This project was a contract for Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skill Development to conduct a policy analysis of supported employment options for disabled people in Ontario.
Disability scholars, advocates and policy makers will be interested in a new data hub on Accessibility Statistics at Statistics Canada, released in celebration of National Accessibility Week (May 30th – June 5th, 2021). The site is organized according to the five national accessibility priorities: built environment; programs & services; employment; information & communication; transportation. It provides information from the Canada… Read more »
One of the enduring legacies of the Canadian Disability Participation Project will surely be the 8 principles of partnership and integrated knowledge translation recently published. Based on an exhaustive review of the international peer-reviewed literature, and on the advice of an expert panel (made up of academic researchers, funding agencies, and representatives from national and provincial organizations representing people with… Read more »
In late 2020, the federal government’s COVID-19 Disability Advisory Group released its report applying “a disability lens to the government’s response to the pandemic”. Chief among their 21 recommendations are: To provide monthly financial support to disabled people in need; To identify personal support workers as “essential services”; To ensure universal access to personal protective equipment (PPE); To surveil for… Read more »
Effective policy advocacy depends on good-quality evidence developed by a dedicated cadre of scholars working collaboratively with disabled people and disability organizations. In recent years, twelve Disability Studies programs have emerged at post-secondary institutions in Canada – 5 Baccalaureate programs, 5 Masters’ programs, and 2 Doctoral programs. Of course there are other programs that offer disability-related courses and content, but… Read more »
The Speech from the Throne on Sept 23, 2020 contained news that the disability community has been waiting for a long time. The Federal government plans to bring forward a Disability Inclusion Plan, consisting of: a guaranteed income supplement; a new employment strategy; and, a streamlined eligibility process for federal programs & benefits. Minister Qualtrough admits that the response to disabled… Read more »
Two recent op eds in the Globe & Mail have resurrected the thorny issue of defining disability for the purposes of policy. While one says greater unity is needed in the disability movement, the other says a monolithic approach to disability would overshadow individual needs. Certainly the conventional wisdom has been that a lack of unity around disability issues has… Read more »
As Canada considers national pharma-care, Dr. Shikha Gupta has recently highlighted the special situation of people with disabilities regarding the cost of prescription drugs. Using a national sample of 160 people with spinal cord injuries, she has shown that despite having insurance for prescriptions drugs, out-of-pocket costs, like co-payments, dispensing fees and deductibles, are 5x higher than the national average. … Read more »
Invitation from Statistics Canada The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the lives and habits of all Canadians, yet data on the impacts to people living with long-term conditions or disabilities is limited. If this applies to you, or you are the caregiver of someone who is not able to respond, please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire and feel… Read more »
A key issue for many people during the current restrictions is staying active when our usual activity outlets are closed. Our colleagues, Amy Latimer & Jenn Tomasone of the Sport & Exercise Research team, have launched a free, telephone-based program to help people with physical disabilities to stay active, entitled Get in Motion. The program provides evidence-based activity coaching to… Read more »