Summit aims to improve employment opportunities for Ontario workers with disabilities

The Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) is hosting a summit Monday, which it says will focus on career advancement strategies for Ontario workers with disabilities.

CCRW says the Untapped Talent Summit will bring together unemployed and underemployed Canadians with disabilities, employers, and community partners.

CCRW president Maureen Haan said a major highlight of the summit will be the launch of the Untapped Talent Job Board — an online platform offering job seekers with disabilities free access to inclusive job postings and tailored resources, empowering them to find meaningful employment. 

"The Untapped Talent Summit and Job Board are not just about filling job vacancies," Hann said." They are about changing lives and building stronger, more inclusive workplaces."

According to Haan, current employment strategies and policies are leaving millions of Canadians behind, and the Untapped Talent initiatives are important steps in creating equity in the workplace.

CCRW says the summit comes at a crucial time, as StatsCan data reveals that 10 per cent of Canadians with disabilities indicate they were denied employment in the past five years directly because of their disability. An additional 10 per cent said they believed they were unfairly overlooked for promotions due to their disability. 

CCRW also points to StatsCan data showing that Ontario has one of the largest employment gaps between persons with and without disabilities at 19 per cent. Nationally, the gap is 16 per cent, it said. 

Wellesley resident Jolene MacDonald, who's also the founder of Accessibrand — a full-service agency focused on digital accessibility — is one of the speakers at the summit.

She said her presentation will focus on "inclusive mentorship," or how employers can improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

"There's such a social stigma and we have these perceptions and biases about people with disabilities can't work, they need too many accommodations and it costs you money," MacDonald said. 

"I've been self-employed since 2003 and I can tell you this is my second business and it's not cost me anymore to have all people with disabilities. So I think it's more about the opportunity to see a much bigger talent pool that are more than capable.

"Often the bias comes in and you make assumptions right away that they can't do the job or people are scared to disclose because of that, and that actually takes away from people's work and doing a better job and focusing," added MacDonald.

CCRW says the summit will be held virtually Monday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.