Websites are the entry point to almost everything — from government benefits to healthcare, from job applications to civic engagement. When they’re not accessible, whole groups of people are effectively locked out.
What Inclusive Websites Look Like
Clear navigation: Menus that make sense, consistent layouts, no endless “maze” clicking.
Readable design: High-contrast text, resizable fonts, and layouts that adapt to screens of all sizes.
Compatibility: Works with screen readers, keyboard navigation, and voice commands.
Plain language: No jargon, just clear instructions.
Multilingual support: Recognizing Canada’s official languages — and beyond.
Quick load times: Accessible even on slower connections.
Canadian Context
Government sites: The federal government has committed to WCAG 2.1 AA standards, but provincial and municipal sites vary widely.
Education & healthcare: Some institutions lead the way, others still rely on PDF-only forms or inaccessible portals.
Small organizations: Many nonprofits and local businesses don’t know accessibility standards exist, leaving people excluded unintentionally.
The Challenges
Awareness: Many developers aren’t trained in accessibility.
Budget concerns: Organizations fear costs, even though most fixes are small.
Testing gaps: Sites are launched without checking how people with different abilities will use them.
Updating legacy sites: Old platforms can be hard to retrofit.
The Opportunities
Universal design: Build access in from the start instead of patching later.
Open tools: Free accessibility checkers and templates make it easier than ever.
Community input: Involve real users with diverse needs in testing.
Policy power: Require accessibility in public contracts and funding.
The Bigger Picture
Websites are no longer optional extras — they’re public infrastructure. Just as we expect ramps and elevators in physical spaces, we should expect accessible websites in digital spaces.
The Question
Should Canada adopt a national accessibility certification for websites — a simple public signal that a site is usable for everyone?
Websites Everyone Can Use
The Digital Front Door
Websites are the entry point to almost everything — from government benefits to healthcare, from job applications to civic engagement. When they’re not accessible, whole groups of people are effectively locked out.
What Inclusive Websites Look Like
Canadian Context
The Challenges
The Opportunities
The Bigger Picture
Websites are no longer optional extras — they’re public infrastructure. Just as we expect ramps and elevators in physical spaces, we should expect accessible websites in digital spaces.
The Question
Should Canada adopt a national accessibility certification for websites — a simple public signal that a site is usable for everyone?