The verdict in three sentences
For a municipality in the Toronto area, a citizen portal compliant with AODA and WCAG 2.0 Level AA with online services costs 80,000 to 250,000 CAD in 2026 (market estimate), before annual support. The accessibility audit, at 5,000 to 15,000 CAD, and the accessibility compliance report are not optional: designated public sector organizations must file them, and penalties can reach 100,000 CAD per day for corporations in breach. A realistic project takes 6 to 9 months, from RFP drafting to launch.
The regulatory frame to write into the RFP
The CAO and the head of digital save time by writing these obligations into the specifications, with verifiable scoring criteria.
| Obligation | Law or standard | What the vendor must deliver |
|---|---|---|
| Web accessibility | AODA, Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation | WCAG 2.0 AA on all new content, target 100 % |
| Compliance reporting | AODA reporting cycle | Accessibility report filed every 2 years |
| Multi-year plan | IASR section 4 | Multi-year accessibility plan, reviewed every 5 years |
| Privacy | MFIPPA | Privacy impact assessment, Canadian hosting |
| Security | Provincial cyber guidance | Penetration test, logging, incident plan |
| French services | French Language Services Act, where designated | Bilingual pages in designated areas |
| Online services | Payment and permit integrations | Accessible, traceable forms |
Many municipalities now also target WCAG 2.1 AA in their RFPs to anticipate the Accessible Canada Act standards, at a marginal extra cost of 5 to 10 %.
2026 budget: typical split for a city of 80,000 residents
The amounts below are 2026 market estimates observed on municipal procurements of comparable size.
| Item | Range | Share of budget |
|---|---|---|
| UX research, resident workshops, mockups | 15,000 to 40,000 CAD | 15 to 20 % |
| CMS build and accessible templates | 30,000 to 100,000 CAD | 35 to 45 % |
| Online services and integrations | 12,000 to 50,000 CAD | 10 to 20 % |
| Content migration (300 to 800 pages) | 8,000 to 25,000 CAD | 8 to 10 % |
| Initial accessibility audit + re-audit | 5,000 to 15,000 CAD | 5 to 8 % |
| Editor training (10 to 30 staff) | 3,000 to 8,000 CAD | 3 to 5 % |
| Annual support and maintenance | 15,000 to 40,000 CAD per year | Outside capital budget |
A 150,000 CAD contract with 28,000 CAD per year of support comes to 234,000 CAD over four years, about 0.73 CAD per resident per year.
Procurement and schedule: 6 to 9 months
| Step | Duration | Watch point |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery and RFP drafting | 4 to 6 weeks | Involve the accessibility coordinator |
| Publication and bid submission | 5 to 7 weeks | Above about 133,800 CAD, CFTA thresholds apply |
| Evaluation and vendor presentations | 3 to 4 weeks | Weight accessibility at 15 to 20 % of technical score |
| Design and mockups | 6 to 8 weeks | Testing with residents with disabilities |
| Build and content migration | 8 to 12 weeks | Accessibility QA every sprint |
| Audit, fixes, launch | 3 to 5 weeks | Accessibility statement live on day one |
Above the CETA threshold, around 350,000 CAD for municipalities in 2026, international publication adds 6 to 8 weeks.
Mini case study
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Jennifer, CAO of an 80,000-resident municipality in the Greater Toronto Area, compares two bids. Bid A costs 125,000 CAD but shows 75 % WCAG conformance at delivery, with an estimated 18,000 CAD in fixes after audit. Bid B costs 142,000 CAD with a commitment to all applicable criteria and a re-audit included. Once fixes and a second 7,000 CAD audit are added to Bid A, the gap shrinks to 8,000 CAD in A's favor, with no conformance guarantee and real exposure to AODA enforcement. Jennifer picks Bid B and also secures 6 weeks of schedule.
FAQ
What budget should an 80,000-resident municipality plan for its website?
Plan 80,000 to 250,000 CAD for the rebuild, depending on the number of online services and pages migrated. Annual support adds 15,000 to 40,000 CAD.
Is an accessibility audit mandatory?
AODA requires WCAG 2.0 AA conformance and periodic compliance reporting, which in practice requires an audit on a representative sample. An external audit costs 5,000 to 15,000 CAD.
Which procurement route applies?
Above about 133,800 CAD, Canadian Free Trade Agreement rules apply to municipalities. Plan 5 to 7 weeks of open competition and presentations from the top 3 bidders.
How should accessibility be scored?
Give accessibility 15 to 20 % of the technical score and require a sprint-level QA method. Ask for a published accessibility statement from a previous client.
What does maintenance cost after launch?
Realistic support represents 12 to 20 % of build cost per year, about 15,000 to 40,000 CAD. It must cover security updates and keeping conformance as content changes.
Let's scope your project. Send us your population, priority online services and procurement calendar: we help you frame the scope, budget and accessibility criteria for your RFP. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
