3 men smiling at the camera while in a warehouse. There is a teal bracket around them to represent inclusion in the workplace Text on image reads "Inclusion Matters - News from Inclusion Canada."
Inclusion Matters
October 2020
An image of Canada in Ready, Willing and Able colours with pinpoints on the communities in Canada RWA operates.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month - Ready, Willing and Able

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Celebrated every October since 1945, NDEAM raises awareness about the significant rates of unemployment faced by persons with disabilities in Canada.

Inclusion Canada is committed to developing employment solutions that support people with a disability and their families in living fulfilling and inclusive lives. In 2014, Inclusion Canada and the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance (CASDA) partnered to create the disability employment initiative, Ready, Willing and Able (RWA).

RWA operates in 20 communities across the country and has connected over 2,500 people with an intellectual disability and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder to new employment opportunities, securing real work for real pay.

4 cartoon characters of various genders and heritages smile and wave at the viewer. Text reads "October is National RDSP Awareness Month".
Registered Disabilities Saving Plan (RDSP) Awareness Month

October is also RDSP Awareness Month in Canada. The RDSP is the world's first savings plan designed for people with a disability.

Inclusion Canada is a national leader in advocating for access to the income and resources people with an intellectual disability and their families need to secure a good quality of life. Currently, almost 75% of people with an intellectual disability in Canada who live alone are living in poverty. The RDSP provides significant government contributions and helps eligible people with a disability save for their long-term financial security.

Throughout the month of October, Access RDSP, a partnership between Plan InstituteBCANDS and DABC will be sharing content, information and resources to improve the awareness of the RDSP. Learn more here. >
2 men with disabilities and a woman smiling in front of an Air Canada jet engine.
From a Family Lens - Disability Employment Awareness Month & Inclusive Employment

For people with an intellectual disability and their families, employment is about more than just a paycheque - it's about having the same opportunity as every other person in Canada to have a good quality of live in an inclusive community.

This month, our Family Lens blog discusses how Inclusion Canada is advancing inclusive hiring and employment practices across the country.

Inclusion Canada in Action
  • Tara Levandier, Director of Policy & Program Operations, has been appointed to the federal Accessible Standards Canada Technical Committee for Plain Language. Over the next two years, the Technical Committee will identify where persons with disabilities may face barriers based on lack of information provided in plain language and develop national standards to remove or prevent these barriers.

  • Kurt Goddard, Director of Legal and Public Affairs, presented Using the CRPD Option Protocol for Individual Complaints: CRPD Optional Protocol Communications and Case Examples as part of ARCH Disability Law Centre's Optional Protocol Lab for Community Champions.
A blue, pink, and yellow bar graph with 3 bars increasing in size. The final bar turns into an arrow. Text reads "employment recovery project"
Employment Recovery Project Announced!

Inclusion Canada and CASDA are please to announce the launch of the Employment Recovery Project!

Funded through the Government of Canada's Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities, this initiative aims to improve workplace inclusion for persons with an intellectual disability or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through addressing critical hiring and support needs that have emerged in response to COVID-19.

The project will collaborate with RWA to support job seekers, employees, businesses, and employment agencies alike to foster an inclusive approach to economic recovery.
Image of various icons related to ability. Text reads "The one time payment for people with disabilities will be available October 30, 2020."
COVID-19 Disability Relief Payment on October 30

The federal government has announced that the one-time, $600 payment to eligible persons with disabilities in Canada to address additional expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic will be released on October 30th, 2020.

People who are eligible for the Disability Tax Credit, the Canadian or Quebec Pension Plan Disability (CPPD/QPPDP), or disability supports through Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) will receive their payment automatically on this date.

Text reads "Save the Date - December 3 - 11th Annual Federal Policy Forum for Inclusion. Title: Intellectual/Developmental Disability in COVID-19: Challenges, Opportunities, & the Road Ahead. Lessons from those Left Behind. Virtual, registration next week
Upcoming Dates & Events
November 8-9 - Save the Date: Inclusion International's 2020 Virtual General Assembly
November 11 - Remembrance Day
Save the Date!

December 3 - Inclusion Canada & People First of Canada: Annual Federal Policy Forum on Inclusion. Watch for registration to open soon!

December 6 - 12pm-3pm ET – Inclusion Canada, IRIS, and Inclusion Canada Foundation Annual General Meetings