- 2026 Complete Guide
Website Accessibility Services: WCAG Compliance for Ontario
Ontario's AODA requires websites to meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA. This requirement has been in force since 2014 for smaller organizations and 2021 for larger ones. This guide explains what WCAG requires, the most common failures Ontario businesses face, and how professional accessibility services help you achieve and maintain compliance.
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Ontario’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act requires websites to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines — WCAG 2.0 Level AA. This requirement has been in force since 2014 for smaller organizations and since 2021 for larger ones. If your website was built or substantially updated after those dates and has not been tested for accessibility, it almost certainly has compliance gaps.
Website accessibility is not just a legal obligation. Approximately 2.6 million Ontarians live with a disability that affects how they use the internet. An inaccessible website excludes these users from your products, services, and information — and creates legal exposure under both AODA and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
The four WCAG principles: what they mean in practice
WCAG 2.0 is organized around four principles — Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust (POUR). Every one of the 38 Level AA success criteria falls under one of these. Understanding the principles provides a framework for thinking about accessibility beyond individual rules.
- AODA Website Compliance Requirements: Full Breakdown
- WCAG 2.0 vs 2.1 vs 2.2: What's Changed
Who must comply: WCAG obligations by organization size
The most common website accessibility failures in Ontario
Professional accessibility audits across Ontario websites consistently reveal the same categories of failure. These are the issues most likely to be found on your site.
- AODA Compliance Audit Checklist: Free Download
Website accessibility services: what we offer
Our website accessibility services cover the full compliance journey — from initial assessment through remediation, testing, and ongoing monitoring. Each service is scoped to your organization’s size, technology, and compliance timeline.
- How to Perform an Accessibility Audit: Step-by-Step
- Accessibility Remediation: How to Fix WCAG Issues
WCAG versions: 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2
- WCAG 2.0 vs 2.1 vs 2.2: Full Differences Explained
The business case for website accessibility
Start your website accessibility journey
Whether you need an initial audit to understand your compliance status, expert remediation to fix what’s been found, training to stop new issues being created, or ongoing monitoring to maintain compliance as your site evolves — the process follows a clear sequence.
WCAG compliance guide — all 10 cluster pages
Frequently asked questions
What does WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliance actually require?
- WCAG 2.0 Level AA requires your website to meet 38 success criteria across four principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. Each criterion is a testable pass/fail requirement. In practice, the most impactful requirements are: images have accurate alt text, videos have reviewed captions, text meets colour contrast minimums, all functions work by keyboard, forms have visible labels, errors are identified in text, and custom components are built with ARIA so screen readers can interpret them.
How long does it take to make a website WCAG compliant?
- Timeline depends on the site’s size and the volume of issues found. For a small business website (10–20 pages), a professional audit takes two to three weeks and remediation of critical and serious issues typically takes two to six weeks of developer and content team time. For larger or more complex sites, the full remediation cycle may take three to six months. Starting with the highest-impact issues on your highest-traffic pages is the most efficient approach.
Is WCAG 2.0 Level AA the same as AODA compliance?
- WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliance for your website is a component of AODA compliance — not the whole of it. AODA also requires staff training, accessible policies, employment practices, and accessible formats on request. A website that fully meets WCAG 2.0 Level AA is compliant with the website-related component of the Information and Communications Standard, but the organization still has other AODA obligations to meet.
Can I use an accessibility overlay tool to achieve WCAG compliance?
- No. Accessibility overlay products — JavaScript plugins that claim to make websites WCAG compliant automatically — do not produce genuine compliance. They have been rejected as inadequate by accessibility specialists, disabled user communities, and courts in multiple jurisdictions. They do not protect your organization from AODA enforcement. Genuine WCAG compliance requires fixing the underlying code and content — not adding a layer on top of it.
What is an accessibility statement and do I need one?
- An accessibility statement is a page on your website that describes your current WCAG compliance status, any known accessibility limitations, your remediation plans, and how users can request accessible alternatives or report barriers. It is not legally required under AODA but is strongly recommended — it demonstrates transparency, provides a channel for user feedback, and is increasingly expected by government procurement processes.
What is the difference between ADA, AODA, and WCAG?
- AODA is Ontario’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act — the provincial law that requires Ontario organizations to meet accessibility standards. The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) is US federal law with similar but distinct website accessibility requirements. WCAG is the international technical standard — the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines — that both AODA and ADA courts reference when evaluating website accessibility. Meeting WCAG 2.0 Level AA positions your organization well for compliance under both frameworks, though they differ in their legal specifics.
Find out whether your website meets WCAG 2.0 Level AA
Our professional website accessibility audit covers automated scanning, manual WCAG testing by a trained specialist, and screen reader evaluation with NVDA and VoiceOver. You get a complete, prioritized picture of where your site stands — with code-level fix guidance your development team can act on directly.
- Automated scanning with axe DevTools and WAVE across all key pages
- Screen reader testing: NVDA + Firefox (Windows) and VoiceOver + Safari (macOS and iOS)
- Prioritized report: WCAG criterion, severity, screenshot, and code-level fix for every issue
- Manual WCAG 2.0 Level AA testing by a trained accessibility specialist
- Keyboard navigation testing across all interactive elements
- Remediation roadmap so your team knows where to start
