Is Your Ontario Business Website AODA Compliant? Here’s Why It Matters

As an Ontarian business owner, your website is more than just a marketing vehicle—it's a legal responsibility. The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requires businesses to make their websites accessible to all, including the disabled. This isn't about ticking boxes. It's about inclusion, compliance with the law, and providing a better experience to everyone. 

Why Accessibility Needs to Be On Your List 

Since 2014, Ontario has mandated that any new websites—and older sites undergoing major rebuilds—must be WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.0 Level A compliant. Now, as of 2021, even most public content must be Level AA compliant. These guidelines address everything from navigation and color contrast to captioning video and alt-text for images.

In short: if your website is inaccessible, it's not AODA compliant—and you could be switching off customers. 

The Business Case for AODA Compliance 

Compliance with meeting accessibility standards is more than not getting in trouble. It's reaching more people, improving your search engine ranking, and demonstrating to your customers that your business cares about making all individuals a participants. Making your site accessible to everyone translates to making your site usable to anybody—whether on screen readers, keyboard interfacing, or other assistive devices. 

AODA & WCAG: What You Should Know 

To order to meet AODA requirements, your website needs to be compliant with the following WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements: 

• Text descriptions for images and non-text elements 

• Resizable text without compromising functionality 

• High contrast between background and text 

• Keyboard access to all site functionality 

• Captions and transcripts for multimedia 

• Clear, consistent navigation 

By being compliant with these requirements, your content will be easily accessible—no matter any physical, cognitive, or visual ability. 

How to Check If Your Website Is Compliant 

Start with an automated accessibility test. Run your site through good tools like WAVE, Axe, or Siteimprove to find areas of problems—then verify it by hand. 

Automated testers don't find everything, so including users with disabilities in your testing loop is a good decision. 

• Problems that are common to look for are: 

• Missing image alt text 

• Low color contrast 

• Inaccessible buttons and forms 

• Uncaptioned videos 

• Wrong keyboard navigation 

Found Problems? Here’s What to Do Next 

Once you’ve identified where your site falls short, make a plan to fix it. That could mean updating code for better keyboard access, improving contrast and font sizing, or revising your content structure. Prioritize user experience and compliance equally. 

Maintain Compliance Over Time 

AODA compliance isn’t a one-and-done task. Regularly review your website to catch new accessibility issues and ensure ongoing alignment with WCAG standards. You’ll also want to keep your accessibility statement up to date—clearly outlining your commitment and giving users a way to report accessibility barriers. 

Final Thought: Accessibility is Everyone’s Business 

Making your website accessible isn't just a technical legal nicety—it's a chance to lead with empathy, grow your audience, and create a caring brand that is concerned about all your visitors. If your Ontario business website isn't accessible yet, today is the day to start. 

Book a consultation today so we can collaborate on a website assessment that would highlight all the areas of opportunity to improve accessibility and compliance.

Contact Us – ACT360 Web & IT | Barrie, ON