COVID-19 created new barriers to employment for people with disabilities. Many people lost their jobs. Some businesses that employ people with disabilities closed. Others had to cut back on hours or workers. Employment agencies couldn’t make connections or provide job supports in their traditional ways.     

Despite all the challenges of COVID-19, people with disabilities have shown their determination and commitment to being part of the workforce. Creativity and innovation are part of making this happen.  

COVID-19 has meant learning to do things differently.  

  • Employment agencies found new ways to provide on-the-job support and keep people working
  • Employers learned that accommodating employees is both positive and possible
  • As businesses struggle with worker shortages, people with disabilities are helping meet the demand

Read about how people with disabilities are meeting the increasing demand for e-commerce in Montreal.  

There are so many exciting and original things happening across the country. We knew it was important to share this information with as many people as possible.  

In the Spring of 2021, we introduced you to The Inclusive Workplace. The Inclusive Workplace is a new bilingual online resource. It supports inclusive employment during COVID-19 and beyond. The site has information and tools for: 

  • Job seekers and workers who are on the autism spectrum or have an intellectual disability 
  • Businesses
  • The employment agencies that connect them

We designed the website so information is easy to understand and use.  

The Inclusive Workplace has been up and running for 6 months now. During that time, many of the website’s visitors have come back more than once! One of the most popular parts of the website is the Real Stories page. It has videos of people with disabilities talking about work and life during COVID-19.  

There are also tools that people with a disability, their families, and employment agencies, can use to: 

These tools are helpful during COVID-19. Lots of them will still be helpful even after COVID-19 is over. 

We hope you will explore the website and get involved.