Accessibility is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’. It’s officially a legal obligation.
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is reshaping how organizations communicate, ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, has equal access to information. For PR professionals, this is a critical moment: The compliance deadline has passed, and failure to meet accessibility standards could mean penalties – not just financial, but reputational.
Are you helping your clients stay compliant? If accessibility isn’t already part of your communications strategy, it needs to be. Here’s what you need to know about the AODA, its impact on communicators, and what steps to take immediately to meet requirements and ensure your messaging is inclusive and accessible.
What is the AODA?
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is a provincial law in Ontario, aimed at creating a fully accessible province by 2025. It mandates that organizations – public, private and non-profit – must eliminate barriers to accessibility in various areas, including communications, customer service, employment, transportation, and the built environment.
For PR professionals, the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR) under the AODA is especially relevant. It covers information and communications, requiring that all public-facing content be accessible to people with disabilities. This is especially important as this particular Standard came into effect on January 1st, 2021.
Organizations with 50 or more employees in Ontario were required to file an AODA compliance report by June 30th, 2023. If your clients haven’t done so yet, they are already out of compliance, and that comes with risks.
What happens if organizations don’t comply?
AODA non-compliance comes with steep penalties. The fines for failing to comply can be significant:
- Individuals or unincorporated organizations can be fined up to CAD 50,000 per day for each day the violation continues.
- Corporations can face fines of up to CAD 100,000 per day.
- Directors and officers of a corporation can also be held personally liable for non-compliance.
Beyond financial penalties, there’s also brand reputation at stake. Non-compliance signals that an organization isn’t committed to inclusivity, and in today’s socially conscious landscape, that can impact brand loyalty, consumer trust and stakeholder relationships.
How does AODA affect PR and communications?
For PR professionals, communications accessibility isn’t just a legal requirement; it’s a core part of ethical and effective messaging. Whether you’re working in-house or with clients, here’s how AODA impacts communications strategies and content development:
1. Websites must be fully accessible
As of January 1st, 2021, any large private or non-profit organization (50+ employees) or public sector organization must ensure that their websites and web content meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards.
What does this mean for PR professionals?
- Press releases, blog posts, and digital reports must be screen-reader friendly.
- PDFs should be tagged and properly formatted for accessibility (following PDF/UA compliance).
- Websites should include alternative text for images, high contrast visuals, and keyboard navigation capabilities.
- Videos require captions and transcripts to be fully compliant.
If your client’s website isn’t accessible, they are already at risk of penalties. PR teams should audit and recommend fixes immediately.
2. Social media needs to be accessible
PR professionals often oversee social media strategy, and AODA compliance applies here too. While social platforms aren’t inherently compliant, organizations are responsible for making their content accessible.
What should PR teams be doing?
- Include alt text or an image description on all images – both embedded and in the caption of your posts.
- Use PascalCase for hashtags (for example, #AccessibleCommunications, instead of #accessiblecommunications).
- Provide captions for videos. Remember, auto-generated captions are not always accurate.
- Avoid using ASCII art, excessive emojis or custom fonts that screen readers cannot interpret.
3. Documents and Reports Must Be Accessible
Press releases, annual reports, marketing materials and corporate communications must be formatted for accessibility.
What should PR teams do?
- Convert documents to accessible PDFs (fully tagged for screen readers).
- Use structured headings (H1, H2, H3) in Word documents.
- Ensure all text is clear, high contrast, and not embedded in images.
Tools to help: Use PDF Accessibility Checker 2024 (the current industry standard), GrackleDocs, and Microsoft’s built-in accessibility features.
4. Events and public relations campaigns need to be inclusive
From press conferences to media events, accessibility must be prioritized.
PR teams should ensure:
- Live captions and ASL interpreters are available for virtual and in-person events.
- Event materials (agendas, presentations, etc.) are provided in accessible formats.
- Physical venues meet accessibility requirements for attendees with disabilities.
Failing to do so can exclude key stakeholders and damage an organization’s reputation.
What PR teams and communicators need to do ASAP
If you haven’t already helped your clients become AODA-compliant, start now. Here are the first steps PR professionals should take:
1. Conduct an accessibility audit
- Review websites, documents, social media and digital content for compliance gaps.
- Identify areas where accessibility needs improvement (for example, missing captions, hard-to-read PDFs, inaccessible press releases).
2. Implement WCAG-compliant content
- Train content teams on inclusive design and accessible writing.
- Standardize accessibility checks for all outgoing communications.
3. Advocate for inclusive communications policies
- Work with leadership and legal teams to ensure accessibility is built into corporate communication strategies.
- Create an internal accessibility guide for PR and marketing teams.
4. Offer accessibility training for clients and teams
- Many organizations don’t know they are out of compliance. Educate stakeholders on why accessibility matters and how it benefits both audiences and business success.
5. Stay up-to-date on accessibility regulations
- AODA is just one framework. We need to also be aware of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) and global standards like ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and EU Accessibility Act.
The bottom line: We need to lead on accessibility
The AODA compliance deadline has already passed. If your clients haven’t taken action, they are already at risk. As PR professionals, we have the power, and the responsibility, to ensure accessibility isn’t overlooked.
Inclusive communications don’t just meet legal requirements; they also build trust, engagement and brand reputation. Organizations that prioritize accessibility will reach more audiences, mitigate risks and demonstrate real commitment to inclusivity.
So, ask yourself: Are you helping your clients stay compliant and inclusive?
If the answer is no, it’s time to act.
by Matisse Hamel-Nelis