Infographic Important Canada acts to review to meet digital accessibility compliance requirements
Learn more about important applicability, deadlines and requirements for Canada's various digital accessibility laws
Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA)
Ensuring Digital Accessibility for ManitobansIf your organization operates or does business in Manitoba, we help you meet requirements and achieve sustainable web accessibility programs with comprehensive, easy-to-use solutions. Discover what your organization needs to improve accessibility processes, meet complex legal requirements and enhance your user experience today.
What is AMA?
The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) became law in December 2013. AMA legislation was enacted to provide a process for removing barriers affecting people with disabilities and other Canadian citizens. At its inception, the Manitoba government committed to achieving significant accessibility progress by 2023.
AMA impacts all Manitobans whether they be people who navigate barriers every day or those in a position to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessibility. In order to develop better accessibility standards, the Manitoba government works with representatives in the disability community, as well as public and private sectors. AMA recognizes that accessibility standards are building blocks for making real, measurable, and effective changes to accessibility. Each standard included in the AMA outlines specific requirements and timelines for organizations that have a responsibility for compliance.
How to meet AMA web accessibility compliance requirements and deadlines
The Manitoba government is very clear that the goal of the AMA is to integrate accessibility policies and considerations into the day-to-day processes and operations of all public and private organizations in Manitoba. If your organization is subject to AMA web and digital accessibility requirements, here are some steps you can take to help ensure your compliance:
- Speak to your organization’s legal counsel to make sure you understand the scope of the requirements and any deadlines you need to be aware of.
- Map out how your organization is currently meeting requirements to provide different materials in an accessible format and note which of those materials are web-based or presented in a digital format.
- Discuss future web properties your team is working on and how you plan to ensure those properties are accessible.
- Provide digital accessibility training for your teams that generate web content and digital materials and seek consulting help.
Start by investigating tools and other ways to support and facilitate your teams to build accessible content.
Important AMA Applicability and Deadlines
| Law Parameters/Law | Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) |
|---|---|
| # of Canadian-based employees | 1 or more employee(s) in province |
| Type of Business | All government entities, businesses, and nonprofits |
| Deadlines and Reporting Requirements | Compliance Deadline for meeting WCAG 2.1 A/AA
|
AMA Digital Accessibility Requirements
- All websites and applications must meet WCAG 2.1 Level A + AA by the following timelines:
-
- Manitoba government: May 1, 2023
- Public sector organizations, libraries, educational institutions: May 1, 2024
- Private sector, nonprofit organizations, and small municipalities: May 1, 2025
- Organizations with 1 or more employees must provide training
- Organizations with 1 or more employees must establish processes to receive and respond to feedback about accessibility
- Includes documenting feedback and resulting actions
- Organizations with 50+ employees must provide notice to customers on their website that customer service is available upon request for information on accessibility, or have that information publicly posted on their website
- Topics that must be covered in training:
- How to identify, prevent, and remove accessibility barriers for information and communication
- How to provide accessible communication and information, including different types of communication support and alternative formats
- Reviewing Manitoba’s Human Rights Code, the Accessibility for Manitobans Act, and relevant standards (information and communication, customer service)
- Employees required to complete training if they:
- Communicate directly with the public or other Manitoban organizations
- Maintain or develop the organization’s web content
- Purchase or procure information and communication tools
- Develop or implement accessibility measures, policies, and practice
Helpful Resources
Blog What your organization needs to prepare for Canada digital accessibility laws
Check out this blog to develop a better understanding of digital accessibility requirements in Canada
Blog Not a Checklist: Building Accessibility Compliance into Your Business Processes
98% of the top million website have accessibility issues! Check out this blog to learn how you can remove accessibility barriers
Benefits of AMA Compliance
Serving a wider audience
Accessible content will widen you available target audience opening new revenue opportunities
Decreased legal risk
Organizations who actively pursue accessibility excellence are better positioned to address claims and avoid costly violations
Increased search presence
Providing transcripts for audio visual files are discoverable by search engines
Better overall user experience
Studies show that optimizations made in UI/UX for accessibility also benefit people without disabilities
How Deque Can Help
As the global leader in digital accessibility with over 20 years of experience helping organizations with meeting compliance requirements, improving internal operations, and reporting on accessibility programs, Deque is your trusted partner in digital accessibility.
Whether you’re responding to an immediate need, or building the foundation for a sustainable and long term digital accessibility practice, we provide the most comprehensive and complete suite of tools, services and training available. Our accessibility library has been downloaded 1 Billion+ times. Our accessibility testing extensions have been downloaded 875,000+ times, and we’ve completed 6,000+ projects.
Audit
Most accessibility projects begin and end with an audit – they assess the current state of your digital accessibility resulting in a clear accessibility report.
Learn More about accessibility auditsRemediation
Getting help from our team of experts will ensure your accessibility fixes will meet your compliance requirements as quickly and effectively as possible.
Learn More about accessibility remediationaxe Testing Tools
The axe DevTools, axe Auditor and axe Monitor products enable accessibility experts and development to test and maintain accessibility end-to-end.
Learn More about the axe Tools SuiteAre you ready to meet AMA compliance requirements, embrace digital equality and create accessible digital experiences?
Deque helps guide you through the process in choosing the right tools for your organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) sets out a path to remove, reduce, and prevent barriers through the development of accessibility standards in fundamental areas of daily living.
The Accessibility Standard for Customer Service requires that training includes the rights and responsibilities covered by The Human Rights Code (Manitoba). The Code overrides any other law, unless that law specifically says otherwise.
An accessibility compliance framework describes the different steps in the compliance process. The first priority is to educate toward compliance.
All Manitoba employers, regardless of size, must establish and implement a policy on the return to work process for employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and who require reasonable accommodation.