Understanding AODA Website Accessibility Requirements in Ontario
If you run a business in Ontario with 50+ employees, your website must meet the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) standards. But even if you’re a smaller business, making your website accessible is both good practice and good business. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is AODA?
The AODA is Ontario provincial legislation that sets out accessibility standards to make the province accessible to people with disabilities by 2025. The web accessibility portion follows WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.0 Level AA standards.
Who Needs to Comply?
- Organizations with 50+ employees: Must make websites and web content conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA
- Public sector organizations: Must conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA for all internet and intranet sites
- Smaller businesses: While not legally required, accessibility is a best practice that expands your audience and improves SEO
Key Accessibility Requirements
Perceivable
- All images must have meaningful alt text descriptions
- Videos need captions and transcripts
- Sufficient colour contrast between text and background (4.5:1 ratio minimum)
- Content must be readable when zoomed to 200%
Operable
- All functionality available via keyboard (no mouse required)
- Users can navigate using tab key and screen readers
- No content that flashes more than 3 times per second
- Clear, consistent navigation
Understandable
- Language of the page is specified in the HTML
- Form inputs have clear labels
- Error messages are descriptive and helpful
Robust
- Valid HTML markup
- Compatible with assistive technologies
- ARIA labels used where appropriate
Why Accessibility Matters Beyond Compliance
Approximately 22% of Canadians have at least one disability. That’s a significant portion of your potential customer base. An accessible website also tends to have better SEO (Google rewards well-structured, accessible content), better mobile usability, and better overall user experience for everyone.
Need help making your website AODA compliant? Contact Smola Designs at 226-989-6081 or visit our contact page.
