Exploring what must happen to make Canada truly barrier-free by 2040, AMI’s Access in Progress debuts October 6 on AMI-audio and YouTube

TORONTO, October 1, 2026 — Canada says it will be barrier-free for members of the disability community by 2040. Will it? And what does barrier-free mean? AMI answers those questions, and more, in the original AMI-audio podcast Access in Progress.

Debuting on Tuesday, October 6, co-hosts Marco Pasqua and Bean Gill, and contributor John Loeppky, take the Accessible Canada Act off the shelf and into real life, one barrier and one fix at a time. Access in Progress airs Tuesday to Friday at 3 p.m. Eastern on AMI-audio, as a podcast download and on AMI-audio’s dedicated YouTube channel.

“Canada made a promise to the disability community and put a date on it: 2040,” says Bean Gill. “That is not a distant dream. It is a deadline, and deadlines deserve a countdown. Access in Progress is that countdown. We are going to celebrate what works, call out what does not, and laugh our way through the rest. Pull up a chair. Or bring your own, like I do. And if the table is not accessible, we will rebuild it.”

“For a lot of Canadians, the Accessible Canada Act either isn’t on their radar or feels like something buried in policy documents that aren’t exactly at the top of anyone’s weekend reading list,” says Marco Pasqua. “We want to change that. Access in Progress should feel less like a policy lecture and more like you’re hanging out with your buddies, having a candid conversation about what accessibility actually looks like in real life. By breaking the Act down in a way that’s human, approachable and honest, we hope more people will understand what’s at stake—and what it will actually take to get Canada closer to being barrier-free by 2040.”

“With Bean Gill and Marco Pasqua at the helm, Access in Progress is a must-listen for Canadians—whether they identify as members of the disability community or not—as this country strives to be truly barrier-free by 2040,” said Andy Frank, Manager of AMI-audio.

In the debut episode, Bean, Marco and John explore where Canada stands with the Accessible Canada Act today. In the second episode, advocate Rob MacIsaac discusses the rights of persons with disabilities. In the third instalment, the panel weighs in on the certification of a class-action lawsuit against Air Canada brought by passengers using mobility aids.

Bean Gill

Bean Gill breaks barriers for breakfast. Paralyzed from the waist down in 2012, she rebuilt her life and turned it into something sharper than inspiration: real talk, real laughs and zero guilt trips. She has starred in the AMI/CBC docuseries Push, worn the crown as Miss Wheelchair Canada and collected two royal medals. She teaches disability etiquette to future healthcare workers at NAIT and co-founded ReYu Paralysis Recovery Centre. Bold and funny, Bean is not afraid to speak her mind, and she is not afraid to lead the disruption.

Marco Pasqua

Marco Pasqua is an inspirational speaker, accessibility consultant and best-selling author. Born with cerebral palsy and a lifelong wheelchair user, Marco brings lived experience, professional expertise and a storyteller’s lens to conversations about disability and inclusion. He is co-founder of Meaningful Access Consulting and a certified Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification Professional, helping organizations create more accessible, human-centred experiences. Marco’s work spans media, public speaking, consulting and community leadership. He received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of his contributions to accessibility and inclusion across Canada.

John Loeppky

John Loeppky is a freelance journalist based on Treaty 6 territory in Saskatoon. His work has been featured in The Globe and Mail, Maclean’s, Historica Canada, Healthline, Teen Vogue and many more. His CBC op-ed series “Taking A Sitting Stand” has earned multiple RTDNA awards, and he helps support organizations such as the Disabled Journalists Association in order to create more opportunities for disabled media makers. 

Access in Progress airs Tuesday to Friday at 3 p.m. Eastern on AMI-audio, as a podcast download and on AMI-audio’s YouTube channel.

Access in Progress is produced by Aflalo Communications. The show producer is Jeff Ryman. Paula Dineen is the manager of production.

Find AMI-audio in your area.

Stream AMI-audio programming anytime on AMI+.

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services—AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French—and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

For media inquiries and information, please contact:

Greg David
Communications Specialist
Accessible Media Inc.
Greg.David@ami.ca
647-417-0631