Building accessible and inclusive communities, where persons with disabilities have equal opportunities to thrive and succeed, will be an essential part of Canada’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government of Canada is supporting community projects to provide greater access and opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Today, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough launched two calls for proposals totalling up to $5.6 million over two years through the Social Development Partnerships Program (SDPP), Disability component.
Funding will be provided through two distinct streams:
The National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) stream will provide up to $1.6M in grants over two years to support projects that will help to: improve Canadians understanding of accessibility and inclusion; reduce stigma and attitudinal barriers towards persons with disabilities; and, enable the sharing of best practices and lessons learned across the disability community. Special focus will be given to awareness-raising projects within under-represented communities, including official language minority communities, LGBTQ2+, Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) and other minority communities, including Black Canadians and other visible minority groups.
The Accessible Canada Partnerships stream will provide up to $4M in contributions over two years to support projects involving multi-sectoral partnerships that contribute to the development of accessible and inclusively designed environments, spaces, programs and services. The Government of Canada is providing funding in two phases to focus funding support for projects that have lasting impacts. Only projects that demonstrate the potential for reaching more persons, communities and settings, and have a plan for sustainability will progress to Phase 2.
In addition to these new calls for proposals, the Government is continuing to work on its first-ever Disability Inclusion Action Plan, which will include a new Canada Disability Benefit, improved processes for eligibility for Government disability programs and benefits, and a robust employment strategy for Canadians with disabilities.
