Accessibility

What we aim for

We aim to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines at level AA. We have not been audited against them and we do not claim conformance. An accessibility badge nobody verified is worse than no badge, because somebody might rely on it.

What we do instead is check specific things automatically, on every build, and fix what those checks catch.

What is actually checked

• Form labels resolve to a real field. Every question in every questionnaire is rendered and inspected on each build: 12 choice fields and 19 typed fields, with the check failing if a label points at an element that does not exist. That check was written because a label was found pointing at nothing.
• The page works at 375 pixels wide. Layouts are measured in a real 375 pixel mobile viewport rather than a resized desktop window, which is a distinction we got wrong once and now enforce.
• Results are visible without hunting. Calculators and tools are checked to confirm their answer is on screen after you interact, rather than below the fold.
• The page declares its language (Canadian English), so a screen reader pronounces it correctly.
• Menus announce their state. The mobile menu button carries a label and reports whether it is open.
• There is a skip-to-content link. It is the first thing a keyboard user reaches on every page, it stays out of sight until it takes focus, and it moves focus into the main region rather than only scrolling to it.
• Every image carries alternative text, checked on each build across all 14 of them, tag by tag rather than line by line.

What is not checked, and what we know is imperfect

This is the part most statements leave out.

• No automated accessibility audit runs against the whole site. The checks above are specific and deliberate; they are not a sweep.
• Nothing has been tested with a screen reader by a person who uses one daily. We have not commissioned that, and we are not going to pretend otherwise.
• Colour contrast has not been measured page by page.
• The documents we generate are PDFs, and how well they read in assistive software has not been tested.

If something blocks you

Tell us and we will fix it. Email support@guidepostcanada.ca or use the support form. Say which page and what happened, in whatever words are easiest.

We will reply within five business days, and the reply will either tell you it is fixed or tell you honestly when it will be. If you need the information in another format in the meantime, ask, and we will send it.