The two non-website duties most small businesses miss

When people hear about Manitoba's accessibility standard, they tend to think about their website. That is understandable, since web content is a large part of the Accessible Information and Communication Standard Regulation, Man. Reg. 47/2022. But two duties have nothing to do with code or design, and they are the ones we most often find missing: the notice of accessible formats and communication supports (s. 5 (opens in a new tab)) and the feedback process (s. 9 (opens in a new tab)).

Both are usually quick to put in place. This article explains what each one asks for and offers example wording you can adapt.

The accessible formats notice (s. 5 (opens in a new tab))

What it requires

Section 5 (opens in a new tab) requires an organization to take appropriate steps to let the public and its employees know that information is available in accessible formats and with communication supports, on request.

The regulation's definitions help here. Accessible formats include large print, recorded audio, electronic formats and braille, among others. Communication supports include captioning, plain language, sign language and alternative and augmentative supports, among others.

The notice is a promise that people can ask. Section 6 (opens in a new tab) then sets out what happens when they do: you consult the person about the format or support that removes the barrier, provide the information without delay, and do not charge them more than anyone else. Section 6(4) (opens in a new tab) lists limited exceptions.

Where to publish it

The regulation says "appropriate steps" rather than naming specific places. Sensible locations include:

• An accessibility page on your website, linked from the footer of every page.
• Your contact page.
• Printed material customers commonly receive, such as brochures, menus or intake forms.
• A sign at your front counter or reception, if you serve people in person.
• Your staff handbook, intranet or onboarding material, because the duty also covers employees.

Example wording

Make sure the contact details work, and that whoever answers knows what to do with the request. A notice that leads nowhere does not help anyone.

The feedback process (s. 9 (opens in a new tab))

What it requires

Section 9 (opens in a new tab) ties the feedback process to the measures, policies and practices every covered organization must have under s. 3 (opens in a new tab). It requires reasonable efforts to provide a process that:

1. Receives and responds to feedback about accessible communication, in a way that suits the circumstances and the people affected by barriers (s. 9(a) (opens in a new tab)).
2. Records the actions taken in response, and makes those records available on request (s. 9(b) (opens in a new tab)).

The second point is the one most often overlooked. It is not enough to have an email address. You need to keep a record of what you did about the feedback you received.

What a workable process looks like

• More than one way to give feedback. A form alone can exclude the very people it is meant to hear from. Offer at least email and phone, and in-person if you have a public counter.
• An accessible form, if you use one. A feedback form that cannot be completed by keyboard or screen reader defeats its own purpose.
• A named role responsible for replies. This does not need to be a dedicated position. It needs to be someone who will act on it.
• A simple log. Date received, a summary of the feedback, what was done and when. A spreadsheet is enough for most small businesses.
• A way to share the record. Decide how you would provide those records if someone asks.

Example wording

Only promise a response time if you can keep it. A clear commitment you meet is better than a fast one you miss.

Putting them together

The notice and the feedback process work well on the same page. A short accessibility page on your website can contain both, linked from your footer and contact page. If you are a large employer, these practices should also appear in the documented measures and policies you make public under s. 3(2) (opens in a new tab).

Staff who answer the phone or the general inbox should know both exist. The training duty in s. 4 (opens in a new tab) covers people who communicate with the public on your behalf, and those staff are usually the first to receive a request. Our article on staff training explains what that training should cover.

Next steps

Our guide to the Manitoba standard covers the full set of duties, and the FAQ answers common questions. When we audit a website, we check whether the notice and feedback process are present and accessible, and we can help draft them as part of the compliance documentation. See our services, or contact us to talk it through.

Last reviewed October 2026. General information, not legal advice.