October 2025

Federal Budget Will Be Released on November 4

Next week marks the release of the Federal Budget.

Our team is preparing to analyze what the new budget will mean for people with disabilities across Canada.

Inclusion Canada submitted a pre-budget brief to both the Department of Finance and the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance as part of the federal pre-budget consultation process.

Our brief contains six key recommendations designed to improve the financial well-being of people with disabilities, address persistent barriers to inclusion, and advance Canada’s commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Stay tuned for our analysis and commentary following the budget’s release.

👉 Read our pre-budget submission here >

16th Annual Policy Forum on Inclusion - Registration Now Open!

We're only a few days away from our 16th annual policy forum. The theme is "What's holding us back? The future of inclusive education in Canada."

This year’s policy forum will be a 3-part virtual series exploring the realities of inclusive education in Canada. The series will bring together self-advocates, family members, educators, and policy experts. Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities says that people with disabilities have a right to an inclusive education at all levels. We will explore what gets in the way of these rights in Canada and highlight examples of how we can overcome these barriers together. 

Format: 3-part virtual event via Zoom webinar. The forum will include a series of panels and interactive Question & Answer periods. Panels include perspectives of lived experience from people with an intellectual disability and families, as well as research and policy expertise.

3-part virtual event via Zoom webinar

• Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 7pm-8:30pm Eastern
• Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 7pm-8:30pm Eastern
• Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 7pm-8:30pm Eastern 

There's still time left to register! Please join us. Click on the links below.



2021-25 Impact Report is now live!

We’re excited to share our 2021-2025 Impact Report. In the report, we reflect on each priority area in Inclusion Canada’s 2021-2024 Strategic Plan, including:

• Our vision and objectives
• Our key impacts and achievements
• The challenges we expect to face moving forward

You will hear about how Inclusion Canada positively impacts the lives of people with an intellectual disability and families. You will read about our policy work, and how we are creating a more inclusive Canada where everyone belongs. You will learn how we are remaining a sustainable and effective organization, ready to defend rights today and for generations to come.

Read the 2021-2025 Impact Report >

Lisez le Rapport d’impact 2021-2025 >

Inclusive Education Canada Webinar - Advancing Inclusive Education: Global Perspectives

On October 28, Inclusive Education Canada hosted a webinar to share what we heard on inclusive education at Inclusion International’s World Congress in Sharjah, UAE, and reflect on key insights, examine ongoing challenges, and explore lessons learned.

Panelists included:

• Diane Richler: IEC Associate, Co-Chair of Inclusion International’s Catalyst for Inclusive Education
• Monica Cortes: Executive Director of Asdown Columbia, Co-Chair of Inclusion International’s Catalyst for Inclusive Education
• Jody Carr: IEC Associate, Lawyer & Former New Brunswick Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development
• Charlotte Pyke: Project Officer for Inclusion Canada, Co-Chair of Inclusion International’s Sibling Working Group

In case you missed the webinar, the recording is now available!

Watch it here >



Save the Date: April 23, 2026

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

REMINDER: Barrier-Free Benefits Program!

A reminder that our new program, Barrier-Free Benefits, is now up and running! We are so excited to see this much-needed program underway to help individuals and families.

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 will be 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 will be there 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 >



Research Opportunity: Art Contest for Adults with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities

Inclusion Canada is an advisor on this research project from Queen's University and the Canadian Institute of Health Research.

The project looks at adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and whether they are getting the cancer care they want. Participants are asked to submit original art that shows what good cancer care means to them.

If you or someone you know would be interested, please see the graphic above and contact qacr@queensu.ca if you have any questions.

A video explanation of the project can be found here: https://youtu.be/9PMQ0MdISNw

United Nations Brief: Informing Guidelines for Addressing Intersectional Discrimination

Recently, we submitted a brief to the United Nations on the topic of addressing intersectional discrimination, specifically against women and girls with intellectual disabilities.

We urged the committee to promote awareness-raising of how ableism intersects with sexism and other compounding forms of discrimination. We also stressed the importance of addressing intersectional forms of discrimination of gender-diverse people with disabilities.

Read the submission >



Inclusion Canada in Action

• Inclusion Canada hosted a national focus group on behalf of Inclusion International to talk about the support that families provide, and the support they need. This information will be used both domestically and internationally to inform strong family-based public policies.

• Ready, Willing and Able (RWA) closed its September quarter with 148 new jobs created between July and September.
  
• Celebrating its 11th anniversary in September 2025, RWA has now outreached and engaged more than 25,000 employers across Canada, generating (and filling) nearly 6,000 employment opportunities for job seekers with an intellectual disability or autism.

• RWA National Program Manager Brian Foster participated in a panel on Transforming Workplace Systems to Build Sustainable Capacity for Inclusion of Diverse Youth, held by VRAIE/IDEA in Toronto and attended by academics and community organizations from across the country. The Symposium showcased progress and emerging practices in supporting capacity building of organizations for the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

• On October 23 & 24, our new Regional disability benefits Navigator Team met in Ottawa for a full day and a half training focused on person-centered, person directed planning and support.

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!

• As part of our ongoing work to build our capacity and engage in more intersectional ways, Inclusion Canada staff attended a learning session with Nunavummi Disabilities Makinnasuaqtiit Society (NDMS), our federation member in Nunavut. We learned about research considerations in Nunavut, ethics applications, impact on communities, and more. We are thankful to NDMS for this opportunity and will look for ways to apply our learnings.

• In response to the Alberta Government's Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP) Guide, Inclusion Alberta released some facts about this change and how Albertans can take action to stop the 10% cut. Read more here.

• Community Living Ontario (CLO) and Inclusion Canada issued a joint media release calling for urgent action amid an evolving labour dispute impacting people with disabilities. Read more here.