Accessibility Statement

1.Our commitment

Canada’s small business community includes owners, employees and customers with disabilities. We want everyone to be able to read our articles, use our tools, listen to our podcast and take part in our events without barriers. Accessibility is part of how we plan, design, write and publish — not something we add at the end.

2.The standard we follow

We aim to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA across canadiansme.ca. This is the standard referenced by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Integrated Accessibility Standards, which applies to Cmarketing Inc. as an Ontario organisation. We also follow the principles of the federal Accessible Canada Act: inclusion, dignity, equal opportunity and involving people with disabilities in finding solutions.

3.What we do on this website

• Use clear headings, landmarks and a logical reading order so screen reader and keyboard users can move through each page.
• Write descriptive alternative text for meaningful images, and hide purely decorative images from assistive technology.
• Keep text and interactive elements at a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1, and avoid using colour alone to convey meaning.
• Make every link, button, menu and form usable with a keyboard, with a visible focus outline.
• Label form fields clearly and explain errors in plain language.
• Let pages reflow on phones and when zoomed to 200% without losing content.
• Pause moving content such as the featured slider and partner logo strip when you hover over or focus on it.
• Write in plain, practical language suited to busy owner-operators.

4.Audio, video and the magazine

We are working to provide transcripts for CanadianSME Small Business Podcast episodes and captions for video content. Digital magazine issues are published in a page-flip format; if you need an issue or a specific article in an accessible format, contact us and we will provide it.

5.Events

The Small Business Summit, Small Business Awards and our other events are held in venues with step-free access. When you register, you can tell us about accessibility needs — such as seating, sign language interpretation, dietary needs or a support person — and we will work with you and the venue to meet them. Support persons attend at no charge.

6.Known limitations

Despite our efforts, some content may not yet be fully accessible:

• Some older articles may have images without complete alternative text.
• Some PDF guides and older magazine issues may not be fully tagged for screen readers.
• Content from third parties — embedded podcast players, partner websites, advertising and sponsored materials — is outside our direct control. We ask partners to meet WCAG 2.1 AA and raise issues with them when we find them.

7.Compatibility

The site is designed to work with current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, and with common assistive technologies including JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver and TalkBack, as well as browser zoom and voice control.

8.Alternative formats

You can ask for any information on this website in an alternative format, such as large print, an accessible document, plain text or a conversation by phone. We will provide it at no cost, as soon as practicable, and work with you to choose a format that suits your needs.

9.Feedback and how to reach us

If you find a barrier, have trouble using any part of the site, or have a suggestion, please tell us. Include the page address and a short description of the problem if you can. We will acknowledge your message within 5 business days and tell you what we plan to do.

• By phone: +1 416 655 0205 or +1 437 778 4446
• By mail: Accessibility, Cmarketing Inc., 6345 Dixie Rd, Unit 202, Mississauga, Ontario L5T 2E6
• Online: through our Contact page — choose “Accessibility” in your message

10.Reviewing this statement

We test the site with automated tools, keyboard-only navigation and screen readers when we add new features, and we review this statement at least once a year.