision makers including transit officials, politicians and accessibility innovators.

“Access Unlimited is a very honest series, which I believe our audience will find refreshing,” says John Melville, Vice President of Programming and Production for AMI. “People are sharing their personal experiences whether they’re good or bad, and showing what it’s really like to live with a disability in a major Canadian city.”

In keeping with AMI’s mandate of making accessible media for all Canadians, the series will feature embedded described video, integrating natural environmental sounds while interviewees describe actions and surroundings as needed. AMI hopes the series will inform residents of accessibility initiatives or lack thereof, inspire those living with a disability to travel and engage in their community, and encourage cities across Canada to be innovative and conscientious in terms of accessibility.

From March 23 to 26 Access Unlimited will air every night at 8 pm beginning with the Toronto episode, followed by Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver. Episodes will also be available with the AMI-player on AMI.ca one week after the initial air date. AMI-télé will air the series in French under the name Villes Accessibles at a later date.

About Accessible Media Inc.
Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) is a not-for-profit multimedia organization serving more than five million Canadians who are blind, partially sighted, deaf, hard of hearing, mobility or print restricted. Operating three broadcast services, AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French, AMI’s mission is to make accessible media for all Canadians. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

For more information, please contact:
Janis Davidson Pressick, Communications Manager
800-567-6755 ext. 0971, janis.davidsonpressick@ami.ca

Taylor Turner, Communications Coordinator
800-567-6755 ext. 0977, taylor.turner@ami.ca