Inclusion Canada

09/03/2026

Our values are rooted in belonging.

We believe people with intellectual disabilities should not have to follow a different path through life.

Everyone deserves the opportunity to learn, work, build relationships, participate in their communities, and experience the same moments of connection, possibility and belonging.

Because inclusion isn’t about creating a separate pathway. It’s about making sure everyone has the opportunity to share the same one.

09/02/2026

Throughout the summer, we have been sharing information about Ready, Willing and Able (RWA) and the difference it is making across Canada.

Delivered nationally by Inclusion Canada and the Autism Alliance of Canada / Alliance canadienne de l'autisme , RWA connects employers with job seekers with intellectual disabilities and autism. To date, the initiative has helped facilitate more than 6,500 jobs in every province and territory.

The results speak for themselves: a 93% employee retention rate and a 97% positive employer rating.

RWA is supported by the Government of Canada. We are calling on the federal government to renew its investment in the upcoming budget so that more job seekers and employers can benefit from this proven approach.

Over the coming weeks, we will share short videos featuring some of the people and employers involved in RWA.

People with intellectual disabilities and autism continue to face significant barriers to employment. Ready, Willing and Able helps remove those barriers and create workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to contribute and succeed.

Today, meet Tanya Sherk. Tanya was having difficulty finding the right employment opportunity—until RWA helped connect her with a job where she could put her talents to work.

09/02/2026

The first step toward inclusion is ________.

09/01/2026

Who we are starts with what we believe.

At Inclusion Canada, we envision an inclusive Canada where people with an intellectual disability and their families are valued equally and can participate fully in every aspect of society.

Together, we're working to turn that vision into reality, one step at a time.

08/29/2026

Join us on December 3, 2026, at the Palais des congrès de Gatineau for our 17th Annual Federal Policy Forum on Inclusion, From getting by to getting ahead: Eliminating poverty and building financial stability.

This year's policy forum will explore what it takes to eliminate poverty and build financial stability for people with an intellectual disability and their families. This in-person event will feature a series of panels and interactive question & answer periods. Panels include lived-experience perspectives from people with an intellectual disability and families, as well as research and policy expertise.

Learn more and register today- https://www.inclusioncanada.ca/page/2026-policy-forum

08/28/2026

Inclusion Canada was represented by Shawn Pegg at a pre-budget consultation in Toronto on Disability in the Community ahead of the Government of Canada's Budget 2026.

Shawn is director of social policy and strategic initiatives with Community Living Ontario He shared with the group the successes of the Ready, Willing and Able (RWA) inclusive employment program. Supported by the Government of Canada, RWA has resulted in over 6,300 meaningful jobs for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism. Inclusive employers and job seekers alike want this important program supported in the upcoming federal budget.

Thank you Shawn!

Parliamentarians participation were: Honourable Wayne Long, Secretary of State, Leslie Church, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Jobs and Families and Danielle Martin, MD, Member of Parliament for University–Rosedale.

08/28/2026

"Everyone has value. You just need the right opportunity to show it.”
That’s Nathan’s message, and we couldn’t agree more.

When Sephora Canada and DSV Solutions set out to make their distribution network more inclusive, they didn’t just open the door to new employees. They took a closer look at how they recruited, interviewed, onboarded, trained, and supported people in their roles.

With support from Ready, Willing & Able, Inclusion Canada, Autism Alliance of Canada / Alliance canadienne de l'autisme and community partners, they created the All Abilities Program. And Nathan found an opportunity to thrive.

Nathan works in receiving, where he’s part of a team he describes as a community. He’s learned new skills, supports his family through his earnings, and takes pride in being part of something bigger. And the impact goes both ways. DSV says the program has brought new ideas and better ways of doing things to their workplace.

That’s what inclusive employment can look like: an opportunity to contribute, a chance to grow, and a workplace where everyone has value.

Read Nathan’s story: https://readywillingable.ca/

08/27/2026

Ableism isn’t always obvious.

It can show up in attitudes, assumptions, policies, systems, and everyday interactions. And whether it’s intentional or not, the impact can be exclusion. This is Ableism is a campaign created with people with disabilities and their families to help us recognize ableism and understand its impact.

Because we can’t challenge what we don’t see.

▶️ Watch the video and start the conversation.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OdK9Av9XgjE

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

08/27/2026

The Rotary Employment Partnership sees Inclusion Alberta work with ...

08/26/2026

Inclusion Canada began with families who refused to accept a world that excluded their loved ones.

In 1958, a group of Canadian parents came together with a shared belief: children and adults with intellectual disabilities are to be fully included in society. They are valued members of their communities, with the same right to develop, participate, belong, and live full lives.

That belief helped spark a movement. And it continues to shape our work today.

From the fight against institutionalization to the movement for inclusive education, community living, inclusive employment: meaningful work for real pay, housing, and full citizenship, families and people with intellectual disabilities have been at the heart of this history.

Inclusion Canada’s story is a story of people refusing to accept exclusion and nothing less but full inclusion. Our work continues.

For a more comprehensive look at the history of our work and that of our movement click this link: https://www.inclusioncanada.ca/history