WCAG 2.1 AA is the standard we build to.
Every project Bluestone ships is built to WCAG 2.1 Level AA, and this site is held to the same standard. That is a build standard we apply on the way in. It is not a certification we hold, and this page says so plainly because procurement files should not have to guess.
What the standard means during a build.
Accessibility is part of the definition of done for a feature, not a phase at the end. Retrofitting it into finished software costs several times what building it in costs, which is the practical reason it sits at the front.
Semantic structure first
Real landmarks, one h1, heading levels in order with nothing skipped. Screen reader users navigate by structure, so the structure is built before the styling.
Keyboard operability
Every interactive element is reachable and operable with a keyboard alone, in a logical order, with a skip-to-content link and focus that is always visible. No traps.
Contrast that holds up
Body text meets or beats the 4.5:1 ratio and large text meets 3:1, checked against the actual rendered colours rather than assumed from the palette.
Text alternatives
Meaningful images carry alt text that describes what matters about them. Decorative images carry an empty alt so assistive tech skips them instead of reading noise.
Forms that explain themselves
Every control has a real label, errors are described in text rather than by colour alone, and the error message says how to fix the problem.
Motion and preference
Reduced-motion preferences are honoured, nothing flashes, and nothing important is conveyed by animation that a user has asked to turn off.
What this page does not claim.
Accessibility language gets stretched constantly in vendor marketing. Here is the boundary, stated before anyone has to ask for it.
- Not a certification. WCAG 2.1 AA is a technical standard. Bluestone applies it. Bluestone is not certified against it, because no such certification exists in the form buyers sometimes imagine.
- Not a third-party audit. What we can hand over is our own written self-assessment against the success criteria, the testing we performed, and any known limitations. If an independent audit is required, we will help scope one with an outside firm and will not substitute our assessment for it.
- Not a security claim either. Bluestone does not hold SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP, HECVAT, or StateRAMP. CyberSecure Canada is in progress and is described that way everywhere on this site.
- Not a finished job. Conformance is a moving target on any site that keeps changing. We treat a reported barrier as a defect, with a fix and a date, not as feedback to file.
Found a barrier? Tell us and we will fix it.
usebluestone.com targets WCAG 2.1 Level AA. The assessment is our own, performed with keyboard testing, screen reader spot checks, and contrast measurement against the rendered palette. It is published in English.
If something here gets in your way, email eric@usebluestone.com with the page address and a short description of the problem, or use the contact form. You will get a reply from a person, not a ticket number. Tell us the assistive technology and browser you were using if you can, it shortens the fix considerably.
French-language parity is a capability we can build into a client project where the work requires it. It is not a claim about this site.
When accessibility is in the requirements.
BC public bodies procuring digital services generally have to answer for accessibility, and specifications routinely name WCAG 2.1 AA outright. Because we build to it by default, that requirement does not add scope, a change order, or a remediation phase to the project. Where we already sit on the government side:
OAG-RFQ-26-068
Runs to 2030-07-07
Pre-qualified supplier to the Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia
Digital Services. Qualified in three categories: Public Cloud Services, Application and System Design, and AI Readiness and Adoption.
ON-003317-03
Pre-qualified, Province of British Columbia Multi-Use List, Service Area 3
Software Development and Testing. The provincial standing list ministries draw from when they scope a build.
BC Digital Marketplace
Registered supplier
Listed on the province’s marketplace for digital opportunities, so BC public bodies can find and invite us directly.
Delivery in progress
We hold an active contract with a Canadian provincial government ministry, client name withheld under contract confidentiality.
To be exact about what the first three are: a pre-qualification is permission to be invited, not a contract award and not a guarantee of work. It means the province has already reviewed us against its criteria and cleared us to bid, so a ministry can go straight to a statement of work instead of running a full open competition.
Asked by buyers, answered straight.
- Is Bluestone certified for accessibility?
- No, and neither is anyone else in the ordinary sense. WCAG 2.1 AA is a technical standard, not a certification programme. Bluestone applies WCAG 2.1 AA as a build standard on every project and can provide a written self-assessment against the success criteria. We do not hold, and do not claim, an accessibility certification or a third-party conformance audit.
- What accessibility standard do you build to?
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 at Level AA. It is applied from the start of a build rather than retrofitted at the end, because retrofitting accessibility into finished software costs several times what building it in costs. Semantic structure, keyboard operability, visible focus, contrast ratios, text alternatives, and reduced-motion support are part of the definition of done, not a later phase.
- Can you produce accessibility documentation for a procurement file?
- Yes. We can provide a written self-assessment against the WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria for the product we built, a description of the testing performed, and a list of any known limitations. If a buyer requires an independent third-party audit, we will say so plainly and help scope one with an outside firm rather than presenting our own assessment as one.
Have an accessibility requirement to meet?
Bring the requirement, or bring the product that is failing it. We will tell you on the call whether it is a build problem or a remediation problem, and send the answer in writing afterwards.