Rescinded [2011-08-01] - Common Look and Feel Standards for the Internet, Part 2: Standard on the Accessibility, Interoperability and Usability of Web Sites

This standard comes into effect on January 1, 2007, and replaces the following Treasury Board Common Look and Feel Standards and Guidelines for Internet:

• Standard 1.1 - W3C Checkpoints;
• Standard 1.2 - Document Technologies;
• Standard 1.3 - Alternate Formats;
• Standard 1.4 - Text Equivalents;
• Standard 6.8 - Validation;
• Guideline 1.1 - HTML 4.0; and
• Guideline 6.1 - Cascading Style Sheets

This standard applies to institutions listed in Schedules I, I.1 and II of the Financial Administration Act.

Canadians have the right to obtain information and services from Government of Canada Web sites regardless of the technologies they use. The key to effective implementation of universal accessibility lies in designing sites to serve the widest possible audience and the broadest possible range of hardware and software platforms, from adaptive technologies to emerging technologies.

For many Canadians, accessing Web content is more complicated than clicking a mouse and typing on a keyboard. Some Canadians rely on adaptive technologies such as text readers, audio players and voice-activated devices to overcome the barriers presented by standard Internet technologies. Others may be limited by their own technology.

The World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) has developed universal accessibility guidelines. Along with these WAI guidelines and, in keeping with the client-centred approach of Common Look and Feel, this standard is directed toward ensuring equitable access to all content on Government of Canada Web sites.

This standard clearly allows an institution to provide information in multiple formats.

Deputy heads are accountable for implementing this standard in their institutions.

Consistent with the requirements above, deputy heads will monitor adherence to this standard within their institutions, taking direction from Treasury Board's Active Monitoring Policy, Evaluation Policy and Policy on Internal Audit.

At a minimum, the institution assesses the following:

• compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 Priority 1 and Priority 2 checkpoints of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative;
• use of and conformance to XHTML 1.0 Strict and CSS 1.0 as baseline technologies;
• where presenting the content in XHTML 1.0 Strict or other language described as a W3C recommendation is not possible, the availability of accessible alternate versions and Accessibility Notices;
• where multiple formats are offered, a text indication of the format, file type and size is provided for each format and a link to any specialized software required; and
• sufficient contrast between textual elements and background colours or images.

The Treasury Board Secretariat will monitor compliance with all aspects of this standard in a variety of ways, including but not limited to assessments under the Management Accountability Framework, examinations of Treasury Board Submissions, Departmental Performance Reports and results of audits, evaluations and studies.

With respect to the Office of the Auditor General, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, the Office of the Information Commissioner, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner, the deputy head of the institution is solely responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with these standards within their organizations, as well as for responding to cases of non-compliance in accordance with any Treasury Board instruments that address the management of compliance.

Deputy Heads are responsible for addressing significant issues that arise regarding compliance and ensure appropriate remedial actions are taken to address these issues commensurate with the specific nature of the failure.

Consequences of non-compliance can include informal follow-ups and requests from the Treasury Board Secretariat, external audits and formal direction on corrective measures.

The Treasury Board of Canada delegates to the President of the Treasury Board the power to amend, revoke or add to the approved Common Look and Feel Standards for the Internet. Treasury Board is to be kept informed of updates and amendments.

For more information, please contact:

Deputy head (administrateur général)

This term is equivalent to "deputy minister", "chief executive officer" or some other title denoting this level of responsibility.

Institution

For the purposes of CLF, an institution is any organizational entity listed under a unique title in Schedules I, I.1 and II of the Financial Administration Act.

Plug-in (module d'extension)

A plug-in (or plugin) is a computer program that interacts with a main application (for example, a Web browser or an email program) to provide a certain, usually very specific, function.

W3C validation methodology

http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/#validation

Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) - Checkpoints

http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/full-checklist.html

World Wide Web Consortium

http://www.w3.org