AODA Website Compliance Checklist for Ontario Businesses (2026)

What Are the AODA Website Requirements for Ontario Businesses in 2026?

Every Ontario organisation with one or more employees must comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). For websites, this means meeting WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards. The next compliance reporting deadline is December 31, 2026 for businesses with 20+ employees. Non-compliance can result in fines up to $100,000 per day for corporations. Your website must be keyboard-operable, screen-reader compatible, and maintain a 4.5:1 colour contrast ratio.

If your website was built before 2020 and has not been audited for accessibility, it almost certainly fails current AODA requirements. Talk to our development team about an accessibility audit.

The Complete AODA Website Checklist

Perceivable

• [ ] All images have descriptive alt text
• [ ] Videos have captions and/or transcripts
• [ ] Audio content has text alternatives
• [ ] Colour is not the only way to convey information
• [ ] Text has a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 (normal text) and 3:1 (large text)
• [ ] Content can be resized to 200% without loss of functionality
• [ ] No information is conveyed solely through sensory characteristics (shape, size, colour, sound)

Operable

• [ ] All functionality is available via keyboard (no mouse-only interactions)
• [ ] No keyboard traps (users can tab out of every element)
• [ ] Users can pause, stop, or hide moving content
• [ ] No content flashes more than 3 times per second
• [ ] Pages have descriptive titles
• [ ] Focus order follows logical reading sequence
• [ ] Link purpose is clear from link text alone (no "click here")

Understandable

• [ ] Page language is declared in HTML (lang="en")
• [ ] Form inputs have associated labels
• [ ] Error messages identify the field and describe the error
• [ ] Consistent navigation across pages
• [ ] Consistent identification of repeated components

Robust

• [ ] Valid HTML markup
• [ ] Custom controls have appropriate ARIA roles and properties
• [ ] Status messages can be programmatically determined

The December 31, 2026 Deadline

Ontario businesses with 20+ employees must file their accessibility compliance report by December 31, 2026. The report covers:

1. Whether you have established accessibility policies and a multi-year plan (required for 50+ employees)
2. Whether you have trained employees on accessibility
3. Whether your website meets WCAG 2.0 Level AA
4. Whether your recruitment process is accessible
5. Whether you have a process for individual accommodation plans

The Ontario government provides a self-assessment tool at ontario.ca/accessibility.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

• Individuals: Up to $50,000 per day
• Corporations: Up to $100,000 per day
• Directors/officers: Personal liability for corporate non-compliance
• Government contracts: Non-compliant vendors can be disqualified from RFPs (almost all public sector digital contracts now require WCAG 2.1 Level AA or higher)

How We Help

Our software development division builds AODA-compliant websites and applications from the ground up. For existing sites, we provide:

1. Accessibility audit — Full WCAG 2.0 Level AA assessment with specific remediation steps
2. Remediation — Fix identified issues in priority order
3. VPAT documentation — Voluntary Product Accessibility Template for government procurement
4. Ongoing monitoring — Quarterly automated + manual accessibility testing

Get an accessibility audit before the December deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does AODA apply to my small business website?

Yes. AODA applies to every Ontario organisation with one or more employees. However, the reporting requirements and specific standards vary by size. Businesses with 1-19 employees have fewer reporting obligations but must still make their websites accessible.

What is the difference between WCAG 2.0 and WCAG 2.1?

WCAG 2.0 Level AA is the current AODA requirement. WCAG 2.1 adds additional criteria for mobile accessibility and cognitive disabilities. Government contracts increasingly require WCAG 2.1 Level AA, so we recommend building to the higher standard.

How long does an accessibility remediation project take?

A typical Ontario business website takes 4-8 weeks to remediate, depending on the number of pages and complexity of interactive elements. Custom web applications take longer. The audit itself takes 1-2 weeks.

Can I use an overlay widget instead of fixing my code?

Overlay widgets (like accessiBe or UserWay) do not make a website AODA-compliant. The Ontario government and most accessibility experts explicitly advise against them. The only reliable path is fixing the underlying code.

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Droz Technologies builds AODA-compliant software for Ontario businesses and government. Talk to our development team about your compliance deadline.