Designated public bodies
Ontario government, municipalities, schools and other designated organisations.
COMPLIANCE · AODA (ONTARIO)COMPLIANCE · ACCESSIBILITY FOR ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
Is your website AODA compliant?
The AODA requires Ontario public-sector bodies, and businesses and non-profits with 50 or more Ontario employees, to meet WCAG 2.0 AA. The website deadlines have passed.
- Standard
- WCAG 2.0 AA, except 1.2.4 and 1.2.5
- Website deadline
- January 1, 2021
- How it’s enforced
- Compliance audits
- What ADAGuard tests
- WCAG 2.2 A and AA, which includes 2.0
Who the AODA applies to.
Businesses and non-profits
Organisations with 50 or more employees in Ontario, wherever they are headquartered.
Smaller organisations
No website WCAG requirement, though other AODA duties such as customer service still apply.
What WCAG 2.0 AA asks for.
- 1.1.1Images have text alternativesTested automatically
- 1.4.3Text contrast of at least 4.5:1Tested automatically
- 2.1.1Everything works with a keyboardTested automatically
- 2.4.7Keyboard focus is visibleTested automatically
- 1.3.1Headings, lists and labels are marked upTested automatically
- 3.3.2Form fields have labels or instructionsTested automatically
- 1.2.2Videos have captionsPartly tested
- 2.4.3Focus moves in a sensible orderNeeds a person
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Audits and administrative penalties.
The AODA is enforced by Ontario through compliance reports, audits and administrative penalties, rather than private lawsuits. Covered organisations also file accessibility compliance reports.
Overlays don’t fix it
An overlay changes the page in each visitor’s browser. It doesn’t change your code, so the problems WCAG measures are still there.
Fixing the code does
Accessible markup, tested and kept that way, is what WCAG measures — and what a person using a screen reader actually needs.
Scan
Find what automated testing can find — 40 of the 55 WCAG 2.2 A/AA criteria, fully or partly.
Fix, most severe first
Critical issues block people outright. Each comes with its element and how to fix it.
Test the rest, then keep watching
Review the criteria that need a person, and schedule scans so new releases don’t regress.
QuestionsAODA questions.
Does the AODA apply to my business?
If you have 50 or more employees in Ontario, or you’re a designated public-sector organisation, its website rules apply — even if you’re based elsewhere.
What are the AODA website deadlines?
January 1, 2021 for WCAG 2.0 AA on public websites and content published since 2012, for both the public sector and organisations with 50+ employees. They have passed.
When is the next AODA compliance report due?
Businesses and non-profits with 20 or more employees in Ontario file an accessibility compliance report every three years; the next one is due December 31, 2026. Designated public-sector organisations file every two years.
Does WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 satisfy the AODA?
Yes. WCAG 2.0 AA is a subset of both, so meeting 2.1 or 2.2 AA meets the AODA’s standard. The AODA exempts live captions (1.2.4) and pre-recorded audio description (1.2.5).
Can a scan prove AODA compliance?
No. A scan finds the issues that can be tested automatically — 40 of the 55 WCAG 2.2 A/AA criteria, fully or partly. The rest need manual testing.
This page explains the law in general terms. It isn’t legal advice — talk to a lawyer about your situation.
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