As deadline looms, expert says businesses are ‘just starting’ to take digital accessibility more seriously

Pragya Sehgal, ItBusiness.ca, November 2, 2020
Canadian businesses face a January 1, 2021 deadline to make all internet websites and web content more accessible, and experts are urging Canadian businesses to take a hard look at their web presence and take the deadline seriously. The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requires organizations with 20 or more employees to file a compliance audit* before this deadline. AODA will require Canadian businesses in Ontario to meet web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.0) Level AA other than criteria 1.2.4 (live captions) and 1.2.5 (pre-recorded audio descriptions). Canada scores a 64 overall out of 100, according to the World Accessibility Map, an online resource that allows users to compare the web accessibility level of countries around the world.