AODA compliance tool for Ontario websites

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act AODA is Ontario's accessibility legislation, passed in 2005. It requires Ontario organisations to progressively eliminate barriers for people with disabilities across five standards: customer service, information and communications, employment, transportation, and the built environment. The 2025 target for a fully accessible Ontario has passed, and compliance obligations remain in effect and are actively enforced. For websites and digital content, AODA's Information and Communications standard is the relevant requirement, referencing WCAG 2.0 Level AA as the technical benchmark.

AODA laws apply to a wide range of Ontario organisations including:

• All Ontario public sector organisations such as government agencies, municipalities, hospitals, and school boards.
• Private businesses and non-profit organisations with 50 or more employees operating in Ontario.
• Educational institutions at all levels.
• Healthcare providers and hospitals.

Private sector organisations and non-profits with fewer than 50 employees are not currently required to meet the web content standard, though other AODA standards may still apply to them and accessibility remains best practice regardless of organisation size.

AODA covers five standards areas. The scope of AODA rules for businesses and non-profits includes:

• Information and communications (Welcoming Web's focus): Websites and digital content must meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
• Customer service: Staff must be trained to serve people with disabilities effectively.
• Employment standards: Recruitment processes and workplace accommodations must be accessible.
• Transportation: Public transport providers must meet defined accessibility requirements.
• Built environment: Public spaces and facilities must be physically accessible

Welcoming Web addresses the information and communications standard. The other four standards require organisational processes and physical changes that go beyond web accessibility scanning.

AODA non-compliance carries significant financial consequences. Individuals found in violation can face fines of up to $50,000 per day. Corporations face fines of up to $100,000 per day. Directors and officers of corporations can be held personally liable. Beyond fines, non-compliance exposes organisations to complaints filed with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario and potential reputational damage. Ontario conducts compliance audits and can require organisations to submit accessibility reports and remediation plans.

Welcoming Web does not certify compliance and cannot guarantee a legal outcome. For Ontario organisations working through web content issues related to AODA, the platform identifies which WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements your site currently fails, suggests fixes for supported issue types, and builds the dated remediation record the Accessibility Directorate looks for when reviewing compliance activity.

For most Ontario organisations the AODA compliance deadlines have passed, making ongoing compliance management the priority:

• Audit your website regularly through automated and manual checks so new issues are identified as content and functionality change.
• Keep a documented record of accessibility issues found and remediation activity taken, as the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario may require evidence of compliance activity.
• Integrate WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements into your content publishing process so new pages meet the standard from the start.
• Train staff involved in digital content creation on AODA's information and communications requirements.
• Test with users who have disabilities periodically, as automated scanning identifies a significant proportion of issues but may not identify all of them.