AODA: Everything Ontario Businesses Need to Know About Website Accessibility

If you run a business in Ontario and have a website, you’ve probably heard the acronym “AODA” and felt a little unsure what it means for you. You know it has to do with accessibility, but does it apply to your business? If so, is your website breaking the law? And does fixing it require a small tweak or a total rebuild?

In short, AODA website compliance depends on the size of your business. But it’s a little more nuanced than that. 

In this post, we’ll break down AODA: what it is, who it applies to, why website accessibility even matters, and how to bring your website into compliance. 

Psst! To take the guesswork out of website accessibility, I’ve created an AODA compliance checklist that documents the requirements and process every step of the way. 

Keep reading to learn more about AODA or scroll to the bottom of the post to claim your free checklist! 💛

What Is AODA?

AODA stands for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. This is a provincial law that requires Ontario-based organizations to remove barriers for people with disabilities, including on the web.

As of January 1, 2021, the rule is this:

You must make your public website and all its content (including images, videos, documents, contact forms, and more) meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA if you are:

• A designated public sector organization (any size), or
• A private business or non-profit with 50 or more employees

Private company websites like intranets and extranets are excluded from the AODA.

In addition, the AODA does not apply to content published before January 1, 2012. So you don’t have to stress over bringing your older content into compliance.

Finally, if your company is under 50 employees, you’re not legally required to meet this standard. What I will say is this: “Isn’t required” is not the same as “doesn’t matter.” (I’ll elaborate on that in a second.)

What Are the WCAG 2.0 Guidelines?

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG for short) provides a set of technical standards for web developers and website owners to follow. The end goal is to make your website and all its content accessible for every user, regardless of their impairment. 

(By the way, if you want to know what the specific Level AA guidelines are, I’ve created a handy AODA website accessibility checklist at the bottom of this post!)

In terms of what accessibility looks like, the WCAG defines an accessible website as being: 

Perceivable

This means that information can be consumed by all users, using the primary method available or an alternative. For example, visitors are able to “perceive” video content by watching the video on the screen, listening to the audio track, or by having their screen reader dictate the transcript out loud. 

Operable

This means that users can navigate and interact with a user interface through various methods. For instance, if someone is unable to use a mouse or tap on a mobile screen with their finger, the website is still navigable by keyword or voice command. 

Understandable

This means that the information and user interface is easily understood. In addition to providing alternative means of consuming content, this also means providing clear instructions as needed. This is why we avoid using vague text and button links like “Click Here” as it fails to explain what happens after the interaction. 

Robust

This means that the website content can be interpreted by different assistive tools. With the rapid rate of technological advancement, it’s not enough to make websites accessible for one or two common assistive technologies. Your code and content need to be regularly updated as new tech and methods become available. 

Other Requirements of the AODA

In addition to developing a fully accessible website, the AODA has additional requirements tied to it. 

AODA Training

Training on accessibility requirements, standards, best practices, and strategies is required for: 

• Employees (part- and full-time)
• Contractors
• Interns
• Volunteers
• Management
• Owners
• Board members
• Providers who deliver services to your customers (like third-party help desks)

This AODA training requirement only applies to people who reside within Ontario. 

The training requirement needs to be fulfilled for existing team members and providers ASAP as well as during initial onboarding for new ones in the future.

AODA Reporting

There’s also a separate reporting requirement.

It stipulates that organizations with 20 or more employees need to file an accessibility compliance report with the Government of Ontario every few years. The next deadline is on December 31, 2026. 

This is a different obligation from the website standard itself, and it’s worth knowing the two aren’t the same thing.

AODA Documentation

The government isn’t the only one that needs to know your website is compliant. Your users need to be informed as well. 

As an information and communications technology (ICT) product, your website must document how it’s been outfitted with accessible features or how it may be accessed through assistive tech.

You can provide this documentation in a variety of manners. Publishing an Accessibility page is the easiest option. You can also provide a User Guide (like step-by-step tooltips) on the website. 

Why AODA Compliance and Accessibility Matter

Whether or not your business is required to have an accessible website by law, there are many reasons why AODA compliance matters. 

1. More Than 16% of Ontarians Have a Disability

The population of Ontario is just over 16 million. In this province alone, 2.6 million people live with a disability. That’s 16.25% of the population. 

While your business doesn’t have to serve every single person living in Ontario, a lack of website accessibility is a poor reason for not doing so. 

2. Accessibility Affects Everyone

Discussions around the AODA and accessibility typically focus on individuals with impairments. But the truth is, an accessible website benefits everyone. 

Accessible web design forces us to really be objective and to think about how usable websites should look and feel. If your brand aims to be inclusive, then accessibility is a must.

3. Accessibility Improves Your Brand Reach

Did you know that one of Google’s four core web vitals is accessibility? Google uses these four metrics (which also include speed, SEO, and design best practices) to determine the real-world usability of a website. 

While accessibility isn’t the only thing that websites get ranked on, it is a factor.

4. Compliance Avoids Legal and Financial Penalties

According to Accessibility Services Canada, violating the AODA comes with stiff penalties. And don’t think that because your company is on the smaller side that you’re immune to these penalties. The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario regularly monitors and audits websites.

Organizations found guilty can be fined up to $100,000 CAD. And that’s a per-day penalty. Directors or officers of those organizations can be fined separately as well, receiving penalties up to $50,000 a day!

5. Compliance Prevents Other Penalties

Your online operation will come to a screeching halt while your developer works to bring your site into compliance. They’ll have to pull the website offline, implement all the accessibility updates, review their work, test it, and then re-launch. 

Also, when your website goes down for a significant amount of time, it does not reflect well on your business. Customers are going to want to know what’s going on (so too will your business partners, investors, and so on). 

What’s more, first-time visitors and customers who were already on the fence won’t bother wondering. They’ll just find another website to visit. 

6. Your Brand Reputation May Improve

While we usually say that good design is invisible, accessible design isn’t to those who directly benefit from it. If you’re looking to give customers another reason to cheer you on, providing a digital experience that’s truly for everyone is a great way to go about it. 

How to Make Your Website AODA Compliant

Here are the basic steps needed to create an AODA-compliant website or to bring your existing one up to speed: 

1. Review the WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements. 
2. Audit your website (or the strategy for your new website). 
3. Make sure to audit all content, even downloadable files, third-party plugin content, and externally hosted videos.
4. Create a list of everything that needs to be fixed. 
5. If changes are needed, put your website into maintenance mode. 
6. Have real users test out the website on different browsers and devices as well as using assistive technologies. 
7. Run your website through an online accessibility checker tool like AODA Online, AccessibilityChecker.org, or BrowserStack. 
8. Make any remaining adjustments.
9. Create an Accessibility page for your site.
10. Re-launch your website.
11. Create a schedule to monitor accessibility and repair your website as needed.
12. Provide accessibility training to employees, contractors, partners, and others associated with your company now.
13. If applicable, send your accessibility compliance report to the Government of Ontario.

Accessibility isn’t a one-time box you check. It’s an ongoing practice that includes your content updates, any new third-party tools you add, and periodic testing. Whichever path you’re on, building it in from the start is always easier (and cheaper) than retrofitting it later.

By the way, if you’re curious about the process that goes into creating an accessible website, I published an AODA compliance case study that sheds some light on the process. In it, I explain what happened when a client realized mid-project that their business had passed the 50-employee threshold and how we pivoted the strategy to ensure everything stayed on the up and up!

Download the AODA Website Accessibility Checklist

To save you some time, I created this step-by-step AODA compliance checklist. In it, I break down the WCAG guidelines and necessary steps to make sure your website is accessible.