The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) is an essential piece of accessibility legislation for Manitoba residents. It provides an entire legal framework to ensure total inclusivity, establishing accessibility standards across public goods and services, including transportation, consumer packaged goods, communication, and much more. Ultimately, the AMA aims to create a barrier-free Manitoba.
Keep reading to learn more about the AMA, including an in-depth overview, the benefits of complying with the AMA, and why Manitoba businesses should prioritize web accessibility with useful accessibility overlay widgets like Accessibly.
Overview of the Accessibility for Manitobans Act
Enacted in December 2013, the AMA is one of the most famous pieces of accessibility standard legislation in Canada.
Serving the Manitoba province, provisions promote inclusivity amongst individuals with disabilities, removing barriers and creating accessibility standards in areas like transportation and employment.
Key accessibility measures of the Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) include developing accessibility standards and enforcing compliance by public sector businesses, private sector businesses, nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and similar organizations within the province.
Other accessibility measures the Accessibility for Manitobans Act enforces include customer service, employment information/communication, transportation, and public space design (e.g., designated pathways for wheelchair-bound customers).
Each area pushes for accessibility through ongoing staff training, presenting information in accessible formats, ensuring equal employment opportunities, making bus routes readily accessible to individuals with disabilities, and hundreds of other examples across the public space.
Yet another critical aspect of the AMA is providing ongoing support and resources to organizations, a responsibility filled by the Accessibility Compliance Secretariat, the primary consultative body and compliance monitor under the Accessibility for Manitobans Act. These resources include toolkits, workshops, consultation services, and even grants and funding programs that could be used to fund everything from installing digital signage at bus stops to upgrading a bus depot with widened entryways for people who use wheelchairs.
Why Should Businesses Prioritize Web Accessibility?
Here are three excellent reasons why businesses should prioritize web accessibility:
Nice SEO Boost
One of the overlooked benefits of prioritizing web accessibility is improved SEO. SEO is all about improving your search engine results. Properly formatted semantic HTML, using alternative text for images, a clear navigational structure, and other accessibility best practices can all help search engines understand your website better and index your content appropriately. Search engine crawlers love the proper use of headings and lists!
Improved UI
Naturally, prioritizing web accessibility helps prevent barriers via UI improvements. Several accessibility features, such as dyslexic-friendly fonts, clear navigational structure, and high contrast between text and background images are examples.
Additionally, individuals with mobility impairments can effectively manage focus with nearly all website functions performed using simple keyboard shortcuts, unlike using a mouse, which can be challenging for users with limited dexterity. By enhancing keyboard accessibility, websites empower people with disabilities to engage more fully, contributing to lower bounce rates, increased average session times, and other critical metrics that impact a website’s or business’s overall health.
Better Brand Perception
Never underestimate the power of accessibility when it comes to brand perception. By promoting inclusivity and opening doors to approximately 15% of the world’s population suffering from a partial or total disability, expect your business to elevate, resulting in improved brand loyalty and customer retention.
Benefits of Complying with the AMA
Here are four benefits of complying with the Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA):
Stats Call For It
With over 96% of the world’s top one million web pages inaccessible, it simply makes sense to focus on accessibility. Not to mention, roughly 27% of adults in the United States have some disability, with the most common ones being mobility, cognitive-based, hearing impaired, vision impaired, and lack of independent living.
Lawsuit Mitigation
One of the most significant motivating factors for Manitoba-based businesses to comply with the AMA is to avoid any potential legal ramifications, such as fines, administrative fees, and lawsuits.
More Customers
With 15% of the world suffering from a partial or complete disability, it only makes sense to promote inclusivity and make businesses accessible. Whether installing digital signage at a bus shelter, introducing additional designated parking spaces, or dropping various physical barriers, it can all work towards growing your customer base, naturally resulting in increased site/foot traffic and revenue.
Improved Search Engine Optimization
By dedicating resources towards website accessibility, expect improved search engine optimization. Focusing on properly formatted semantic HTML, alternative text for images, and properly formatted headers will allow assistive technologies like screen readers to better scan and digest your content, allowing your site to rank higher in image search rankings naturally.
Introducing audio and video captioning and transcripts can also benefit you, making it easier for search engines to scan indexable text.
Remember, the higher your site ranks in the search engines, the higher the potential for site traffic and user engagement.
In short, the benefits of lawsuit mitigation, an increased customer base, and improved search engine optimization are all compelling reasons to adhere to the Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) policy.
Accessibly’s Role in Ensuring AMA Compliance
One of the best things businesses can do to increase Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) compliance with AMA standards is to download an accessibility overlay like Accessibly.
Accessibly offers an easy-to-use accessibility widget that instantly increases compliance with AG 2.1, ADA, Section 508, and EN 301549 with several site features such as additional reading lines, readable fonts, the option to adjust text and background colors, and much more.
By offering all these options, individuals with disabilities can enjoy a complete and inclusive experience.
Accessibility can be applied to any website using custom code or native integration on select platforms. As of this writing, native Integrations are also offered for Shopify, WordPress, Elementor, and WooCommerce.If you’re still deciding, enjoy a free 7-day Accessibly trial with access to all features. Pricing is $20 monthly (Shopify) and $25 on all other platforms. Enjoy compliance with accessibility guidelines today!
