January 2026

Strategic Plan 2026-2029

Our Board has recently approved our 2026-29 Strategic Plan.

This plan guides our work and is based on our core values and beliefs as well as the priority areas that we have identified for the upcoming years. The plan outlines the way we work, our tools for change, and our work to transform communities & systems.

We are excited for these upcoming years and invite you to read through our new Strategic Plan.

👉 View the Strategic Plan here >

Launch of the NEW Inclusion Canada Website!

✨ New year, new website! ✨

After a soft launch late last year, we're excited to officially announce the launch of Inclusion Canada's new and improved website! Our new website is fully bilingual, more user-friendly, accessible, and visually appealing, and we hope that you can make great use of it. 

Our work is not yet done. We're now looking for feedback and ways to improve. We are asking our users to share their thoughts about the new website. After exploring the new website, we invite you to fill out the brief survey linked below. We appreciate you sharing your feedback with us so we can improve the user experience!

We will be sharing specific new features and upgrades over on our socials, so please watch for those.

View the new website here >

Share your feedback here >

Five Federal Priorities for Inclusion

As Parliament returned this week, we wanted to reshare our top five priorities for inclusion. This priorities document is a result of consultations with our federation of 13 provincial/territorial organizations across the country. We are urging all political parties to commit to actionable steps to realize these important priorities to improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and their families.

We will be monitoring these priorities in this Parliamentary cycle and will share updates on socials. Stay tuned!

View the document here:

EN >

FR >

February is Inclusive Education Month!

Every February, we reflect on the progress we’ve made toward ensuring all students have access to inclusive classrooms—and we celebrate the stories that show why inclusive education works.

Inclusive education has become an increasingly urgent issue. Across Canada, children are experiencing partial school days, being sent home early for trivial reasons, or excluded altogether from learning alongside their peers. While children have the right to inclusive education under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), this right is still far from being realized.

Throughout the month, our national initiative, Inclusive Education Canada (IEC), will be sharing a wide range of events, fact sheets, and stories on social media. We encourage you to follow along, share widely, and pass these resources on to anyone who may benefit—from parents to educators and school staff. An event calendar is included above—please save the dates and register to join in on the conversation. .

Save the Date: April 23, 2026

Something big is coming. Please mark this date in your calendar and stay up-to-date with our socials & email for announcements on the event. Registration to open soon!

REMINDER: Barrier-Free Benefits Program

A reminder that our program, Barrier-Free Benefits, is up and running!

This program offers FREE, one-on-one help with disability benefits. Our Navigators can help you apply for benefits like:

• Disability Tax Credit (DTC)
• Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)
• Canada Disability Benefit (CDB)
• Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP)
• ... and others.

The team can also provide general information and advice on filing your taxes and links to free services. We’ll walk you through the process — from start to finish.

We have 5 navigators covering the Western, Northern, Central, Quebec, and Atlantic regions. Assistance is tailored to each person's location and circumstances. It's person-centered and person-directed.

If you or your family member needs help navigating the process of applying for federal disability benefits, we are here to help at every step along the way, and at your pace. Contact us today at this link: Our Navigators

Visit our website for more information on the program, how to contact our navigators, and the various programs they provide assistance with.

We encourage you to share this news widely within your own circles and networks!

EN Website >

FR Website >

Passing of Jo Dickey

Inclusion Canada is deeply saddened to share the passing of Jo Dickey.

Jo was one of the pioneering mothers whose advocacy helped shape the community living movement in Canada. Alongside other families, she worked tirelessly toward a more inclusive world for her son, and in doing so helped advance greater rights, opportunities, and belonging for countless individuals and families.

Because of Jo’s vision, leadership, and perseverance, many came to see that a better way — grounded in dignity, community, and belonging — was possible.

Our heartfelt condolences are with Jo’s family, friends, and all of us who were inspired by her life and work.

Read our full tribute here >

Inclusion Canada in Action

• In the final quarter of 2025, RWA reported 145 new employment outcomes. For the full 2025 calendar year, RWA achieved 688 new job outcomes for job seekers with an intellectual disability or Autism. Since the program’s launch in 2014, more than 5,800 employment opportunities have been generated and filled.

• In early December, RWA participated in the annual Disability and Work Conference by hosting a well-received panel on the role of AI in employment and its potential impact on job seekers with disabilities. The panel was moderated by RWA/YESS National Coordinator Sinthea Chowdhury and featured RWA National Resources Manager Brian Foster. In addition, Assistant National Director Frank Fagan participated in a separate panel on the Future of Supported Employment, hosted and moderated by RWA agency partner LiveWorkPlay.

• The YESS project, which operates parallel to RWA, has confirmed two upcoming webinars for the Atlantic and Ontario regions, with registration open nationally. The sessions will focus on emerging inclusive employment practices. Interested participants may register using either of the links below.
• Atlantic-based webinar – Feb 26 @ 12 EST
• Ontario-based webinar – Feb 24 @ 12 EST

Our Federation - Provincial/Territorial Member Updates

Did you know Inclusion Canada has a federation of 13 provincial/territorial and over 300 local member associations across Canada? In this section, you'll learn more about their work to advance inclusion across the country!

• Société québécoise de la déficience intellectuelle (SQDI) / Quebec Intellectual Disability Society (QIDS) is joining forces with people with intellectual disabilities and family members of people with intellectual disabilities to launch a class action lawsuit aimed at demanding recognition of the injustices experienced by people with intellectual disabilities or other disabilities in certain socio-professional programs—such as sheltered workshops and internships in which people remain for years without pay and without the possibility of progressing to inclusive employment. Read more here.
  
• Inclusion BC is hosting a FREE Youth Employment Summit on February 9 at Beban Park Recreation Centre. This event is for youth with disabilities who are just starting to think about work, exploring career options, and/or ready to take the next step toward employment. Attendees will get a chance to meet inclusive employers, training providers, and community organizations. If you or someone you know may benefit, please share! Register here.

• Inclusion Alberta CEO Trish Bowman joined Real Talk with Ryan Jespersen for a conversation about how upcoming changes to AISH and the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) will harm thousands of Albertans with disabilities and drive many deeper into poverty. Check out the full episode here. Learn the facts and take action to help stop the cut to AISH here.