Rick Hansen Foundation news
New data available
Dear Olaf,
The Angus Reid Institute in partnership with the Rick Hansen Foundation has released new national public opinion data on disability, accessibility, and inclusion today. Please find the full research report here.
This new data illustrates how people with disabilities continue to face barriers to employment and that Canadians are more likely to support organizations that have specific DE&I policies that focus on disability.
Some of the key highlights include:
- 91% of Canadians say that it’s unacceptable that people with physical disabilities are underemployed because of workplace barriers.
- 40% of people with disabilities say companies fall short when it comes to hiring those with disabilities. This increases to 55% for 18- to 34-year old people with a disability.
- 78% of Canadians believe an organization’s equity, diversity, and inclusion policies should include disability.
- 62% of Canadians say they would be more likely to give their business to a company if they knew that they had specific policies to support people living with disabilities.
Earlier this year, another partnership study with ARI found that nine in ten (92%) Canadians agree that taxpayer-funded projects should be held to the highest accessibility standards – a finding with important implications for post-pandemic infrastructure recovery projects. Despite broad-based support for higher levels of accessibility and inclusivity, it’s clear that many barriers continue to persist and that there remains much room for improvement across Canada.
This latest research continues to strengthen the importance of the work we do together, thanks to your support. Please feel free to share these findings with your network.
Warm regards,
Doramy Ehling, CEO
Rick Hansen Foundation