Calgary WCAG Web Accessibility Standards - Bylaw Guide

Technology and Data Alberta 3 Minutes Read · published February 11, 2026 Flag of Alberta

Calgary, Alberta requires public-facing city websites to meet recognized web accessibility standards. This guide explains how WCAG applies to City of Calgary sites, where the City documents its commitments, how to report barriers, and what to expect from enforcement and remediation processes. It is aimed at administrators, accessibility coordinators, municipal staff, and vendors responsible for city site compliance.

Penalties & Enforcement

The City of Calgary publishes a web accessibility statement and internal accessibility commitments that reference WCAG conformance benchmarks and remediation processes. For details on the City statement, see the City web accessibility statement page[1]. The cited City page documents standards and contact channels but does not set out municipal fines or a specific bylaw penalty schedule.

  • Fine amounts: not specified on the cited page.
  • Escalation: first/repeat/continuing offence ranges not specified on the cited page.
  • Non-monetary sanctions: remedial orders, required content remediation, takedown or temporary restrictions are the primary remedies referenced.
  • Enforcer: Corporate accessibility team, web team and relevant business unit inspectors; complaints are routed through the City accessibility contact channels.
  • Appeals/reviews: time limits for appeals are not specified on the cited page; where statutory appeal routes apply they will follow the relevant municipal or provincial procedure.
City web pages state commitments to WCAG benchmarks and a remediation process.

Applications & Forms

No public application form or penalty notice form for web accessibility violations is published on the City web accessibility statement page; where reporting is required the City provides contact details and an issue-reporting workflow on the same page. The City does not list a published fee schedule for web accessibility breaches on that page.

How compliance is determined

Compliance assessments typically reference WCAG 2.0 or WCAG 2.1 success criteria at Level AA as the technical benchmark. The City applies automated scans plus manual testing for assistive technology compatibility and semantic markup checks. Remediation timelines and priorities are set by the responsible business unit in consultation with the corporate accessibility group.

Document accessibility defects with screenshots, the page URL, and the assistive technology used.

Common violations and typical responses

  • Missing alt text for informative images — usually remediated by content update.
  • Improper heading structure or missing landmarks — requires code fixes and testing.
  • Inaccessible PDFs or documents — conversion or alternative accessible formats requested.
  • Keyboard navigation failures on interactive widgets — prioritized for developer remediation.

FAQ

What WCAG level does the City require?
The City references WCAG as the benchmark, generally targeting Level AA conformance; the City page should be consulted for the exact statement and current benchmark.
How do I report an inaccessible City webpage?
Use the contact and reporting channels listed on the City web accessibility statement page; include the page URL, details of the barrier, and contact info for follow-up.
Are there fines for noncompliant content?
The City statement does not publish specific fines or a penalty schedule for web accessibility noncompliance.

How-To

  1. Identify the inaccessible page or asset and capture the URL and a brief description of the barrier.
  2. Collect evidence: screenshots, browser/assistive-technology used, and steps to reproduce the issue.
  3. Submit the report via the City web accessibility contact channel shown on the City statement page.
  4. Follow up with the business unit owner and provide any requested files or access to reproduce the issue.
  5. If remediation is not completed, escalate to the corporate accessibility coordinator or submit a formal complaint as directed by City procedures.

Key Takeaways

  • The City commits to WCAG benchmarks and provides a reporting workflow.
  • Report barriers with URL, evidence, and assistive-technology details for fastest remediation.

Help and Support / Resources

  1. [1] City of Calgary web accessibility statement

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