Accessibility Standards Canada

What Accessibility Standards Canada does

Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) is a Canadian federal government organization established in 2019 under the Accessible Canada Act, headquartered in Gatineau, Quebec, with approximately 57 employees. The organization's statutory mandate is to contribute to a barrier-free Canada by January 1, 2040, by developing accessibility standards for federally regulated entities across seven priority areas: Employment, Built Environment, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Communication Other than ICT, Procurement, Programs and Services, and Transportation. It is led by CEO Dino Zuppa and Chairperson Paul Walsh, and was recognized on the Forbes Accessibility 200 list in 2026.

The organization operates a free, voluntary standards model: ASC-developed accessibility standards are publicly available at no cost and become mandatory only when incorporated into federal regulations by sector regulators. The standards are accredited through the Standards Council of Canada and developed in collaboration with national and provincial partners including the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), and various provincial governments. ASC also operates a research grants program to fund accessibility research aligned with its mandate.

ASC's business model is government-funded through federal appropriations, with no commercial monetization of its intellectual property. Standards are distributed free of charge, and the organization has no external investors. Recent product outputs include the Accessible-Ready Modular Housing Technical Guide (2025), the ASC-5.2.1 Accessible Service Delivery standard (June 2026), and the draft CAN-ASC-41 Accessible Procurement standard co-branded with the CSA (2026). ASC pursues a 'barrier-free Canada by 2040' Roadmap framing, with a board majority composed of persons with disabilities and approximately 25% of its workforce self-identifying as persons with disabilities.

Name

Accessibility Standards Canada

Legal name

Accessibility Standards Canada

Website

https://accessible.canada.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Accessibility Standards Canada is a federal government organization that develops accessibility standards for federally regulated entities across seven priority areas, supporting Canada's goal of becoming barrier-free by 2040. It distributes standards free of charge and partners with provincial governments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accessibility Standards Development

NAICS

Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Accessibility & Web/App Compliance (WCAG) (EDALAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Physical & Built Environment Accessibility (Classrooms, Housing, Events) (EDALAGAF), Accessibility, Building Compliance & ADA Facilities Operations (EDALALAO), Public Broadcasting Accessibility & Public Service Compliance (Captioning, EAS, ADA) (MPABADAO), Accessibility & Special-Needs Customer Support (BPAAABAM)

Keywords

• Accessibility standards development
• Disability inclusion standards
• Federal accessibility compliance
• Barrier-free accessibility
• Accessibility research funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Gatineau

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a federal government department, Accessibility Standards Canada is funded through government appropriations. Standards are provided free of charge to the public in both official languages and accessible formats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Accessibility Standards Canada is a Canadian federal government standards development organization that creates and publishes accessibility standards for federally regulated entities and federal organizations across seven priority areas: Employment, Built Environment, Information and Communication Technologies, Communication, Procurement, Design and Delivery of Programs and Services, and Transportation. The organization also funds accessibility research through grants and contributions, operates a Centre of Expertise that consolidates standards and research, and runs public consultations with disability communities. Standards are made available for free in both official languages and multiple accessible formats including plain language, American Sign Language, and Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ).

Product overview

Accessibility Standards Canada is a Canadian government standards development organization mandated under the Accessible Canada Act to create a barrier-free Canada by 2040. The organization develops accessibility standards for federally regulated entities and federal organizations, operating through Technical Committees with majority disability representation. Its product portfolio includes published standards (such as ASC-5.2.1: Accessible Service Delivery), draft standards under development (CAN-ASC-41: Accessible Procurement), and the CAN-ASC-7.1.x Accessible Travel Journey standards series. The Centre of Expertise serves as the central knowledge repository for all standards and funded research, while the Advancing Accessibility Standards Research Program provides grants to support barrier-identifying research. The Roadmap to 2040 provides the strategic framework organizing activities into standards development rounds and leadership positioning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ASC-5.2.1: Accessible Service Delivery Standard
• CAN-ASC-41: Accessible Procurement Standard
• Accessible Travel Journey Standards (CAN-ASC-7.1.x series)
• Accessible-Ready Modular and Prefabricated Housing Technical Guide
• Centre of Expertise

Quantifiable outcome

• Goal: Canada without barriers by January 1, 2040
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• New BrunswickmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026New Brunswick has joined forces with Accessibility Standards Canada on accessibility standards development, representing collaboration between federal and provincial government on accessibility initiatives.
• Standards Council of CanadacoreTechnology or IntegrationASC is an accredited standards development organization through the Standards Council of Canada. This accreditation formally recognizes ASC's policies and processes for developing standards, aligning with best practices in Canada and internationally. Accreditation enables federal accessibility standards to become part of the National Standards of Canada.
• Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on transportation accessibility standards. ASC works with CTA to ensure approaches are aligned as much as possible, with ASC potentially providing support or co-leading standards aimed at removing transportation barriers.
• Canadian Radio-television Commission (CRTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on information and communication technologies accessibility standards. ASC works with CRTC to ensure aligned approaches, with ASC potentially providing support or co-leading ICT accessibility standards.
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to co-brand some standards and avoid duplication of efforts. ASC leverages CSA's standards development expertise while bringing its values and disability-centered approach to accessibility standards.
• Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESDC is the Government of Canada's lead for regulatory, policy, program and engagement functions related to the Accessible Canada Act and broader accessibility initiatives. ASC works closely with ESDC to align standards development with regulatory plans.
• Provincial and Territorial GovernmentsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASC builds relationships with provinces and territories to promote harmonizing of federal, provincial, and territorial accessibility standards across Canada, fostering a unified approach to barrier removal.
• National Research Council CanadasupportingTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration on standards related to the built environment, working together on technical standards development in this priority area.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group): Canada's broader standards development organization. ASC has a formal partnership to co-brand standards with CSA, reflecting overlapping scope and complementary roles in the Canadian standards ecosystem.
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO): Global standards body with technical committees covering accessibility. Comparable as the international counterpart whose accreditation standards ASC aligns with through the Standards Council of Canada.
• National Council on Disability (US): Independent U.S. federal agency advising on disability policy. Comparable as a national-level federal entity shaping accessibility policy and standards, though focused on policy advice rather than standards development.
• Accessible Canada (Government of Canada): The broader Government of Canada accessibility portal that coordinates accessibility policy across federal departments. Comparable as the parent regulatory and policy framework under which ASC operates.

Emerging players

• Rick Hansen Foundation: Canadian organization focused on accessibility and inclusion, including the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC). Comparable as a Canadian accessibility standards and certification body operating in the built environment.

Regional players

• European Disability Forum: European-level disability advocacy organization that informs EU accessibility standards and the European Accessibility Act. Comparable as a regional body advancing accessibility standards across multiple jurisdictions.
• AccessibleEU: EU resource center supporting the implementation of the European Accessibility Act. Comparable as a regional accessibility knowledge hub that complements standards development through implementation support.
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA): Ontario's provincial accessibility legislation with its own standards development track. Comparable as a sub-national accessibility framework that divides jurisdiction with ASC in Canada.

Direct peers

• U.S. Access Board: U.S. federal agency that develops and maintains accessibility guidelines and standards for the built environment, transportation, communication, and ICT under U.S. federal law. Directly comparable as a national-level accessibility standards body operating under federal mandate.
• W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI): Develops widely adopted digital accessibility standards including WCAG. ASC develops ICT standards as one of its 7 priority areas, making WAI a direct peer in the digital accessibility standards domain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NormesAccesCA
• Facebookfacebook.com/AccStandardsCA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/accstandardsca

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Accessibility Standards Canada