Digita11y Accessible is proud to support National AccessAbility Week from May 29 to June 4, 2022!
Inclusive from the start
This year’s National AccessAbility Week theme is ‘Inclusive from the start’, imagining a “…Canada where no one is left out. A Canada that does not just accommodate disability, but one that is disability inclusive from the start. That is the Canada we are creating — for everyone.”
The NAAW comes together to celebrate the incredible value and impact created by Canadians with disabilities, showcasing the leadership of groups, communities and individuals whose contributions are removing barriers. Additionally, the NAAW is reflecting on the initiatives and ongoing efforts to ensure disability-inclusive spaces within a Canada that is fully accessible to all.
Launch of National Accessibility Week 2022
The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough opened the week with a hearty welcome, noting that 1-in-5 Canadians have some type of disability. She welcomed the talent and contributions of persons with disabilities, thanking the people and organizations who work to make Canada more inclusive. In her welcome, Minister Qualtrough encouraged us to celebrate diversity, to seek out different ways of doing and being, and to “consider the needs of everyone, from the beginning.”
Celebrating National Advances
In 2018, the Accessible Canada Act advanced the rights and measures of Canadians living with disabilities, driving forward Canada’s first ‘Disability Inclusion Action Plan’, slated to be released in 2022. This ‘blueprint for change’ will contain four key pillars, including:
- Financial Security
- Employment
- Inclusive Communities, and
- A better process to assess eligibility for Canadians with disabilities for Federal Programs and Benefits.
The Action Plan is coordinated to make Canada (and the Canadian economy) better for all, by providing persons with disabilities greater opportunities, services, quality of life, and ability to contribute. Of course, these initiatives are undertaken ‘in lock-step’ and with advocacy of the disability community.
Resources for Persons with Disabilities
For a comprehensive list of NAAW events, as well as a list of resources for persons with disabilities, visit the NAAW2022 Canada.ca website.
Happy National Accessibility Week 2022
Let’s celebrate NAAW2022, and all of the individuals, orgs and communities who are contributing talent and drive to make Canada accessible, diverse and inclusive!
#NAAW2022 #InclusiveFromTheStart