Canadian Digital Accessibility Laws
Helping your business meet Canada web accessibility requirements and achieve sustainable programs is our focus. Discover what your organization needs to meet different digital accessibility compliance requirements in Canada.
What are Canadian web accessibility laws?
Canadian digital accessibility laws cover multiple legislative acts across various territories and provinces. Each specific act has deadlines and requirements in order to remain compliant. Discover what you need to know to help your organization meet different digital accessibility compliance requirements in Canada.
There are multiple web accessibility laws in Canada focused on providing all individuals an equal opportunity to have their needs accommodated in certain areas: employment, built environment, information and communication technologies, procurement of goods & services, design and delivery of programs and services, and transportation. There are a few key factors for organizations to consider for digital accessibility laws in Canada: Is your organization in the public or private sector? Is your organization in a federally regulated sector? Does your organization conduct business in a certain location and with a certain number of employees?
Important Canadian digital accessibility laws
ACA
Learn about the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) and how it aims to ensure digital accessibility for all. See how Deque supports your accessibility program to meet complex compliance requirements.
Loi sur l'accessibilité pour les personnes handicapées de l'Ontario (AODA)
Learn more about the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and how to maintain compliance, improve accessibility, and enhance user experience with Deque’s comprehensive accessibility solutions.
AMA
Learn how to meet compliance for the Accessible Manitobans Act (AMA) and enhance digital accessibility in Manitoba. Deque’s comprehensive solutions help you improve user experience for all site visitors.
Comment respecter les exigences et les délais en matière d'accessibilité du Web au Canada
The Canadian Government and Provincial Governments are explicit in the goal of integrating web and digital accessibility policy considerations into the day-to-day processes and operations of public and private organizations. If your organization is subject to any of the various Canada web and digital accessibility requirements, here are some steps you can take to help ensure your compliance:
- Adressez-vous au service juridique de votre organisation afin de vous assurer que vous comprenez bien la portée des exigences et les éventuelles échéances à respecter.
- Faites le point sur la manière dont votre organisation répond actuellement aux exigences en matière de mise à disposition de différents supports dans un format accessible, et indiquez lesquels de ces supports sont disponibles en ligne ou présentés sous forme numérique.
- Parlez-nous des futurs sites web sur lesquels votre équipe travaille actuellement et expliquez-nous comment vous comptez garantir leur accessibilité.
- Proposezdes formations sur l'accessibilité numériqueà vos équipes chargées de la création de contenus Web et de ressources numériques, et faites appel à des services de conseil.
Enabling the right individuals and teams at your organization to initiate, execute and improve on accessibility measures relevant to these acts can be complex. The proactive approach to digital accessibility has proven to be more cost-effective. It’s crucial for organizations to be prepared in their planning and implementation of effective accessibility programs to avoid costly, reactive fixes to accessibility defects and increased risks of significant penalties and fines for missing deadlines and not meeting compliance requirements.
Start investigating tools and other ways to support and facilitate your teams to build accessible content.
Ressources utiles
La date limite pour la remise des rapports d'étape relatifs à la Loi sur l'accessibilité au Canada approche à grands pas
Learn what’s due and what your best options are for meeting the requirements.
Ce dont votre organisation a besoin pour se préparer aux lois canadiennes sur l'accessibilité numérique
Check out this blog to develop a better understanding of digital accessibility requirements in Canada.
J'ai reçu les résultats de mon audit d'accessibilité. Et maintenant ?
Most organizations start their digital accessibility journey with an audit. Let’s discuss the best next steps after an accessibility audit.
Benefits of compliance with Canada web accessibility laws
S'adresser à un public plus large
Un contenu accessible vous permettra d'élargir votre public cible et d'ouvrir de nouvelles perspectives de revenus.
Réduction du risque juridique
Les organisations qui s'efforcent activement d'atteindre l'excellence en matière d'accessibilité sont mieux à même de répondre aux réclamations et d'éviter des infractions coûteuses.
Amélioration de la visibilité dans les moteurs de recherche
La mise à disposition de transcriptions pour les fichiers audiovisuels permet leur référencement par les moteurs de recherche
Une meilleure expérience utilisateur globale
Des études montrent que les améliorations apportées à l'interface utilisateur et à l'expérience utilisateur (UI/UX) en matière d'accessibilité profitent également aux personnes valides.
Comment Deque vous aider
En tant que leader mondial de l'accessibilité numérique, fort de plus de 20 ans d'expérience dans l'accompagnement des organisations pour répondre aux exigences de conformité, améliorer leurs processus internes et établir des rapports sur leurs programmes d'accessibilité, Deque est votre partenaire de confiance en matière d'accessibilité numérique.
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 5 Billion+ times. Our accessibility testing extensions have been downloaded 800,000+ times, and we’ve completed 10,000+ projects.
Audit
Most accessibility projects begin and end with an audit – they assess the current state of your digital accessibility resulting in a comprehensive report.
Assainissement
En faisant appel à notre équipe d'experts, vous aurez la garantie que vos mesures d'accessibilité répondront à vos exigences de conformité aussi rapidement et efficacement que possible.
Plateforme Axe
The Axe Platform enable accessibility experts and development to test and maintain accessibility end-to-end.
Are you ready to meet Canada’s web accessibility requirements and create accessible digital experiences?
Is web accessibility a legal requirement in Canada?
Canadian accessibility requirements vary by jurisdiction. Some laws/regulations reference WCAG for web content (e.g., Ontario and Manitoba), while federal requirements and procurement-related standards rely on the broader Canadian ICT standards ASC/CAN EN 301 549. The Accessible Canada Act (Bill C-81) affects Canada’s federal public sector, Crown Corporations, and all federally regulated organizations.
Does Canada have accessibility laws like the ADA?
Canada does have federal and provincial accessibility laws that require organizations to prevent discrimination and remove barriers for people with disabilities. Depending on where you operate, you may be subject to the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) or provincial accessibility legislation.
Are there provincial accessibility laws in Canada?
Certain provinces and territories in Canada such as Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia have their own digital accessibility laws that impact organizations differently based on applicability pertaining to location, size, sector and industry, among others. It’s important to determine which laws and requirements may apply to your organization.
Are there Canada web accessibility deadlines?
There are various deadlines for organizations to meet compliance for Canada’s different digital accessibility laws. Learning about the different legislation and what deadlines might apply to your organization helps you better prepare for what’s required.
