Known issues

Your email recipients might use additional software and assistive technology to read messages from GC Notify

Their software and technology could impact the accessibility of your messages. For example:

In Microsoft Outlook, NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) announces extra spaces.
Some technologies do not read text in the correct language.

For security reasons

Issue	WCAG criteria
We program GC Notify to sign out after 8 hours of inactivity You will not receive a warning or instructions on how to extend your session.	We should allow you to complete tasks without a time limit. 2.0 Level A 2.2.1 Timing Adjustable

External technology

Issue	WCAG criteria
In the API documentation, tables are not coded properly As a result, screen readers cannot identify columns and rows.	Code or text should show relationships between pieces of content so the structure is clear to assistive technologies. 2.1 Level A 1.3.1 Info and Relationships

We’re working to address the following issues

Not enough context in some places

Issue	WCAG criteria
Sometimes GC Notify does not give you enough information to prevent errors GC Notify does not always: Show error messages at the top of the page. This means you do not learn of an error until part-way through the page. Give enough information to prevent errors.	Text on the screen should show you if there’s an error. 2.1 Level A 3.3.1 Error Identification Labels should show you what kind of content you need to input to progress. 2.1 Level A 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions If you make an error, we should give suggestions to help you correct it. 2.1 Level AA 3.3.3 Error Suggestion

Compatibility with various assistive technologies, including screen readers

Issue	WCAG criteria
Some parts of GC Notify do not distinguish between English and French We require bilingual names for services, but do not indicate which part of the name is in which language. We use the same url for both English and French “Contact us” pages. To share the English page, use https://notification.canada.ca/contact?lang=en To share the French page use https://notification.canada.ca/contact?lang=fr	We should identify anything in a different language than the rest of the page. 2.0 Level AA 3.1.2 Language of Parts
GC Notify uses both buttons and links for the same tasks This makes it more difficult to use the site if you need alternatives to reading text. And you may not know what command to give if you navigate by voice.	We should always use the same interactive item for a specific kind of task. 2.1 Level AA 3.2.4 Consistent Identification
GC Notify does not include all information needed by assistive technology: If you use a screen reader, GC Notify does not indicate when you’ve selected a file. Headings in emails from GC Notify start at <h2> instead of <h1>. We do this to prevent having more than one <h1> in the email. Tables do not have code to associate headers with corresponding columns.	We should give accurate information about user interface components. 2.1 Level A 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value Code or text should show relationships between pieces of content so the structure is clear to assistive technologies. 2.1 Level A 1.3.1 Info and relationships Screen readers should present content in the same order as it appears visually. 2.1 Level A 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence Headings and labels should describe what follows so you know what to expect. 2.1 Level AA 2.4.6 Headings and Labels

Issue

WCAG criteria

Some parts of GC Notify do not distinguish between English and French

We require bilingual names for services, but do not indicate which part of the name is in which language.
We use the same url for both English and French “Contact us” pages.
- To share the English page, use https://notification.canada.ca/contact?lang=en
- To share the French page use https://notification.canada.ca/contact?lang=fr

We should identify anything in a different language than the rest of the page.
2.0 Level AA 3.1.2 Language of Parts

GC Notify uses both buttons and links for the same tasks
This makes it more difficult to use the site if you need alternatives to reading text. And you may not know what command to give if you navigate by voice.

We should always use the same interactive item for a specific kind of task.
2.1 Level AA 3.2.4 Consistent Identification

GC Notify does not include all information needed by assistive technology:

If you use a screen reader, GC Notify does not indicate when you’ve selected a file.

Headings in emails from GC Notify start at <h2> instead of <h1>. We do this to prevent having more than one <h1> in the email.

Tables do not have code to associate headers with corresponding columns.

We should give accurate information about user interface components.
2.1 Level A 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value

Code or text should show relationships between pieces of content so the structure is clear to assistive technologies.
2.1 Level A 1.3.1 Info and relationships

Screen readers should present content in the same order as it appears visually.
2.1 Level A 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence

Headings and labels should describe what follows so you know what to expect.
2.1 Level AA 2.4.6 Headings and Labels

Screen readers only

Issue	WCAG criteria
Some information is only communicated visually: When writing a message, GC Notify does not show the relationship between variables and special characters, such as parentheses and underscores. As a result, it’s difficult for screen readers to use variables in a message.	Code or text should show relationships between pieces of content so the structure is clear to assistive technologies. 2.1 Level A 1.3.1 Info and relationships
When navigating to a new page, some screen readers repeatedly announce “loading page”. As a result, you may not hear the page title. The screen reader will eventually stop repeating “loading page”. Then it will read the Heading 1, which will identify the page.	Navigation should make sense, moving through content on the page in a logical order. 2.1 Level A 2.4.3 Focus Order You should be able to skip blocks of content that repeat on multiple pages. 2.1 Level A 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks Code or text should show relationships between pieces of content so the structure is clear to assistive technologies. 2.1 Level A 1.3.1 Info and Relationships Headings should describe the content underneath. Labels and buttons should explain what you need to enter and what will happen next. 2.1 Level AA 2.4.6 Headings and Labels We should provide success, error and other status messages in a form you can read in code or by other means. 2.1 Level AA 4.1.3 Status Messages

Issue

WCAG criteria

Some information is only communicated visually:

When writing a message, GC Notify does not show the relationship between variables and special characters, such as parentheses and underscores. As a result, it’s difficult for screen readers to use variables in a message.

Code or text should show relationships between pieces of content so the structure is clear to assistive technologies.
2.1 Level A 1.3.1 Info and relationships

When navigating to a new page, some screen readers repeatedly announce “loading page”. As a result, you may not hear the page title.

The screen reader will eventually stop repeating “loading page”. Then it will read the Heading 1, which will identify the page.

Navigation should make sense, moving through content on the page in a logical order.
2.1 Level A 2.4.3 Focus Order

You should be able to skip blocks of content that repeat on multiple pages.
2.1 Level A 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks

Code or text should show relationships between pieces of content so the structure is clear to assistive technologies.
2.1 Level A 1.3.1 Info and Relationships

Headings should describe the content underneath. Labels and buttons should explain what you need to enter and what will happen next.
2.1 Level AA 2.4.6 Headings and Labels

We should provide success, error and other status messages in a form you can read in code or by other means.
2.1 Level AA 4.1.3 Status Messages

Keyboard navigation

Issue	WCAG criteria
In the API documentation, you cannot use the left and right arrow keys to navigate through tabbed interfaces You can still navigate without a mouse by using the tab button.	You should be able to navigate using only a keyboard. This does not apply to actions like drawing. 2.1 Level A 2.1.1 Keyboard
Firefox only When trying to tab through autocomplete inputs, you could get stuck in a continuous loop.	We should ensure you do not need a mouse to navigate out of locations. 2.1 Level A 2.1.2 No keyboard trap
You may not be able to find your location on the page It’s difficult to determine where the keyboard is pointing due to low colour contrast between background and focus indicator.	We should ensure you’re able to tell where the keyboard is on the page. 2.1 Level AA 2.4.7 Focus Visible
In the API documentation, on the client libraries page, sighted users might have trouble finding the border when tabs are in focus. The colour of the border needs more contrast to highlight the element in focus.	Keyboard users should be able to easily find an element when it is in focus. So borders should be thick (2 pixels) and contrast with the rest of the page (by 3 to 1) 2.4.13 Level AAA Focus Appearance