Payments Canada Accessibility Plan Progress Report 2025–2026
General
Introduction
In accordance with the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), Payments Canada published its first Accessibility Plan in 2023 on our website (payments.ca) in support of the Government of Canada's goal to achieve a barrier-free Canada by 2040. In preparing the Accessibility Plan Progress Report 2025–2026, employees with disabilities and subject matter experts were consulted. This report outlines the progress Payments Canada made between June 2025 and May 2026 in implementing its 2023–2025 Accessibility Plan and addressing the identified barriers.
Alternate formats
Request alternate formats of Payments Canada’s Accessibility Plan, or description of feedback processes, by email at accessibility@payments.ca, by phone at 1-613-238-4173 or through our accessibility feedback form. The Senior Employee Experience and Talent Acquisition Specialist is responsible for receiving and reviewing all requests and feedback on behalf of Payments Canada.
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Consultations
Payments Canada consulted with employees who identify as persons with disabilities in preparing this progress report. To support ongoing consultation, Payments Canada established an Accessibility Advisory Committee that consists of persons with disabilities as well as representatives from across the organization who are subject matter experts in each of the focus areas. The committee meets at minimum quarterly to:
- Provide input in creating short and long-term objectives to address barriers;
- Discuss potential solutions to addressing barriers;
- Establish deadlines for addressing barriers;
- Clarify who is accountable for the action items;
- Provide feedback on the consultation process; and
- Monitor progress and implementation of action items.
Meetings were held on:
May 10, 2025
September 10, 2025
February 5, 2026
March 3, 2026
May 12, 2026
In addition to creating the Accessibility Advisory Committee, Payments Canada has made an employee feedback form available at all times on the Accessibility page on our intranet in order to continuously capture any barriers, or recommendations for improvement. Payments Canada also engaged with external stakeholders to gain more insight on industry best practices. This was done through consultations with the Crowns EDI Network Roundtables, discussing findings, issues, strategies and wins surrounding accessibility. Our Diversity, Inclusion and Talent Specialist completed the Employment Accessibility Resource Network’s (EARN) Accessible Employment Practices Workshop Series, along with regular consultations with EARN’s Leadership Group members.
What we learned
To ensure anonymity, responses focus on the barriers identified in the ACA rather than on the consultation methods used. Feedback, where possible, has been addressed in 2025–2026. Remaining feedback, to the extent possible, will be addressed in our 2026-2028 Accessibility Plan:
Employment
- With a return to the office, managers and HR teams need more education about managing accommodations in a hybrid work environment.
- Clarity is needed around how Payments Canada’s performance management process ensures fair and equitable assessment for people with disabilities and mental health challenges.
Built environment
- No feedback received.
Information and communication technologies (ICT)
- There are concerns around our payment systems’ capabilities to accommodate screen readers.
Communication other than ICT
- No feedback received.
Procurement of goods, services and facilities
- No feedback received.
Transportation
- No feedback received.
Design and delivery of programs and services
- The current internal Accessibility Feedback Form lacks information regarding where to find the Accessibility Plan and information about our accommodation process.
- There is a concern that a lack of awareness and commitment to accessibility from leadership conflicts with our organizational values.
Overview of progress
As of the last report in June 2025, Payments Canada has continued the implementation of its 2023–2025 Accessibility Plan, which includes:
- Completion of objectives aligned with our timeline for the final year of the three-year action plan, including:
- Mandatory Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) training was created for all employees, which included guidance on disability inclusion in the workplace.
- An Inclusive Offsite Event Checklist was developed, ensuring accessibility of offsite team-building activities.
- A standardized accessibility checklist has been implemented for all e-learning content.
- A move to a new office space in Toronto, with accessibility considerations implemented throughout the design process.
Progress under the Accessible Canada Act’s seven priority areas
Employment
Barrier
Employees, including management and leadership teams, do not receive adequate accessibility training.
Action
Mandatory Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) training was created for all employees, which included guidance on disability inclusion in the workplace.
Our DEI Committee ran a comprehensive Disability Employment Awareness Month campaign, which provided employees with practical tips on inclusive practices to support a variety of disabilities. Recommendations were tailored to our unique environment and culture.
All employees were invited to attend a presentation on disability inclusion from our Lead, Learning and Development, which included elements of accessibility in a variety of mediums. The session was attended by a significant number of employees and the recording was shared organization-wide.
Barrier
Offsite team activities, including team‑building or social events, are often designed for people without disabilities and may unintentionally exclude participation by peers with disabilities.
Action
An Inclusive Offsite Event Checklist was developed in partnership with our Organizational Administration Team, ensuring accessibility of offsite team-building activities.
Barrier
There are discrepancies between employee self-identification rates and those who identify as having accessibility needs when the reporting is anonymous, indicating a culture where employees do not feel comfortable self-disclosing.
Action
A Community Partnership Review template was developed to assess the impact of our work with our community partners in the accessibility space. This annual review will ensure that our community partnerships are advancing our understanding and support for employees with disabilities.
Barrier
Clarity is needed around how Payments Canada’s performance management process ensures fair and equitable assessment for people with disabilities and mental health challenges.
Action
A modernized performance management process was launched in January 2026, designed to reduce bias by implementing more specific, measurable goals and increasing mandatory manager oversight. To further address this barrier and support inclusive practices, mandatory Manager Fundamentals training is in development, which will include accessible and inclusive performance management practices. This training will ensure managers are equipped to lead equitable evaluations that account for the diverse needs of their team.
Built environment
Barrier
Signage and wayfinding design in our offices are lacking high-contrast and tactile elements.
Action
Office navigation improvements have been initiated by installing safety mirrors to eliminate blind spots in high-traffic areas.
Preliminary design for tactile signage and cost estimates have been completed and appropriate next steps will be integrated into the 2026-2028 Accessibility Plan.
Barrier
Kitchen spaces are not designed for wheelchair use.
Action
These barriers have been addressed in the design of our new Toronto office, having previously been implemented in our 2025 Ottawa office renovations. Improvements include:
- Barrier-free countertop, dishwashers and sink installed;
- Barrier-free seating implemented;
- Microwaves have been moved to an accessible height.
Barrier
Doors, hardware, and mounted devices (e.g., room access ipads, televisions) are not designed for inclusive access for people using mobility devices or with visual impairments.
Action
These barriers have been addressed in the design of our new Toronto office to ensure accessibility, having previously been implemented in our 2025 Ottawa office renovations.
Barrier
A focus on teaming and collaboration spaces has led to a lack of quiet, focus space for those with noise sensitivities.
Action
Quiet pods have been installed in our Ottawa and Toronto offices for quiet, sound-proof areas for work.
Employees are regularly reminded to be mindful and respectful of noise levels in shared workspaces.
Information and communication technologies (ICT)
Barrier
E-learning does not include accessibility elements.
Action
A standardized accessibility checklist has been implemented for all e-learning content. This ensures that new training materials, including videos and user guides, meet accessibility standards.
Barrier
While our systems and supporting services are Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) enabled, more information is required as to the system capabilities as they relate to members' access and use of the platforms.
Action
Accessibility compliance scans have been completed for a selection of our internal and external systems. A preliminary assessment of the developer portal was also conducted, with findings being used to inform future system requirements. To ensure a secure and comprehensive evaluation of our core infrastructure, we are currently integrating our scanning tools with the CS network to perform internal audits of the Lynx application. While this security-first integration is underway, we continue to utilize third-party assessments to develop our long-term roadmap for system accessibility.
Communication, other than ICT
Barrier
Corporate guidance on how to create accessible meeting materials, presentations, etc. are not robust or universally used.
Action
We have updated our corporate templates, brand, and style guidelines to incorporate accessibility best practices by default. These resources provide comprehensive, direct guidance on creating inclusive content.
Employees are regularly reminded to use these standardized resources to establish a consistent foundation for all internal and external communications, ensuring our materials are accessible by default and usable for everyone.
Procurement of goods, services and facilities
All identified barriers have been addressed, with no additional feedback received.
Design and delivery of programs and services
Barrier
The current internal Accessibility Feedback Form lacks helpful information regarding where to find the Accessibility Plan and information about accommodation barriers.
Action
The internal and external Feedback Forms were updated to include additional context and examples of potential barriers in each priority area. The internal form was edited to include links to the Accessibility page on our intranet, where employees can find the Accessibility Policy and Procedure documents.
Transportation
All identified barriers have been addressed, with no additional feedback received.
Feedback
We welcome feedback on our Accessibility Plan that will improve the accessibility of our services and practices.
- Email: accessibility@payments.ca
- In person or by mail:
- Ottawa: Constitution Square, Tower II, 350 Albert, Suite 800, Ottawa, ON K1R 1A4
- Toronto: 145 King Street West, Suite 1005, Toronto, ON M5H 1J8
- Phone: 1-613-238-4173
Anonymous feedback can be provided through Payments Canada’s accessibility feedback form.
The Senior Employee Experience and Talent Acquisition Specialist is responsible for receiving and reviewing feedback on behalf of Payments Canada. When sharing feedback, avoid sharing sensitive personal information, such as medical information or a social insurance number. Any personal information shared is used and safeguarded in accordance with Payment Canada's Privacy policy.