Inclusion Canada is a national federation of 13 provincial-territorial associations and over 300 local associations working to advance the full inclusion and human rights of people with an intellectual disability and their families. Inclusion BC is a proud member of Inclusion Canada.
For Immediate Release
Thursday, September 24, 2020
TORONTO, ON – Inclusion Canada applauds the government’s commitment to introduce a Disability Inclusion Plan as detailed in yesterday’s Speech from the Throne. Inclusion Canada and our national disability partners have long championed a national action plan as essential to an inclusive life in Canada for people with an intellectual disability and their families.
The plan addresses significant gaps in our social infrastructure, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The government’s plan will address three key areas of need:
A new Canadian Disability Benefit modelled after the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors;
A robust employment strategy for Canadians with disabilities;
A better process to determine eligibility for government disability programs and benefits.
Nearly one quarter of the Canadian population has a disability.
“The Federal government’s far-reaching Disability Inclusion Plan recognizes the inequalities faced by persons with disabilities and their families in Canada,” says Krista Carr, Executive Vice President of Inclusion Canada, “the ambitious scope of the plan addresses core areas of need for people with a disability across the country and, if successfully implemented, will have a positive and lasting effect on the disability community as a whole.”
People with a disability are among the most marginalized populations in the country because of a lack of disability related supports to lead fully inclusive lives. The proposed plan addresses these areas of need by tackling critical issues like unemployment, poverty and difficulty accessing important government benefits and programs.
“People with a disability disproportionately feel the effects of poverty and exclusion,” says Robin Acton, President of Inclusion Canada, “I am pleased that the government’s plan commits to reducing barriers to meaningful employment and benefits which, in turn, promotes inclusion.”
Inclusion Canada looks forward to continuing our work with national disability partners and the Federal Government to ensure the implementation of a Disability Inclusion Plan that adequately addresses the disability community’s needs.
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Media Contact: Marc Muschler, Senior Communications Officer, Inclusion Canada, mmuschler@inclusioncanada.ca
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