The City of Lloydminster has released its 2026 Accessibility Plan, outlining achievements already made to improve accessibility while identifying barriers that continue to affect residents, visitors and employees. The report was presented at the GPC meeting on Monday, Sept. 14.
Ensure everyone can participate
Developed in response to Saskatchewan’s accessibility legislation, the plan provides a framework for identifying, preventing and removing barriers across municipal facilities, services, programs, communications and employment practices. City officials say the goal is to create a community where everyone can participate fully and access municipal services with dignity and independence.
“Accessibility is about ensuring all residents and visitors can access City facilities, services, programs, and information with dignity, independence, and respect,” said Gerald Aalbers, Mayor of the City of Lloydminster.
Accessibility improvements
The plan highlights several accessibility improvements already underway across the community. These include adapted recreation programs, staff training to support inclusive programming, accessible communication practices, curb ramps, tactile walking surface indicators, audible pedestrian crossing buttons and improvements to municipal facilities.
17 municipal facilities
A major focus of the report is the City’s built environment. In 2025, accessibility reviews were completed at 17 municipal facilities. The reviews found numerous accessibility features already in place, including accessible parking, automatic doors, elevators, pool lifts and accessible washrooms. However, they also identified areas needing improvement, including washrooms and change rooms, tactile signage, emergency exit routes, service counters, parking lots and interior doors.
While 17 municipal facilities underwent accessibility reviews, the report spotlights 10 of the most frequently used public facilities including:
- Airport Terminal
- Archie Miller Arena
- Bioclean Aquatic Centre
- Co-op Community Outdoor Pool
- Legacy Centre
- Lloydminster Public Library
- Lloydminster Golf & Curling Centre
- Lloydminster Museum + Archives
- Russ Robertson Arena
- Servus Sports Centre
The report also points to achievements outside municipal buildings. The City’s Recreation Access Program helps reduce financial barriers to recreation, while accessible transportation services provided through the Border City Connects Society delivered more than 24,000 trips for people with disabilities in 2025.
Cenovus Energy Hub
The newly opened Cenovus Energy Hub is featured prominently in the report as an example of accessibility-focused design. The facility incorporates barrier-free spectator seating, accessible washrooms, inclusive dressing rooms and features designed to accommodate para hockey athletes and wheelchair users.
Ongoing challenges
Despite the progress, the report notes several ongoing challenges. These include aging infrastructure built to older standards, gaps in the city’s trail network, limited funding for accessibility improvements, accessibility barriers at some facilities, and the need to ensure accessibility is consistently considered across all departments and communications.
The City also identified a need for continued staff training, improvements to online registration systems, increased public awareness of available accommodations, and greater capacity to provide information in multiple languages and alternative formats.
Key focus and annual review
The plan focuses on six key areas: recreation and programming, built environment, employment, information and communications, community partnerships, and urban design. City officials say the plan will be reviewed annually, with input from residents and community partners helping guide future accessibility priorities.
The 2026 Accessibility Plan is available through the City of Lloydminster’s website.
