AODA website requirements for Ontario

What is the AODA?

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 is an Ontario law. Its detailed rules are in the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR), Ontario Regulation 191/11. The IASR has standards for information and communications, customer service, employment, transportation and the design of public spaces.

The website rules are part of the information and communications standard, in section 14 of the regulation.

Who must follow the AODA website rules?

• Designated public sector organizations of any size, such as municipalities, school boards, hospitals, colleges, universities and public transportation organizations.
• Large organizations: businesses and non-profits with 50 or more employees in Ontario.
• The Government of Ontario and the Legislative Assembly, which must also make their internal websites accessible.

Businesses and non-profits with 49 or fewer employees don't have to meet the website rule, though an accessible site still helps their customers. The organization that controls the website is responsible, whether it runs the site itself or through a contract with a web agency.

What does the AODA require for websites?

Public websites and web content must meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA, except for two success criteria:

• 1.2.4 Captions (Live): captions for live video and audio
• 1.2.5 Audio Description (Pre-recorded): narration of important visual details in pre-recorded video

The rule covers public websites and content published after January 1, 2012. A new website means a new domain name, or an existing site that gets a significant refresh. Most organizations don't have to make intranets and extranets meet WCAG, but they must provide information in an accessible format when someone asks.

There are a few limited exceptions, such as content you don't control, content that can't be converted, and cases where meeting the rule isn't practicable, for example when no commercial software exists to make the content accessible. A claim based on cost needs evidence. If you meet WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA, you also meet WCAG 2.0 AA.

What are the AODA website deadlines?

All of these dates have passed, so the full Level AA rule applies now.

Do you have to report on AODA compliance?

Yes. An accessibility compliance report confirms that an organization has met its current AODA requirements, including the website rule.

• Businesses and non-profits with 20 or more employees file every three years. The next deadline is December 31, 2026.
• Designated public sector organizations file every two years. Their last deadline was December 31, 2025.

Reports are filed online through Ontario's Accessibility Compliance Reporting portal. A missed report becomes part of an organization's compliance history and may lead to an audit or other enforcement.

How can you meet the AODA website rules?

1. Test your public site against WCAG 2.0 AA, or better, WCAG 2.2 AA, using automated checks and manual testing.
2. Fix code-level issues first: keyboard access, form labels, alt text, headings and color contrast. Our color contrast checker helps with the last one.
3. Add captions to pre-recorded video.
4. Check new content, such as PDFs and videos, before you publish it.
5. Make sure contracts with web agencies require WCAG 2.0 AA or higher.
6. Tell visitors how to ask for content in another format.
7. Keep records of testing and fixes for your compliance report.

A visitor tool like Octo Assist can give visitors options such as larger text, more spacing or read aloud, but it doesn't make a site meet the AODA. The rule applies to your site's own content and code. Our website accessibility checklist is a good place to start.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your organization's obligations, talk to a qualified lawyer or Ontario's Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility.