Accessible Canada Regulations (SOR/2021-241)
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Regulations are current to 2026-03-17
AMENDMENTS NOT IN FORCE
— SOR/2025-255, s. 1
1 (1) The definition employee in subsection 1(1) of the Accessible Canada RegulationsFootnote 1 is replaced by the following:
Return to footnote 1SOR/2021-241
- employee
employee includes a dependent contractor as defined in subsection 3(1) of the Canada Labour Code. (employé)
(2) Subsection 1(1) of the Regulations is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:
- broadcasting or telecommunications entity
broadcasting or telecommunications entity means an entity that carries on a broadcasting undertaking or that is a Canadian carrier or a telecommunications service provider. (entité de radiodiffusion ou de télécommunication)
- federal public sector entity
federal public sector entity means a regulated entity described in any of paragraphs 7(1)(a) to (d) of the Act. (entité du secteur public fédéral)
- transportation service provider
transportation service provider means an entity that is required to comply with any provision of regulations made under subsection 170(1) of the Canada Transportation Act. (fournisseur de services de transport)
(3) Subsection 1(3) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
Average number of employees — period of years
(3) For the purposes of these Regulations, the average number of employees during a given period of years is the sum of the average number of employees during each year in that period, divided by the number of years in the period and rounded to the nearest whole number or, if the value is equidistant between two whole numbers, rounded up to the nearest whole number.
Number of employees — exclusion
(4) For the purposes of subsections (2) and (3), the number of employees excludes
(a) any person employed under a program designated by the employer as a student employment program; and
(b) any student employed solely during the student’s vacation periods.
— SOR/2025-255, s. 2
2 The portion of section 2 of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
Band
2 With respect to a band, the following entities and persons are exempt from the application of sections 47 to 49, 56 to 58, 65 to 67 and 69 to 71 of the Act and sections 3 to 19.9 of these Regulations until December 31, 2033:
— SOR/2025-255, s. 3
3 Subparagraph 8(3)(b)(i) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(i) 15 days after the day on which the request is received, in the case of a federal public sector entity,
— SOR/2025-255, s. 4
4 Subparagraph 9(6)(b)(i) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(i) 15 days after the day on which the request is received, in the case of a federal public sector entity,
— SOR/2025-255, s. 5
5 Subparagraph 17(3)(b)(i) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(i) 15 days after the day on which the request is received, in the case of a federal public sector entity,
— SOR/2025-255, s. 6
6 The Regulations are amended by adding the following after section 19:
PART 1.1Information and Communication Technologies
Definitions
19.1 The following definitions apply in this Part.
- employee-facing
employee-facing, with respect to a web page of a regulated entity, means primarily intended for use by that regulated entity’s employees. (destinée aux employés)
- heritage content
heritage content means content consisting of reproductions or representations of documents or other items that is maintained by a regulated entity primarily for reasons of historical, artistic or aesthetic interest. (contenu patrimonial)
- ICT Standard
ICT Standard means the standard CAN/ASC - EN 301 549, Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services, published by Accessibility Standards Canada, as amended from time to time. (norme TIC)
- web page
web page has the same meaning as in clause 3.1 of the ICT Standard. (page Web)
Day on which section first applies
19.2 In this Part, a reference to the day on which a section first applies to an entity means the later of
(a) the day on which the section comes into force, and
(b) the first day on which the entity is an entity referred to in the section, regardless of whether there is subsequently any period in which it ceases to be such an entity.
Feasibility of conformity
19.3 For the purposes of this Part, the following factors are relevant to determining the extent to which it is feasible for a web page to conform to the requirements of the ICT Standard:
(a) the availability of technology that would permit conformity;
(b) the existence of significant obstacles to the implementation of the technology and any efforts by the regulated entity to overcome those obstacles; and
(c) the regulated entity’s degree of control over the web page, including under any agreement with a third party.
Employee-facing web pages
19.4 (1) A federal public sector entity must, unless it is a transportation service provider to which Part 1 of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations does not apply, ensure that each of its employee-facing web pages that is created or updated on or after the day on which this section first applies to the entity conforms, to the extent feasible, to the applicable requirements set out in clauses 4 to 7 and 9 of the ICT Standard for as long as the web page remains available to employees.
Alternative measures
(2) To the extent that conformity with the applicable requirements of the ICT Standard is not feasible, the entity must, if this non-conformity imposes barriers on users or potential users of the web page, ensure that other reasonable measures to remove those barriers are taken, including the establishment of alternative means for accessing the key information that is provided on the web page or for performing the tasks associated with the web page.
Exceptions to alternative measures
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply in respect of any maps, mapping services or technical drawings or images on the web page.
Exceptions — certain content
(4) This section does not apply in respect of heritage content, user-generated content or content that is accessed through a collaborative digital environment.
Other web pages
19.5 (1) A federal public sector entity that is not a broadcasting or telecommunications entity or a transportation service provider must ensure that each of its web pages that is not employee-facing and that is created or updated on or after the day on which this section first applies to the entity conforms, to the extent feasible, to the applicable requirements set out in clauses 4 to 7 and 9 of the ICT Standard for as long as the web page remains available to the public.
Alternative measures
(2) To the extent that conformity with the applicable requirements of the ICT Standard is not feasible, the entity must, if this non-conformity imposes barriers on users or potential users of the web page, ensure that other reasonable measures to remove those barriers are taken, including the establishment of alternative means for accessing the key information that is provided on the web page or for performing the tasks associated with the web page.
Exceptions to alternative measures
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply in respect of any maps, mapping services or technical drawings or images on the web page.
Exceptions — certain content
(4) This section does not apply in respect of heritage content or user-generated content.
Accessibility statement
19.6 (1) A federal public sector entity must publish an accessibility statement no later than the day on which any obligation under this Part first applies to it and then once every 12 months.
Requirements
(2) The accessibility statement must meet the following requirements:
(a) it must be written in simple, clear and concise language;
(b) it must indicate the date on which it is published;
(c) it must provide the entity’s contact information in relation to accessibility matters, including at least two of the following:
(i) an email address,
(ii) a telephone number,
(iii) a mailing address;
(d) it must include an acknowledgement of the entity’s obligations under this Part;
(e) it must describe the accessibility features of the web pages to which it relates;
(f) it must provide an overview of any instances in which an obligation to conform to the ICT Standard is not being met;
(g) if any instances referred to in paragraph (f) are the result of conformity with the ICT Standard not being feasible and the non-conformity imposes barriers on users or potential users of the web page, it must describe the other measures that have been taken, if required, to remove those barriers, including the alternative means that have been established for accessing information or performing tasks;
(h) it must describe the entity’s plans and timelines for addressing gaps in its conformity with the ICT Standard; and
(i) it must be accessible from a prominent location on each web page to which it relates.
Retention
(3) The entity must retain an electronic copy of the accessibility statement until the fourth anniversary of the day on which it is published.
Conformity assessment — retention
19.7 A regulated entity that conducts or obtains a conformity assessment against the ICT Standard in respect of any web page in relation to which the entity has obligations under this Part must retain an electronic copy of the report produced in relation to the assessment, including any gap analysis, until the fourth anniversary of the day on which the assessment is completed.
Training
19.8 (1) Each of the following regulated entities must ensure that each of its employees who are involved in the development, maintenance or procurement of information and communication technologies has received training on accessibility fundamentals in relation to those technologies, including refresher training at least once every three years:
(a) a federal public sector entity other than a transportation service provider to which Part 1 of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations does not apply; and
(b) a regulated entity described in paragraph 7(1)(e) of the Act, other than a transportation service provider to which Part 1 of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations does not apply, that had an average of 100 or more employees during the preceding three-year period.
Record
(2) The regulated entity must retain an electronic record of all training provided under this section until the fourth anniversary of the day on which the training is provided.
Alternatives to ICT Standard
19.9 Any requirement under this Part to conform to the ICT Standard may be satisfied by instead conforming to
(a) any version of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) standard EN 301 549, Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services, that was published more recently than the current version of the ICT Standard; or
(b) the version of the ICT Standard that immediately precedes its current version, if the current version was published within the last three years.
— SOR/2025-255, s. 7
7 (1) The definition employee-facing in section 19.1 of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
- employee-facing
employee-facing, with respect to a web page or mobile application of a regulated entity, means primarily intended for use by that regulated entity’s employees. (destinée aux employés)
(2) Section 19.1 of the Regulations is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:
- non-web document
non-web document has the same meaning as in clause 3.1 of the ICT Standard. (document non Web)
— SOR/2025-255, s. 8
8 (1) The portion of section 19.3 of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
Feasibility of conformity
19.3 For the purposes of this Part, the following factors are relevant to determining the extent to which it is feasible for a web page, mobile application or non-web document to conform to the requirements of the ICT Standard:
(2) Paragraph 19.3(c) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(c) the regulated entity’s degree of control over the web page, mobile application or non-web document, including under any agreement with a third party.
— SOR/2025-255, s. 9
9 The Regulations are amended by adding the following after section 19.3:
Acting for another
19.31 A regulated entity described in paragraph 7(1)(f) of the Act that acts in the name of or for the benefit of an entity that has obligations under this Part has those same obligations in relation to that other entity, and any failure by the regulated entity described in paragraph 7(1)(f) of the Act to meet any of those obligations is, for the purposes of Part 3, to be considered a violation of the provision that imposes the obligation on the other entity.
— SOR/2025-255, s. 10
10 Subsection 19.4(1) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
Employee-facing web pages
19.4 (1) Each of the following regulated entities must, unless it is a transportation service provider to which Part 1 of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations does not apply, ensure that each of its employee-facing web pages that is created or updated on or after the day on which this section first applies to the entity conforms, to the extent feasible, to the applicable requirements set out in clauses 4 to 7 and 9 of the ICT Standard for as long as the web page remains available to employees:
(a) a federal public sector entity; and
(b) a regulated entity described in paragraph 7(1)(e) of the Act that had an average of 100 or more employees during the preceding three-year period.
— SOR/2025-255, s. 11
11 Subsection 19.5(1) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
Other web pages
19.5 (1) Each of the following regulated entities must ensure that each of its web pages that is not employee-facing and that is created or updated on or after the day on which this section first applies to the entity conforms, to the extent feasible, to the applicable requirements set out in clauses 4 to 7 and 9 of the ICT Standard for as long as the web page remains available to the public:
(a) a federal public sector entity other than a broadcasting or telecommunications entity or a transportation service provider; and
(b) a regulated entity described in paragraph 7(1)(e) of the Act, other than a broadcasting or telecommunications entity or a transportation service provider, that had an average of 100 or more employees during the preceding three-year period.
— SOR/2025-255, s. 12
12 The Regulations are amended by adding the following after section 19.5:
Mobile applications
19.51 (1) Each of the following regulated entities must ensure that any mobile application that it launches on or after the day on which this section first applies to the entity and that is not employee-facing conforms, to the extent feasible, to the applicable requirements set out in clauses 4 to 7 and 11 of the ICT Standard for as long as the application remains available for download:
(a) a federal public sector entity other than a broadcasting or telecommunications entity or a transportation service provider; and
(b) a regulated entity described in paragraph 7(1)(e) of the Act, other than a broadcasting or telecommunications entity or a transportation service provider, that had an average of 500 or more employees during the preceding three-year period.
Alternative measures
(2) To the extent that conformity with the applicable requirements of the ICT Standard is not feasible, the regulated entity must, if this non-conformity imposes barriers on users or potential users of the mobile application, ensure that other reasonable measures to remove those barriers are taken, including the establishment of alternative means for accessing the key information that is provided in the mobile application or for performing the tasks associated with the mobile application.
Exceptions to alternative measures
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply in respect of any maps, mapping services or technical drawings or images in the mobile application.
Exceptions — certain content
(4) This section does not apply in respect of heritage content or user-generated content.
Conformity assessment — other mobile applications
(5) If a regulated entity referred to in paragraph (1)(a) or (b) continues to make available for download a mobile application that it launched before the day on which this section first applied to the entity and that is not employee-facing, it must conduct or obtain a conformity assessment, including a gap analysis, against the applicable requirements set out in clauses 4 to 7 and 11 of the ICT Standard with respect to that mobile application.
Non-web documents
19.52 (1) Each of the following regulated entities must ensure that any non-web document that, on or after the day on which this section first applies to the entity, is made available for download from any of its web pages, or mobile applications, that are not employee-facing conforms, to the extent feasible, to the applicable requirements set out in clauses 4 to 7 and 10 of the ICT Standard for as long as the document remains available for download:
(a) a federal public sector entity other than a broadcasting or telecommunications entity or a transportation service provider; and
(b) a regulated entity described in paragraph 7(1)(e) of the Act, other than a broadcasting or telecommunications entity or a transportation service provider, that had an average of 500 or more employees during the preceding three-year period.
Alternative measures
(2) To the extent that conformity with the applicable requirements of the ICT Standard is not feasible, the regulated entity must, if this non-conformity imposes barriers on users or potential users of the non-web document, ensure that other reasonable measures to remove those barriers are taken, including the establishment of alternative means for accessing the key information that is provided in the document or for performing the tasks associated with the document.
Exceptions to alternative measures
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply in respect of any maps, mapping services or technical drawings or images in the non-web document.
Exception — certain content
(4) This section does not apply in respect of heritage content or user-generated content.
— SOR/2025-255, s. 13
13 (1) Subsection 19.6(1) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
Accessibility statement
19.6 (1) Each of the following regulated entities that has an obligation under this Part must publish an accessibility statement no later than the day on which the obligation first applies to it and then once every 12 months:
(a) a federal public sector entity; and
(b) a regulated entity described in paragraph 7(1)(e) of the Act that had an average of 500 or more employees during the preceding three-year period.
(2) Paragraph 19.6(2)(e) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(e) it must describe the accessibility features of the web pages, mobile applications and non-web documents to which it relates;
(3) Paragraph 19.6(2)(g) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(g) if any instances referred to in paragraph (f) are the result of conformity with the ICT Standard not being feasible and the non-conformity imposes barriers on users or potential users of the web page, mobile application or non-web document, it must describe the other measures that have been taken, if required, to remove those barriers, including the alternative means that have been established for accessing information or performing tasks;
(4) Paragraph 19.6(2)(i) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(i) it must be accessible
(i) in the case of a statement that relates to a web page, from a prominent location on the web page,
(ii) in the case of a statement that relates to a mobile application, from a prominent location on the application’s home screen, and
(iii) in the case of a statement that relates to a non-web document, from a prominent location on each web page from which the document is available for download and from a prominent location on the home screen of each mobile application from which the document is available for download.
— SOR/2025-255, s. 14
14 Section 19.7 of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
Procurement
19.61 Each of the following regulated entities that initiates a process to procure products or services in connection with the development or provision of any web page or mobile application in relation to which the entity has obligations under this Part must obtain, as part of the procurement process, a conformity assessment, including a gap analysis, against the applicable requirements of the ICT Standard with respect to the web page or mobile application:
(a) a federal public sector entity other than a broadcasting or telecommunications entity; and
(b) a regulated entity described in paragraph 7(1)(e) of the Act, other than a broadcasting or telecommunications entity, that had an average of 500 or more employees during the preceding three-year period.
Conformity assessment — retention
19.7 A regulated entity that conducts or obtains a conformity assessment against the ICT Standard in respect of any web page or mobile application in relation to which the entity has obligations under this Part must retain an electronic copy of the report produced in relation to the assessment, including any gap analysis, until the fourth anniversary of the day on which the assessment is completed.
— SOR/2025-255, s. 15
15 Part 3 of Schedule 1 to the Regulations is amended by adding the following after item 10:
Column 1 Column 2 Item Provision Classification 11 19.4(1) Minor 12 19.4(2) Minor 13 19.5(1) Minor 14 19.5(2) Minor 15 19.6(1) Minor 16 19.6(2) Minor 17 19.6(3) Minor 18 19.7 Minor 19 19.8(1) Minor 20 19.8(2) Minor
— SOR/2025-255, s. 16
16 Part 3 of Schedule 1 to the Regulations is amended by adding the following after item 14:
Column 1 Column 2 Item Provision Classification 14.1 19.51(1) Minor 14.2 19.51(2) Minor 14.3 19.51(5) Minor 14.4 19.52(1) Minor 14.5 19.52(2) Minor
— SOR/2025-255, s. 17
17 Part 3 of Schedule 1 to the Regulations is amended by adding the following after item 17:
Column 1 Column 2 Item Provision Classification 17.1 19.61 Minor
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