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Managed Compliance · AODA

AODA Compliance Services: Make Your Website AODA Compliant

Ontario's web accessibility deadline passed in 2021 and compliance reports are due again by December 31, 2026. Check your site free, let AI fix the bulk, and have certified experts audit, remediate and document WCAG conformance.

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AODA compliance means meeting the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act - a 2005 Ontario law requiring organizations operating in the province to remove barriers for people with disabilities. For websites, its Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (Ontario Regulation 191/11) mandates WCAG 2.0 Level AA for public-sector organizations of any size and for private businesses and non-profits with 50 or more employees - a deadline that passed on January 1, 2021. EqualWeb gets you there with a hybrid model: a free instant check, AI remediation of 80+ common WCAG issues, and certified IAAP/CPWA experts who audit, fix and document your conformance through Managed Compliance.

The standard

What does AODA compliance require for a website?

The AODA's Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation explicitly mandates WCAG 2.0 Level AA for public websites and web content published after January 1, 2012 - all Level A and AA success criteria except live captions (SC 1.2.4) and pre-recorded audio description (SC 1.2.5). Newer WCAG versions are not yet formally required, but WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 AA are increasingly considered best practice - and Canada's federal Accessible Canada Act already references EN 301 549, which incorporates WCAG 2.1, so the trajectory is upward.

The obligations go beyond the website itself.

  • Public websites and web content must conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA - public sector at any size, private and non-profit organizations with 50 or more employees
  • A written multi-year accessibility plan, reviewed at least every five years
  • Accessible customer service training for all employees and volunteers
  • Information and communications - including digital documents and feedback processes - available in accessible formats on request
  • Organizations with 20 or more employees must file an Accessibility Compliance Report - the next private-sector deadline is December 31, 2026

Official sources: AODA, 2005 - Ontario.ca · Ontario - How to make websites accessible · W3C WCAG 2.0

The path

How does EqualWeb make your website AODA compliant?

The same hybrid model that powers our ADA and EAA work, aimed at Ontario's requirements: AI handles the volume, certified experts handle the judgment, and you end up with documentation you can file and defend.

  • Check - run the free Accessibility Checker on any URL and get an instant WCAG score from 0 to 100 with a prioritized issue list, no installation required
  • Remediate with AI - install the Accessibility Widget with one line of code; it automatically fixes 80+ common WCAG issues at the core of the IASR's web-content requirements, with a 7-day free trial
  • Audit and document - Managed Compliance pairs you with certified IAAP/CPWA experts who manually audit your templates, flows and documents, remediate on the client side, and deliver a signed Accessibility Compliance Certificate plus a conformance report you can rely on when filing your Accessibility Compliance Report
  • Monitor - continuous scanning tracks a live 0-100 compliance score and flags regressions the moment new content ships, keeping you compliant between reporting cycles
Check your site freeHow Managed Compliance works
The risk

What happens if your website is not AODA compliant?

The AODA carries some of the steepest accessibility penalties anywhere: corporations face fines of up to $100,000 per day, while individuals, unincorporated organizations, and corporate directors and officers personally face up to $50,000 per day. Enforcement by the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario is graduated - a notice of non-compliance first, then a Director's Order, then administrative monetary penalties or prosecution for persistent violations.

Two things organizations miss: failing to file the mandatory Accessibility Compliance Report is itself a violation subject to those penalties - the next private-sector filing deadline is December 31, 2026 - and complaints from individuals with disabilities can be filed directly with the Ontario government. A documented, ongoing remediation program removes the barriers that draw complaints and gives you a defensible filing when the report comes due.

The honest answer

Why isn't a widget alone enough for AODA compliance?

EqualWeb's AI is built to do as much of the work as software can: the Accessibility Widget automatically fixes 80+ common WCAG issues, which in practice addresses roughly 80% of what a typical site gets wrong. That is real progress, deployed in minutes - and it is not full conformance.

WCAG 2.0 Level AA is assessed criterion by criterion, and several criteria require human judgment - alt text that describes meaning in context, forms and flows that make sense to a screen reader user, documents whose reading order matches their layout. The AODA also asks for things no widget can produce: an accessibility plan, training records and a filed compliance report. That is expert work, and it is exactly what Managed Compliance delivers.

Own development team? Start with an Accessibility Audit - we test and validate, you fix

Serving other markets? ADA compliance (United States) · EAA compliance (European Union) · Read the full AODA guide

FAQ

AODA compliance - frequently asked questions

What is the AODA and what does it require?
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is an Ontario law that obligates organizations operating in the province to remove barriers for people with disabilities across customer service, employment, information and communications, transportation, and public spaces. For digital properties, the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation requires covered organizations to make public websites and web content conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA. The Act also mandates written accessibility plans, accessible employment practices, and regular compliance reporting.
Who must comply with the AODA?
The AODA applies to any person or organization with at least one employee in Ontario that provides goods, services, or facilities to the public. Website accessibility obligations specifically apply to public-sector organizations of any size and to private businesses or non-profits with 50 or more employees in Ontario. Smaller private-sector organizations remain subject to other AODA standards such as accessible customer service.
What is the AODA web accessibility deadline?
The primary web accessibility deadline passed on January 1, 2021, by which all public-sector organizations and private/non-profit organizations with 50 or more employees were required to meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA. Looking ahead, private-sector businesses and non-profits with 20 or more employees must file their next Accessibility Compliance Report by December 31, 2026.
What are the AODA penalties for non-compliance?
The AODA imposes significant financial penalties: up to $100,000 per day for corporations and up to $50,000 per day for individuals, unincorporated organizations, or corporate directors and officers. Enforcement by the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario is progressive - a notice of non-compliance, then a Director's Order, then administrative monetary penalties or prosecution. Failure to file a required Accessibility Compliance Report is itself a violation.
Does the AODA require WCAG 2.1 or WCAG 2.2?
No - the AODA's Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation currently requires WCAG 2.0 Level AA. However, adopting WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 Level AA is strongly recommended as a forward-looking best practice, and Canada's federal Accessible Canada Act references EN 301 549, which incorporates WCAG 2.1 - suggesting an upward trajectory for Canadian requirements.
How does EqualWeb help with AODA compliance?
EqualWeb combines a free instant accessibility check, an AI widget that automatically fixes 80+ common WCAG issues, and Managed Compliance - certified IAAP/CPWA experts who audit, remediate and document WCAG conformance, delivering a signed certificate and the evidence to support your Accessibility Compliance Report filing, plus continuous monitoring between reporting cycles.
Get AODA compliant

The 2026 compliance report is coming. Be ready.

Run a free instant scan, then let certified IAAP/CPWA experts take you to documented WCAG conformance - with the evidence to back your filing.

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