Mayor Olivia Chow Proclaims October as NDEAM in Toronto; Serves as Strong Reminder that Businesses Should Be Proactive, Not Merely Compliant on Disability Inclusion — “More Work Needs to Be Done to Create Inclusive Workplaces”
Toronto, ON, October 3, 2024 — Toronto mayor Olivia Chow’s proclamation of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in Ontario’s capital — and largest — city again this year serves as a strong reminder that Toronto businesses should be proactively and intentionally making their workplaces truly and fully disability inclusive, not just “ticking boxes” with a limiting compliance mindset that hinders both business and employee growth.
“While many businesses in Toronto are already engaged in disability inclusion, more work needs to be done to create inclusive workplaces where everyone belongs. By embedding accessibility and universal design principles at all stages of employment, talented workers with disabilities can thrive and contribute to their workplaces,” the proclamation states.
“This is a powerful message about the importance of disability inclusion in the businesses and communities that make up Toronto,” affirms Jeannette Campbell, CEO of the Ontario Disability Employment Network (ODEN). “Everyone benefits from it. We’re pleased that the mayor is continuing the City’s annual recognition of NDEAM and with such a strong message.”
This is the sixth consecutive year that NDEAM has been proclaimed in Toronto.
NDEAM is an annual October campaign that recognizes the many ways people who have a disability contribute to businesses and their communities.
It began as a week-long event in the U.S. following World War Two. In 1988, NDEAM became a month-long campaign.
Here in Canada, NDEAM was first proclaimed by the Province of Manitoba in 2010. The governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario all recognize NDEAM each October. In New Brunswick, the Premier’s Council on Disabilities recognizes and promotes NDEAM. The federal government also recognizes the month.
Campbell says, “There are a lot of business conversations happening in Toronto right now because 2025 marks the end of the 20-year time frame laid out in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) for making Ontario a fully accessible and inclusive province.
“Regardless of whether we’re still a long way from achieving that objective province-wide in 2025, every business leader or owner in Toronto, needs to understand what being an accessible and disability-inclusive employer means. It means a lot more than merely being compliant with legislation.
“Fully, proactively embracing disability inclusion is a key to making not only your business, but the community it serves, stronger and more vibrant, both economically and socially.”
There’s ample research showing that disability inclusion connects to broader business objectives and is vital for continued business growth, success and innovation, Campbell notes.
An Accenture study found, disability-inclusive businesses have 30% higher profit margins and 28% higher revenue than companies that aren’t.
And a 2021 survey by the Angus Reid Institute and the Rick Hansen Foundation found, 62% of Canadians would be more likely to do business with a company if they knew the business had specific policies to support employees who have a disability.
“The intersection of ethics and economics makes disability-inclusive employment a critical issue. So every business in Toronto should be proactive about and champion disability-inclusive hiring because it’s strategically important. It’s good for business, and it’s good for your brand,” Campbell affirms.
She says the mayor’s proclamation of NDEAM 2024, reinforces the continuous call for all businesses to build their disability knowledge and awareness; to be strategic and intentional about inclusive hiring; and to create inclusive cultures.
“When the company culture is one in which everyone feels safe and welcome; when business-unit teams work better together; a company performs better overall,” she adds.
In research by two London Business School professors published in a 2023 Harvard Business Review article, 88% of human resources professionals surveyed said disability-inclusive hiring “significantly” improved “the internal culture of their firms.”
As well, 75% of human resources executives surveyed, said the general atmosphere in their companies was better.
And 74% said teams within the business, worked better together as a result of disability inclusion.
“As the mayor’s proclamation states, there are inclusive employers in Toronto,” notes Campbell. “But there are more than 96,000 businesses in the City of Toronto, and more than 230,000 in the Greater Toronto Area. There’s still a lack of disability awareness that creates attitudinal barriers to employment. There are still thousands of businesses that aren’t practising disability-inclusive hiring. We need to ultimately get to the where it’s simply ‘business as usual’ for everyone.”
“Until we’re there, both job seekers and employees who have a disability, and businesses, will remain hindered from achieving their full potential,” Campbell affirms. “And there are no benefits to that.”
She says mayoral proclamations of NDEAM are important because they help make entire communities aware of the importance of disability inclusion, and they’re an opportunity for municipal governments to demonstrate their commitment to disability inclusion.
“I urge mayors of every community in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area, and across Ontario, to proclaim NDEAM,” says Campbell. “Because every community is affected by disability, which is increasing.”
The Statistics Canada 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD) showed that 27% of Canadians age 15 and older — about eight million people, have at least one disability.
That’s up from 22%, or 6.2 million people, in the 2017 survey. The CSD is done every five years.
With October being National Disability Employment Awareness Month, “now is a good time for local businesses to ensure their hiring practices are disability inclusive,” Campbell notes.
Campbell says more Toronto businesses looking for staff need to learn how to expand their talent searches by connecting with the pool of job seekers who have a disability. Statistics Canada figures show, there are almost 645,000 employable Canadians who have a disability, but who aren’t working.
“Toronto has a large number of professional employment service providers (ESPs) available to support businesses with their hiring needs, matching them to the skills and talents of job seekers who have a disability. These ESPs play a vital role in helping local businesses understand the diversity of disability and all the benefits of disability-inclusive hiring.”
To increase disability-inclusive hiring, ODEN fosters connections and relationship building between businesses and ESPs. Toronto Region businesses can visit odenetwork.com to find a local employment service provider.
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For more information, and to arrange interviews, contact:
Dean Askin, Communications Strategist, ODEN daskin@odenetwork.com 416-818-1514 (cell)
ABOUT ODEN: The Ontario Disability Employment Network (ODEN), created in 2008, is a professional body of more than 130 employment service providers united to increase employment opportunities for people who have a disability. Members are from every corner of the province and support people of all disability types. Beyond Ontario, ODEN (odenetwork.com) has connections with organizations in other provinces and territories of Canada. Light It Up! For NDEAM® is a trademark of the Ontario Disability Employment Network.