Start with scope
An accessibility audit is a structured look at how people with disabilities find, reach and use what you offer. It covers your buildings, and also your information, digital tools, programs and the policies behind them.
Every audit starts with a conversation about why you want one. You might be planning a renovation, updating a multi-year accessibility plan, responding to feedback or preparing for an MLI Select application. The reason shapes everything else.
Together we agree on:
- Which sites and areas are included, from parking and entrances to staff areas and outdoor spaces.
- Which dimensions matter most: physical, communications, digital, programs or policy.
- Which benchmarks apply. These might include the Ontario Building Code, CSA B651:23, the AODA's Integrated Accessibility Standards and WCAG 2.2, alongside good practice.
- Who we should hear from, such as staff, volunteers and the people who use your services.
An audit isn't a legal opinion or a certification. It tells you where barriers are and how to remove them. If you need a formal rating, such as RHFAC, that is a separate process with its own rules. Our article on RHFAC scores explains how it works.
The site visit
We walk the full journey, the way a visitor, client or employee would. That usually means arriving by car, transit or on foot, finding the entrance, getting to the service desk, using the washroom, joining a program and leaving again, including in an emergency.
Along the way we measure, photograph and test. We check door widths and opening force, ramp slopes, counter heights, lighting, colour contrast, signage and wayfinding. We also notice how spaces are used day to day. A blocked route or a power door switched off can matter as much as the original design.
For digital tools, we combine automated checks with manual testing, such as using a keyboard only and a screen reader. The W3C notes that no tool alone can determine whether a site meets accessibility standards, so human review is essential.
Where possible, we include people with lived experience of disability. They notice things that drawings and measurements miss.
What we look at
The areas below are typical. Your scope decides which ones we cover and in how much depth.
| Area | Examples of what we review |
|---|---|
| Physical spaces | Parking, entrances, routes, doors, elevators, washrooms, service counters, signage, lighting and emergency features |
| Communications | Signs, printed materials, plain language, alternate formats, phone systems, meetings and events |
| Digital | Websites, online forms, PDFs, booking systems, apps and self-service kiosks |
| Programs and services | How people find out about, register for and take part in what you offer, and how staff support them |
| Policy and practice | Accessibility policies and plans, accommodation processes, training, purchasing, feedback and emergency planning |
How findings are prioritized
A long list of findings isn't useful on its own. We rank each one so you know where to start, weighing several factors together:
- Impact on people. Does this stop someone completely, or make things harder?
- Safety. Could it put someone at risk, especially in an emergency?
- How often people meet it. A barrier at the main entrance affects more people than one in a storage room.
- Requirements. Does it relate to a code, standard or legal obligation?
- Cost and effort. Some fixes take an afternoon. Others belong in a capital plan.
- Timing. A planned renovation can be the easiest moment to fix something.
The result is usually a mix of quick wins you can tackle right away and larger changes to schedule over time.
The report and timeline
Your report is written to be used, not shelved. It typically includes:
- A short summary of what's working and the main barriers
- Findings by area, with photos, locations and the benchmark each one relates to
- Clear recommendations, ranked by priority
- An action plan you can bring into budgets and your multi-year accessibility plan
We walk your team through the findings and answer questions as you make changes. Where a fix involves structural, electrical or legal decisions, we'll suggest bringing in the right professionals.
Timelines depend on scope, so treat these as typical ranges rather than promises. A visit to a single small site often takes half a day to a day, with the report following in about two to four weeks. Larger buildings, several sites, or audits that add digital testing and policy review usually take longer, often six to twelve weeks from the first meeting to the final report.
How to prepare
A little preparation makes the visit smoother and the report more useful.
- Floor plans or drawings, if you have them
- A list of the sites, rooms and outdoor areas in scope
- Access to every area on the day, including washrooms, staff spaces and emergency exits
- Your accessibility policies, multi-year plan, accommodation process and emergency procedures
- Links to your website, key online forms and commonly used documents
- Past feedback, complaints or earlier audits
- Planned renovations or budget cycles we should know about
- A main contact, and a heads-up to staff that we'll be on site
Thinking about an audit? PRISM's audits and assessments look at physical spaces, communications, digital tools, programs and policy together. Get in touch and we'll help you work out a scope that fits.
Sources
- Government of Ontario: Accessibility in Ontario, what you need to know
- Government of Ontario: How to comply with the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation
- CSA Group: CSA/ASC B651:23, Accessible design for the built environment
- W3C: WCAG 2 overview
- W3C: Evaluating web accessibility overview
- Rick Hansen Foundation: Accessibility Certification