RBC Now Accepting VRS Calls

Vlog transcript: Hello everyone, this is Kimberly Wood (Founder and Chair) from the Canada Deaf Grassroots Movement — CDGM. Today, I have exciting news to share with all Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf Indigenous, and DeafBlind Canadians. CAV — the Canadian Administrator of VRS — announced great news for Canada VRS users. In early September, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) updated its procedures to officially accept Video Relay Service (VRS) calls in the language of your choice — ASL or LSQ. This means we can now contact RBC through VRS for banking and customer support without being hung up on or denied access. RBC is also training their employees to understand VRS, improve accessibility, and provide inclusive and respectful service for all customers. CAV shared that they will continue to collaborate with RBC to support fully accessible banking for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community in Canada. Why this matters This announcement is a huge victory for accessibility and equality. CDGM has been advocating strongly about banking access barriers and shared real community experiences with RBC’s Accessibility Team. Our advocacy helped CAV and RBC connect to make this happen. Thank you to CAV for your partnership and leadership in VRS access. Thank you to RBC for listening, learning, and taking real action. This shows that advocacy works, and when we come together, change is possible. What’s next You can now call RBC through VRS anytime for: Account services Banking questions Credit cards & loans Customer support Accessibility help This is only the beginning — many more banks to go! CDGM will continue advocating for equal access across all financial institutions. Thank you for your support and solidarity. Kimberly Wood Founder & Chair, Canada Deaf Grassroots Movement (CDGM) #CanadaVRS #AccessibilityMatters #Banking #Inclusion #CDGM #DeafRights