This post was originally published October 7, 2020 and was updated on October 15, 2020.
With certain AODA deadlines for Accessibility Compliance Reports and accessible websites looming, it is time for organizations to review the applicable requirements and ensure that they are compliant. These requirements are summarized below.
Accessibility Compliance Report deadline extended to June 30, 2021
Pursuant to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (the "AODA"), all business or non-profit organizations with 20 or more employees were required to file their annual Accessibility Compliance Report by December 31, 2020. This deadline was recently extended to June 30, 2021.
In order to complete the report, organizations must answer a series of "yes or no" questions and submit the report electronically. The form is available here from the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility.
Accessible Websites and Web Content
Beginning January 1, 2021, private or non-profit organizations with more than 50 employees and public sector organizations must ensure that all public websites and web content posted after January 1, 2012 meet the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines ("WCAG") 2.0 at Level AA, with some exceptions for live captions and pre-recorded audio descriptions.
WCAG is an internationally accepted standard for web accessibility developed by the World Wide Web Consortium. The WCAG guidelines are available from the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility here.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.