Burnaby Website Accessibility - WCAG Compliance Guide
Burnaby, British Columbia departments must ensure public websites meet WCAG standards to provide equitable access and meet municipal expectations. This guide explains practical steps for audits, remediation, vendor procurement, reporting and complaint handling tailored for city departments, libraries and public agencies in Burnaby. It highlights responsibilities, typical violations, and how to document compliance for procurement and public records. Use this as an operational checklist to arrange an accessibility audit, set priorities, and open communication channels for members of the public to report barriers.
Penalties & Enforcement
Burnaby does not publish a citywide schedule of fines specifically tied to web accessibility on its public accessibility or bylaw pages; monetary penalties for accessibility requirements are not specified on the cited page.View city accessibility overview[1] Provincial obligations under Accessible British Columbia legislation may apply to public bodies in scope, but specific municipal enforcement amounts or tiers are not listed on the provincial summary page cited here.See Accessible British Columbia overview[2]
- Enforcer: City of Burnaby IT/Communications and By-law Enforcement where applicable.
- Appeals/review routes: not specified on the cited page; check departmental decision notices or provincial appeal processes.
- Monetary penalties: not specified on the cited page.
- Inspection and complaint pathway: report accessibility barriers via the City of Burnaby accessibility contact or complaints form on the city site.[1]
Applications & Forms
No dedicated municipal web-accessibility violation form is published on the cited Burnaby page; departments typically accept written complaints or service requests through the city contact channels listed on the official site.[1]
Practical Compliance Steps for Departments
- Conduct a WCAG 2.1 AA audit (automated plus manual testing with assistive technology).
- Maintain an accessible content checklist for publishing and procurement.
- Prioritize fixes by impact: navigation, keyboard focus, forms, documents.
- Budget for remediation and vendor contracts in procurement documents.
- Set review cycles and public status reports on accessibility progress.
Common Violations
- Poor semantic headings and landmarks that prevent screen reader navigation.
- Images without meaningful alt text or decorative images lacking null alt attributes.
- Forms without accessible labels, instructions or error handling.
FAQ
- Who enforces web accessibility for Burnaby departments?
- The City of Burnaby’s IT/Communications teams manage website accessibility; complaints can be submitted through the city accessibility contact channels listed on the Burnaby site.[1]
- Which standard should departments follow?
- Use WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the operational target for most public-facing services and documents.
- Are there fines for noncompliance?
- Specific municipal fine amounts for web accessibility are not specified on the cited page; check provincial obligations for public bodies for additional requirements.[2]
How-To
- Plan: assign a lead, set scope and timeline for an accessibility audit.
- Audit: run automated scans and manual tests, include assistive-technology users.
- Remediate: prioritize fixes and publish an accessibility statement with timelines.
- Procure: include WCAG requirements in RFPs, and require conformance reporting.
- Report: provide a public complaints route and respond within published service timeframes.
Key Takeaways
- Start with an audit that includes real-user testing, not just automated tools.
- Publish an accessibility statement and remediation timeline for transparency.
Help and Support / Resources
- City of Burnaby - Accessibility
- Burnaby Permits & Building Inspections
- Burnaby By-law Enforcement
- Accessible British Columbia - provincial overview
