Summary of CAN-ASC-5.2.1:2026 – Accessible Service Delivery 

This is the first edition of the CAN-ASC-5.2.1, Accessible Service Delivery Standard.

This Standard focuses on accessible service delivery for people with disabilities. It supports equitable, inclusive, and barrier-free access for everyone.

Every service provider’s policies, practices, and measures must:

• be available to the public, and
• be accessible to people with disabilities.

This Standard is intended to align with:

• CAN-ASC - EN 301 549:2024 – Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services
• CAN-ASC - 1.1:2024 (REV-2025) – Employment
• CAN-ASC - 3.1:2025 – Plain Language
• CSA/ASC B651:23 Accessible design for the built environment
• CSA/ASC B651.2:25 Accessible design for self-service interactive devices including automated banking machines
• Accessible Canada Act
• Accessible Canada Regulations

Goals and purpose

This Standard sets requirements for accessible service delivery that enables all people to obtain, use, and benefit from services without barriers.

Service providers must consult people with disabilities while creating accessible services, including training practices and review procedures.

The Standard sets out a framework for improving service accessibility across industries through equity.

To achieve equitable service delivery, service providers must consider:

• the needs of people with disabilities,
• the ways that customers interact with the service being delivered, and
• the ways that different forms of discrimination interact with each other.

Equitable service delivery relies on the following principles:

• Services should respect the dignity and independence of people with disabilities, offer equal opportunities to access services, and use accessible communication methods.
• Equitable service delivery must not create extra cost for the person receiving the service. Service providers must make every effort to avoid delays for the person receiving the service.
• People with disabilities must receive services that are equivalent to the services given to other customers.
• A service provider must not deny a person with a disability the opportunity to obtain, use, and benefit from a service if that person otherwise qualifies for that service.

Scope

The first 9 Clauses of this Standard cover details on the Standard Development Organization (SDO) and the technical committee responsible for developing the Standard. They also cover details on legal obligations and how the Standard should be used.

Clauses 10 to 17 cover the following requirements:

• General requirements
• Communication
• Digital service delivery
• Service delivery in the built environment
• Support people
• Guide dogs and service dogs
• Training
• Feedback

Clause 10 focuses on ensuring service providers create and abide by policies, practices, and measures that require:

• services to be delivered without extra cost or delays for people with disabilities,
• service providers to deliver services to people with disabilities that are equitable to services delivered to other people, and
• service providers to consider the needs of people with disabilities and intersectionality with other factors, such as race, ethnicity, culture, language learning, spirituality, religion, age, or multiple disabilities.

Accessible communication and alternate methods of service delivery

When a person requests an accessible format, service providers must offer information in that format and inform people about available communication supports.

Service providers must also consider relevant timeframes and provide alternate methods of service delivery and accessible formats. They must do so without undue delay compared to original formats and methods of service delivery.

The service provider must ensure the alternate method of service delivery or accessible format is:

• provided upon request,
• meets the person’s needs,
• developed collaboratively or in consultation with the service provider and the person making the request, and agreed upon by both parties, and
• available without additional costs to the person making the request.

The service provider must also ensure that alternate methods of service delivery provide an equitable level of service to the level of service other people receive.

Clause 11 focuses on clear and accessible communication from service providers.

General considerations

Service providers must use plain language in a person’s preferred method of communication.

Essential information and service disruptions

Service providers must consult people with disabilities to determine what is considered essential information.

Service providers must create, follow, and publicly share clear steps for what to do when a service is temporarily disrupted. When a disruption occurs, the service provider must ensure that the notice:

• is provided in accessible digital and physical formats,
• is provided with as much notice as possible,
• includes the estimated duration of the disruption,
• describes available service alternatives, and
• provides contact information for immediate assistance.

Communication interpretation and Intervenor services

The service provider must ensure access to in-person interpretation or Intervenor services delivered by certified professionals where applicable.

Where in-person interpretation is not feasible, the service provider must, in consultation with the person with a disability, ensure virtual interpretation services are used.

Clause 12 focuses on enabling accessible service delivery on all technological, virtual, and digital platforms.

Service platforms and delivery

The Standard requires that:

• technological, virtual and digital platforms used to deliver service are accessible and meet the needs of people with disabilities, and
• all digital platforms used for service delivery meet the requirements of CAN-ASC-EN 301 549 :2024 — Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services (EN 301 549 : 2021, IDT).

Clause 13 focuses on enabling accessible service delivery in all built environments. This includes:

• the design, construction and occupancy of all new buildings,
• the alteration, major renovation, reconstruction, relocation and occupancy of all existing buildings, and
• both site-built and factory-constructed buildings.

Information

The service provider must make the following information publicly available:

• A map and description of the layout and wayfinding for the physical environment.
• Written descriptions, photographs and image descriptions of the physical environment, location, and accessibility features, including accessible entry and exit ways.
• A description of emergency egress (exit), type of fire alarms, and elevators.
• Contact information of an employee for questions, accommodation requests or alternate methods of service delivery options.

This information must be developed in consultation with people with disabilities or organizations that represent people with disabilities. It must be shared in both digital and accessible formats as well.

Built environment

Service providers in the built environment must:

• comply with CSA/ASC B651:23 Accessible design for the built environment for various built environment elements,
• provide accessible layouts and features for queuing lines and waiting areas,
• comply with CSA/ASC B651.2:25 Accessible design for self-service interactive devices including automated banking machines when such devices are present, and
• provide guide dog or service dog relief areas near service entrances.

Clause 14 focuses on requirements that protect support people who may accompany a person with a disability to access a service.

Where applicable, if a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person, the service provider must:

• allow the person with a disability to enter with their support person, without requiring proof of need for a support person, and
• allow the person with a disability to always be accompanied by their support person while accessing the service, without requiring them to pay any fees or other charges.

Clause 15 focuses on ensuring that people who use guide dogs and service dogs can easily and equitably access services.

Entry on premises

Service providers must allow entry for people and their service dog or guide dog and allow for the service dog or guide dog to always remain with the person, unless entry is prohibited by law or the service dog or guide dog is aggressive or unduly disruptive. Service providers must permit entry without requiring documents to validate the service dog’s or guide dog’s identity. Service providers may only ask if the dog is a service dog or guide dog.

Access, inquiries, and documentation

The service provider must ensure people with disabilities who use guide dogs and service dogs:

• receive equitable access to the same services and spaces as everyone else,
• are not charged additional fees, and
• are not asked for documentation or disclosure of a disability.

Alternatives

When either the law or safety concerns prohibit guide dogs or service dogs, the organization must provide an alternate method of service delivery that is:

• agreed upon by the service provider and the person with a disability,
• available upon request in a timely manner,
• available without additional costs or fees, and
• an equitable level of service to the level of service other people receive.

Clause 16 focuses on ensuring that service providers have the critical knowledge of disability awareness needed to provide respectful, informed, and equitable service.

Application of training

The service provider must provide training about accessible service delivery:

• to every employee, volunteer, or individual involved with the delivery of a service, and
• at a minimum rate of every two years from the beginning of an individual’s work with the service provider.

Contents, development, and delivery of training

The service provider must provide training on:

• accessibility and human rights,
• principles and practices that promote inclusive service delivery, and
• interacting with persons using various assistive devices or accompanied by support people, a guide dog, or a service dog.

The service provider must:

• develop training materials in collaboration with people with disabilities,
• appropriately compensate people with disabilities for their time and expertise when developing or delivering training materials, and
• ensure that all training is accessible.

Clause 17 focuses on the feedback process so that service providers can continually adapt to the needs of the people they serve.

The service provider must establish a process for receiving, acknowledging, addressing, and responding to feedback related to accessible service delivery in a timely manner. Details about the process can be found in Annex A, which was adapted from Part 1 of the Accessible Canada Regulations (SOR/2021-241).