Know what you are certifying before December 31.
Ontario businesses and non-profits with 20+ employees must file an accessibility compliance report. The public website requirement applies at 50+ employees. Those are different thresholds—and they change what your organization needs to verify.
For Ontario businesses and non-profits with 20 or more employees.
Public-sector organizations were on the 2025 biennial reporting cycle.
The thresholds in plain language
Employee count determines both the reporting requirement and which accessibility obligations apply.
| Ontario employees | 2026 report? | AODA website requirement? | Multi-year accessibility plan? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–19 | No | No specific IASR website requirement | No |
| 20–49 | Yes | No specific IASR website requirement | No |
| 50+ | Yes | Yes · WCAG 2.0 Level AA, with listed exceptions | Yes |
| Designated public sector | 2025 biennial cycle | Yes, regardless of size | Yes |
Sources: Ontario accessibility compliance reporting guidance, Ontario website accessibility guidance, and O. Reg. 191/11. Verify your organization’s category and obligations against the official materials or qualified counsel.
It is a self-report, not a badge.
A senior officer or another responsible person with authority to bind the organization certifies that the required information is complete and accurate.
Confirm the employee band
Count the Ontario workforce using the official guidance and confirm whether the website and plan requirements apply.
Read the live portal questions
Do this before answering anything. Identify which policy, training, accessible-format, employment, and website evidence supports each answer.
Verify the public website
If the website requirement applies, a clean automated scan is not enough. Test representative templates and real tasks with keyboard and assistive technology.
Document gaps and ownership
Record what is unresolved, who owns it, and the planned timing. Ask counsel how any unresolved issue should be reflected in the filing.
From uncertainty to an evidence-backed plan
Ten-business-day target after scope confirmation and access to the required materials.
Included
- Representative website assessment against the applicable AODA web standard
- Manual keyboard and screen-reader checks on priority journeys
- Gap report with evidence, severity, and code-level recommendations
- Prioritized remediation roadmap with effort ranges
- Operational prompts for the policy, plan, training, and accessible-format evidence
- One review call before your organization finalizes its report
The service does not file on your behalf, provide legal advice, or certify legal compliance.
The questions that change the scope
We have 20–49 employees. Do we still need a website audit for the filing?
You must file the 2026 report, but Ontario’s IASR public website requirement applies to large organizations with 50+ employees and designated public-sector organizations. Other obligations, procurement expectations, or the Ontario Human Rights Code may still be relevant; discuss edge cases with counsel.
Which WCAG version applies under AODA?
The codified Ontario website standard is WCAG 2.0 Level AA, except live captions and pre-recorded audio descriptions. Many teams choose to test newer WCAG criteria as a forward-looking best practice, but that should not be confused with the current AODA filing bar.
Can a scanner prove our site conforms?
No. Automated tools are useful candidate detectors, but they cannot determine whether many interactions, labels, focus behaviours, error messages, or user journeys work for people using assistive technology.
What if we cannot resolve every barrier before filing?
The truthful answer on the report is a legal and governance decision for your organization. The technical engagement can document what was found and create a remediation plan; counsel should advise on the filing response.
Find out what your organization can support with evidence.
Bring the employee band, the public URL, and the person responsible for the filing.