Accessibility in Marketing
What Marketers Need to Know
Accessibility is about inclusivity and equal opportunity. The goal is for individuals with disabilities, whether temporary or permanent, to have the opportunity to participate as fully as possible in society, including online spaces. More than six million Canadians aged 15 and over identify as having an accessibility challenge, although Statistics Canada notes that actual numbers are likely higher. This represents a large segment of the population.
Creating accessible websites and content helps to ensure that they are usable by everyone, so the guiding principle is to design for all people of various abilities. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the benchmark for website accessibility and have been adopted around the world.
Marketers need to ensure digital content meets WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards at minimum. These standards outline alternative text to support visual and auditory needs, keyboard accessibility requirements and more.
In addition, there are accessibility provisions in the Canadian Marketing Code of Ethics and Standards. The CMA Guide to Digital Accessibility brings together essential information for marketers to help ensure that digital materials meet accessibility rules and best practices.
- CMA Guide: Digital Accessibility (members only)
Accessibility laws aim to remove barriers for individuals with disabilities. The laws stipulate that organizations must make public websites and web content accessible, conforming to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). They also require organizations to create, provide and have the capacity to receive information that is accessible to people with disabilities. Accessible formats and communication supports must be made available upon request, without added costs to the individual making the request, and without unreasonable delay.
The federal Accessible Canada Act (ACA) applies to all federally regulated organizations including Crown corporations, telcos and banks. This Act has a broader mandate aimed at creating a barrier-free Canada by 2040 and requires proactive measures to identify, remove and prevent barriers.
Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and British Columbia have accessibility laws with the requirements in the following areas:
- Accessible customer service,
- Accessible information and communications,
- Employment,
- Transportation, and
- Built environment.
Quebec’s legal requirements focus on the integration of people with disabilities into schools and workplaces, and the accessibility of buildings and services.
The Canadian Human Rights Act prohibit discrimination based on disability. This is important within the context of advertising and marketing collateral.
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