diff --git a/addons/api/addon/abilities/collection.js b/addons/api/addon/abilities/collection.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8cb3ca2d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/addons/api/addon/abilities/collection.js
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import { Ability } from 'ember-can';
+
+/**
+ * Generic ability provides abilities common to all models in the API.
+ */
+export default class ModelAbility extends Ability {
+  // =permissions
+
+  /**
+   * @type {boolean}
+   */
+  get canList() {
+    return this.hasAuthorizedCollectionAction('list');
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @type {boolean}
+   */
+  get canCreate() {
+    return this.hasAuthorizedCollectionAction('create');
+  }
+
+  // =methods
+
+  /**
+   * Returns true if the given action is contained in the ability model's
+   * `authorized_collection_actions` array.
+   * @param {string} action
+   * @return {boolean}
+   */
+  hasAuthorizedCollectionAction(action) {
+    const { authorized_collection_actions } = this.model;
+    const collection = this.collection || {};
+    return authorized_collection_actions[collection]?.includes(action);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/addons/api/app/abilities/collection.js b/addons/api/app/abilities/collection.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..041825d2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/addons/api/app/abilities/collection.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export { default } from 'api/abilities/collection';
diff --git a/addons/api/tests/unit/abilities/collection-test.js b/addons/api/tests/unit/abilities/collection-test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dd9037ee6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/addons/api/tests/unit/abilities/collection-test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import { module, test } from 'qunit';
+import { setupTest } from 'ember-qunit';
+
+module('Unit | Abilities | Model', function (hooks) {
+  setupTest(hooks);
+
+  test('it reflects when a resource may be listed based on authorized_collection_actions', function (assert) {
+    assert.expect(2);
+    const service = this.owner.lookup('service:can');
+    const model = {
+      authorized_collection_actions: {
+        foobars: ['list'],
+      },
+    };
+    assert.ok(service.can('list collection', model, { collection: 'foobars' }));
+    model.authorized_collection_actions = [];
+    assert.notOk(
+      service.can('list collection', model, { collection: 'foobars' })
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('it reflects when a resource may be created based on authorized_collection_actions', function (assert) {
+    assert.expect(2);
+    const service = this.owner.lookup('service:can');
+    const model = {
+      authorized_collection_actions: {
+        foobars: ['create'],
+      },
+    };
+    assert.ok(
+      service.can('create collection', model, { collection: 'foobars' })
+    );
+    model.authorized_collection_actions = [];
+    assert.notOk(
+      service.can('create collection', model, { collection: 'foobars' })
+    );
+  });
+});