<p>The principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) have become central to the strategic vision of higher education institutions, shaping institutional policies, curricula, and campus cultures. However, their widespread adoption has sparked concerns about performative compliance rather than meaningful implementation. This research aims to investigate the EDI policy–practice disconnect by questioning, “What knowledge informs institutional EDI policies?” Theoretical frameworks of evidence-based knowledge in public policy and critical theory in education sociology are employed, alongside critical policy analysis (CPA) as the methodology. Twenty Canadian colleges were selected for analysis, drawing on 37 institutional documents including: (1) EDI policies and procedures; (2) multi-year strategic plans; and (3) EDI action plans. The findings demonstrate that colleges primarily use community-based knowledge, followed by legal knowledge, to inform their EDI policies. Across all documents, the least-sought-out knowledge type is critical academic scholarship. By neglecting critical scholarship, which exposes the root causes of inequities, institutions may miss the opportunity to address power hierarchies and systemic oppression, thereby limiting the transformative potential of EDI initiatives.</p>