Our strategy to help people with disabilities find employment.
Message from the Honourable Tracy MacCharles
I am pleased to present Access Talent: Ontario’s Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities.
This comprehensive, collaborative plan outlines our vision for the future—a province where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential and make a meaningful contribution to our economic prosperity and social growth. We want children and youth with disabilities to grow up confident in the knowledge that they can put their talents to work in our provincial economy of tomorrow. And we want adults of all ages and abilities to know there is a place for their insights and skills in Ontario businesses today.
We are calling employers to join us and take action: if every business in Ontario with 20 or more employees hires at least one more person with a disability, about 56,000 people with disabilities looking for work will gain employment and have the opportunity to help further build and enrich our businesses and economy.
With this strategy, our government takes the first of many steps to provide programs and supports focused on increasing employment for people with disabilities.
These will help individuals get training tailored to their abilities and aspirations, while helping employers to diversify their workforce and fill talent needs with services adapted to their business goals.
We have talked to people from across the private, public and non-profit sectors, and we have heard from those with a range of perspectives and lived experiences to inform these first steps. Our conversation continues with Francophone communities, First Nations and Indigenous peoples so that we can adopt more practical measures that reflect the diverse and evolving needs of people with disabilities.
We have also drawn from recommendations made by experts in the field, including the Partnership Council on Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities and the Premier’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel, as well as the Mental Health and Addictions Leadership Advisory Council and their panels for people with lived experience.
Some of the most successful companies in the world today are those that build diversity into all aspects of their workplace, from recruitment to career development.
These businesses know that people with disabilities are an under-represented talent pool and a significant source of new growth. They understand that a diverse workforce leads to increased innovation and productivity, making them more competitive in global markets and emerging sectors.
Since 2005, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act has helped us build a more equal and accessible province. By connecting more people with disabilities to job opportunities and businesses to talent, this strategy will help us grow a stronger Ontario economy and a diverse culture of acceptance. Working together, we can make inclusion the new standard for business in Ontario.
Sincerely,
Minister Tracy MacCharles
Minister Responsible for Accessibility