Rapport d’étape annuel de 2025 sur l’accessibilité de FinDev Canada et Plan d’accessibilité triennal 2026-2028

FinDev Canada remains committed to creating accessible, inclusive and equitable experiences for our clients, employees and all stakeholders, especially people with disabilities. Proactive, incremental steps are being taken to embed accessibility into everything we do.  This document describes what we will undertake to achieve this goal in the next three-year period from 2026 to 2028.

This document containing Three-Year Accessibility Plan for 2026 - 2028 also includes our annual progress report for 2025.  It reaffirms FinDev Canada’s commitment to fostering an environment where everyone can thrive.  The Plan outlines key goals and actions designed to address the specific needs, visible and invisible, of our employees, clients and stakeholders.  It also aims to:

1. ensure equitable access to opportunities, resources, and support across the organization, and
2. create an inclusive, barrier-free workplace.

This Three-Year Accessibility Plan for 2026 - 2028 is aligned with the overarching accessibility strategy of our parent company, Export Development Canada.  This Plan reflects the principles and commitments that we share with Export Development Canada.  At the same time, this Plan is tailored to our organizational size, context and priorities.  

The report is structured to follow the priority areas of the Accessible Canada Act.  Each section outlines our accomplishments for 2025, barriers faced in that area, and the activities we plan to implement over the next three years to address those barriers.

The report reflects our growing maturity in the accessibility area. In many areas, our plans are distinctly calibrated to our size and mandate (Employment, Information and Communication Technologies and Communications).  In other areas, we lean on our parent company, Export Development Canada, to provide leadership, notably in the areas of the Built environment, Procurement of goods, services and facilities management and Transportation. Finally, the report concludes with an outline of consultations undertaken with internal and external stakeholders.  We also provide information on how you can reach us.

FinDev Canada has benefited from a close relationship with EDC’s Talent Acquisition team. Our teams connect frequently and utilize the same processes and tools, enabling shared progress and alignment.

In the table below, we summarize our accomplishments in the Employment area in 2025.

TABLE 1:  EMPLOYMENT  --  ACCOMPLISHMENTS, 2025

The People & Culture team has identified several key accessibility challenges:

Current accommodation provision processes are undocumented

Current applicant tracking system is less accessible than alternatives.

Disability disclosure and accommodation request processes need greater alignment with the Employment Standard, particularly during the job posting stage.

1. Strengthen Inclusive Hiring Practices

• Collaborate with disability employment networks (e.g., Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and Employment Accessibility Resource Network (EARN)) and hiring teams to attract, engage, enable, and retain employees with disabilities.
• Finalize and train on a standardized accommodation process for managers and People & Culture teams.
• Create practical tools such as checklists and conversation guides to support inclusive hiring.

2. Increase Visibility and Clarity of Accessibility in Recruitment

• Standardize accessibility language across all job postings (e.g., “Accommodations available upon request”).
• Add an accessibility statement and accommodation policy link to our company’s website Careers page.
• Update templates for job vacancies with inclusive language prompts for hiring managers.
• Provide hiring managers with a checklist to ensure accessibility language is included.

3. Equip Managers with Tools and Training

• Develop a one-pager or slide deck toolkit with guidance on how to handle disclosures of disabilities and subsequent accommodations.
• Deliver short, scenario-based training sessions for managers on how to support employees with disabilities.
• Launch a post-interview candidate feedback survey focused on accessibility experience.
• Highlight accessibility wins and peer learning moments in internal communications.

4. Promote Wellness, Mental Health, and Psychological Safety

• Enhance awareness of available supports, including neurodiversity and psychological safety.
• Provide leaders with tools to encourage access to wellness and mental health resources.

5. Leadership Accountability and Recognition

• Integrate accessibility actions into leadership learning and track participation.
• Share annual updates during National Accessibility Week (May/June).
• Celebrate successes via newsletters, Town Halls, and internal storytelling.
• Collect metrics during National Accessibility Week.

Our accomplishments related to our Built Environment are summarized in the table below.

TABLE 2:  BUILT ENVIRONMENT  --  ACCOMPLISHMENTS, 2025

We are committed to building a physical work environment where everyone can thrive. The following are some of the access issues and challenges in our built environment identified 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 of our office 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 entrances and exits) procedures.

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

Accessibility assessments

Conduct comprehensive assessments for our various office locations (ongoing) to identify existing barriers and use findings to inform future upgrades and national barrier removal planning. 

Barrier-free safety (equitable emergency entrances/exits)

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

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.

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. 

The plan builds upon the foundation established in the 2023–2025 plan and reflects the evolving role of our Digital Office team, particularly in the context of the new website re-design and development. We remain committed to making our websites and digital content easier for everyone to use. These efforts are part of a long-term plan to improve accessibility across our organization.

We have taken important steps in 2025 to make our websites and digital content more accessible. Here is what we have done so far:

TABLE 3:  INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES  --   ACCOMPLISHMENTS, 2025

We continue to advance our goals in digital accessibility by identifying and removing barriers in our web platforms and services. Through consultations and internal reviews, we’ve pinpointed key challenges that affect how people access and interact with our websites. Below are the top barriers the ICT and Digital Office team at FinDev Canada is addressing.

Inaccessible content updates: New pages or updates can unintentionally introduce barriers if accessibility is not consistently applied. 

Limited accessibility testing during development: Without proper testing, issues like missing labels or poor keyboard navigation can go unnoticed. 

Web pages do not use proper structure for assistive technologies: Some web templates and components do not use the correct HTML tags or accessibility attributes, which can make it hard for screenreaders to understand the page (NB:  a screenreader is software that enables people with sight loss to use computers. It reads the text on the screen in a computerized voice. Most screenreaders can also convert text into braille if needed). 

Unresolved user feedback on accessibility: Feedback from users with disabilities is essential, but often underused.

To address these barriers, FinDev Canada will focus on the following priorities.

Design with accessibility in mind from the outset: Join design and wireframe reviews early to make sure accessibility is built into layouts, navigation and interactions. This helps meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards before development begins.

Lead accessibility testing during development: Act as the main point of contact for accessibility quality checks once coding starts. Use both manual and automated tools like Axe, WAVE, or Lighthouse to test pages and components.

Support accessible content creation: Guide content contributors on writing and formatting practices that support accessibility, such as using clear headings, descriptive links, and proper alt text.

Maintain accessibility after launch: Regularly review new content and updates to ensure they continue to meet accessibility standards. Share a checklist with teams to help them publish accessible content.

Monitor and respond to user feedback: Keep an eye on submissions from the Accessibility Feedback Form. Track recurring issues and work with internal teams or vendors to resolve them.

Evaluate third-party tools and services: Review embedded widgets and external services to ensure they meet accessibility requirements. Collaborate with vendors to fix any issues and provide input during procurement.

Track and report accessibility issues: Keep a centralized log of issues, including severity and resolution status. This supports transparency and helps improve accessibility over time.

Gather feedback from users with disabilities: Continue working with partners like Accessibrand to get input from people using assistive technologies. Use their feedback to make meaningful improvements.

We have taken important steps this year to make our communications more accessible. Here is what we have done so far:

TABLE 4:  COMMUNICATIONS (OTHER THAN ICT)  --  ACCOMPLISHMENTS, 2025

Listed below are the barriers we have identified. Where there is overlap with the ICT and Design and delivery of service priority areas, complementary actions to address those barriers can be found under those sections. 

Cross-team collaboration: External communications products do not solely depend on the communications team. Change management across the organization to embed accessibility into early content creation is needed to ensure compliance. 

Content creation: Our communications, including terminology, language, and images we use, may not be inclusive of people with disabilities, preventing customers and employees from engaging with us.

Tool limitations: Accessibility in internal communications might be limited by functionalities of available tools. Further assessment and possibly training might be needed to ensure compliance. 

Meetings: Meeting planners and hosts may design meeting communications and materials without considering accessibility requirements to support equal participation for all. Guidelines will be needed to facilitate accessible meetings. 

• Launch of re-designed external website that is compliant with Accessible Canada Act standards.
• Design, planning and implementation of change management plan to increase organization-wide awareness and use of accessibility standards in meetings, technology, platforms, tools and content creation.
• Procurement and dissemination of content, brand and design expertise to embed accessibility into all corporate and internal communications.
• Procurement and implementation of communications expertise to support external website accessibility updates to ensure equal access to information.
• Embed accessibility into external-facing corporate events and meetings and provide guidance to planners and hosts for internal corporate events and meetings led by employees or teams. 

Through our parent company, Export Development Canada, we have taken important steps this year to make our procurement activities more accessible. Here is what we have done so far:

TABLE 5:  PROCUREMENT OF GOODS, SERVICES & FACILITIES  --  ACCOMPLISHMENTS, 2025 

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 Proposals (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.

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

We have taken early steps to build a culture where universal design and the user experience guide the design and delivery of our services, programs, and products.

In this regard, we have achieved the following in 2025:

TABLE 6:  DESIGN & DELIVERY OF PROGRAMS & SERVICES  --  ACCOMPLISHMENTS, 2025

We are committed to building products and services where everyone – employees and clients – can thrive. The following are some of the barriers identified during stakeholder consultations conducted by our parent company, Export Development Canada, and the actions we will take to remove them. 

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

Activities include:

• Improve accessibility:  Make FinDev Canada’s services easier to understand, engage with and less intimidating.  This includes efforts to increase awareness and education about our general field of endeavour known as development finance.
• Improve physical accessibility: develop messaging to communicate to clients and stakeholders that accommodations are available.

FinDev Canada’s transportation activities relate largely to business travel which is managed by our parent company, Export Development Canada.  Our accomplishments for  2025 are summarized below.

TABLE 7:  TRANSPORTATION  --  ACCOMPLISHMENTS, 2025

In the spring of 2025, we launched a new online travel booking system, Deem, with features for visually- and hearing-impaired users. 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.

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

For feedback on this report, we relied on consultations with Diversability, our employee resource group. These consultations were conducted by our parent company, Export Development Canada. 

Employees 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 to standardize and train staff on accessible meeting best practices,  including captions, transcripts, breaks, and accessible materials.  For more on the outcome of consultations with employee stakeholders, please see the “Consultations” section of the Three-Year Plan, 2026-2028 prepared by Export Development Canada.

To prepare for this Three-Year Accessibility Plan and 2025 Annual Progress Report, FinDev Canada engaged the services of an accessibility firm called Accessibrand. The firm facilitated consultations with a panel of external stakeholders with lived experience of various forms of disability. The goal was to learn more about accessibility at FinDev Canada from those with lived experience. 

Their feedback will inform our actions over the 2026 – 2028 period.   Their feedback focused on those sections where FinDev Canada has sole responsibility, notably Employment, ICT and Communications.  Feedback from this consultation was not available at the time of publication and will be inserted at a later date. 

We appreciate the feedback from the consultations with these various groups. We will continue to integrate their feedback into how best to use this advice in our future activities and actions. 

This report is available to you in various formats. Also indicated below is how much time we need to prepare your document. 

Print PDF format – We will send it 15 days after you request it.

Large print PDF – We will send it 15 days after you request it.

Large print Word – We will send it 15 days after you request it.

Braille – We will send it 45 days after you request it.

Audio format – We will send it 45 days after you request it.

We welcome your comments and feedback on this plan. 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. Has our accessibility plan created any new barriers for you? Please let us know how we are doing with our accessibility work.

Here are the reasons you may want to contact us:

• To send us feedback
• To get a copy of our progress report in an alternate format
• To get a copy of our accessibility plan in an alternate format
• To get a description of our feedback process.

You can contact us…

By email at Accessible@findevcanada.ca  

Online, by using the accessibility feedback form

By telephone: 613-852-8241

On Social media: LinkedIn, Twitter (@FinDev_Canada), YouTube

In-person or by mail:

Accessibility Lead
FinDev Canada
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 accessibility plans. We hope to hear from you!