What is Web Accessibility?
Web accessibility means designing and building websites and digital tools so that everyone can use them — including people with disabilities. An accessible website works for someone who cannot use a mouse, someone who is blind and uses a screen reader, someone who is deaf and relies on captions, and someone with a cognitive disability who benefits from plain, clear language.
Who benefits from accessibility?
Over 6.2 million Canadians — roughly 22% of the population — live with a disability of some kind. But accessibility benefits far more people than that:
- Older adults experiencing age-related changes to vision, hearing, or dexterity
- People in situational constraints — reading a phone in bright sunlight, holding a baby with one arm, watching a video in a quiet office without headphones
- People on slow internet connections — text alternatives and well-structured HTML load faster
- Non-native English or French speakers — plain language and clear structure help everyone
- Search engines and assistive technologies — both rely on the same semantic structure
When you design for people with disabilities, you improve the experience for everyone. This is the core principle of universal design.
The four principles of accessibility
Web accessibility standards are organized around four principles, often shortened to POUR:
Perceivable
Information must be presentable in ways users can perceive. A user who cannot see images must be able to read alt text. A user who cannot hear audio must be able to read captions or transcripts.
Operable
All functionality must be operable through a keyboard, not just a mouse. Users must have enough time to read and use content. Pages must not contain elements known to cause seizures.
Understandable
Text must be readable and understandable. Pages must behave in predictable ways. Users must be helped to avoid and correct input errors.
Robust
Content must be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of assistive technologies, both current and future. This means using valid, semantic HTML that assistive tools can parse correctly.
Types of disabilities to consider
Designer Developer| Disability type | Examples | Common assistive technologies |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Blindness, low vision, colour blindness | Screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver), magnification software, high-contrast mode |
| Hearing | Deafness, hard of hearing | Captions, transcripts, visual alerts |
| Mobility & dexterity | Paralysis, tremors, limited fine motor control | Keyboard-only navigation, switch access, voice control |
| Cognitive & learning | Dyslexia, ADHD, intellectual disabilities | Plain language, consistent layout, reduced distractions |
| Neurological | Epilepsy, vestibular disorders | Reduced motion, no flashing content |
| Temporary & situational | Broken arm, bright sunlight, noisy environment | All of the above, at some point in life |
Accessibility is a legal requirement in Canada
Canadian organizations are not just encouraged to be accessible — many are legally required to be. Three major laws govern digital accessibility in Canada:
- The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) — Federal organizations and federally regulated industries must meet accessibility standards and report on their progress.
- The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) — Ontario organizations must meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA for all public-facing web content.
- The Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) — Inaccessible web content can constitute discrimination on the basis of disability for federally regulated organizations.
Depending on your province and sector, additional laws may apply. See the Legal Framework section for full details.
What standard do we follow?
The international technical standard for web accessibility is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the baseline required by Canadian law and recommended for all Canadian organizations.
This site also aims for WCAG 2.1 Level AAA — the highest level of conformance — in its own design and content.
Common misconceptions
“Accessibility is only for blind users.” Blindness is just one of many disability types. Accessibility benefits people with motor, cognitive, neurological, and hearing disabilities — and situationally affects everyone.
“Our site is too small / our users don’t have disabilities.” 1 in 5 Canadians has a disability. It is statistically near-certain that some of your users do. Additionally, many users with disabilities do not self-identify.
“Accessibility is a one-time audit.” Accessibility requires ongoing attention. Every new feature, redesign, or content update is an opportunity to introduce or remove barriers.
“Accessible sites look boring.” Accessibility is about structure and function, not aesthetics. Many of the most visually striking websites are also fully accessible. The constraints of accessibility — clear contrast, readable type, logical structure — tend to produce better design.