This accessibility plan is part of our work under the Accessible Canada Act. Federally regulated organizations like ours publish an accessibility plan every 3 years. These plans explain how we’re identifying, removing, and preventing accessibility barriers during that period.
This plan begins with a short summary that highlights key information about our organization, how we consulted with people with disabilities in developing this plan, and our accessibility goals.
The sections that follow give more detailed information about our consultations and goals. Starting with the “General” section, they’re organized under the headings required by the Accessible Canada Act.
If you need this plan in a different format, go to the section in this document on how to request an alternate format.
2. Definitions
The following definitions apply throughout this accessibility plan:
2.1 Accessibility
The design of products, devices, services, environments, technologies, policies and rules in a way that allows all people, including people with a variety of disabilities, to access them.
2.2 Barrier
Anything that might hinder people with disabilities’ full and equal participation. Barriers can be architectural, technological, attitudinal, based on information or communications, or can be the result of a policy or procedure.
2.3 Disability
Any impairment, or difference in physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, or communication ability. Disabilities can be permanent, temporary, or can change over time.
2.4 Procurement
How we get the goods, services, and spaces we need to do our work. This includes planning what to buy, choosing a supplier, making the purchase, and managing the contract.
2.5 Railway
A network of tracks, trains, and facilities that move goods across long distances.
3. Summary
Canadian National Railway Company (CN) is a transportation company that uses mostly trains to move goods all over North America. We work with other businesses to ship goods safely and on time. We don’t transport people. We also educate our communities and the public on how to stay safe around the railway. You can learn more about our organization by visiting www.cn.ca.
This document is our 2026 to 2029 Accessibility Plan. It’s our second plan and builds on the work we began with our first accessibility plan in June 2023.
Our work is guided by the Accessible Canada Act, a federal law that aims to create a more accessible Canada for everyone. We have committed to meeting the act’s requirements by identifying, removing, and preventing barriers in how we work and deliver our services.
This accessibility plan builds on what we have learned so far. It also includes feedback from people with disabilities about what’s working and where we can improve.
3.1 What we heard from people with disabilities
In February 2026, we consulted with employees across CN through an anonymous online survey. Employees were invited to share feedback about accessibility barriers they may have experienced when using CN programs, services, tools, systems, facilities, or work environments.
In the same month, we met with CN’s employee resource group for employees with diverse abilities, A.D.A.P.T. This focus group discussion helped us understand what matters most to employees with disabilities, learn about their experiences, and gather ideas about what should be included in the next plan.
The feedback from our employees helped us identify barriers and set priorities for this accessibility plan.
3.2 Our accessibility goals
Here are the actions we’re taking in the next 3 years to improve accessibility.
Employment goals
| Goal |
Timeline |
|
We’ll develop an organization-wide accommodation procedure.
|
End of 2029
|
|
We’ll bring information related to accessibility and people with disabilities in one central location.
|
End of 2029
|
|
We’ll look for opportunities to strengthen knowledge and awareness building for employees.
|
Between 2027 to 2028
|
|
We’ll introduce actions to build awareness and reinforce psychological safety across teams
|
Between 2026 to 2028
|
|
We’ll reinforce the importance of inclusive event planning for employee social activities.
|
Ongoing
|
|
We’ll replace our careers website.
|
End of 2026
|
Go to the employment section to learn more about these goals.
The built environment goals
| Goal |
Timeline |
|
We’ll commit to installing visual alarms in locations when there’s a specific need, upon request.
|
Ongoing
|
|
When we conduct regular inspections of our facilities, we’ll prioritize accessibility-related repairs.
|
Starting in 2026
|
|
We’ll include sound dampening features when renovating or building new spaces. We’ll also explore if it’s possible to support the purchasing of noise-cancelling headphones or similar tools.
|
Ongoing
|
|
We’ll continue to ensure that emergency and evacuation plans are up to date and relevant to each facility.
|
Ongoing
|
|
We’ll review our snow clearing plans and make changes to ensure ice and snow are removed quickly from priority areas. We’ll also continue to upgrade our paving and walking surfaces.
|
2026
|
|
We’ll make changes to the location or height of badge readers at secure entrances when requested.
|
Starting in 2026
|
|
We’ll install lever-style handles when we replace or install new doors or when requested in a specific location.
|
Starting in 2026
|
Go to the built environment section to learn more about these goals.
Information and communication technologies goals
| Goal |
Timeline |
|
We’ll begin investigating our information and communication technologies to identify accessibility barriers. We’ll create a plan to replace, upgrade, or modify technologies to ensure they’re as accessible as possible.
|
Starting in 2026
|
|
We’ll do a comprehensive review of our internal and external websites to identify any accessibility barriers and gaps in compliance. Based on results, we’ll begin making changes to remove barriers in 2027 onwards.
|
Starting in 2026
|
|
We’ll update our internal accessibility standards for information and communication technologies.
|
2026
|
|
We’ll procure or develop a digital accessibility training for our IT staff.
|
Starting in 2027
|
|
We’ll review the multi-user workstations to determine if there are any accessibility barriers.
|
Starting in 2026
|
|
We’ll include accessibility requirements and considerations any time we replace old systems with new internally developed software.
|
Starting in 2026 and ongoing
|
|
We’ll create a requirements list that will outline the accessibility considerations for the purchase of information technology products and services to be included in new requests for proposals.
|
2027
|
Go to the information and communication technologies section to learn more about these goals.
Goals for communication, other than information and communication technologies
| Goal |
Timeline |
|
We’ll communicate best practices for accessible meetings with all office-based employees.
|
2026
|
|
We’ll communicate the importance of not relying on colour alone to convey information in documents.
|
2026
|
|
We’ll explore the possibility of adding a short summary when sending communications with new information. We aim to introduce this practice in 2027.
|
Starting in 2026
|
|
We’ll create document templates, such as Word and PowerPoint templates, and share them with relevant staff.
|
2028
|
|
When we send emails using an image-only or in poster formal, we’ll make sure to include alt text.
|
Starting in 2026
|
Go to the communication section to learn more about these goals.
Goals for the procurement of goods, services, and facilities
| Goal |
Timeline |
|
We’ll inform the procurement team about the accessibility updates to the supplier sustainability questionnaire.
|
End of December 2026
|
|
We’ll ask our 3rd party procurement platform supplier to provide accessibility feature documentation.
|
End of December 2027
|
|
We’ll develop best practices documentation for accessible procurement.
|
End of December 2026
|
Go to the procurement section to learn more about these goals.
Goals for the design and delivery of programs and services
| Goal |
Timeline |
|
We’ll begin the process of investigating which of our customer-facing technologies have accessibility barriers. Afterwards, we’ll create a plan to remove any identified barriers.
|
Starting in 2026
|
Go to the programs and services section to learn more about this goal.
Transportation goals
| Goal |
Timeline |
|
We’ll confirm that our accessible parking spaces are compliant with applicable codes and standards. Based on this review, we’ll add additional accessible parking spaces.
|
Starting in 2026
|
Go to the transportation section to learn more about this goal.
4. General
This section gives an overview of our organization, explains how to give feedback, and outlines how to request this plan in other formats.
4.1 Our commitment to accessibility
At CN, we hold inclusion as a fundamental value and are deeply committed to creating an environment that is open, welcoming, and accessible to everyone. We recognize that the unique nature of our industry can sometimes create challenges for our employees and customers. We’re dedicated to removing these barriers whenever possible.
We’re also committed to doing this work in consultation with people with disabilities. We recognize that people with disabilities are the experts when it comes to accessibility, and we’ll continue to listen to and learn from their feedback as we implement the goals outlined in this plan.
Accessibility is an ongoing journey. Building on the work undertaken through our first accessibility plan, this second plan reflects our continued responsibility to proactively identify barriers, address them in a meaningful way, and respond to new barriers as they’re identified. We remain committed to continuously improving to ensure an inclusive experience for everyone.
4.2 About Canadian National Railway Company
CN is a publicly traded transportation and logistics company operating in Canada and the United States. We operate rail (trains), trucking, and marine (boat) transportation all over North America. CN works with its customers to ship goods on time and safely. CN does not transport people. We also educate our communities and the public on how to stay safe around the railway. Members of the public might interact with us through our website, through interactions with the CN police force, or through contacting us by e-mail or phone.
CN has been operating trains in Canada for over 100 years. We have over 2,000 locations and approximately 18,000 employees in Canada. Most of our employees work jobs that involve some physical work or work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions. This includes people who operate the trains and work in our railyards. Many of the locations that we work out of are industrial in nature and would be difficult to make fully accessible for all people. For example, in our rail yards, employees must be able to step over the train tracks to move around and service the train. Some employees work in our corporate offices. Office employees are currently working in a hybrid model, doing some work from home and some work from our office spaces.
To learn more about CN, visit www.cn.ca.
4.3 How to contact us and share feedback
We’re open to feedback on this plan and accessibility at CN from CN employees and the public. People can submit feedback anonymously, without giving their name or contact information. We’ll review the feedback and do our best to address the feedback.
Senior Manager of Human Resources Compliance is responsible for collecting, keeping, and responding to the feedback we receive.
You can contact us to give your feedback in the following ways:
- By email: accessibility@cn.ca
- By telephone: 833-399-5979
- By letter mail: 935 de La Gauchetière Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3B 2M9
We’ll also accept feedback through our social media channels:
We’ll respond to let you know that we received your feedback, unless it was submitted anonymously (without providing a name or contact information). We’ll store a copy of all the feedback we receive, in a central location, for at least 7 years. We’ll report on the feedback we receive in our progress reports and will use the feedback to develop future accessibility plans.
4.4 How to ask for alternate formats
Alternative formats of this plan and a description of our feedback process are available by request. If you require an alternative format, please contact the Senior Manager of Human Resources Compliance.
- By email: accessibility@cn.ca
- By telephone: 833-399-5979
- By letter mail: 935 de La Gauchetière Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3B 2M9
When alternate formats will be ready
We’ll respond to requests for other formats as soon as possible. For each alternative format, CN commits to providing them within a certain number of days.
Within 15 days of request:
- Print
- Large print (increased font size)
Within 45 days of request:
- Braille (a system of raised dots that people who are blind or who have low vision can read with their fingers)
- You can request a version that uses either Braille Grade 1 (also known as uncontracted Braille) or Braille grade 2 (also known as contracted Braille). If you have a preference, please specify when you make the request.
- Audio (a recording of someone reading the text out loud)
This section describes how people with disabilities were consulted in the development of this accessibility plan. Listening to people with lived experience is central to our work to improve accessibility at CN. We’re committed to ongoing conversations to make sure our decisions are as accessible, inclusive, and equitable as possible.
To inform this plan, we consulted CN employees in 2 ways:
- An employee survey
- A focus group with the A.D.A.P.T. employee resource group
What we heard through these consultations helped guide the priorities and actions in this plan.
5.1 Employee survey
In February 2026, CN employees were invited to participate in an anonymous virtual survey. The survey was administered by a third party and asked employees to share feedback on barriers they may have experienced when accessing CN’s programs, services, tools, facilities, or work environments.
A total of 243 employees completed the survey. Of those who responded, about 1 in 4 people identified as a person with a disability (26%).
The survey included the following questions:
- Are you a person with a disability?
- From your perspective, what barriers, if any, have you noticed or experienced in the employment experience at CN for employees with disabilities?
- What barriers, if any, have you noticed or experienced in the built environment at CN that affect employees with disabilities?
- What barriers, if any, have you noticed or experienced in information and communication technologies at CN that affect employees with disabilities?
- From your perspective, what barriers, if any, have you noticed or experienced in communications at CN that affect employees with disabilities?
- What barriers, if any, have you encountered while traveling for work?
- Is there anything else about accessibility at CN that you want to share?
5.2 Employee resource group meeting
In February 2026, an external accessibility consulting firm facilitated a focus group with CN’s employee resource group for employees with diverse abilities. This group is called Allies of Diverse Ability Partnering Together, also known as A.D.A.P.T. .
To guide the discussion, participants were asked:
- How would you describe your experience at CN as an employee with a disability?
- Have you encountered times where you couldn’t participate fully as an employee? Please tell us about them if you’re comfortable.
- What’s working well for accessibility at CN, as an employee with a disability?
- If you could change one thing about how CN approaches accessibility for employees, what would it be?
- What do you think CN should prioritize in the 2026 to 2029 Accessibility Plan?
- Is there anything we haven’t talked about that you think is important to share about accessibility at CN as a workplace?
5.3 What we heard
Feedback from the consultations helped us to write this plan. Key themes that emerged from employee consultations included:
- There’s confusion among employees about how to request accommodations or what the process will look like once they make that request.
- The nature of being a very large organization can lead to a work culture that is fast paced and doesn’t always consider the needs and psychological safety of employees.
- There’s inconsistent knowledge about accessibility and disability throughout our workforce, which can lead to inconsistent experiences and levels of perceived bias against employees with disabilities.
- While newer facilities have many accessible features in the built environment, older and legacy facilities that have not been upgraded still have some barriers for some people with disabilities.
- We use many information and communication technologies, and these technologies have inconsistent levels of accessibility based on their age and function.
5.4 How we used this feedback in our accessibility plan
The insights shared through the survey and focus group helped us better understand existing barriers. These findings informed the goals and initiatives in this plan. For example, we heard from employees that there is a lot of confusion about the accommodation process and so have developed actions in this accessibility plan that will reduce confusion and streamline the accommodation process at CN.
We’re grateful to the employees who shared their experiences. We recognize that consultation is an ongoing process, and we’re committed to building trusted relationships with people with disabilities to support more accessible and inclusive decision-making.
6. Identified barriers and our goals to remove them
This section outlines the barriers we identified, and our accessibility goals across the 7 priority areas identified in section 5 of the Accessible Canada Act, which are:
- Employment
- The built environment
- Information and communication technologies (ICT)
- Communication other than ICT
- The procurement of goods, services, and facilities
- The design and delivery of programs and services
- Transportation
For each priority area, you will find:
- a brief introduction,
- a summary of our achievements to date,
- the barriers we have identified, and
- the actions we plan to take from 2026 to 2029 to remove identified barriers and continue improving accessibility.
6.1 Employment
CN is proud to be a major employer in Canada, with approximately 18,000 employees working across the country. We’re committed to ensuring that all employees feel safe, supported, and respected at work.
We aim to create an inclusive workplace that attracts and retains employees from diverse backgrounds, including people with disabilities. This includes improving accessibility throughout the employee experience, from job application and hiring processes to day-to-day work and career development.
The goals below outline CN’s commitments and actions to identify, remove, and prevent employment-related barriers for people with disabilities.
Achievements to date
So far, we’ve made progress in the following areas:
- In 2023, we updated our equity statement to better include the disability community and express our commitment to accessibility.
- In 2023 we launched an annual voluntary self-identification campaign where we provided an optional opportunity for employees to self-disclose that they have a disability as well as other demographic characteristics.
- We’ve started the work of streamlining the accommodation process at CN and making it easier to understand. This work is ongoing.
- We’ve made a commitment to make sure that any time we develop or purchase new training materials or programs for our employees, we’ll make sure those materials follow relevant accessibility guidelines and best practices.
Identified barriers
We’ve identified the following barriers, or potential barriers:
- CN has a large workforce and many different departments and processes that handle accommodations, depending on the nature of the accommodation. This can create a barrier for employees with disabilities who may not know how to make an accommodation request or understand what the process will be.
- Some employees report difficulty finding information about accessibility, accommodation, and being an employee with a disability across CN’s internal information storage systems. While this information does exist, it’s not in a centralized location.
- There are still some misconceptions and lack of knowledge about disabilities and disability supports throughout our workforce. For example, some employees don’t understand the purpose or role of accommodations.
- The work culture at CN can sometimes be fast paced and this can lead to stress for some employees, particularly employees who have mental health disabilities or who are neurodivergent.
- When CN plans employee social events, such as games, sports, or retreats, the activities that we plan are not always accessible and inclusive for some people with disabilities.
- Our careers website, where people can find and apply for jobs, has not been assessed for accessibility because it’s currently being replaced.
Actions for 2026 to 2029
We’ll do the following to remove and prevent the identified barriers:
- By the end of 2029, CN will develop an overarching, organization-wide accommodation procedure. This procedure will explain how accommodation works across CN. It will also describe the various paths employees may take to receive accommodation and when each path should be taken. Once finalized, the procedure will be shared with all employees, and managers will receive training on it as appropriate.
- By the end of 2029, CN will bring information related to accessibility and people with disabilities together in one central location. This will make it easier for employees to find the information they need.
- Between 2027 and 2028, CN will look for opportunities to strengthen knowledge and awareness building for our employees. We already offer training that focuses on bias, equity, and inclusion. We’ll look for more opportunities to discuss concepts related to disability and accessibility.
- Between 2026 and 2028, CN will introduce actions to build awareness and reinforce psychological safety across teams.These actions and awareness raising initiatives will be designed to help reduce the fast-paced nature of our work culture where possible and give employees tools to help manage stress in difficult times. We’ll also look for opportunities to include psychological safety content in existing manager training.
- On an ongoing basis, CN will reinforce the importance of inclusive event planning for employee social activities. We’ll encourage event organizers to consider accessibility and the needs of people with a wide range of disabilities in their planning. We’ll also encourage organizers to proactively invite employees to request accommodations for these events.
- We have plans to replace our careers website, where people can find and apply for jobs. This is a big project that will take many years, and we don’t have an exact timeline yet. When we redesign this website, we’ll consult with a digital accessibility expert to make sure the new site is accessible. Our goal is to launch this new website by the end of 2026.
6.2 The built environment
CN operates more than 1,200 facilities across Canada, including office buildings, maintenance facilities, and train repair shops. These facilities range in age, design, and purpose.
All new and renovated buildings are designed to meet current building code requirements, including accessibility. Some older facilities were built to earlier standards and may have accessibility barriers.
Certain environments such as railyards present unique challenges due to the nature of the work and safety requirements. It’s not always possible to make all areas fully accessible.
CN recognizes that improving accessibility across the built environment requires time and investment. We’re committed to increasing accessibility wherever possible, with a strong focus on future renovations and new construction.
The goals below outline CN’s commitments and actions to identify, remove, and prevent built environment-related barriers for people with disabilities.
Achievements to date
So far, we’ve made progress in the following areas:
- We’ve committed to prioritizing accessibility whenever we build a new facility or engage in major updates or renovations of an existing facility.
- When planning and building our new headquarters, we ensured that accessibility was considered at each step along the way. We’re proud of the accessibility features of this new space, which will open in late 2026.
Identified barriers
We’ve identified the following barriers, or potential barriers:
- Some of our older facilities do not have visual alarms for emergency notifications and rely on sounds alone. This could mean that people who are d/Deaf or hard-of hearing would not know an emergency is happening because they cannot hear the alarm.
- Because CN manages multiple facilities, sometimes accessibility features at facilities become broken or unusable. For example, broken elevators or automatic door openers. Sometimes it can take a while for the facilities team to be notified of these problems, which delays the work needed to repair the broken feature.
- Some of CN’s office spaces can be loud and noisy, which can lead to barriers for employees with hearing and concentration related disabilities.
- Some employees are unsure about how best to support people with disabilities in the cases of emergency or evacuation.
- Some of our outdoor facilities and railyards have paving or walking surfaces that are uneven, steep, or in a bad state of repair. Walking surfaces in these areas are also affected by ice and snow that’s not always cleared immediately. This can be a barrier for people with balance or mobility disabilities and can pose a risk of injury to all employees.
- Doors that require the use of a security badge to open are not consistently accessible for all people. Based on the placement of the badge reader, some people with disabilities may experience barriers operating these doors.
- Doors in some of our facilities have older style knobs that require wrist rotation to operate. These types of knobs can create some barriers for people with physical or dexterity disabilities and are considered less accessible than lever style door handles.
Actions for 2026 to 2029
We’ll do the following to remove and prevent the identified barriers:
- On an ongoing basis, CN commits to installing visual alarms in locations when there’s a specific need and upon request. Newer buildings and renovated locations will include visual alarms by default when required by building codes.
- CN’s facilities team regularly inspects our facilities to ensure they’re in working order. When we’re notified of a problem, such a broken door opener, we work to address the issue and fix it. Starting in 2026, we’ll prioritize repairs that impact the accessibility of our work environment.
- To address sound-related barriers in our office spaces, CN has an ongoing commitment to include sound-dampening features in renovations and new buildings. Where possible, we’ll create dedicated quiet or focus rooms. We’ll also explore if it’s possible to provide or help cover the cost of noise-cancelling headphones or similar tools, for employees who request them.
- CN will continue to ensure that emergency and evacuation plans are up to date and relevant to each facility. Employees with disabilities who need help in an emergency will continue to be asked to identify what they need so specific plans and procedures can be developed for them.
- In 2026, CN will review our snow clearing plans at our facilities and make changes to ensure ice and snow are removed quickly from high traffic areas. We’ll continue to upgrade our paving and walking surfaces during renovations. Pavement that needs repair will continue to be handled on a case-by-case basis when issues are reported to the facilities team.
- Starting in 2026, CN will make changes to the location or height of badge readers at secure entrances, in response to individual requests. We’ll work with the employee who has made the request to ensure the badge reader is placed in a location that works for them.
- Starting in 2026, when CN replaces or installs new doors within our facilities, we’ll install lever-style handles instead of round knobs.
6.3 Information and communication technologies (ICT)
CN relies on a wide range of technologies and digital systems to support our operations. These include tools and platforms used by employees, as well as systems that support how CN works with customers and partners. Members of the public are most likely to interact with CN through our public website (www.cn.ca).
We’re committed to considering accessibility when procuring, configuring, and updating technology. As a large organization, CN uses many different systems. Some are standard, off-the-shelf products, while others are customized or developed internally. This can create challenges when improving accessibility across all systems.
The goals below outline CN’s commitments and actions to identify, remove, and prevent ICT-related barriers for people with disabilities.
Achievements to date
So far, we’ve made progress in the following areas:
- We’ve developed statements and minimum accessibility requirements for our ICT products. These requirements are now included in the process for purchasing or developing new technologies.
- In 2024, we developed and delivered a digital accessibility training session for employees who work with technologies.
Identified barriers
We’ve identified the following barriers, or potential barriers:
- CN uses a wide range of information and communication technologies, including some highly technical and specific tools used in our operations. We understand that some of these technologies have accessibility barriers or lack accessibility features. For example, some applications don’t have the ability for users to change text size or color. Although we’re aware that some barriers exist, we haven’t conducted a comprehensive accessibility review of our ICT technologies due to the volume and complexity of them.
- CN hasn’t received specific feedback about barriers to accessibility on our websites. However, we haven’t done a full review of these websites to confirm if they comply with accessibility best practices and standards.
- CN’s IT team is large and therefore not everyone on the team is fully aware of accessibility standards for ICT systems or the importance of accessibility in those systems. Although some training was provided in 2024, we recognize the need for ongoing training initiatives, especially given the size and diversity of our ICT teams.
- CN uses some self-serve kiosks for employees at some facilities and locations. These kiosks haven’t been assessed for accessibility, and we don’t know if they’re accessible to people with disabilities.
- When CN enters into contracts with technology suppliers, we haven’t always included accessibility requirements, standards, or expectations in those contracts.
Actions for 2026 to 2029
We’ll do the following to remove and prevent the identified barriers:
- Starting in 2026, CN will begin investigating our information and communication technologies to identify accessibility barriers that should be addressed. After this investigation, we’ll create a plan to replace, upgrade, or modify technologies, where appropriate, to make them as accessible as possible. This plan will consider the funding we have available and projects or programs that are already planned or underway. This work will focus on more widely used technologies first. We anticipate that this will take at least 3 years due to the number of systems and technologies that we use. After commonly used technologies are addressed, we’ll begin reviewing technologies used by smaller groups of employees.
- Starting in 2026, CN will conduct a comprehensive review of our internal and external websites to identify and address accessibility barriers. We anticipate implementing necessary changes in the next couple of years (2027 onwards) to ensure our digital platforms are aligned with established standards and best practices.
- In 2026, CN will update our internal accessibility standards for information and communication technologies. We’ll make sure that IT staff and others involved in purchasing, developing, or modifying technologies are aware of and understand the updated standards.
- Starting in 2027, CN will procure or develop a digital accessibility training for our IT staff. Once in place, we’ll make sure that all staff who are involved in website development receive this training on a regular basis.
- Starting in 2026, CN will review existing multi-user workstations to determine if accessibility barriers affect the employees who use them. We’ll conduct this review by sending a survey to the users and collecting their feedback. If we discover barriers, we’ll make sure that those barriers are considered, eliminated, or reduced the next time we replace or upgrade the multi-user workstations.
- Starting immediately, accessibility requirements and considerations will be included in all newly approved IT modernization projects. IT modernization projects refer to projects that involve the replacement of any legacy systems with new internally developed software.
- By the end of December 2027, IT will create a requirements list that will outline the accessibility considerations for the purchase of information technology products and services to be included in new requests for proposals.
6.4 Communication, other than information and communication technologies
CN is committed to making its communications accessible and easy to understand, particularly communications intended for the public. We aim to ensure that everyone can access our content in a clear and inclusive way.
Accessible communication is especially important at CN because much of our content includes safety-related information about Canada’s railways. Removing communication barriers helps people with disabilities access critical information and participate more fully.
The goals below outline CN’s commitments and actions to identify, remove, and prevent communication-related barriers for people with disabilities.
Achievements to date
So far, we’ve made progress in the following areas:
- Newly created documents are now created with accessibility in mind. We ensure that documents don’t have text on top of images, and we include alt text for images. We also try to avoid the use of the PDF format where possible.
- We have incorporated components of accessibility into our corporate branding guidelines.
Identified barriers
We’ve identified the following barriers, or potential barriers:
- Because of our large workforce, best practices for accessible meetings are not always or consistently followed. Sometimes meetings don’t have agendas or breaks, and sometimes materials aren’t sent in advance.
- Some of our documents rely on a color code to identify or distinguish certain information. This can be a barrier for people with low-vision or who are colour blind.
- Information is sometimes shared in ways that are hard to understand. It’s not always clear what the communication is about, and similar information is sometimes shared through different platforms or methods. It can be hard for some employees to keep track of the information in these communications, especially when there are a lot of them.
- Some communications related to documents can be difficult to read and understand. Sometimes documents have overly complex formatting or are unnecessarily long, which can lead to confusion.
- Some internal e-mails are sent as a single image, with the text being only in the image and not in the e-mail itself. Sometimes these images do not have alt text included or a text-based equivalent. As a result, people who are blind, have low vision, or use screen readers may not be able to access the information.
Actions for 2026 to 2029
We’ll do the following to remove and prevent the identified barriers:
- In 2026, CN will communicate best practices for accessible meetings with all office-based employees.
- In 2026, CN will communicate the importance of not relying on colour alone to convey information in documents. This doesn’t apply to industry-standard colour codes that CN doesn’t have control over.
- In 2026, CN will assess the possibility of adding a short summary or overview in a consistent location within communications that share new information. This will help make information easier to find and understand. We aim to introduce this practice in 2027.
- In 2028, CN will create document templates, such as Word and PowerPoint templates, and share them with relevant staff. These templates will use simple formatting, clear headings that indicate what information should go where, and directions to authors to keep the communication as short and simple as possible.
- Starting in 2026, when CN sends an e-mail using an image only, or poster format, we’ll make sure to include alt text for that image so that everyone has equal access to the information.
6.5 The procurement of goods, services, and facilities
As a large organization, CN buys a wide range of goods and services to support our operations.
Some purchases, such as fuel or utilities like water, don’t typically involve accessibility considerations. For other purchases, such as information technology, equipment, and office furniture, accessibility is an important factor and is being considered more consistently.
The goals below outline CN’s commitments and actions to identify, remove, and prevent procurement-related barriers for people with disabilities.
Achievements to date
So far, we’ve made progress in the following areas:
- In 2024, we sought expert advise on how to incorporate accessibility into our procurement process. Based on this advice, we added a question to potential suppliers about the accessibility of IT hardware and software that is included as standard for all relevant procurement processes.
Identified barriers
We’ve identified the following barriers, or potential barriers:
- Some of our employees who initiate requests to purchase goods and services may not be aware of the importance of considering accessibility in those decisions or how to do so.
- The process we use to select which supplier we’ll work with doesn’t always consider accessibility. We send a sustainability questionnaire to all the suppliers who want to work with us, but that questionnaire does not include questions about accessibility.
- CN uses a 3rd party platform to manage sourcing activities and contracts once they’re awarded. We haven’t investigated if this platform, or the documents hosted on it, are accessible for people with disabilities.
Actions for 2026 to 2029
We’ll do the following to remove and prevent the identified and potential barriers:
- By the end of December 2026, CN will update the sustainability questionnaire we send to potential suppliers to include questions about accessibility and disability. We’ll also explain to the Procurement team why these questions matter and how to use the responses when evaluating suppliers.
- By the end of December 2027, CN will ask the supplier of our contract management platform to provide documentation about the accessibility measures and features that they have put in place.
- By the end of December 2026, CN will develop documentation about best practices for accessing and participating in the request for proposal process. This may be in the form of a video, presentation, or tip sheet. This document will outline how to navigate the procurement process.
6.6 The design and delivery of programs and services
CN's programs and services primarily relate to the transportation of goods. Our customers are mainly other businesses. While we don’t typically provide services directly to the public, people with disabilities who work for our customers or partner organizations may interact with CN through our website or through direct contact with our customer service and sales teams.
CN also engages with communities across Canada in several ways, including community-based safety initiatives near rail corridors and ongoing work in the communities where we operate. This includes engagement with Indigenous communities.
We’re committed to ensuring that the design and delivery of our programs and services are accessible and inclusive, and that interactions with CN are respectful and barrier-free wherever possible.
The goals below outline CN’s commitments and actions to identify, remove, and prevent program and service-related barriers for people with disabilities.
Identified barriers
We’ve identified the following barrier, or potential barrier:
- We haven’t heard any feedback from customer representatives about the accessibility of our client facing websites and portals. However, we haven’t fully reviewed these systems and therefore we don’t know if there are accessibility barriers in them.
Actions for 2026 to 2029
To help identify and prevent potential barriers, we’ll take the following action:
- Starting in 2026 CN will begin the process of investigating which of our customer-facing information and communication technologies have accessibility barriers that should be addressed. After this investigation, we’ll create a plan to replace, upgrade, or modify technologies to ensure that they are as accessible as possible. (This action is also listed in the information and communication technology section of this plan.)
6.7 Transportation
CN transports many goods but doesn’t provide transportation for passengers or members of the public. Transportation plays a role in how employees and visitors access our sites, and some of our employees use company owned vehicles as part of their job. We also provide parking for employees at some of our sites.
The goals below outline CN’s commitments and actions to identify, remove, and prevent transportation-related barriers for people with disabilities.
Identified barriers
We’ve identified the following barrier, or potential barrier:
- Although most of our parking lots have enough accessible parking spaces to meet the building code requirements, some employees report that there aren’t enough accessible parking spaces for everyone who needs them.
Actions for 2026 to 2029
We’ll do the following to remove and prevent the identified barrier:
- Starting in 2026, CN will confirm that the number of accessible parking spaces in each parking lot we own is compliant with applicable codes and standards for that area. We’ll add accessible parking spaces to existing lots, if needed, based on the results of this review.
Through this accessibility plan, CN reaffirms our ongoing commitment to improving accessibility across our organization. We’re committed to identifying, removing, and preventing barriers so that people with disabilities can fully participate in our workplaces, programs, and services.
We recognize that accessibility is an ongoing journey. Meaningful consultation will continue to be central in our approach. We’ll continue to engage with people with disabilities to help guide our actions, inform future initiatives, and strengthen future accessibility plans.
We welcome feedback at any time and view it as essential to continuous improvement.
Progress reports to this plan will be published in 2027 and 2028, outlining the actions we have taken and the progress we have made toward our accessibility goals. Our next accessibility plan will be published in 2029.