Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, website requirements
Due , AODA, accessibility compliance report from businesses and nonprofits with 20 or more employees
Key facts
- Jurisdiction
- Ontario
- Sector
- Public and private sectors
- Applies to
- Designated public sector organizations in Ontario, and businesses and nonprofits with 50 or more employees in Ontario, for the public websites they control directly or through a contract. Different AODA duties can apply below that employee threshold.
- Standard
- WCAG 2.0 Level AA, excluding success criteria 1.2.4 and 1.2.5
- Dates
- : Public websites of designated public sector organizations and businesses or nonprofits with 50 or more employees
- : Accessibility compliance report from businesses and nonprofits with 20 or more employees
What it requires
Since January 1, 2021, all public websites and web content posted after January 1, 2012 must meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA, except live captions (1.2.4) and prerecorded audio descriptions (1.2.5). The requirement sits with the organization that controls the website, even when a vendor built it.
Businesses and nonprofits with 20 or more employees in Ontario must also file an accessibility compliance report every three years; the next deadline is December 31, 2026. Designated public sector organizations report every two years.
How it is enforced
The Government of Ontario checks compliance reports and can take enforcement measures, including financial penalties, when an organization does not file. The province publishes an annual report on its accessibility work.
Sources
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