Web accessibility is an approach to developing interfaces, ensuring that they can be used by every group of users, regardless of any individual impairment. In some countries, such as Canada, web accessibility is a mandatory requirement for websites and is governed by local law.
Here’s a fact: there will be over 36.39 million Internet users in Canada by the end of 2021, and that number will surpass 37 million by 2022. With a population of just over 38 million, it’s clear that web accessibility is a very important component of all the country’s websites.
What does web accessibility mean to the Canadian government? Basically, it involves a set of policies (as defined in WCAG, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) applied to user interfaces that all local sites must comply with by default. Sites that do not comply are subject to certain penalties.
Below we will tell you about the laws in Canada that govern web accessibility, as well as share a list of parameters to comply with and details of how to verify that you are doing so.