1. Do you need to file?
| Ontario employees | File a report? | Still have AODA obligations? |
|---|---|---|
| 1–19 | No | Yes |
| 20–49 | Yes, by Dec 31, 2026 | Yes |
| 50+ | Yes, by Dec 31, 2026 | Yes, with extra documentation, a multi-year plan, training records and website rules |
Count full-time, part-time, seasonal and contract workers in Ontario. Leave out staff outside Ontario, volunteers and independent contractors. Businesses and non-profits file every three years, so after 2026 the next report is due in 2029. (Designated public sector organizations follow a different schedule.)
2. What the report actually is
It’s a short online self-assessment. You answer six yes/no questions in Ontario’s Accessibility Compliance Reporting Portal, and a senior officer who can legally bind the organization certifies that the answers are accurate. You don’t upload documents, but providing false or misleading information is an offence, and reports can be audited later.
About enforcement, in proportion
Ontario’s 2024 AODA annual report says the ministry launched 1,238 attestation audits, which target organizations that missed a deadline, reported non-compliance or never filed. It completed 871 verification audits, 772 of them of businesses and non-profits. The ministry works with organizations to reach compliance before enforcing; 99% of verification audits were resolved as compliant, and it issued 19 Director’s Orders, one with administrative penalties.
The realistic risk is an audit letter and catch-up work, not an automatic fine. It’s still a legal obligation, and your officer is signing their name to it.
3. Before you start, have this ready
- Legal name and business number (BN9)
- Number of employees in Ontario
- Business and mailing addresses
- Your industry (NAICS code)
- The certifier’s name, title and contact details
- The documents behind each answer (see section 6)
4. The six questions, in plain language
- General: do you have accessibility policies, train staff and volunteers, and (at 50+) keep a multi-year plan and training records?
- Information and communications: can people give feedback accessibly, and do you provide accessible formats on request? At 50+, does your public website meet WCAG 2.0 AA?
- Employment: do recruitment, accommodation, emergency information and (at 50+) individual accommodation plans and return to work follow the standards?
- Transportation: do you provide transportation services, directly or through a third party? Most businesses answer no.
- Design of Public Spaces: applies only to new or redeveloped public spaces such as outdoor paths, parking and service counters.
- Customer service: assistive devices, service animals, support persons, notices of temporary disruptions, and training.
Question topics are taken from the 2026 business and non-profit report form. Check the exact wording in the portal when you file.
5. What a defensible “yes” needs, by size
| Requirement | 20–49 staff | 50–199 staff |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility policies and a statement of commitment | Required (writing them down is advised) | Required, documented and publicly available |
| Multi-year accessibility plan, posted online and reviewed at least every 5 years | Not required | Required |
| Training on the standards and the Human Rights Code | Required | Required |
| Written training records (dates and number trained) | Not required | Required |
| Accessible feedback process and accessible formats on request | Required | Required |
| Public website and content after 2012 meet WCAG 2.0 AA | Not required | Required (except live captions and pre-recorded audio description) |
| Accessible recruitment notices, employee notices, workplace emergency information | Required | Required |
| Documented individual accommodation plans and a return-to-work process | Not required | Required |
| Customer service: assistive devices, service animals, support persons, disruption notices | Required | Required, with documented policies available on request |
Not sure where you stand?
Send your website and approximate headcount. Within one business day we’ll show which of the six questions look ready and what’s missing. Free.
6. Evidence to keep on file (the certifier’s checklist)
| Question | Keep on file |
|---|---|
| 1. General | Accessibility policy with statement of commitment; multi-year plan and its web link (50+); training log (50+) |
| 2. Information | Feedback procedure; public notice on accessible formats; website accessibility review and fix plan (50+) |
| 3. Employment | Job posting and offer letter wording; employee notice; emergency information form; accommodation plan and return-to-work process (50+) |
| 4. Transportation | A note confirming whether you provide transportation |
| 5. Public spaces | A list of any new or redeveloped public spaces and how the standards were met |
| 6. Customer service | Customer service policy; temporary disruption notice template; training log |
Want this as a checklist you can tick? Our printable AODA 2026 certifier checklist turns this section into items marked by size. No email needed.
7. Filing in the Accessibility Compliance Reporting Portal
- Go to the portal from ontario.ca’s reporting page and select Sign In/Create Account.
- Choose New Submission, then Accessibility Compliance Report.
- Enter organization details: category (business or non-profit), employee range (20–49 or 50+), BN9, addresses and industry.
- Answer the six questions. Use the comment boxes to add context, such as a date by which an open item will be fixed.
- Enter the certifier, who confirms the report is accurate and that they can bind the organization, and an optional primary contact.
- Submit, then save the confirmation.
Related organizations can share one form (up to 20) if they have the same category, employee range, certifier and answers.
8. Example: a filled-in report for a fictional employer
See our annotated walkthrough for a fictional 84-person manufacturer. It shows each question, the evidence behind it and the open items, alongside its policy, multi-year plan and website check.
9. If a “yes” isn’t true yet
Most gaps are documents and training, which can be closed in days. Close them before you file. If something can’t be finished by December 31, answer accurately and use the comment box to explain what’s in progress and when it will be done. For unusual situations, ask an employment lawyer; this guide isn’t legal advice.
10. Common mistakes
- Counting only full-time staff (part-time, seasonal and contract workers count).
- Treating an accessibility widget or “overlay” as compliance; the report covers policies, AODA training records and HR processes too.
- No written AODA training records at 50+, so no proof of who was trained.
- A policy that exists but isn’t public (50+).
- A multi-year plan that hasn’t been reviewed in five years.
- Someone without authority to bind the organization certifying the report.
11. Free official resources
- Accessibility rules for businesses and non-profits
- Completing your accessibility compliance report
- How to make websites accessible
- Templates: accessibility policy, multi-year plan, accessibility standards checklist
12. Want it done for you?
We prepare the full document set and walk your certifier through the six questions in 10 business days: C$650 pilot price for 50–199 staff (first 5 organizations, then C$950), C$450 for 20–49. Orders close December 5, 2026.
Start with a free snapshot
One page, within one business day. No obligation.
13. FAQ
When is the AODA compliance report due?
December 31, 2026 for businesses and non-profits with 20 or more Ontario employees, then every three years (next in 2029).
Who has to file an AODA compliance report in 2026?
Ontario businesses and non-profits with 20 or more employees in Ontario must file by December 31, 2026. The report is due every three years.
Do organizations with fewer than 20 employees need to file?
No. Organizations with 1 to 19 employees don’t file a report, but they must still comply with the AODA.
How do I count employees for AODA?
Count full-time, part-time, seasonal and contract workers in Ontario. Don't count employees outside Ontario, volunteers or independent contractors.
What are the six questions on the AODA compliance report?
They cover the General requirements, the Information and Communications Standards, the Employment Standards, whether you provide transportation services, the Design of Public Spaces Standards, and the Customer Service Standards. Each is answered yes or no, with an optional comment.
Who can certify the AODA compliance report?
A senior officer with legal authority to bind the organization and to confirm the report is complete and accurate.
Do we upload documents to the portal?
No. You answer the questions and certify them. Keep the documents on file in case of an audit.
Which WCAG version does the AODA require?
WCAG 2.0 Level AA for public websites and web content posted after January 1, 2012, for organizations with 50 or more employees, except success criteria 1.2.4 (live captions) and 1.2.5 (pre-recorded audio descriptions). Intranets and extranets are excluded.
Who needs AODA training?
All employees and volunteers, people who develop your policies, and anyone who provides goods, services or facilities on your behalf. At 50 or more employees you must keep a written record of dates and the number of people trained.
What if we answer “no” to a question?
Answer truthfully. Organizations that report non-compliance can receive an attestation audit. Fix what you can before filing and explain the rest in the comment box.
What happens if we don’t file?
Ontario says not filing could lead to enforcement measures, which can include financial penalties. In 2024 the ministry launched 1,238 attestation audits, which target organizations that missed a deadline, reported non-compliance or never filed.
We installed an accessibility widget (accessiBe, UserWay, AudioEye). Are we covered?
Not for the report. A widget adds a toolbar to your site. It does not write your policies, train your staff, keep AODA training records or document your hiring and accommodation processes, which is what most of the six questions ask about. It also does not fix the underlying pages by itself.
What are the AODA standards?
The Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation has General requirements plus four standards: Information and Communications, Employment, Transportation, and Design of Public Spaces. The Customer Service Standards are also part of it. The six report questions follow this structure.
Can one report cover several related companies?
Yes, up to 20, if they share the same category, employee range, certifier and answers.
This guide summarizes Ontario’s published requirements as of October 20, 2026. It is not legal advice, and AODA Report Desk is not affiliated with the Government of Ontario.