Learning Disabilities Association of Canada

What Learning Disabilities Association of Canada does

The Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (LDAC) is a national non-profit charitable organization founded in 1963 and incorporated in 1971, headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario. LDAC serves as the recognized national voice for the approximately 8 million Canadians living with learning disabilities (LD) and associated attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The organization operates as a federation of provincial and territorial Learning Disabilities Associations, coordinating a national network of 40 service points across 9 provinces and 1 territory, with chapters extending to more than 30 communities.

LDAC's core offerings span advocacy, research curation, and community support. The LDAC Research Hub is a curated online resource aggregating summaries of 10+ years of Canadian peer-reviewed journal articles on LD and ADHD, searchable by keyword, author, date, and topic. Additional services include the Doreen Kronick Scholarship ($1,000 CAD annually for postsecondary students with LD), the 'Born to be ME!' children's book series (10,000+ copies in circulation), an annual national virtual conference, legal advocacy including participation in human rights cases such as Moore v. BC, a quarterly newsletter reaching 2,835 subscribers, and an online donation platform. The organization maintains an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn (3,500 combined followers).

As a registered Canadian charity (#1190 10312 RR0001), LDAC operates on a donation-based revenue model funded by individual donors (including a Gold-level donor in Casgrain & Compagnie Limitée), corporate sponsors (Landmark College, Wellington-Altus, Shorcan), and historical government grants (including a $302,000 federal grant for the PACFOLD research study in 2004). A 2025 fundraising campaign targets $150,000 CAD. LDAC is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors with provincial/territorial representation and operated by a small staff team of approximately 32.

Name

Learning Disabilities Association of Canada

Legal name

Learning Disabilities Association of Canada

Website

https://ldac-acta.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (LDAC) is a national charitable federation founded in 1963 that advocates for, supports, and curates research on behalf of the 8 million Canadians living with learning disabilities and ADHD through a network of 40 service points.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Advocacy and Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialized Learning Support (Dyslexia/LD Coaching, Assistive Strategies) (EDAJALAJ), Professional Development for Educators (Dyslexia/LD Training) (EDAKAJAK)

Keywords

• Learning disabilities advocacy
• Disability support services
• Research repository
• Educational resources
• Community-led nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: LDAC operates as a registered charity (Registration #1190 10312 RR0001) relying primarily on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization runs annual fundraising campaigns with a stated goal of $150,000 by end of 2025.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LDAC is a national non-profit charitable organization that advocates for and supports the approximately 8 million Canadians living with learning disabilities and ADHD. Its core offerings include the LDAC Research Hub (curated Canadian peer-reviewed research), annual national conferences, the Doreen Kronick Scholarship, children's book publications, legal advocacy (including human rights interventions), a provincial/territorial help directory spanning 40 service points, and donor-funded community support.

Product overview

The Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (LDAC) operates as a national non-profit charitable organization offering a unified portfolio of advocacy, research, and support services for individuals with learning disabilities. The core offerings include the LDAC Research Hub (a curated database of Canadian LD research), annual conferences, scholarships (Doreen Kronick Scholarship), children's publications, legal advocacy services, a provincial/territorial referral network spanning 40+ service points, and newsletter communications. The organization does not offer a software product or technology platform but provides services centered on information resources, advocacy, community support, and educational materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LDAC Research Hub A curated online resource containing summaries of over 10 years of Canadian peer-reviewed journal articles related to learning disabilities and ADHD, with bibliographic and contact information for researchers, educators, parents/caregivers, and individuals seeking LD information.
• Doreen Kronick Scholarship A scholarship of $1,000 awarded annually to students with learning disabilities enrolled full-time or part-time in a post-secondary education program. Application deadline is June 30th each year.
• Annual National Virtual Conference Annual virtual conference held in collaboration with Provincial and Territory Associations, bringing together experts and providing insights to LD advocates, educators, and other professionals.
• Legal Advocacy Services Legal advocacy including participation in human rights cases such as the Moore v BC case, position papers on Supreme Court decisions, and policy submissions on disability rights.
• Find Help Directory Directory connecting individuals with Learning Disabilities Associations in 9 provinces and 1 territory across Canada, with chapters extending to over 30 communities.
• Online Donation Platform Online donation system allowing supporters to make monthly or one-time donations to support LDAC's research and advocacy initiatives.
• Born to be ME! Children's Book Series Original children's books featuring true stories of Canadians who succeeded with learning disabilities. The series includes 'Born to be ME!' with over 10,000 copies in circulation across 3 books.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8 million Canadians affected by LD and ADHD served as primary advocacy focus
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Landmark CollegecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLandmark College is a key sponsor of LDAC, specializing in education for students who learn differently. The partnership includes advertising sponsorship on LDAC's website and marketing collaboration to promote Landmark College's programs to LDAC's Canadian audience.
• Provincial and Territorial LDA AssociationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLDAC works in partnership with provincial and territorial Learning Disabilities Associations across Canada. These affiliated organizations share LDAC's aims and objectives and form a strong, unified national voice. The 'Communities of Communities' initiative facilitates collaboration on national surveys, awareness campaigns, and capacity building.
• The Learning Disabilities Institute (Quebec)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLDAC collaborates with the Learning Disabilities Institute (Institut des troubles d'apprentissage du Québec) on initiatives including 'The Great Read-Along' challenge aimed at cumulating 1,000,000 minutes of shared reading, launched October 23, 2025.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Understood.org: U.S.-based digital-first platform providing resources, tools, and personalized support for the LD/ADHD community. Represents the digital-native model that is reshaping LD content delivery; competes with LDAC's Research Hub on research dissemination but with stronger technology and personalization.

Direct peers

• Learning Disabilities Association of America: The U.S. national equivalent of LDAC, founded in 1963. Operates as a federation of state LDAs providing advocacy, research, and direct support to individuals with learning disabilities. Directly comparable mission, federated structure, and service portfolio, but operates in the United States.
• National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD): U.S.-based national nonprofit focused exclusively on LD advocacy, policy, and youth leadership. Comparable mission around LD awareness, accommodations, and policy influence; differs by being more policy/advocacy-centric and not operating a federated provincial/state model.
• Inclusion Canada: Canadian national federation advocating for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Comparable federated structure, advocacy mission, and federal policy engagement, but addresses intellectual rather than learning disabilities.
• Dyslexia Canada: Canadian nonprofit focused specifically on dyslexia awareness, screening, and educator training. Overlaps with LDAC's mission on LD advocacy and parent/educator education, but is narrower in scope (dyslexia only) and more digital/awareness-led.
• CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD): U.S.-based national nonprofit providing education, advocacy, and support for individuals with ADHD. Directly comparable in addressing the LD/ADHD overlap population that LDAC serves, with a similar federated chapter model and focus on community-led support.
• Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario (LDAO): LDAC's largest provincial affiliate, providing direct services, advocacy, and educator training across Ontario. Closely comparable in service portfolio (assessments, tutoring referrals, advocacy) and a core operational unit within LDAC's federated network.
• ADHD Canada: Canadian nonprofit focused on ADHD awareness, support, and education. Directly comparable in serving the ADHD segment that LDAC explicitly includes, but narrower in scope (ADHD-only) and lacks LDAC's national federation structure.

Regional players

• National Disability Rights Network (NDRN): U.S.-based nonprofit network of protection and advocacy organizations for people with disabilities. Comparable in providing legal advocacy and policy intervention (similar to LDAC's Moore v. BC involvement), but operates in the U.S. and covers all disability categories.

Broad incumbents

• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC): Largest international professional organization for special educators, serving educators working across all disability categories including LD. Comparable audience of special education professionals, but broader scope covering all exceptionalities rather than specializing in LD/ADHD.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ldacacta
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ldac
• Instagraminstagram.com/ldacacta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Learning Disabilities Association of Canada