Accessibility Statement

Pat & The Elephant is committed to ensuring that our website and services are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. We strive to meet or exceed the requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, as well as the Accessible Canada Act and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) where applicable.

This website is substantially conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. We have implemented the following measures to support accessibility:

• Semantic HTML5 landmarks (header, nav, main, footer) to support screen reader navigation.

• All images include descriptive alt text so that screen reader users receive equivalent information.

• A "Skip to main content" link is provided as the first focusable element on every page, allowing keyboard users to bypass repeated navigation.

• All interactive elements are fully keyboard-operable and display a visible focus indicator.

• Colour contrast ratios meet or exceed the WCAG 2.1 AA minimum of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

• The hero carousel includes a pause/play control and respects the prefers-reduced-motion system preference, stopping auto-advance for users who have requested reduced motion.

• ARIA roles, labels, and live regions are used where native HTML semantics are insufficient.

• Form inputs in the Contact page are associated with explicit <label> elements.

While we work hard to maintain full compliance, some older content or third-party embedded material may not yet meet all WCAG 2.1 Level AA criteria. We are actively reviewing and remediating these areas on an ongoing basis.

Accessibility of this website relies on the following technologies working in combination with your browser and any assistive technology you use:

• HTML5 — semantic structure and landmark regions

• CSS3 — including prefers-reduced-motion and prefers-color-scheme media queries

• WAI-ARIA 1.2 — supplemental roles and properties where needed

• JavaScript — progressive enhancement only; core content is accessible without scripting

This website has been tested with the following assistive technologies and browser combinations:

• NVDA + Chrome (Windows)

• VoiceOver + Safari (macOS and iOS)

• TalkBack + Chrome (Android)

• Keyboard-only navigation (all major browsers)

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our website. If you experience any barriers or have suggestions for improvement, please contact us. We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within 5 business days.

If you are not satisfied with our response to your accessibility concern, you may contact the Canadian Human Rights Commission or your provincial accessibility authority. In Prince Edward Island, you may also contact the Office of the Ombudsman.

This accessibility statement was last reviewed and updated on October 3, 2026. We review and update this statement at least annually, or whenever significant changes are made to the website.