Persons with disabilities often face difficulties in accessing employment and fully participating in community, which leads to higher levels of economic and social exclusion. In 2022, there was a notable 16 percentage point difference in employment rates between Canadians with and without disabilities – among young people aged 16 24 the difference reached 10 percentage points. Additionally, 15.2% of Canadians with a disability had less than 50% of adjusted median household income, compared to 7.2% of Canadians without a disability. The Enabling Accessibility Fund, which was founded in 2007, uses grants and contributions to help Canadian organisations and communities pay for the capital costs of increasing the accessibility of their facilities. The money is intended for construction and renovations of buildings and to improve information and communication technologies (ICT). In 2017, a youth innovation component was added to the Enabling Accessibility Fund, with the aim of empowering young people to improve their communities and workplaces.
Enabling Accessibility Fund – Canada
Abstract
The Enabling Accessibility Fund consists of three components: a small projects component, a mid-sized projects component and a youth innovation component. To receive funding within any of these components, projects need focus on workplace or community accessibility and safety for persons with disabilities, and specifically relate to the retrofitting, renovation or construction of facilities, or the provision of ICT. Organisations can apply for the small projects components to receive a contribution of up to CAD 200 000, for a maximum project duration of a year. The mid-sized projects component has a contribution limit of CAD 3 million and a maximum project duration of 2 years.
The youth innovation component aims to enhance youth awareness of accessibility needs, barriers and opportunities within their own communities. This initiative involves the appointment of “youth accessibility leaders”, who work with local organisations to enhance accessibility and safety in workplaces and public spaces through smaller-scale projects. The fund’s youth component aims to empower young persons with disabilities to advocate for themselves and enables them to propose tangible accessibility solutions when meeting with organisations. Organisations are eligible for a maximum grant of CAD 12 000 for these youth-driven projects, with an expected project duration of up to a year.
Between 2009 and 2021, 5 571 projects have received funding from the Enabling Accessibility Fund. The Enabling Accessibility Fund has disbursed CAD 95.3 million in grants and contributions between 2016 and 2021. The most commonly funded projects involved installing accessible doors, accessible washrooms, ramps, and elevators. 73% of the projects focused on workplaces led to improved safety and/or a decrease in liability concerns.
The youth innovation component has funded 651 projects since 2017 and helped 389 youth leaders advocate for young people with disabilities. According to a recent evaluation, youth projects funded by the Enabling Accessibility Fund have amongst others: increased access to physical spaces (74%), created a more inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong (74%), and increased opportunities to participate in services/programmes (62%). The evaluation also emphasised the importance of keeping youth leaders engaged to take part in future projects and suggested compensating them for the time dedicated to the projects in order to improve continued engagement.
This practice also supports the implementation of provisions V.2 of the OECD Recommendation on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People (OECD, 2022[1]).
Further reading
[2] Employment and Social Development Canada (2022), Evaluation of the Enabling Accessibility Fund - 2016 to 2021, https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/esdc-edsc/documents/corporate/reports/evaluations/Evaluation-of-Enabling-Accessibility-Fund-2016-2021.pdf (accessed on January 2024).
[3] Government of Canada (2023), About Enabling Accessibility Fund, https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/enabling-accessibility-fund.html (accessed on January 2024).
[4] Government of Canada (2023), Poverty and low-income statistics by disability status - Dataset, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/tbl/csv/11100090-eng.zip (accessed on January 2924).
[1] OECD (2022), Recommendation of the Council on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People, https://legalinstruments.oecd.org/en/instruments/OECD-LEGAL-0474.
[5] Statistics Canada (2023), Labour market characteristics of persons with and without disabilities in 2022: Results from the Labour Force Survey, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230830/dq230830a-eng.htm (accessed on January 2024).
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