Question Period Note: DISABILITY INCLUSION ACCOMPLISHMENTS SINCE 2015.

Summary of accomplishments on disability inclusion since 2015.

The inclusion of persons with disabilities benefits everyone. When Canadians with disabilities have equal opportunities to contribute to their communities, we build a stronger economy and country.

Everyone has family members, friends, neighbours and colleagues with a disability. This means that we all have a stake in making sure that everyone can participate in and contribute to our society, without barriers, limits, or discrimination.

Since 2015, the Government has supported persons with disabilities to live productive and rewarding lives by accomplishing the following:

Passed the Accessible Canada Act in June 2019 and appointed the first-ever Accessibility Commissioner to the Canadian Human Rights Commission in May 2022. The Accessible Canada Act aims to have a barrier-free Canada by 2040.

Ratified the Optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and legislated the Canadian Human Rights Commission as the national monitoring mechanism for the Convention.

Published the first-ever Disability Inclusion Action Plan in October 2022 which resulted in a blueprint for Government and persons with disabilities engaging on actions to transform the lives of persons with disabilities. The disability community, persons with lived experience and disability stakeholders have been actively involved in the development and implementation of this whole-of-government approach to disability inclusion.

Passed the Canada Disability Benefit Act in June 2023 with unanimous support in Parliament. This resulted in establishing the Canada Disability Benefit and the ability to proceed with the next steps to make the benefit a reality.

Continued funding of alternate format materials for persons with print disabilities, including:

support to publishers to create accessible books through the Canada Book Fund;

Launched the Business Technology Challenge to create a text to voice application;

Support to increase the production and availability of alternate format reading materials, including Budget 2022 funding to create a new Equitable Access to Reading Program to launch in 2024.

Launched the Disability Inclusion Business Council to champion and advance accessibility and inclusion in the workplace. This council is currently focusing on setting up the network of 10 business leaders and two disability experts. Their interim report to the Minister on advice and recommendations is expected to be shared in early 2024.

Published new standards under the Accessible Canada Act. These standards lay out procedures for accessibility of the built environment, dwellings and self-service interactive devices, and is another step towards creating a more inclusive and barrier-free Canada.

Made significant new investments through the Enabling Accessibility Fund to support making Canadian workplaces and communities more inclusive and accessible.

Improved access to the labour market for persons with disabilities by applying a disability lens across labour market programming including the Skills Link program, Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program.

More specifically, invested over $270 Million in the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities, ultimately helping over 20,000 persons with disabilities obtain valuable essential skills, tools, and work experience to transition to the labour market and advance their careers. So far this funding is supporting 91 projects across Canada with approximately $191 million.

Improved education outcomes of persons with disabilities through the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program:

Increase in the Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities from $2000 to $2800 for the 2023-24 school year.

Extended disability supports (including the Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities and the Repayment Assistance Plan for Borrowers with Disabilities) to those with persistent and prolonged disabilities through an investment of $429 million over four years, $119 million ongoing (effective August 1, 2022).

These two changes will result in more persons with disabilities entering into and succeeding at post-secondary education.

Made new investments through the Social Development Partnership Program (Disability) to support improving the capacity of national disability organizations to further support the social and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities in Canada.

Accomplishments since 2015 – Chronology

2015

June: Canadian delegation (officials) participates in the UN Conference of States Parties on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

2016

Budget 2016: the GoC increases investment into Skills Link to expand the number of young Canadians including Indigenous and disabled youth transition into the workforce successfully.

Budget 2016: the GoC announces the creation of the Union Training and Innovation Program and targets more participation from women, Indigenous people, newcomers, persons with disabilities, and Black and racialized Canadians in Red Seal trade apprenticeships.

Budget 2016: provided an additional $4 million over two years for the Enabling Accessibility Fund to support the capital costs of construction and renovation related to improving physical accessibility and safety for persons with disabilities in Canadian communities.

June: Canadian delegation (officials) participates in the UN Conference of States Parties on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

2017

The GoC launches consultations to consider Canada’s possible accession to the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The GoC holds public consultation sessions, led by the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, to inform federal accessibility legislation

Budget 2017: provided $77 million over 10 years to expand the activities of the Enabling Accessibility Fund and establish a new Youth Innovation Component.

April 3-4: Minister of Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities delivers a speech to the 10th Session of the Conference of States Parties on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

May: the first National AccessAbility Week occurs from May 28 - June 3, 2017

May 29: Minister of Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities releases the report summarizing input from Canadians on accessibility legislation in “Creating new national accessibility legislation: What we learned from Canadians”

June: Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities heads Canadian delegation participates in the UN Conference of States Parties on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which includes members of youth disability community

2018

June: Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities leads Canada’s delegation to the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the delegation includes members of the youth disability community; minister of Public Services and Procurement also participates

December 3: Canada accedes to the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

in 2019.

Budget 2019: Provided funding to increase the cap on Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities and expand eligibility for the Severe Permanent Disability Benefit

Budget 2019: to support long-term savings among persons with episodic disabilities, the GoC eliminates the requirement to close a Registered Disability Savings Plan due to loss of eligibility for the Disability Tax Credit.

June: Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility leads Canada’s delegation to the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the delegation includes members of the youth disability community

June 21: the Accessible Canada Act receives Royal Assent.

July 11: the Accessible Canada Act comes into force

2020

April: the COVID-19 Disability Advisory Group is formed (CDAG) to ensure an inclusive approach to the GoC’s pandemic response

July: the GoC passes Bill C-20, the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, which provides $600 to holders of a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate and proposes to extend it to beneficiaries of pension or veterans’ disability benefits

September: Speech from the Throne promises the creation of a Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP), including a new Canada Disability Benefit

2020 Fall Economic Statement: invests $65 million over 2 years in the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities

2020 Fall Economic Statement: implements an incremental $15 million investment to support the National Workplace Accessibility Stream within the existing Opportunities Fund

2020 Fall Economic Statement: invests $144.2 million in the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program in 2021-22 to increase support for Indigenous youth, persons with disabilities, and clients living out of territory and urban areas, as well as to enhance capacity of service delivery organizations and expand the Indigenous Labour Market Information Survey and Skills Inventory Pilot

December: CDAG delivers its final report; Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion (EWDDI) renews the committee and mandates it to help the GoC implement its accessibility and inclusion agenda

December: Minister of EWDDI delivers Canada statement during the Conference of States Parties on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

1. Budget 2021: provided $11.9 million over 3 years to undertake consultations to reform eligibility processes for disability programs and benefits

Budget 2021: GoC expands disability supports under the Canada Student Loans Program to Recipients whose disabilities are persistent or prolonged

Budget 2021: provided an additional $100 million over two years to triple the funding for the Enabling Accessibility Fund and support small and mid-sized projects with not-for-profit organizations, women’s shelters, child care centres, small municipalities, Indigenous organizations, territorial governments, small businesses, and businesses of all sizes. To make immediate progress for children with disabilities, Budget 2021 also provided $29.2 million over two years to the Enabling Accessibility Fund to support child care centres as they improve their physical accessibility

Budget 2021: Updated eligibility and improve access to the Disability Tax Credit (this was approved in Budget 2022)

March: Minister of EWDDI announced $3 Million in funding through the National Workplace Accessibility Stream for the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) and its Accommodation and Inclusion Management (AIM) program

June: Minister of EWDDI delivers opening remarks during the Conference of States Parties on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Canada puts forward a candidate for the 2022 election of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; members of youth disability community participate virtually

June: Minister of EWDDI announced funding for the Virtual Access for All program to help support students with disabilities access assistive services and equipment

June 22: Minister of EWDDI introduces legislation to establish the framework for a Canada Disability Benefit (Bill C-35)

2022

February: Minister of EWDDI participates in the 2022 Global Disability Summit

Budget 2022: the GoC commits $25 million over 5 years to support the production of alternate format reading material with the launch of a new program in 2024-2025

Budget 2022: the GoC commits $272.6 million over 5 years to support the implementation of an employment strategy for persons with disabilities through the Opportunities Fund.

May 2022: First-ever Canadian Congress on Disability Inclusion takes place

May 9: the GoC announces the appointment of the first-ever Accessibility Commissioner

June 14-16: Minister of EWDDI leads Canada’s delegation at the 15th Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the delegation includes 3 members of the youth disability community. The Canadian candidate is successfully elected to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and will serve a four-year term (note, Committee members serve independently, and do not represent the Government).

June 2: Minister of EWDDI re-introduces legislation to establish the framework for a Canada Disability Benefit (Bill C-22)

October 7: GoC releases Canada’s first-ever Disability Inclusion Action Plan

December: Minister of EWDDI announces the creation of the Disability Inclusion Business Council (DIBC)

2023

March 28: Budget 2023 announces $21.5 million to continue work on the future delivery of the Canada Disability Benefit

Budget 2023: The GoC commits $10M to Social Development Partnership Program – Disability Component to help address the unique needs and ongoing barriers faced by persons with disabilities by investing in capacity building and the community-level work of Canada's disability organizations

Budget 2023: provided an additional $10 million over two years to reduce waitlists for critical services and supports for persons with disabilities through the Enabling Accessibility Fund’s mid-sized component.

Budget 2023: to improve access to Registered Disability Savings Plans, GoC expands a measure allowing select family members to act as plan holder to include a beneficiary’s adult siblings.

May: Second Canadian Congress on Disability Inclusion takes place

June 13-15: Minister of EWDDI leads Canada’s delegation to the 16th Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the delegation includes members of the youth disability community

June 22: the Canada Disability Benefit Act receives Royal Assent.

July 24: Minister of EWDDI announces timeline and details of the engagement process for the Canada Disability Benefit Regulations

Established the Skilled Trade Awareness and Readiness Program in 2018.

Invested in the Youth Employment Skills Strategy (YESS) Program which focuses on youth facing barriers to employment and/or youth underrepresented in the labour market, with a prioritization of support to youth with disabilities. In fiscal years 2020-21 and 2021-22, the ESDC YESS Program surpassed its goal of 20% of all youth served self-identifying as having a disability.

Advanced the mandate letter commitment to create a dedicated stream for youth with disabilities under the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy by supporting the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth in their engagement with youth with disabilities, youth service providers and employers in fall 2022. The advice from these groups informed the YESS Program Call for Proposals, launching in fall 2023.