Accessibility Statement

Last Updated: December 9, 2025

HeyWhiskey is committed to ensuring that our website is accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. We follow recognized accessibility standards, continuously improve our digital experience, and remain dedicated to providing equal access for all users.

1. Commitment to Accessibility

HeyWhiskey works to provide a website that is easy to navigate, understandable, and accessible for users of all abilities.
We strive to meet or exceed WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards and ensure accessibility remains a core part of our development and review process.

2. Accessibility Standards & Compliance

We aim to conform to the following guidelines and regulations:

  • WCAG 2.1 Level AA
  • AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act)
  • Best practices for inclusive web design

We continuously monitor compliance to ensure that website updates maintain accessibility.

3. Accessibility Features on Our Website

Keyboard Navigation

All interactive elements support keyboard-only navigation.

Screen Reader Support

The website includes semantic HTML markup to support screen readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack.

ALT Text

All important images and graphical content include descriptive ALT text.

Clear Typography & Font Scaling

Users can zoom up to 200% without layout distortion.

High Color Contrast

We follow recommended color contrast ratios for readable text and interface elements.

Accessible Forms

All forms include:

  • Labels
  • Error messages
  • Clear instructions
  • ARIA attributes (where required)

Logical Page Structure

Headings, menus, and content sections follow a consistent hierarchy for easier navigation.

4. Device & Browser Compatibility

HeyWhiskey is designed to be compatible with the following devices and browsers:

Supported Browsers

  • Google Chrome
  • Safari
  • Firefox
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Opera

Supported Devices

  • Desktop and laptop computers
  • iOS & Android smartphones
  • Tablets (iPad, Samsung, etc.)

5. Assistive Technology Compatibility

Our website aims to function smoothly with:

  • Screen readers
  • Screen magnifiers
  • Braille displays
  • Speech recognition software
  • Text-to-speech tools
  • Accessibility browser extensions

6. Ongoing Testing & Maintenance

To ensure accessibility, we perform:

  • Automated accessibility scans
  • Manual code review
  • Screen reader testing
  • Keyboard-only navigation tests
  • Color contrast assessments
  • User feedback evaluations

We regularly audit the website to identify and fix accessibility issues.

7. Third-Party Content Limitations

While our goal is full accessibility, some features or content from third parties may not fully comply, including:

  • External payment systems (PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, Shop Pay, etc.)
  • Embedded videos or widgets
  • External links
  • Tracking and shipping pages

We cannot control third-party accessibility, but we try to work with vendors who follow accessibility standards.

8. Accessibility Training for Staff

We provide internal training for our team to help them:

  • Understand accessibility standards
  • Apply accessible design practices
  • Ensure updates maintain compliance
  • Respond to accessibility requests correctly

This helps ensure accessibility improvements remain ongoing.

9. Feedback, Support & Accessibility Assistance

We encourage users to contact us if they encounter accessibility barriers.

You can reach us at:

Provide the following for faster assistance:

  • URL of the problematic page
  • Description of the issue
  • Device and browser used
  • Assistive technology (if any)

We aim to respond within 24–48 business hours.

10. Reasonable Accommodation Requests

If you require assistance accessing content, making a purchase, or navigating the website, we will make reasonable accommodations such as:

  • Providing content in alternative formats
  • Offering personalized shopping assistance
  • Helping complete an order via email or phone
  • Supplying documents in accessible versions

11. Statement of Inclusive Design Philosophy

HeyWhiskey believes accessibility is not only a legal requirement but also a moral responsibility.

We aim to design and develop our platform so that:

  • No user is excluded
  • Everyone can access products equally
  • Barriers to access are identified and removed

12. Known Accessibility Limitations

Despite our efforts, certain areas may present challenges:

  • Legacy content not yet fully updated
  • Third-party-integrated content
  • Custom animations or interactive elements

We are actively working to fix these limitations.

13. Continuous Improvement Policy

Accessibility is an ongoing priority. We commit to:

  • Regular accessibility audits
  • Updating pages based on new standards
  • Improving usability for all disabilities
  • Ensuring new features are accessible from launch

14. Formal Compliance Review Schedule

We conduct formal reviews:

  • Quarterly internal audits
  • Annual third-party accessibility review
  • After major website updates
  • Whenever accessibility complaints are received

15. Emergency Accessibility Measures

In the event of unexpected accessibility issues due to system errors, updates, or outages:

  • We will prioritize fixing the issue
  • Offer alternative access immediately (email or phone)
  • Notify users once resolved

16. Accessibility Roadmap (Future Improvements)

We are working toward:

  • Improved ARIA live region support
  • Better text descriptions for multimedia
  • Enhanced keyboard focus indicators
  • More detailed accessibility documentation
  • Additional disability support tools (e.g., dyslexia-friendly mode, dark mode)

17. Legal Compliance Statement

This website strives to meet:

  • AODA Accessibility Regulations
  • WCAG 2.1 Level AA
  • Human Rights Codes related to equal access

18. Policy Updates

HeyWhiskey may update this Accessibility Statement as needed to improve compliance or reflect website changes.
Updates become effective immediately upon posting.