Category: Employment

In 2019 the Government of Canada passed a new law called the Accessible Canada Act. The Accessible Canada Act’s goal is to create a country without barriers for all people – especially people with disabilities. The law applies to programs and services that the federal government controls. The law focuses on barriers in seven main areas. One of these areas is employment. 

Having a law is the first step to creating an accessible Canada. The next step is to create Accessibility Standards. Accessibility Standards are rules that help organizations find and remove barriers. The federal government gave funding to community groups to help them with this work. For the past 3 years, Inclusion Canada, People First of Canada and the Canadian Institute for Citizenship and Inclusion have been researching employment barriers and the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. We’re excited to share what we’ve learned with the Government of Canada and with you! 

Read the Research Report we prepared for the Government of Canada. It talks about barriers and best practice for accessible employment for people with intellectual disabilities. The report is available in English and French. 

Read the Plain Language Executive Summary of our research report. This summary is available in Plain English and Plain French.  

See the Infographic of interesting facts we learned through this project. This accessible infographic is available in English and French. 

Read the Info Sheet summarizing ways the Government of Canada can support equal access at work for people with intellectual disabilities. This accessible info sheet is available in English and French. 

Watch an animated video highlighting ways the Government of Canada can support equal access at work for people with intellectual disabilities. This video is available in English with ASL and in French with LSQ.

Watch a self-advocate led video discussing recommendations from the project and ways that employers can create inclusive and accessible workplaces. This video is available in English and in English with French captions.

We gratefully acknowledge that this project was funded by Accessibility Standards Canada.

Only 25% of people with an intellectual disability are in the regular workforce, despite government and corporate commitments to employment equity and inclusive workplaces.

Working-age adults with an intellectual disability need to be employed at the same rate as the general population.

Supporting the Development of a Federal Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities: Provincial-Territorial Consultation 2023