Export Development Canada (EDC) is committed to building accessible, inclusive, and equitable experiences for our customers, employees, and all Canadians. This 2026-2028 accessibility plan explains the actions that we will take to remove and prevent barriers and promote inclusion for persons with disabilities at EDC. It was developed with input from employees, experts, and organizations serving persons with disabilities, so that our actions can reflect real experiences and needs. Guided by the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), our plan focuses on improving our technology, making our workspaces easier to use, and helping our employees learn more about accessibility.

For more information on our progress, you can view the 2023 Progress Report and the 2024 Progress Report on EDC.ca.

The ACA ensures that Canadians have access to accessible products and services. The Act requires EDC to prioritize the experience of members from the Deaf and disability communities by:

• making information and communication technologies accessible and usable for everyone,
• giving employees the tools to make products, programs and services accessible for everyone,
• giving employees the tools to procure accessible products and services,
• making our physical spaces more accessible, and
• accommodating individual needs at work.

The work completed in 2025, as well as the ongoing work for the next three years demonstrates EDC’s strong commitment to advancing accessibility for all Canadians. This plan reflects our ongoing efforts to create inclusive policies, programs, services and physical spaces that create better user experiences – both internally and externally.

This plan was developed with input from teams across EDC. Teams with responsibilities under one or more of the seven priority areas of the ACA created roadmaps for the next three years, which are reflected here.

We welcome your feedback, ideas and questions on this report. Please see the Ways to contact us section to share any comments you may have.

Growing our team

In 2025, we hired two specialists to help support our work in digital and user experience (UX) accessibility. They are helping us shape user profiles that reflect different needs, create design tools and layouts that are easy for everyone to use, make sure that accessibility is part of how we purchase and build digital products, and test those products with people who have disabilities to make sure they work well. A project manager (PM) is assigned to help coordinate our efforts and round out our core team. This includes an accessibility lead, an associate, a change advisor and a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC)-certified advisor from our training department.

This year, the accessibility portfolio joined the Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (ID&E) portfolio to create IDE&A, which strengthens our approach. In addition, some teams have begun assigning their own accessibility leads – an encouraging sign of understanding that meaningful and lasting change is a joint responsibility.

Our Accessibility Steering Committee

Having senior leadership support and a dedicated executive sponsor have helped with increasing visibility and building support for accessibility across EDC. This year, our cross-functional steering committee includes Vice-Presidents representing key areas of The Act. Their participation helps with providing oversight, accountability and better integration into operations.

Senior Vice-Presidents helped add accessibility goals to EDC’s 2025 company-wide Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). Including accessibility in these goals keeps it a priority, encourages everyone to support the work, and reminds us to keep removing barriers so our products and services are easier for everyone to use.

Our accessibility training program

Our training efforts focused on preparing for the anticipated Information and communication technologies (ICT) requirements under the Accessible Canada Regulations (ACR). To support this, we partnered with AbilityNet, a UK-based non-profit known internationally for their expertise in digital accessibility. Training began in December 2024 and continued into Spring 2025. The focus was on building teams’ skills in digital development and design. On-demand versions were later made available to all employees to enhance skills across EDC. We were especially happy to see our librarians attend live sessions in March. They are responsible for managing our subscriptions and they recognize the importance of procuring accessible subscriptions. Some sessions they attended included “How to Use a Screen Reader for Accessibility Testing” and “How to Begin Your Own Accessibility Testing”.

Promoting culture change and community

Our DiversABILITY Employee Resource Group (ERG) continues to raise awareness of disability through their Let’s Talk DiversABILITY speaker series. It features employees who share personal stories on topics such as brain injury recovery, permanent hearing loss from an accident, and experiences with autism and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

In addition to hiring two new specialists in Digital and UX Accessibility, we have also benefited from the Strategic Change team’s incredible support this year. Their work has helped raise awareness, by:

• encouraging teams to prioritize accessibility,
• bringing it into conversations and planning, and
• helping with enterprise-wide communications, such as on our intranet.

Their efforts have also helped connect us with broader organizational initiatives and identify great collaboration opportunities. One example is our partnership with our digital experience and support team (known as NEXUS). Together, we joined forces with Microsoft on a Microsoft Copilot and neurodiversity session during National AccessAbility Week (NAAW). During the consultations, employees expressed optimism about our growing conversations around accessibility and neurodiversity.

During NAAW, we also hosted a session on inclusive digital design, content and the importance of involving people with disabilities in design.

As part of our accessibility planning, some teams across EDC developed three-year roadmaps. A roadmap is a flexible plan that shows the main activities and timelines for a project, such as helping an organization’s journey with becoming more accessible. The EDC teams that developed a roadmap, shared the actions they will prioritize to remove or reduce barriers. We hosted office hours to answer questions and support teams through the process. During our final session, some teams presented their plans. This created a sense of solidarity as they shared challenges and reflected on their progress.

We continue to collaborate with the ERG and champions across the organization, including offering digital accessibility workshops at our annual employee Community Investment Day (CI Day). CI Day is our annual event where we unite as an organization to give back to our communities. The workshop focuses on creating accessible documents, presentations and meetings using the accessibility features in Microsoft Office 365 applications. For future sessions, we are looking to host beginner and intermediate level workshops.

As part of promoting a culture of accessibility and innovation, ten (10) employees from Information and communication technologies (ICT) and UX Design participated in the Microsoft Americas Hackathon – a 2-day event focused on solving real-world challenges through technology. The team set out to create an internal AI-powered accessibility chatbot. Using Azure AI tools, the chatbot would provide instant guidance on accessibility compliance based on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 and internal knowledge repositories. It aims to improve accessibility awareness and support developers, designers and content creators in building accessibility into their work from the start.

What makes EDC’s Accessibility program unique is that, beyond collaborating with other teams supporting the changes, each team is responsible for embedding accessibility into their own processes. Teams are recognizing that they have their own work to do to advance accessibility, too.

Finally, we have found that building community outside of the organization with interdepartmental and Crown accessibility and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) groups to share challenges, exchange insights and celebrate wins has also helped foster a sense of solidarity.

What we’ve learned

In 2025 we focused on identifying gaps, dependencies and risks, to understand what is needed for meaningful and lasting change. We began making detailed plans to include accessibility in our digital systems and in our procurement processes. We listened to our employees with disabilities and worked with consultants and community partners. Competing priorities make this work challenging, but we continue to build awareness and confidence in accessibility among our colleagues and leaders. We have accomplished a lot this past year, and there is more work to do. We are dedicated to building an inclusive and accessible workplace.

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EDC has carefully looked at each important area to find barriers that could impact our employees and our customers. By listening to feedback and reviewing our policies, we have identified specific challenges in our organization and created a clear plan to fix and prevent them. We are making sure accessibility is a key part of everything we do, including hiring, training, and delivering our products and services.

Employment

We are committed to building a workplace where everyone can thrive. During consultations and in reviewing policies, programs and services, the following are some of the barriers that were identified around employment and actions we will take to remove them.

Barriers

• Accommodations: Many employees are unaware of the process or available accommodation support. Employees found accommodation processes are often unclear or complex, with burdensome annual renewal requirements for permanent disabilities. Communication gaps and delays in decision-making on accommodation requests can cause delays and uncertainty.
• Recruitment: Some job postings use outdated language that may reinforce negative stereotypes. Our Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and job postings have limited accessibility features.
• Training: Our learning systems may not be fully operable by keyboard only, and our digital assets are not always compatible with assistive technologies limiting accessibility for learners with visual, auditory, cognitive or other disabilities and/or sensitivities. Our training materials sometimes use complex or technical language, which can reduce understanding and engagement or exclude learners.

Key activities for 2026 to 2028

To remove and prevent barriers, some priorities where we will begin to focus our efforts include:

Accommodations:

• Increase awareness of the process and available support.
• Review the renewal reassessment.
• Continue the review and enhancement of forms used, including the use of plain language and accessible formats.

Recruitment:

• Adjust our job postings language to make them more inclusive (on-going).
• Develop and deliver a plan to promote accommodations resources available during the recruitment stage and increase awareness (on-going).
• Include accessibility requirements in the procurement considerations for a new ATS.

Training

• Develop an accessibility feedback mechanism for training.
• Ensure keyboard navigation compatibility.
• Enhance accessibility in digital learning assets using tools and practices that support the creation of inclusive content.
• Implement plain language across training materials.

These efforts will be supported by an audit of our employment policies and procedures in 2026 to 2027, including selecting a vendor for this work in 2026. As part of this audit, we will compare our policies and procedures to the requirements outlined in the CAN/ASC-1.1:2024 (REV-2025) – Employment Standard.

The built environment

Barriers

We are committed to building a physical work environment where everyone can thrive. The following are some of the access issues and challenges identified in our built environment during consultations, along with the steps we will take to address them.

• Sensory distractions: Open office layouts contribute to sensory overload and reduced concentration. There is limited access to quiet rooms or enclosed offices tailored to accessibility needs.
• Automatic doors: Some locations lack automatic door openers or have non-functioning ones.
• Emergency evacuation: Employees expressed concerns about stair use during evacuations and lack of clarity on accessible evacuation (i.e. equitable emergency egress) procedures.
• Washrooms: Some offices lack accessible washroom facilities.

Key activities for 2026 to 2028

To remove and prevent barriers, some priorities where we will begin to focus our efforts include:

Accessibility assessments

• Conduct comprehensive assessments for locations (on-going) to identify existing barriers and use findings to inform future upgrades and national barrier removal planning. (2026-2028)

Barrier-free safety (Equitable emergency egress)

• Conduct a review of current emergency information at all sites. Develop and implement new evacuation procedures for persons requiring assistance. (2026)

Lease agreements

• Review all existing lease agreements to identify and document any accessibility shortcomings. Create and implement standardized accessibility clauses to be included in all future lease agreements and renewals. (2026)

These efforts are being supported by a pilot in our head office of a sensory-friendly zone. This pilot aims to create a low-light, low-noise, and scent-free space for a more inclusive environment.

Information and communication technologies

Barriers

We continue to move forward with our goals in digital accessibility. The following are some of the barriers identified during consultations and in our policies, programs and services in Information and communication technologies. These are followed by the actions we will take to remove them.

• Meeting accessibility: Employees raised concerns about:
  • inaccessible meeting content, including the lack of alternative methods to process meeting information,
  • lack of closed captions during in-person meetings,
  • use of color as the sole method of conveying information,
  • cluttered presentations,
  • screen reader compatibility issues
  • difficulty hearing during hybrid and in-person meetings, and
  • meetings without accessibility features in general were also noted.
• Digital accessibility policy: A need for a structured framework to guide internal and external teams in meeting accessibility requirements.
• Accessible design standards: Consistent application of accessible design standards and a centralized library of resources are needed.
• Learning Management System (LMS) accessibility: Feedback highlighted issues with color contrast and focus states, making it difficult for users with motor disabilities or those relying on screen readers.

Key activities for 2026 to 2028

To address these barriers, EDC will focus on the following priorities:

• Accessible content and design: Evolve our design system and workflows to meet WCAG 2.2 AA and CAN/ASC EN 301 549 standards. Introduce tools and templates that support screen reader compatibility, proper contrast, and uncluttered layouts. Update brand guidelines to provide clear direction on color use. (2026 – 2027)
• Mandatory Digital Accessibility Training: Refresh self-led digital accessibility training embedded in new employee onboarding. Training covers document accessibility and best practices for creating inclusive digital assets. (2026 – 2027)
• Inclusive Meeting Practices: Standardize accessible meeting practices, including captions, transcripts, breaks, and accessible materials for all meeting formats. (2026)
• Accessible applications: Audit and enhance the accessibility of applications used for training, internal communications and customer applications, focusing on color contrast, focus states, and keyboard navigation. (on-going)
• Digital accessibility: Ensure all new and updated digital content such as web pages and web applications are compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA and aligned with the CAN/ASC - EN 301 549:2024. (2027)
• Digital document accessibility: Ensure non-web digital documents meet accessibility requirements by the anticipated regulatory deadline. (2028)
• Digital accessibility training: Provide training to all involved in the development, maintenance and procurement of ICT covered by the anticipated regulations. (on-going)

Currently, we are piloting accessibility improvements with one of our custom-built applications, aiming to achieve 80%+ conformance with WCAG standards. This will serve as a practical model for other technology development teams.

All these efforts are supported by the integration of Fable Engage, which will embed feedback and UX research with persons with disabilities directly into our digital development processes. This partnership will help ensure that improvements are informed by lived experience.

We also recognize that technology and accessibility standards are constantly evolving. We will continue to listen to feedback, adapt to new standards, and balance efficiency with thoroughness to make accessibility practical for everyone.

Communication, other than information and communication technologies

Barriers

Barriers were identified in the consultations and the review of our policies, programs and services. Where there is overlap with the ICT and Design and delivery of programs and services priority areas, actions to address those barriers can be found under those sections.

• Language and layout: External communications (e.g., website, social media) should use plain language, concise instructions, and accessible layouts.
• Representation: Entrepreneurs with disabilities expressed a desire to see themselves reflected in EDC’s marketing materials and platforms.
• Accessible content: Concerns were raised about the use of color as the sole method of conveying information, cluttered presentations, and screen reader compatibility issues.
• Accessible documentation: Lack of easy access to alternative formats for documents.

Key activities for 2026 to 2028

Planned activities include:

• Accessible communications: Embed plain language and inclusive writing standards into our updated brand and content guidelines and roll out targeted training for content creators to support this shift, e.g. document accessibility training, plain language training. (2026)
• Representation and inclusive imagery: Audit our image libraries and update our visual standards to better reflect entrepreneurs with disabilities. (2026 – 2027)
• Accessible guidelines: Develop guidelines for accessible digital documents (Word, PowerPoint and PDFs). (2026)

The procurement of goods, services and facilities

Barriers

The following are some of the barriers that were identified in the area of procurement during consultations or in reviewing policies, programs or services and actions we will take to remove them.

• Bidding sites: Some platforms used to receive bids require paid memberships to access Request for Proposal (RFP) documents. The additional cost is a barrier which can disproportionately impact small businesses owned by people with disabilities.
• Accessible procurement: Inconsistent inclusion of accessibility in procurement documents, assets and processes. Limited awareness among internal partners.

Key activities for 2026 to 2028

To meet the anticipated regulatory compliance requirements, to reduce the buildup of inaccessible technologies and to be more inclusive, we will take the following steps to remove or reduce barriers in the way we procure.

• Embed accessibility in procurement documents: Update RFP templates with mandatory accessibility sections. Add checklist and sample questions (question bank) to support RFP processes (2026). Review all competitive process templates. (2027)
• Broaden supplier access: Explore alternative options that are not as cost-prohibitive and more inclusive for underrepresented communities in the vendor space. (2026 – 2028)

The design and delivery of programs and services

Barriers

We are committed to building products and services where everyone – employees and customers – can thrive. The following are some of the barriers identified during consultations and the actions we will take to remove them.

• Engagement flexibility: Customers value multiple ways to interact with EDC—virtually, in-person, by phone, or in writing—and prefer options for 1-on-1 or group engagement.
• Availability: Make accommodations (to customers) available at no cost and clearly communicate their availability.

Key activities for 2026 to 2028

Activities include:

• Improve accessibility to increase understanding of EDC’s Support: Make EDC’s services easier to understand, engage with and less intimidating.
• Inclusive engagement: Work with internal teams and agency partners to ensure campaign-related digital experiences, including advertising and landing pages, are accessible and inclusive.
• Strengthen Community Relationships: Increase awareness and education about exporting and the resources available.

Transportation

Barriers

In the spring of 2025, we launched a new online travel booking system, Deem, with features for people who are blind, have low vision, and/or are Deaf or have hearing loss. It also includes a clean interface for travelers with dyslexia or epilepsy and navigation options for users with motor impairments. While there were no barriers identified during our consultations, we recognize that we should ensure that we have support in place for employees with disabilities who travel for work and experience barriers.

Key activities for 2026 to 2028

In 2026, we will review the support offered to employees who travel for work.

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For the 2025 reporting period, EDC received two public submissions via the accessibility feedback form on EDC.ca. Both cases highlighted barriers to access and prompted swift corrective action.

1. Accessible service contact – Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) Program

A customer with hearing loss expressed frustration over the lack of non-phone contact options for CEBA support. The absence of email or fax details created a barrier.

Resolution: CEBA’s contact page was updated in July 2025 to increase awareness of accessible alternatives. Additionally, a dedicated webform was developed and deployed in December 2025.

2. Recruitment accommodation

A job applicant with a disability reported that while job postings referenced accommodations, no contact information was provided, creating a barrier at the application stage of the hiring process.

Resolution: The hiring team had a dedicated inbox for accommodation requests created which went live in August 2025. This ensures that applicants can easily request support from the outset.

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To prepare for this Accessibility Plan, EDC engaged the services of an accessibility firm called Left Turn Right Turn (LTRT). The firm facilitated an online survey as well as internal focus groups and external stakeholder interviews. The goal was to better understand accessibility and the barriers faced by persons with disabilities at EDC and FinDev Canada. The detailed description that follows outlines the way the consultations were done.

We prioritized using a mixed-method approach of a survey, focus groups and interviews for the following reasons:

• We wanted responses and conversations to be constructive.
• We wanted our discussions to be well-aligned with EDC's responsibilities under the Accessible Canada Act.
• We wanted staff to share their honest perspectives with a neutral party.

 All consultation invitations and documents were provided in accessible formats. The sessions were held virtually using a platform with accessibility features. 

Staff across the organizations were consulted. Of the 265 employees who participated, 54 (20%) of them disclosed having a lived experience of disability. These lived experiences included:

• mental health
• physical disability
• chronic pain
• neurodivergence
• hearing loss
• vision loss
• cognitive disability

Employee Survey

This was the first part of our internal consultation process. Out of the 264 participants, 11 completed the survey in French, while the other 254 completed the English one. Beyond asking participants to identify their specific lived experiences of disability and their impacts in the workspace, we also asked the following questions:

• Could you please provide information or examples of barriers you have experienced at EDC or FinDev Canada?
• When you encounter barriers to accessibility, how do they impact you?
• What are the top 3 things you would like to see EDC and/or FinDev Canada focus on improving with respect to accessibility for its employees?

Participants in the survey were asked if they would be interested in sharing further feedback about EDC and FinDev Canada’s accessibility with LTRT through a virtual focus group. 

Focus Group

Twenty-three (23) survey respondents indicated an interest in participating in the focus groups. Two virtual focus groups were conducted: one on July 17^th and another on July 21^st. We asked participants the following questions:

• How would you describe your experience at EDC/FinDev Canada, as an employee with a disability?
• Have you experienced barriers to accessibility, while working at EDC/FinDev Canada? Please explain.
• Have you encountered instances where you were not able to participate fully as an employee? Please provide examples.
• What suggestions do you have, to improve accessibility at EDC/FinDev Canada?

During the consultations, staff identified barriers in accommodations, meeting accessibility, the built environment, workplace culture, and technology. While some employees shared positive experiences, many highlighted gaps in process clarity and inclusive practices. They said they would like EDC and FinDev Canada to standardize and train staff on accessible meeting best practices including captions, transcripts, breaks, and accessible materials.

External Interview Consultations

In addition, aligning with the ACA recommendations, we also conducted external consultations by interviewing 6 organizations that serve entrepreneurs with disabilities. Participating organizations included:

• Inclusive Workplace and Supply Council of Canada (IWSCC)
• RISE Program
• Community Futures BC: Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program
• The Ability Hub: Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program
• Community Futures Manitoba: Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program
• South Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre (SSILC): Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program

The external consultations emphasized the need for stronger community relationships, accessible communications, and inclusive procurement practices. Organizations expressed optimism but noted that more can be done to support entrepreneurs with disabilities.

Some of the barriers shared in the online survey and focus groups are already being addressed. We have described these projects throughout this report.

We appreciate the feedback from the consultations. We will keep working with other teams at EDC, to continue to look at how best to use this advice in our future activities and actions.

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About accessibility at EDC

We want everyone to feel included and have equal access to all experiences at EDC. Our goal is to make sure that everything we do is accessible. This Accessibility Plan describes the work we plan to do over the next three years to get us closer to our goal.

Give us your feedback

We welcome your comments and feedback on this progress report. You may also have advice on how we could better provide this information to you. We would like to hear from you if you have any feedback or questions. For example, we would like to know if you faced any barriers when you visited our workplace or website. Please let us know how we are doing with our accessibility work.

Please send your feedback to our Accessibility Lead. You can send your feedback by email, phone or mail using the contact information listed below.

Ways to contact us

Here are all the reasons you may want to contact us:

• To send us feedback,
• To ask us for a copy of our accessibility plan, previous reports and our feedback process description in these alternate formats: print, large print (Word), braille, audio or an electronic format that is compatible with adaptive technology that is intended to assist persons with disabilities.

We will provide the format you ask for as soon as possible. Braille and audio formats may take up to 45 days. Print, large print and electronic formats may take up to 15 days.

You can contact us:

• By email at accessible@edc.ca
• Online, by using the accessibility feedback form
• By telephone: 1(800) 229-0575
• On Social media: LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram
• In-person or by mail:

Accessibility Lead, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDE&A)
Export Development Canada (EDC)
150 Slater Street
Ottawa, ON
K1A 1K3
Canada

Our Accessibility Lead will let you know when they receive your feedback. If you want us to get back to you directly, please make sure you leave your contact information. We may use your feedback right away to make accessibility changes. We may also include it in our future accessibility plans. We hope to hear from you!