Accessibility requirements

Accessibility legislation in Canada

Accessible Canada Act (ACT)

The Accessible Canada Act (ACA), also known as Bill C-81, was passed in June 2019. The overarching goal of the ACA is to realize a barrier-free Canada by 2040. The act requires that federal organizations take proactive measures to identify and remove barriers and to ensure that new policies and programs are designed with accessibility in mind. 

Resources 

Accessible Canada Act (justice.gc.ca) 

Summary of the Accessible Canada Regulations - Canada.ca 

Towards an Accessible Canada - Canada.ca 

Standards for digital accessibility 

Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services 

On May 31, 2024, Accessibility Standard Canada (ASC) announced that it has officially adopted the European standard EN 301 549:2021 Accessibility requirements for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). ASC is also releasing it as a National Standard of Canada under the code CAN/ASC - EN 301 549:2024.  

The CAN/ASC - EN 301 549:2024 Accessibility requirements for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) standard is available in English and French free of charge. Providing these standards for free to all Canadians, in both official languages, offers everyone the opportunity to incorporate best practices into their organizations. This will allow organizations to join ASC in their goal of achieving a barrier-free Canada by 2024.

Resources

Accessibility Standards Canada adopts the globally recognized accessibility standard for ICT products and services - Accessibility Standards Canada 

Our standard on Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services - Accessibility Standards Canada 

CAN/ASC - EN 301 549:2024 Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services (EN 301 549:2021, IDT) - Accessibility Standards Canada 

CAN/ASC - EN 301 549:2024 Exigences d’accessibilité pour les produits et services TIC (EN 301 549:2021, IDT) - Normes d'accessibilité Canada 

Digital Accessibility Toolkit / Sharing space (canada.ca) 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

What version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) should our applications meet or exceed? 

WCAG 2.1 level AA. 

In Canada, federally regulated entities must develop and publish accessibility plans and progress reports. These plans and reports must meet the latest WCAG standards that are available officially in French and English.

An official French translation of WCAG 2.1 was made available in July 2022.

Resources 

Module 2 - Information and communication technologies: Current conformance with accessibility standards - Canada.ca 

Guideline on Making Information Technology Usable by All- Canada.ca 

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 (w3.org) 

Règles pour l’accessibilité des contenus Web (WCAG) 2.1 (w3.org) 

When will WCAG 2.2 be introduced as the standard for federal government applications? 

WCAG 2.2 was released in October 2023, but it will not be introduced as the standard for federal government applications until there is an official French translation. 

WCAG 2.2 uses the same conformance model as WCAG 2.0. It is intended that sites that conform to WCAG 2.2 also conform to WCAG 2.0 and WCAG 2.1, which means they meet the requirements of any policies that reference WCAG 2.0 or WCAG 2.1, while also better meeting the needs of users on the current web.  

While compliance with this new version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines might not yet be required, it is a good idea to begin familiarizing yourself with the new guidelines and incorporate them whenever possible to prevent the need to rework these items in the future. 

Resources 

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 (w3.org)

Do we need to be concerned about accessibility for internal-facing applications? 

Yes. Direction on this is provided in the Guideline on Making Information Technology Usable by All under section 4 Guidance:

Resources 

Guideline on Making Information Technology Usable by All- Canada.ca