Creator: Government of Canada
Date Updated: March 21, 2024
Overview
The Government of Canada gives some guidance on their standards for writing web-based content. Of course, the advice applies much more broadly than just the government. We will quickly summarize some of the expectations.
The information on this page is summarized from the Canada.ca Content Style Guide: Writing Principles for Web Content webpage.
Quick Facts
- Write content to complete tasks. When people visit your website, they are likely seeking a specific piece of information. Present it to them so they can find what they need quickly.
- Ensure that web content is accessible to those with physical or cognitive disabilities. Always follow the WCAG standards.
- Use plain language when possible. We also provide a summary of plain language guidelines.
- The content must be translated into both English and French. This includes images, audio, and video. Canadian Government websites are required to provide content in both languages.
- If you need to write for a specific audience, you can use technical or specialized terms. However, you should provide a glossary for any vocabulary the general public may not know.
To learn more, visit the Writing Principles for Web Content webpage.
References
Campbell, A., Adams, C., Bradley Montgomery, R., Cooper, M., & Kirkpatrick, A. (Eds.). (2023, October 5). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2. World Wide Web Consortium. https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/
Employment and Social Development Canada. (2024, March 7). Canada.ca Content Style Guide. Canada.ca. https://design.canada.ca/style-guide/#toc5
Government of British Columbia, & Accessible Libraries. (2024, March 11). Plain Language. AccessibleLibraries.ca. https://accessiblelibraries.ca/resources/plain-language/
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. (2015, August 19). The Official Languages Act and you. Canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/services/values-ethics/official-languages/official-languages-act-and-you.html