Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is Ontario
provincial legislation enacted in 2005 with the goal of making Ontario
fully accessible by 2025. It establishes accessibility standards across
five areas — customer service, information and communications, employment,
transportation, and the built environment — and includes specific requirements
for digital accessibility.
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Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation

The digital accessibility requirements of the AODA are set out in the
Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR), specifically in the
Information and Communications section. The IASR requires organisations to
make new internet websites and web content conform to WCAG 2.0 Level A
initially, with subsequent requirements for Level AA.
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Compliance deadlines

Deadlines under the IASR were phased by organisation type and size:

Organisation type	WCAG 2.0 Level A	WCAG 2.0 Level AA
Public sector	1 January 2014	1 January 2021
Large private/non-profit (50+ employees)	1 January 2014	1 January 2021
Small private/non-profit (1–49 employees)	1 January 2015	Exempt from AA

Note: WCAG 2.0 AA is required, with the exception of live captions and
pre-recorded audio descriptions for which an exception applies.

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Who must comply

The AODA applies to:

• Ontario government and legislative assembly
• All public sector organisations in Ontario
• Private sector and non-profit organisations with one or more employees
  that are incorporated, carry on business, or provide services in Ontario

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Out-of-province organisations that provide services to Ontario residents
via websites should seek legal advice on their AODA obligations, as the
territorial scope is not always straightforward.

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Accessibility compliance reports

Private sector organisations with 20 or more employees, and public sector
organisations, must file accessibility compliance reports with the Ontario
government every three years. These reports require organisations to confirm
their compliance with all applicable AODA standards.
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Federal legislation

In addition to the AODA, Canada's federal Accessible Canada Act (ACA),
enacted in 2019, establishes accessibility requirements for federally
regulated organisations including banks, telecommunications companies,
airlines, and the federal government. The ACA is administered by
Accessibility Standards Canada and the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

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Enforcement

The AODA is enforced by the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario.
Organisations can face audits and be required to file compliance reports.
Penalties for non-compliance can reach CAD $100,000 per day for corporations
and CAD $50,000 per day for individuals.

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References

1. Government of Ontario. About AODA. https://www.ontario.ca/page/about-accessibility-laws ↑
2. Government of Ontario. Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/110191 ↑
3. W3C Web Accessibility Initiative. Canada Laws and Policies. https://www.w3.org/WAI/policies/canada/ ↑