Employment Strategy for Canadians with Disabilities

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

On this page

• 1. Message from the Minister
• 2. Dedication
• 3. Introduction
• 4. Employment Strategy framework
• 5. Lining up with Government of Canada efforts
• 6. Background
• 7. Understanding disability and employment
• 8. What we have heard and what we are doing about it
• 9. Measuring progress
• 10. Next steps
• 11. Related links
• 12. Annex: ESDC programs and initiatives supporting the Employment Strategy's goals

1. Message from the Minister

As Canada's Minister of Diversity, Inclusion, and Persons with Disabilities, I am honoured to launch the Employment Strategy for Canadians with Disabilities.

Diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice we must make every day. This Employment Strategy represents that choice. We are committed to removing barriers, changing old beliefs, and creating a Canada where everyone belongs and can do well. The Employment Strategy's vision, goals, and principles guide Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) in helping persons with disabilities in the job market.

Right now, only 62% of Canadians with disabilities aged 25 to 64 have jobs, compared to 78% of Canadians without disabilities^{Footnote 1}. Persons with disabilities who are working often have lower paying jobs that have less stability, fewer benefits, and limited chances for career growth. The need for action is clear. The purpose of the Employment Strategy is to close this gap. Its vision is to do that by 2040. This is in line with goals of the Disability Inclusion Action Plan and the Accessible Canada Act.

The Employment Strategy follows the principle of "Nothing Without Us." We listened to Canadians with disabilities who have different backgrounds, disability organizations, employers, and civil society. They told us about many complicated barriers. These barriers make it harder for persons with disabilities to get and keep good jobs. Some persons with disabilities face more barriers than others because of their gender, race, or age.

To remove these barriers, government and society need to work together. For individuals with disabilities to succeed in the job market, they sometimes need support. This includes things like skills training and help to find and keep a job. Things like accessible housing, transportation, and childcare services are also very important. These supports need to be included in government employment programs. Employers need help to hire and keep persons with disabilities. Employers also need help to create welcoming workplaces that are inclusive and accessible. Individuals and organizations around the country are working to improve disability inclusion in employment. These enablers do important work and need support too.

For decades, a top priority for the Government of Canada has been to close the employment gap for persons with disabilities. The Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities program started in 1997 after the Federal Task Force on Disability Issues published its report in 1996. The Opportunities Fund is an important part of this strategy. This is because it gives funds to organizations in communities across the country that help persons with disabilities find and keep jobs. It started by giving nearly $30 million per year to these organizations. Right now, it is giving nearly $100 million each year until fiscal year 2026 to 2027.

Since 1962, the Government of Canada has been giving funds to provinces and territories so they can offer programs that help persons with disabilities find jobs and keep good jobs. The costs of those programs are shared between the federal government, provincial, and territorial governments. Since 2015, they have invested around $4 billion in these programs through the Workforce Development Agreements.

The Employment Strategy is a plan to break down barriers for persons with disabilities. ESDC has applied this plan in its employment programs. More and more, all ESDC skills development and employment programs are supporting persons with disabilities. Programs like the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training program, the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program, the Youth Employment Skills and Strategy, and Skills for Success are finding better ways to serve persons with disabilities. The Employment Strategy is not just about more programming for persons with disabilities but also about serving them better.

Much of ESDC's work helps individuals find work through skills training and job supports. However, many Canadians with disabilities are still underemployed. Employers often don't know about their talents. More focus is now being placed on helping employers hire, keep, and include workers with disabilities. In 2022, the Government of Canada started the ministerial Disability Inclusion Business Council. This council provides me with advice and recommendations on the challenges employers face. They are working on an Advice and Recommendations Report on improving workplace inclusion for persons with disabilities. I expect to receive this report later this year. The council also successfully started the Canadian Business Disability Inclusion Network in December 2023. As Canada's first national non-profit organization, the network aims to help employers adopt disability inclusive best practices.

The Employment Strategy is based on years of working with the disability community. Our conversations are an important step in helping to close the employment gap. Our strategy continues to meet the changing needs of persons with disabilities. ESDC is setting an example of supporting persons with disabilities with our focus on employment and training programs. ESDC will report on progress regularly. We will keep working with other federal departments, provincial and territorial partners, the disability community, employers, Indigenous Peoples, and others.

It is time to act. The Employment Strategy is our plan for breaking down barriers, creating new opportunities, and making real changes. Together, we can empower millions of Canadians with disabilities and help to make sure that everyone has a fair chance to succeed and no one is left behind.

The Hon. Kamal Khera
Minister of Diversity, Inclusion, and Persons with Disabilities

2. Dedication

The Employment Strategy for Canadians with Disabilities is dedicated to every person facing barriers to work. This strategy is also dedicated to people working to remove barriers. Together, we can build a future where every person in Canada has a fair chance to succeed.

It is based on the principle of "Nothing Without Us." The strategy was developed by listening to persons with disabilities, the people who support them, employers, service providers, and others. We thank the many committed Canadians who have contributed to this work.

3. Introduction

The Employment Strategy for Canadians with Disabilities is a framework to guide government action. The strategy fits with the Government of Canada's recent actions to help persons with disabilities find and keep good jobs. It builds on work started more than 60 years ago. It is based on evidence and an understanding of the challenges and experiences of persons with disabilities.

It explains what the Government of Canada is doing so persons with disabilities can find and keep good jobs. We will update Canadians regularly on our progress. We will keep listening to persons with disabilities and the groups that support them.

4. Employment Strategy framework

The Employment Strategy provides a framework to guide action. This includes efforts to ensure ESDC's employment policies and programs include persons with disabilities. It is based on a recognition that there is a significant employment gap between persons with disabilities and those without disabilities. This gap results from barriers that persons with disabilities face in workplaces and in the labour market. The framework serves as a guide to address these barriers.

Purpose

The purpose of the Employment Strategy is to close the employment gap between persons with disabilities and those without. It will do this by identifying and addressing barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from finding and keeping good jobs, advancing in their careers, or becoming entrepreneurs. These barriers can only be removed by taking thoughtful action. By doing so, we can create a society that includes everyone. This can improve the financial and social well-being of all Canadians.

Vision

The vision of the Employment Strategy is to close the employment gap by 2040. The Employment Strategy tracks the gap in employment rates. It will also develop measures to track progress in other ways.

Scope

The Employment Strategy focuses on ESDC policies and programs. ESDC's mission is to build a stronger and more inclusive Canada. It has many programs that help Canadians with disabilities find and keep good jobs. The Employment Strategy also recognizes the importance of related work that is being done by other Government of Canada departments.

Goals

Goal 1: Individuals

Goal 2: Employers

Goal 3: Enablers

Principles

• "Nothing Without Us": persons with disabilities need to be involved in the development and implementation of all government systems, policies, programs, and services
• An approach based on human rights: human rights principles, such as equality, anti-discrimination, participation, and inclusion, will guide the actions that we take
• Intersectionality: government systems, policies, programs, and services must consider the different ways people interact with their environments and the various forms of marginalization and discrimination they face

5. Lining up with Government of Canada efforts

ESDC is the federal government department that is responsible for the Employment Strategy. ESDC works to build a stronger and more inclusive Canada. Our mission is to help all Canadians live productive and rewarding lives and to improve their quality of life. This section explains how the Employment Strategy connects with other recent federal government actions.

The Employment Strategy lines up with the Accessible Canada Act. It was passed in 2019. The purpose of the Accessible Canada Act is to achieve a barrier-free Canada by 2040. It does this by finding, removing, and preventing barriers to accessibility. The Employment Strategy will help to achieve this by working to close the employment gap for persons with disabilities by 2040.

In 2022, Canada launched a Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) for the first time. The goal of the DIAP is to include persons with disabilities in every part of life in Canada. The DIAP will also help to achieve a barrier-free Canada by 2040. The DIAP is organized under 4 pillars:

• financial security
• employment
• accessible and inclusive communities
• a modern approach to disability

The Employment Strategy is a key action under Pillar 2 (Employment) of the DIAP.

Graphic 1 - text version

The infographic title reads: Vision: Close the Employment Gap by 2040

The body of the infographic has the following elements.

There are 2 arrows that point to the title of the infographic that come from 2 textboxes.

The first textbox, "Disability Inclusion Action Plan Blueprint," has the following text: A Canada more inclusive of the more than 27% of persons, or 8 million people, that identify as having a disability in our country. Figures updated to reflect 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability.

The second textbox, "Accessible Canada Act, 2019," has the following information: Vision to proactively eliminate and prevent barriers and ensure greater opportunities for Canadians with disabilities. The Act applies to organizations under federal responsibility, and requires that organizations prepare and publish accessibility plans, set up a feedback process, and prepare and publish progress reports.

Under the first textbox, there are 4 smaller textboxes that outline the pillars of the Disability Inclusion Action Plan. Each pillar has an icon. The pillars are: Financial Security, Employment, Accessible and Inclusive Communities, and A Modern Approach to Disability.

Lastly, this infographic has a final textbox below the employment pillar textbox. The title is "Employment Strategy for Canadians with Disabilities, 2024" and has the text: Vision of closing the employment gap by 2040.

The Employment Strategy lines up with the work of Accessibility Standards Canada. Accessibility Standards Canada plays an important role in Canada becoming barrier-free by 2040. It does this by developing accessibility standards, supporting accessibility research, and sharing information related to accessibility. The standards are created with an intersectional lens by people with lived experiences of disability. The standards are based on knowledge and professional expertise in the priority areas of the Accessible Canada Act.

Right now, Accessibility Standards Canada is making a standard for employment. This standard will show organizations how to promote and improve accessibility and inclusion in their workplaces. The standard will be available to all Canadians.

The Employment Strategy also fits within the Employment Equity Act. The Act includes rules that help make federal workplaces more accessible and inclusive. It was recently reviewed, and an Employment Equity Act Review report was released on December 11, 2023. The report explained how important it is:

• to make Canadian workplaces inclusive
• that everyone has an equal chance to work
• that there is fairness in all workplaces regulated by the federal government

Other federal departments are also taking actions that line up with the Employment Strategy.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada has a program called 50 - 30 Challenge: Your Diversity Advantage. It aims to increase diversity and inclusion in Canadian workplaces. It is working in partnership with Canadian businesses and diversity groups to achieve 2 goals. The first goal is related to equal gender representation. The target of this goal is to have 50% women and non-binary people in senior management positions or on executive boards. The second goal is related to better representation of equity-deserving groups, including persons with disabilities. The target is for equity-deserving groups to represent 30% of the positions on executive boards or in senior management. To date, over 2,500 teams are participating in this challenge.

Veterans Affairs Canada is working on a National Veterans Employment Strategy. This strategy helps all veterans, including those with disabilities, to find meaningful employment when they leave the Canadian Armed Forces.

Indigenous Services Canada has recently received funding to enhance the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program. Over 5 years, $213.5 million will help Indigenous persons with disabilities have equitable opportunities for success.

The Treasury Board of Canada's Secretariat is working to make the federal government a more diversity-inclusive employer. For example, its Mentorship Plus program helps government workers from employment equity and equity-seeking groups. It does this by connecting them with mentors who can help them in their work and careers. It was launched in December 2020 across the federal public service. As of spring 2024, there are almost 60 departments and agencies taking part in the program. Over 800 mentorships have been established across the government.

In 2019, the Government of Canada announced plans to hire 5,000 new employees with disabilities by 2025. Since 2019, more than 4,000 new persons with disabilities have been hired across the public service.

More than 60 federal departments and agencies have adopted the GC Workplace Accessibility Passport. The passport helps federal public service employees get the tools, supports, and measures they need to perform at their best and succeed in the workplace. It makes it easier to hire employees with disabilities and to help them advance in their careers.

Also, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's Centralized Enabling Workplace Fund helps to identify and remove barriers that persons with disabilities face in the federal public service. It funded pilot programs, research projects and hiring initiatives to better recruit, train, and promote employees with disabilities.

6. Background

The Government of Canada has taken many actions over the past 60 years to help persons with disabilities find and keep jobs. The Employment Strategy builds on these actions. This section describes some of these actions.

Table 1: Timeline of disability and employment policy in Canada

Year	Federal actions
1962	The federal government signs agreements with provincial and territorial governments to share the cost of their skills training and employment programs for persons with disabilities. The agreements are called the Vocational Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons program. Eventually, they become today's Workforce Development Agreements.
1996	The Federal Task Force on Disability Issues publishes a report, Equal Citizenship for Canadians with Disabilities. It recommends federal government leadership to ensure the full inclusion and participation of citizens with disabilities.
1997	The Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities is launched. It has a budget of $30 million per year.
1998	The Employability Assistance for Persons with Disabilities program replaces the Vocational Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons program. The federal government invests $192 million per year in this program by 2004. It is cost-matched by provinces and territories.
2004	The Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities replace the Employability Assistance for Persons with Disabilities program. The federal government invests $220 million per year in these agreements. It is cost-matched by provinces and territories.
2010	Canada ratifies the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This means Canada commits to ensuring persons with disabilities have the same rights and freedoms as everyone else. This includes making sure they have equal chances to work.
2011	The Government of Canada updates its Gender Based Analysis (GBA) tool. The new GBA+ tool includes disability.
2013	The annual budget of the Opportunities Fund increases from $30 million to $40 million.
2017	The Workforce Development Agreements replace the Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities. The federal government continues to invest $220 million per year in these cost-matched agreements.
2017 onwards	ESDC ramps up efforts to ensure that persons with disabilities are served by its full range of skills training and employment programs.
2018	The House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities releases a report called Experiential Learning and Pathways to Employment for Canadian Youth. It makes 17 recommendations, including removing barriers that put youth with disabilities at risk. The federal government adds $18.4 million to the Opportunities Fund over 6 years to support implementation of the Accessible Canada Act.
2018 to 2024	The federal government adds $2.6 billion to the Workforce Development Agreements. This includes $1.6 billion in programming for persons with disabilities that is cost-matched by provinces and territories.
2019	The Accessible Canada Act receives Royal Assent and comes into force. The federal government adds $13 million to the Opportunities Fund over 3 years. This supports employer focused programming.
2020	The federal government adds $80 million to the Opportunities Fund over 2 years. This is to reduce the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021	Changes to Employment Equity Act come into force. These changes help to bring the Act up to date.
2022	The federal government adds $272.6 million to the Opportunities Fund over 5 years to implement the Employment Strategy. Canada releases its first ever Disability Inclusion Action Plan. The federal government creates the Disability Inclusion Business Council.
2023	The Disability Inclusion Business Council creates the Canadian Business Disability Inclusion Network.

7. Understanding disability and employment

Recent data from the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability shows that 27% of Canadians had a disability when the survey took place^{Footnote 2}. This increased from 22% at the time of the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability. The increase was bigger for young people aged 15 to 24. In the 2022 survey, 20% of this age group said they had a disability. This compares to 13% from the 2017 survey. The disability rate for women is 30%, compared to 24% for men. Women are also more likely to have severe disabilities than their male counterparts. The Employment Strategy uses strong evidence to understand the job challenges persons with disabilities face. This section includes important data about the barriers that stop them from fully participating in the workforce. These barriers create a gap in employment between those with and without disabilities.

Persons with disabilities are more likely to have jobs compared to before. According to the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability, the employment rate for persons with disabilities aged 25 to 64 was 62%, up from 59% recorded in the 2017 survey. The employment rate for those without disabilities was 78% in the survey from 2022 and 80% in the one from 2017. Canada also leads in making workplaces inclusive. We have laws, policies, and supports that make jobs more accessible and fairer for everyone. They are helping to close the employment gap between persons with and without disabilities. Among 32 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Canada stands out. In 2019, Canada was 1 of only 5 countries where the employment gap got smaller.

While some progress has been made, persons with disabilities still have not fully benefited from Canada's economic growth. Statistics Canada estimates that, in 2022, over 1 million Canadians with disabilities aged 15 to 64 could work in an inclusive labor market but did not have a job.

Graphic 2 - text version

Age groups	2017	2022
Total, aged 15 years and older	22.3%	27%
Youth, aged 15 to 24 years	13.1%	20.1%
Working-aged adults, aged 25 to 64 years	20%	24.1%
Seniors, aged 65 years and older	37.8%	40.4%

The 2021 Canadian Income Survey showed that more than 10.6% of Canadians with disabilities live below the poverty line, compared to 7.4% of the total population. There are several reasons for this: working-age persons with disabilities are less likely to have jobs, they tend to earn less, and they are less likely to have a partner to share expenses with.

There is not much federal research on the intersection between disability and race in Canada. The evidence that is available indicates that racialized and Indigenous populations experience higher rates of disability. They regularly face more significant discrimination due to both their disability and race. In addition, they have less access to formal skills and employment programming^{Footnote 3}.

There are still big differences in employment between Indigenous and non-Indigenous persons with disabilities. According to the 2017 Aboriginal Peoples Survey, almost 1 in 3 (32.7%) off-reserve First Nations people aged 25 to 54 said they had a disability. Nearly half of the working-age Indigenous persons with disabilities said their disability was a barrier to getting a job. Disability rates were even higher among First Nations women.

Graphic 3 - text version

Disability status	Employed	Unemployed	Not in the labour force
Persons with a disability, 2022	61.8%	7.8%	30.4%
Persons with a disability, 2017	59.3%	5.4%	35.3%
Persons without a disability, 2022	77.8%	6.5%	15.8%
Persons without a disability, 2017	80.1%	4.7%	15.2%

Early work experience is very important for youth with disabilities. A U.S. study found that those who work early are 17%^{Footnote 4} more likely to have a job 2 years later. However, many employers don't know how to support them^{Footnote 5}. Some employers see youth with disabilities as unable to work. This makes it harder for students with disabilities to find jobs. They often miss out on early job experiences that teach them the skills that many employers want^{Footnote 6}. They are also less likely to get a second chance if they don't do well in a job. This gives them fewer chances to try different careers, making it harder to move from school to work.

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities studied these issues. They released a report in 2018 called Experiential Learning and Pathways to Employment for Canadian Youth. This report recognized the importance of employer incentives, entrepreneurial skills, and paid internships to help youth join the workforce.

Older workers with disabilities also have unique needs. Canadians are working longer because they need money, enjoy work, or want to stay active. The knowledge and experience of these older workers is important to keep up productivity and fill job gaps. As people age, they are more likely to become disabled. Strategies are needed to help older workers with disabilities stay active in the workforce.

8. What we have heard and what we are doing about it

Since 2015, the federal government has heard from and had conversations with many Canadians with disabilities and disability communities. This includes advocates, community organizations, employers, researchers, Indigenous groups, and others. We conducted a national survey that received over 8,000 responses from persons with and without disabilities. This section summaries the key findings from this engagement. It also provides examples of some of the actions we have taken in response.

ESDC helps individuals with disabilities by funding programs that offer them skills training, work opportunities, and other employment supports.

The Opportunities Fund program is the Government of Canada's main employment program for persons with disabilities. It provides funding to disability organizations in communities across Canada that serve persons with disabilities. The program helps more than 6,000 persons with disabilities each year. A recent study found that, on average, it helped individuals increase their income by nearly 40% over 5 years.

Partnering with provinces and territories

Through the Labour Market Development Agreements and the Workforce Development Agreements, the Government of Canada gives provinces and territories close to $3 billion each year. This money is used to provide individuals with skills training, job opportunities, career counselling, job search assistance, and other supports. These agreements support 1 million individuals each year, including more than 380,000 persons with disabilities. They also help employers. For example, employers can receive wage subsidies to hire persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities who receive these supports see their incomes go up by an average of $2,600 per year.

Provinces and territories are receiving $722 million each year under the Workforce Development Agreements. From this amount, at least $220 million is dedicated to persons with disabilities. Provinces and territories must cost match this amount. In recent years, combined spending on persons with disabilities has been over $440 million each year.

Youth

Youth with disabilities face unique barriers to employment. The Youth Employment and Skills Strategy funds projects delivered by community organizations that provide employment supports to youth between the ages of 15 to 30. In October 2023, ESDC's Youth Employment and Skills Strategy program focused on helping youth with disabilities gain skills to find and keep good quality jobs. ESDC committed more than $300 million over 4 years. At least 20% of projects will support youth with disabilities.

Students

ESDC's Supports for Student Learning Program helps students with disabilities stay in school, gain skills, and succeed in education. The Student and Afterschool Supports stream funds community organizations that help students learn new skills outside the classroom and succeed in their education. In fiscal year 2022 to 2023, nearly 6,000 students with disabilities were supported under this stream. The Global Skills Opportunity stream helps college and university students gain new skills and study and work abroad. Between November 2021 and April 30, 2024, almost 1,900 students with disabilities took part in this stream, representing 18% of all participants for this stream.

Connecting job seekers with disabilities and employers

Canada's Job Bank connects job seekers with disabilities and employers through an online job board. It has a dedicated landing page with disability focused tools and services that help persons with disabilities find jobs. In 2023 to 2024, there were over 59,000 job bank search sessions by job seekers who used the filter "persons with disabilities".

Trades and apprenticeship

The Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy aims to support a skilled, inclusive, certified, and productive trades workforce. The Apprenticeship Service provides financial contributions of $5,000 to employers to hire new, first-year apprentices in eligible Red Seal trades that are found mostly in the construction and manufacturing sector. The financial incentive is doubled to $10,000 when hiring an apprentice from an equity-deserving group, including persons with disabilities.

Canada Pension Plan: Vocational rehabilitation

The Canada Pension Plan Disability component is running a 2-year pilot project to test return-to-work supports for approximately 1,500 recipients with different disabilities and different backgrounds. These individuals will be able to use a return-to-work navigator and have an extended 12-month work trial while having access to an improved Vocational Rehabilitation Program.

Jobs of the future

Over the past 5 years, the ESDC-funded Future Skills Centre has funded over 40 projects to research barriers to employment, skill gaps, and skills development for persons with disabilities.

Consult the list of ESDC programs supporting individuals with disabilities in the Annex for more information.

Many ESDC programs help employers make workplaces that are inclusive and accessible. Here are some recent examples of initiatives that support employers.

The Disability Inclusion Business Council was created in December 2022 as a group to advise the Minister. It is made up of business leaders who support disability inclusion in their workplaces. In late 2023, the council started the Canadian Business Disability Inclusion Network. This is an independent group which helps employers use best practices in including persons with disabilities in the workplace. These best practices benefit their businesses, employees, and customers. The council also develops and gives advice to the Minister on making workplaces more inclusive for persons with disabilities.

Connecting individuals with disabilities and employers

The term "talent pipeline" describes the path from education and skills training to getting a good job. Education, skills training, and job matching are important parts of this talent pipeline. Opportunities for work experience such as internships, co-op placements, mentoring, and coaching can be critical steps to help individuals get work experience and connect with employers.

The Opportunities Fund program offers a range of supports for employers, including employer awareness activities, wage subsidies, and hands-on supports. This helps employers hire persons with disabilities, train management and staff, and create inclusive workplace cultures. By connecting job seekers with disabilities and employers, this program also helps build talent pipelines for businesses.

The labour market agreements with provinces and territories support partnerships between employers, employee or employer associations, community groups, and communities. They work together to create plans to improve hiring and keeping employees. This includes helping employers create accessible and inclusive workplaces and find available job seekers, including persons with disabilities.

The Future Skills Program also funds projects to support employers in hiring and retaining persons with disabilities. For example, the Remote Work Strategies for Small Businesses project helped small and medium businesses innovate and learn skills to develop a long-term remote work strategy.

The Job Bank has a page for employers who are interested in hiring persons with disabilities. It offers tools and resources such as links to community partners, employment benefits, financial supports, and allowances. In 2023 to 2024, the page received over 308,000 visits. Over 87,000 job postings were promoted to persons with disabilities. More than 44,000 employers invited persons with disabilities to apply to jobs using the Job Bank.

The Canada Summer Jobs program supports employers to create jobs for youth aged 15 to 30. In 2024, the Canada Summer Jobs target is for 10% of its supported participants to be youth with disabilities. For example, Canada Summer Jobs has funded Inclusion Canada, which has a history of supporting the full inclusion of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families.

Consult the list of ESDC programs supporting employers in the Annex for more information.

Enablers work to make sure workplaces are inclusive and accessible for persons with disabilities. They provide services to persons with disabilities and employers, such as helping with smooth transitions into jobs and meeting long-term goals. The following are some recent examples of efforts that support the work of enablers.

In addition to supporting individuals and employers, the Opportunities Fund also provides supports to enablers. For example, the program is supporting enhanced access to professional sign language interpretation by addressing the shortage of professional sign language interpreters in Canada.

Disability organizations receive funding through the Social Development Partnerships Program - Disability component to improve the participation and social inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of Canadian society. The program provides $11 million each year to not-for-profit organizations to support and build their capacity as well as for a range of initiatives to address barriers to inclusion.

From 2020 to March 2024, the Women's Employment Readiness Pilot Program funded organizations to test ways to deliver skills training and make workplaces that are more inclusive for women who face multiple barriers to employment, including women with disabilities. The pilot targeted 5,000 women, including 1,250 women with disabilities, and results will be made public in a What we Heard report later this year.

Consult the list of ESDC programs supporting enablers in the Annex for more information.

Recognizing the efforts of civil society

Civil society and the disability community play very important roles in helping to improve job opportunities for persons with disabilities. The Disability and Work in Canada initiative has made significant efforts to close the employment gap for persons with disabilities.

9. Measuring progress

The vision of the Employment Strategy is to close the employment gap by 2040. ESDC will keep track of how it is progressing towards this goal. We will share progress reports with Canadians. One way to do this is by comparing what percentage of persons with disabilities are employed and what percentage of persons without disabilities are employed. Data are provided by the Canadian Survey on Disability. While there were big differences in how data were collected in the 2012, 2017, and 2022 surveys^{Footnote 7}, the trend shows that the gap is getting smaller.

Graphic 4 - text version

Year	Employment rate of persons with disabilities	Employment rate of persons without disabilities	Gap in employment rates, in percentage points
2012	47%	74%	27
2017	59.3%	80.1%	20.8
2022	61.8% (2.5 percentage points higher than in 2017)	77.8% (2.3 percentage points lower than in 2017)	16 (4.8 percentage points lower than in 2017)

ESDC has set a goal to reduce this gap by 2% by the next Canadian Survey on Disability in 2027. If we keep making similar progress every 5 years, the gap between the employment outcomes of persons with disabilities who can work, called "labour force availability," should be eliminated by 2040. This is one way of measuring progress. Progress measures will be refined in the coming years and additional measures will be added. Work is continuing to strengthen and support data measures and reporting on progress.

Graphic 5 - text version

This bar graph shows a decrease in employment rate gaps based on the Canadian Surveys on Disability for the years 2012, 2017, and 2022, and projections for the gaps reported through future surveys for the years 2027, 2032, and 2037. Separate 5-year increments are added between each bar, starting in 2015 and ending with the Employment Strategy target of 2040. These years demonstrate how employment rate gaps reported in future iterations of the Employment Strategy will remain informed by the most recent data released through the surveys. 2037 represents the final reference point to determine if the Employment Strategy has effectively fulfilled its vision by 2040. The data shown in this graph is as follows:

Table 2: Data table for Graphic 5 (Tracking the gap in employment rates between persons with and without disabilities)

Year of Canadian Survey on Disability	Gap in employment rates, in percentage points
2012	27
2017	20.8
2022	16
2027 (projected)	14
2032 (projected)	12
2037 (projected)	10

10. Next steps

ESDC will continue to listen to persons with disabilities and disability communities to ensure the Employment Strategy continues to meet their needs. We will work to make sure our programs and policies include persons with disabilities. We will work with other government departments, provinces and territories, businesses, and organizations to achieve the strategy's goals.

When persons with disabilities have steady jobs, it leads to positive changes in all parts of life. However, offering help finding jobs or creating inclusive workplaces is not enough. A range of other supports are equally important. For example, financial aid can provide the stability an individual needs to go back to school, to upskill, or to look for a job. When someone gets a job, there is a risk that they lose their government benefits. This can discourage persons with disabilities from finding work. ESDC is committed to working with partners, including provinces and territories, to fix these problems. Having affordable and accessible childcare is also very important because it gives children with disabilities the care and support they need. This helps parents with disabilities to focus on their jobs without worrying about their children's well being.

The federal government will continue to work with provinces and territories, other governmental departments, businesses, and organizations to carry out the goals of the Employment Strategy. Our cooperation helps ESDC better understand the daily challenges of persons with disabilities, including the complex intersectional barriers they may face. We will work together to continue to support persons with disabilities.

This cooperation also helps inform future policy making. Tools like wage subsidies, for example, continue to be controversial in the disability community. The 2020 Opportunities Fund evaluation shows that targeted wage subsidies are effective at improving jobs opportunities in the medium-term. However, they have been criticized as contributing to discrimination against workers with disabilities and their long-term impact has been questioned. ESDC has made changes to our skills training and employment programs to give more flexibility to organizations that find wage subsidies are not effective for their clients. There is a need to continually explore new tools.

ESDC is updating the Opportunities Fund to offer a wider range of services that recognize the diversity of persons with disabilities in Canada. This includes better support for career advancement, entrepreneurship, and self-employment. It also involves using a new performance measurement strategy to find out which types of programs work best for different people and to better tailor supports to individual needs.

This approach recognizes that government programs must offer services that meet different needs. Canadians with disabilities are not all the same and their experiences, needs, and outcomes can vary. Some people are born with a disability, while others develop one later in life. Disabilities can be permanent, temporary, or come and go, and they can range from mild to severe. The impact of a disability differs for each person, depending on their experiences and background. Our approach must be intersectional to meet individual needs and challenges.

ESDC's fall 2024 Workforce Summit will provide an opportunity to demonstrate federal leadership and better position Canada for the future. In partnership with provincial and territorial governments, the summit will also include participants from the public, as well as private, labour, Indigenous, and not-for-profit organizations. The purpose of the summit is to create an opportunity to reflect on recent changes. The summit will focus policy discussions on building a 21st century labour market. We will celebrate progress made to date. The summit will also look at key issues in more depth, such as improving labour market participation of groups that are not often represented, including persons with disabilities.

Advancing the goals

As a department, we are continuing to increase the range of programs and services available. By engaging with disability communities often, we can better serve organizations in their supports to individuals, employers, and enablers. ESDC is working to advance each of the goals of the Employment Strategy to improve job market experiences for persons with disabilities.

Goal 1: Individuals

Goal 2: Employers

Goal 3: Enablers

With these goals in mind, going forward, the Employment Strategy is also concentrating efforts in the following areas.

Embedding employment supports for persons with disabilities across ESDC programs

We continue to make efforts to increase the range of supports available to persons with disabilities in ESDC's programs. This includes reviewing existing programs to ensure they are disability inclusive, setting investment targets where possible, and continuing to invest in new programming for persons with disabilities. For example, Budget 2024 announced an additional $90 million over 2 years to renew the Apprenticeship Service. This effort is helping small and medium-sized employers. They can create opportunities for first-year apprentices in the skilled trades. This also includes additional incentives for employers who hire apprentices from equity-deserving groups, such as with persons with disabilities.

Encouraging a whole of government approach

We are leading the Government of Canada's efforts to make other government policies and programs more inclusive for persons with disabilities.

Partnering with different governments

We are working with provincial, territorial, and Indigenous governments to learn from each other and find better ways to support persons with disabilities in the job market.

Measuring progress

Working together with the disability community, we are developing new indicators to measure progress towards closing the employment gap by 2040.

Progress will be shared through regular updates to the Employment Strategy itself, and through the Disability Inclusion Action Plan and the Departmental Results Reports. An update on the Employment Strategy will also be released on a yearly basis. As the Canadian Survey on Disability is conducted on a 5-year cycle, in-depth reports on the Employment Strategy will follow later survey releases every 5 years.

Moving the Employment Strategy forward

ESDC cannot close the employment gap on our own. This Employment Strategy framework will help to guide the collective work of governments, employers, disability stakeholders, and civic society. ESDC is committed to working with all partners to explore new solutions that support the participation of Canadians with disabilities in employment.

This will help to make sure that the Employment Strategy stays up-to-date and meets the needs of persons with disabilities. The strategy will also contribute to the ongoing conversation on disability and work. As policy, law, and international pledges increasingly protect the rights to accessibility and inclusion, there is a growing understanding that diversity, including disability, enriches workplaces. This has the potential to shine a greater light on the talents and capabilities of individuals with disabilities, rather than just their needs.

Together, we can make Canada a place where everyone has a fair chance to succeed.

Together, we are closing the employment gap for Canadians with disabilities by 2040. The time to act is now.

This Employment Strategy is making real changes, creating new chances, and breaking down old barriers. Together, we can empower and recognize the lived experiences of millions of Canadians with disabilities, so no one gets left behind.

11. Related links

• Accessibility Standards Canada
• Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada
• Accessible Canada Act
• COVID-19 Disability Advisory Group
• Disability Inclusion Action Plan
• Disability Inclusion Business Council
• Employment Equity Act Task Force
• Progress reports on the Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada
• United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

12. Annex: ESDC programs and initiatives supporting the Employment Strategy's goals

Goal 1: ESDC programs supporting individuals with disabilities

• Canada Pension Plan Disability
• Canada Student Financial Assistance
• Canada Summer Jobs
• Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy
• Community Workforce Development Program
• Employment Insurance Sickness Benefit
• ESDC Accessibility Plan
• Future Skills
• Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program
• Job Bank landing page for persons with disabilities
• Labour Market Development Agreements
• Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities
• Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program
• Skills and Partnership Fund
• Skills for Success
• Skills Trades Awareness and Readiness
• Supports for Student Learning Program
• Union Training and Innovation Program
• Vocational Rehabilitation Program
• Women's Employment Readiness Pilot Program
• Workforce Development Agreements
• Youth Employment and Skills Strategy program

Goal 2: ESDC programs supporting employers

• Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy
• Future Skills
• Job Bank landing page to help employers recruit persons with disabilities
• Labour Market Development Agreements
• Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities
• Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program
• Skills and Partnership Fund
• Skills for Success
• Student Work Placement Program
• Women's Employment Readiness Pilot Program
• Workforce Development Agreements
• Workplace Opportunities: Removing Barriers to Equity

Goal 3: ESDC programs supporting enablers

• Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy
• Community Workforce Development Program
• Enhancing Access to Professional Sign Language Interpretation
• Future Skills
• Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities
• Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program
• Skills and Partnership Fund
• Skills for Success
• Social Development Partnerships Program - Disability component
• Supports for Student Learning Program