NFP Q&A: Understanding Ontario’s Accessible Websites And Web Content Requirements – Part 1

This is Part 1 of a 3-part series.

Organizations with employees in Ontario need to be aware of the accessible websites requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 ("Act").  They are set out in Section 14 of the Integrated Accessibility Standards regulation under the Act ("IAS Regulation").  I recently asked the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario to clarify a few general scenarios to help guide organizations.  

Before getting to the Q&A, organizations should note that the requirements are different depending on what type of organization you are. 

For those who have 50 or more employees in Ontario ("Large Organizations"), you will need to know that any websites that are newly created on or after January 1, 2014 will need to conform with the "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0".  This requirement also applies if your organization significantly refreshes your website anytime on or after January 1, 2014.  Although