Web accessibility is essential for creating inclusive digital experiences and meeting legal obligations in Canada.
If your company is federally regulated, ensuring your website meets accessibility standards is not optional – it’s the law. Accessible websites support assistive technologies (like screen readers) and provide a better user experience for everyone.
This page provides a clear and concise overview of the essential guidelines and legal requirements for web accessibility in Canada. It explains how the internationally recognized WCAG 2.1 standards help create accessible, user-friendly websites that work with assistive technologies, ensuring content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
The content also covers the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), which mandates that federally regulated organizations—notably those incorporating in Canada—comply with accessibility standards. A key element of ACA compliance is the development of an Accessibility Plan: a public document outlining systematic steps to remove digital barriers, maintain ongoing accessibility improvements, and include mechanisms for gathering user feedback.
In addition, the page highlights the need for regular Progress Reports, which track the implementation of the plan and measure improvements over time. This ongoing review process helps organizations demonstrate accountability, reduce legal risks, and ensure their digital services remain inclusive for all users.
Accessible web design is more than just a regulatory obligation—it’s a key driver of usability and inclusion resulting in a wider audience. Canadian businesses are increasingly discovering that prioritizing accessibility leads to improved user experiences and better business outcomes. For a deeper understanding of why web accessibility is crucial—especially for small businesses—consider reading “Understanding The Importance Of Web Accessibility” by Lesa Seibert in Forbes. Reflect on the following benefits:
Federally regulated companies in Canada must comply with the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), which expects websites to meet recognized standards like WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Non-compliance can lead to penalties up to $250,000 and reputational damage. In short, an accessible site helps you avoid legal risks while meeting your obligations under the ACA.
Approximately one in five Canadians (22% of those aged 15 and over) has at least one disability. An accessible website ensures you’re not turning away this significant portion of the population. Features like captions, transcripts, and alt text make content available to users with visual, auditory, or cognitive impairments – as well as to aging visitors who benefit from larger text and clear content structure. By making your site usable for people with disabilities, you create a more inclusive experience for all users, reflecting the ACA’s goal of a barrier-free Canada by 2040.
Accessibility improvements often enhance overall user experience. For example, clear navigation and properly labeled buttons help users on assistive tech and improve site usability for everyone. High-contrast text isn’t only easier for low-vision users; it also helps someone reading your site on a mobile device in bright sunlight. In this way, accessible design practices make your website more navigable and understandable for all visitors.
Many accessibility best practices align with search engine optimization (SEO) and mobile-friendly design. Proper heading structure, descriptive link text, and fast load times (a result of clean, semantic HTML) all help search crawlers index your site more effectively. In short, an accessible site can improve your SEO and broaden your audience, while demonstrating social responsibility.
Ensuring digital accessibility is not only a legal requirement in Canada, but also a key step toward an inclusive digital society where everyone has equal access to information and services.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are available in versions 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2, with WCAG 2.1 being the internationally recognized standard for making web content accessible. Published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WCAG provides a comprehensive framework to help websites be usable by people of all abilities.
These guidelines are organized under four core principles – Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR) – which ensure that content can be perceived by all users, that interface components are operable via various means, that information is understandable, and that the site is robust enough to work with different technologies (including assistive tools).
Key features of WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance include:
WCAG 2.1 defines three levels of conformance – Level A, AA, and AAA – with Level A being basic accessibility and AAA being the highest standard. Most laws and organizations focus on WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the practical target for compliance. Achieving Level AA means addressing all critical and mid-level accessibility criteria, which constitutes the widely accepted “standard” of accessibility today. In fact, the Accessible Canada Act’s requirements are aligned with WCAG 2.1 Level AA, making it a crucial benchmark for Canadian websites. By following WCAG 2.1 guidelines, you ensure that your website meets proven accessibility criteria, from descriptive link text and error messages to designing forms and menus that work for all users.
Canada’s Accessible Canada Act (ACA) is a federal law passed in 2019 with the goal of making Canada barrier-free by 2040. The ACA represents a commitment to proactively remove and prevent barriers that people with disabilities face, including in digital spaces. Under this law, certain organizations in Canada are legally required to address accessibility in their operations – this includes federal government agencies and federally regulated private sector companies such as banks, airlines, telecommunications companies, and other businesses under federal jurisdiction. If your company is federally incorporated or regulated, your website and digital content must meet or exceed ACA accessibility standards to comply with the law.
A cornerstone of the ACA is the requirement for organizations to develop an Accessibility Plan – a public document outlining how your organization will identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility in key areas (employment, services, information technologies, etc.), including web content. Organizations must prepare and publish an accessibility plan and update it at least every three years, in consultation with people with disabilities. In practical terms, your Accessibility Plan should detail steps for making your website WCAG-compliant, how you will maintain accessibility over time, and how users can provide feedback on accessibility issues. The law also requires a process for receiving feedback and regular progress reports on accessibility efforts – underlining that accessibility is an ongoing commitment, not a one-time project.
Critically, while the ACA does not spell out every technical standard within the law’s text, it embraces WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the baseline for web accessibility in practice. The Government of Canada already mandates WCAG compliance for its own websites (WCAG 2.1 AA is required for all government web content), and the expectation is that federally regulated businesses follow suit. Supporting assistive technologies is a must – your site should work with screen readers, screen magnifiers, voice commands, and other aids used by people with disabilities. An accessible site might include features like proper form labels, skip-navigation links for keyboard users, and captions on all video content. Adhering to the Accessible Canada Act is not just about avoiding penalties; it’s about demonstrating corporate responsibility. The ACA is enforced by an Accessibility Commissioner, with powers to investigate complaints and issue fines for non-compliance. Beyond fines, failing to comply risks lawsuits under human rights law and can significantly damage your organization’s reputation as consumers increasingly expect inclusive practices. By aligning your website with ACA requirements and WCAG guidelines, you show commitment to all customers and uphold your legal duties. In essence, compliance with the ACA ensures that no Canadian is left behind when using your digital services.
Meeting WCAG 2 guidelines and ACA requirements might seem daunting, but it is achievable with a systematic approach. Start by auditing your current website for accessibility issues – identify any barriers that might prevent someone with a disability from using your site. This includes technical checks (such as validating HTML for accessibility) and user experience testing with assistive tools. Many organizations choose to train their web teams on accessibility best practices and integrate those standards into their design and development process.
Plan for ongoing accessibility: Accessibility isn’t a one-time fix but a continuous process. Incorporate accessibility checks into every website update or redesign, keep an eye on evolving standards (WCAG 2.2 and beyond) and emerging technologies, and remember that the ACA requires periodic updates to your Accessibility Plan, so treat accessibility as a permanent part of your business strategy.
Finally, consider seeking expert help to accelerate your compliance efforts. Accessibility specialists can provide an objective evaluation of your site and guidance on fixes. Rayova can help ensure your website meets a minimum of WCAG 2.1 and ACA standards through professional accessibility audits and remediation services. Our team stays up-to-date on the latest guidelines and knows how to implement changes that improve usability without compromising your site’s design and functionality.
Ready to make your website accessible, compliant, and welcoming to all users? Contact Rayova today for a comprehensive accessibility audit. We will evaluate your site against WCAG 2.1 criteria and ACA requirements, identify areas for improvement, and help you develop an actionable plan to achieve full compliance. Don’t wait for a complaint or legal issue – take a proactive step now. Reach out to Rayova to ensure your digital presence is not only legally compliant but also truly inclusive for all visitors. Let’s work together to create a barrier-free web experience for everyone.
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