Accessibility Statement

Every site I build targets WCAG 2.2 AA, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines published by the W3C. This site is built to that same standard. It is not a bolt-on audit at the end of a project; it is how the work is done from the first template.

For public bodies in British Columbia, the Accessible British Columbia Act sets accessibility obligations, and public-sector procurements commonly specify WCAG 2.1 AA as the floor. Building to 2.2 AA covers that requirement and goes further, because 2.2 includes everything 2.1 asks for and adds newer criteria on top.

Structure

Pages use semantic HTML: real headings in order, landmarks, lists that are lists, and buttons that are buttons. Screen readers get a document that makes sense, not a pile of styled boxes.

Keyboard

Everything interactive can be reached and operated with a keyboard alone, with a visible focus state so you can always see where you are.

Contrast and type

Text is sized and colored to meet AA contrast ratios, and layouts hold together when text is resized.

Motion

This site uses animation deliberately, and every animation respects your reduced-motion preference. Turn on "reduce motion" in your operating system and the site calms down accordingly.

Images

Meaningful images carry alt text. Decorative ones are marked so assistive technology can skip them.

Measurement

I check the work with automated tools (Lighthouse and axe) and by hand: keyboard walks, zoomed layouts, and screen reader passes on key templates. Automated scores are a floor, not the goal.

I hold this site to the same standard I sell. That said, it is a living site with new pages and features shipping regularly, and I would rather be honest than tidy: if something new falls short, I want to know, and I will fix it rather than argue about it.

If any part of this site is hard to use with assistive technology, or hard to use at all, email me at hello@kootenaymade.ca and describe what happened and what you were using. I read every message myself and I reply within a business day.

My posture on accessibility reports is simple: fix first, argue never. Anyone who takes the time to report a barrier is doing me a favour, and the fix gets verified with the same assistive path that hit the problem.

The same standard applies to every site that leaves my desk, whether it is a small-business build or an institutional project. Accessibility work is part of the build, priced into the project, never an upsell.

If you are a public body evaluating vendors: I am glad to walk through methodology, testing practice, and evidence on any project. Start on the public sector page or get in touch directly.