What is the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Compliance?
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is a landmark Ontario law designed to create a barrier-free province for people with disabilities. The AODA was enacted to make Ontario fully accessible by 2025, setting mandatory standards that apply to public and private sector organizations.
The AODA contains several accessibility standards, one of which is specific to creating accessible communication—the Information and Communications Standard. Within the Information and Communications Standard, organizations must ensure that their websites and web content meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA. Although the regulation does not explicitly name PDFs or other downloadable documents, they are widely understood to fall under the umbrella of “web content” and are therefore expected to meet the same accessibility requirements. For printed or offline materials, organizations must provide accessible formats or communication supports upon request.
Key Components of AODA Compliance.
AODA compliance requirements
As mentioned, the Information and Communications Standard of the AODA requires that all web sites and web content be accessible for people with disabilities. This may include:
- Websites and web applications
- Third-party content and applications hosted on a covered entity’s web site
- Mobile applications
- PDFs and downloadable documents
The standard also requires that organizations provide alternate formats of printed materials, such as statements, brochures, and notices upon request, in a timely manner, and at no additional cost to the user. The format must take the person’s disability needs into account—whether large print, braille, audio format, or other—and the definition of a “timely manner” varies based on the format requested, the volume, and the complexity of the request.
Who the AODA applies to
The AODA applies to organizations that operate in Ontario—whether through employees, physical locations, or public sector obligations. For organizations based outside Ontario, the law is less explicit. However, if you provide digital products or services to Ontarians—such as through a website, app, or downloadable content—there’s a growing expectation that your digital communications meet AODA-aligned accessibility standards like WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
Proactively aligning with these standards not only reduces legal and reputational risk—it also demonstrates leadership, improves the user experience for all customers, and positions your organization to do business confidently with public- and private-sector clients across Ontario.
Public sector organizations
All levels of government in Ontario — including provincial ministries, municipalities, hospitals, universities, colleges and public transit operators—fall within AODA obligations as public-sector organizations. These organizations are required to develop and post multi-year accessibility plans, train their staff, and submit accessibility compliance reports (typically every two years).
Private sector and nonprofit organizations
Businesses and nonprofits with 50 or more employees subject to AODA must meet stated digital accessibility standards and file regular accessibility compliance reports.
Businesses and nonprofits with 1–49 employees must still meet accessibility requirements—such as providing accessible information upon request—but have fewer formal reporting obligations.
Organizations outside of Ontario
Even if your company isn’t based in Ontario, you may still remain subject to the AODA requirements if:
- You sell products or services to Ontario residents,
- Your website or online content targets Ontarians, or
- You’re a vendor, partner, or supplier to an Ontario public-sector organization that must ensure its supply chain meets accessibility standards.
AODA web compliance standards
Within the Information and Communications Standard, websites and web content must conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines—or WCAG 2.0 Level AA (although a newer version of WCAG is recommended). WCAG is a set of globally accepted web accessibility standards often cited in laws like the AODA. The number associated with WCAG—2.0, for example — indicates the version of the WCAG standards. Version 1.0 was the first; 2.2 is the most recent. The Level indicated by A, AA, or AAA, indicates the conformance level, with A representing minimum conformance, and AAA representing the maximum.
Deadlines for AODA Compliance.
The Ontario government’s target was a fully accessible province by 2025, with specific digital compliance milestones:
- January 1, 2021 was the deadline for organizations of any size and private-sector organizations with 50 or more employees to ensure their public-facing web content meets WCAG 2.0 Level AA success criteria.
- Accessibility must be maintained and improved continuously as content evolves. To demonstrate this ongoing commitment, all businesses and nonprofits with 20 or more employees are required to file an accessibility compliance report with the government. The first deadline was 2023; the next deadline will be December 31, 2026.
Benefits of AODA Compliance.
Enhanced user experience
A commitment to accessibility is a commitment to removing barriers for people with disabilities, including those who rely on assistive technology to interact with content. However, accessible content improves the experience for all users. Take, for example, providing a clear structure when creating web content—including proper headings and logical reading order. Proper structure helps every user find information more quickly, and supports comprehension.
Improved search presence
Accessible content is search friendly. Structuring web content for accessibility improves discoverability, SEO ranking, and ultimately user engagement.
Legal protection and reduced risks
By achieving AODA compliance with the Information and Communications Standard, your organization reduces exposure to legal complaints, enforcement action, and fines while meeting public expectations for inclusion and social responsibility.
Consequences of Non-Compliance.
Penalties and fines
Non-compliance with AODA can lead to significant financial penalties enforced by the Government of Ontario. Financial penalties may include daily fines of up to $100,000 per day for corporations or $50,000 per day for individuals.
Legal implications
Beyond financial risk, non-compliance can result in reputational damage, public scrutiny, and loss of public and consumer trust.
Steps to Achieve AODA Compliance.
Audity your communication
The first step toward compliance is understanding your current accessibility status. Conduct a comprehensive audit of your websites, applications, PDFs, and communication materials to identify barriers and prioritize remediation.
Create an accessibility roadmap
Work with an accessibility expert, like Allyant to help prioritize and fix accessibility issues efficiently—whether it’s updating code, correcting PDFs, or creating a process by which users can request and receive alternative formats of communications that meet their needs.
Conduct organizational training
Accessibility is ongoing. Ensure your teams have access to expert training to keep up with evolving WCAG standards as new content is created. And ensure your entire organization understands how to incorporate accessibility into their individual workstreams, making it a foundational element of product and content creation.
How Allyant Supports AODA Compliance.
Allyant’s comprehensive suite of services and solutions supports organizations in meeting AODA compliance requirements. Our breadth of solutions ensures that every form of communication—web content, digital documents, and printed materials—is accessible and compliant. From WCAG-aligned website and application audits to industry-leading PDF accessibility tools and expert remediation, as well as production of alternative formats such as braille and reflowed large print, Allyant delivers the expertise and support needed to remove barriers, respond to accessibility requests, and maintain ongoing compliance with the AODA.
If you’d like more information about how to ensure your communications are AODA compliant, engage our team today.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Yes. The AODA applies to any organization, regardless of where it’s based, if they offer goods or services to anyone living in Ontario. It also applies to any organization, regardless of where it’s based, if that organization has employees in Ontario.
Conformance with the Information and Communications Standard of the AODA requires organizations ensure that their websites and web content meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards (excluding the success criteria for audio descriptions and live captions). The AODE does not explicitly name PDFs or other downloadable documents, but those types of documents are understood to fall under the umbrella of “web content” and are therefore expected to also conform with WCAG 2.0 AA standards. For printed or offline materials, organizations must provide accessible formats or communication supports upon request.
The AODA is specific to organizations based in Ontario, who have employees in Ontario, or who provide goods or services to Ontarians. The AODA may apply to either public or private sector organizations.
The Accessible Canada Act—or ACA—is federal legislation that applies only to federally regulated organizations no matter where they are located in Canada. The ACA does not apply to private organizations that are not federally regulated.
The AODA and the ACA are also based on different digital standards. The AODA requires conformance with WCAG 2.0 AA, while the ACA requires conformance with a more updated version of WCAG—WCAG 2.1 AA.
Additional differences include the type of content subject to each law, the deadlines for compliance, penalties for non-compliance, and enforcement bodies.
Organizations of any size and private-sector organizations with 50 or more employees must ensure their public-facing web content meets WCAG 2.0 Level AA success criteria. The deadline for conformance was January 1, 2021.
