Kelowna Daily (kelownadaily.com), owned and operated by Pacific Ridge Digital Media Inc., a British Columbia corporation (BC Registry Services company number BC1487293), is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all readers, including those with disabilities. Our registered office is at Suite 800, 1055 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3, Canada, and we strive to provide a website experience that is perceivable, operable, understandable and robust for every person who accesses our independent Canadian news coverage of Kelowna, the Okanagan Valley and British Columbia.
Who is responsible for accessibility at Kelowna Daily?
Catherine Roy, Editor-in-Chief, holds overall responsibility for accessibility standards at Kelowna Daily, supported by Andrew Leblanc, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead. Pacific Ridge Digital Media Inc., our parent company based in Vancouver, BC, endorses this commitment as part of our dedication to trustworthy regional journalism.
Accessibility governance sits within our editorial standards framework. Catherine Roy (catherine.roy@kelownadaily.com) oversees publication decisions and corrections, while Andrew Leblanc (andrew.leblanc@kelownadaily.com) leads the technical and editorial dimensions of accessibility across our content and interactive features.
What standards do we follow?
We aim to conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA, consistent with the Accessible Canada Act. The Canadian Accessibility Standards at https://accessible.canada.ca/ serve as the enforcement route for our accessibility efforts across all editorial content and interactive features on kelownadaily.com.
WCAG 2.2 Level AA is the conformance target we apply to all new and updated content published on our site. Our editorial policy and our fact-checking standards reinforce this commitment by ensuring content is clear, well-structured and reliably sourced.
How do we make our site accessible?
We implement keyboard navigation, visible focus indicators, sufficient colour contrast and support for reduced motion settings across kelownadaily.com. These measures follow WCAG 2.2 Level AA success criteria and apply to every article, navigation element and interactive feature on our site.
Keyboard navigation allows users to move through our content and menus using only a keyboard. Focus indicators highlight the active element at all times. Colour contrast ratios meet or exceed WCAG thresholds for text and non-text content. We respect user preferences for reduced motion by minimising animations and providing a reduced-motion mode that reduces visual flicker and unnecessary movement.
What are the known limitations?
Some older articles and third-party embedded content may not fully meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards on kelownadaily.com. We actively remediate these areas and welcome user reports about specific barriers that affect the experience of our readers.
Archived content published before our current accessibility standards were adopted may contain non-conforming elements such as insufficient heading structure or missing alt text. Third-party widgets, embedded maps and external media players may present accessibility gaps outside our direct control. We prioritise remediation based on user feedback and conduct regular audits of our site to identify and address issues.
How can you report an accessibility issue?
Readers can report accessibility barriers or request accommodations by emailing accessibility@kelownadaily.com. Feedback is also welcome through our contact page and our complaints procedure, which outlines the steps we take to review and resolve concerns.
We acknowledge all accessibility reports within two business days and provide a substantive response within ten business days. Reports are reviewed by Andrew Leblanc, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, with escalation to Catherine Roy, Editor-in-Chief, as needed. Our privacy policy governs how we handle any personal information shared in these communications.
Our commitments
- Maintain WCAG 2.2 Level AA as our conformance target for all new and updated editorial content published on kelownadaily.com.
- Conduct annual accessibility audits and publish a summary of findings on this accessibility statement page.
- Provide accessible formats of published content upon request within a reasonable timeframe.
- Train all editorial and technical staff on accessibility standards and inclusive content practices.
- Respond to all accessibility reports within two business days and resolve reported barriers in a timely manner.