Half a million people with intellectual disabilities being overlooked by employers, Inclusion Canada says

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Photo by Contributed/Inclusion CanadaAs Canadian employers continue to face labour shortages, one non-profit says there are half a million Canadians seeking work who are being overlooked.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorSince 2014, Ready, Willing and Able, run in partnership by Inclusion Canada and Autism Alliance of Canada, says it has helped to fill more than 6,300 jobs, 1,000 of which were in Atlantic Canada, by connecting employers with candidates who have intellectual disabilities or autism.“Employers are often saying they can’t find workers, but yet many people with disabilities remain unemployed or underemployed,” said Inclusion New Brunswick’s co-interim executive director Andrea Randon.FP Work touches on HR strategy, labour economics, office culture, technology and more.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Work will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“The disconnection is usually not about a lack of available candidates. More often it stems from a combination of maybe some misconceptions, systemic barriers or some organizational practices.”According to a Statistics Canada report on business conditions in Canada for the second quarter of 2026, one-third of businesses expect at least one labour-related obstacle over the next three months, with 16. 9 per cent expecting workforce shortages, and 24.4 per cent expecting issues recruiting skilled employees.The ongoing issue has also been discussed by the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, which in 2021 reported 55 per cent of small businesses experienced labour shortages. In 2025, the federation reported that more than two-thirds of small and medium-sized businesses said the primary obstacle to recruiting skilled employees is a shortage of qualified candidates, and more than half of small businesses had issues attracting qualified candidates at all.Randon said there could be employers who underestimate the skills, productivity or reliability of people with disabilities despite evidence showing that employees with disabilities often have comparable or better retention and attendance rates.She said there are also misconceptions about the kinds of accommodations that may be required and the cost.“In reality, many of the accommodations cost little to nothing,” she said, citing flexible work schedules as an example.“Many employers are already providing some level of accommodation even for employees who may not have a disability.”Through the Ready, Willing and Able program, Randon said they provide free education and awareness about what accommodations look like and offer job coaching to ensure recruitment and job practices are inclusive.Frank Fagan, the program’s assistant national director, said helping make connections between employers and their candidates is important because people can be overlooked not only due to misconceptions but also with new artificial intelligence use in recruitment.“Algorithms are programmed to find what they are programmed to find, and generally speaking, what they’re programmed to find is this idea of the ideal, and the ideal is fine and dandy if you have had a career trajectory that matches what most people have, but if you haven’t and you’ve been historically sort of locked out,” Fagan said.“If you’ve got gaps in your resume or you’re having trouble retaining jobs because employers couldn’t support you, and it looks like you’re cycling through jobs, your very natural outcome is being sidelined and marginalized, which marginalizes you even further because this system looks at you and says, well, this person just doesn’t fit the ideal.”He said the new technology means the program is now “double myth-busting.”“We had to bust the myths with the real people who make the decisions but now the machines are making the decisions, so we’re having to sort of work with employers to ensure that they know that there are barriers to AI and HR,” he said.Funding ends soonWith the program’s current funding ending in March 2027, Fagan said they’ve put in a new ask to the Government of Canada. He said they are seeking another $20 million, bringing the total ask to $50 million, so they can not only continue operating as costs rise, but also scale up the program.He said if they receive funding, the goal is to fill 4,000 positions over five years.Liana Brault, spokesperson for Employment and Social Development Canada, told Financial Post that supporting the labour market integration of persons with disabilities is a priority for the Government of Canada. When asked if the Ready, Willing and Able program will receive continued funding, Brault said based on the program’s reporting and recent engagements with department, the current project appears to be performing well. She said the 2026 Spring Economic Update announced an ongoing $65 million annual investment to stabilize the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities program’s funding at $105 million per year starting in 2027-28. She said there are currently 114 active projects being supported through that fund and the department is going through its standard process to access funding announced in the Spring Economic Update. “Any future funding opportunities will be shared through a call for proposals,” she said. Randon said without targeted investments, governments will be compelled to redirect significantly more resources towards more reactive systems such as the income assistance program or other disability programs to address the consequences of exclusion from the workplace or from the labour market.She said the benefits also extend far beyond filling jobs.“Employment is one of the most powerful social determinants of health and quality of life, so when people are excluded from meaningful work, they are far more likely to experience persistent poverty, housing instability, chronic health conditions or even long-term dependence on government assistance programs,” Randon said.Fagan said if the program does not receive renewed funding, it not only means employers will struggle to connect with these communities, but it means workplaces are less diverse and employers who are going to have more challenges around inclusive hiring.“We’re in the midst now of almost redefining socially, economically who we are, what this country is and where we’d like to go. I’d like to think our Canada is Canada for everyone,” he said.“I’d like to think that the more Canadians that can contribute meaningfully to this economy makes us stronger and more self-sufficient.”While 500,000 people who are ready, willing and able to work but aren’t being considered is a big number to tackle, there is an upside.“There’s an enormous opportunity there,” Fagan said. “Yes, there’s enormous marginalization, and there are enormous barriers…, but there are also enormous opportunities for both employers and employees.” Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

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