Disability and Work in Canada 2019 was held at the Delta Ottawa City Centre on December 4 and 5, 2019. The conference reviewed a revised pan-Canadian strategy to improve the level of employment of persons with disabilities and identify the most important early steps in implementation. Speaker videos, presentation slides, notes and other materials from the conference can be found below.

Since the National Conference in 2017, efforts have been underway to develop a vision and strategy for the future, focused on key initiatives to increase the employment of persons with a disability. A draft strategy was distributed in the Fall of 2018 and discussed at the National Conference in December 2018. The strategy was currently being revised following feedback from consultation across Canada that took place in the spring of 2019. A revised strategy is available here below.

CONFERENCE MATERIALS

 

Conference agenda: 

DWC2019 conference agenda (PDF version) 
​DWC2019 conference agenda (Word version)
DWC2019 conference agenda (Plain text version)
DWC2019 conference agenda (Large font PDF version)

Conference program: 

DWC2019 conference program (PDF version)
DWC2019 conference program (Word version)
DWC2019 conference program (Plain text version)
DWC2019 conference program (Large font PDF version)

Moving Forward Together: A Canadian Strategy for Disability and Work:​ 

DWC Strategy: Moving Forward Together (PDF version)
DWC Strategy: Moving Forward Together (Word version)
DWC Strategy: Moving Forward Together (Plain text version)
DWC Strategy: Moving Forward Together (Large font PDF version)

Click here for the supporting background documents to the DWC Strategy. 

DWC Consultation Report: 

DWC Consultation Report (PDF version)
DWC Consultation Report (Word version)
DWC Consultation Report (Plain text version)

Click here for other materials for conference participants.

 

DECEMBER 4 - PRESENTATION VIDEOS AND MATERIALS

 

December 4: Morning Sessions

 

 

 

Parallel discussion sessions I: Business case for recruitment and retention

Speakers:

• 
  Brian DePratto
• 
  Meghan Kelly
• 
  Tamira Loewen
• 
  Rebecca Gewurtz

Parallel discussion sessions I: How do we advocate for stronger support to improve the level of employment for people with disabilities

Speakers:

• 
  Neil Belanger
• 
  Bill Adair
• 
  Yutta Fricke

December 4: Afternoon Sessions

Parallel discussion sessions II: Addressing unconscious bias and stigma at work and beyond

Click here to access materials for this session

Speakers:

• 
  Melissa Egan
• 
  Tammy Yates
• 
  Marcy Vatour
• 
  John Mutch
• 
  Steve Mantis

Parallel discussion sessions II: School to Work Transitions

Speakers:

• 
  Tammy Strong
• 
  Boris Vukovic
• 
  Arif Jetha

Parallel discussion sessions III: Sharing best practices for accommodating employees with disabilities

Speakers:

• 
  Eric Latimer
• 
  Gillian Axten
• 
  Jason Patterson

Parallel discussion sessions III: Standards and Best Practices to Expand Employment Opportunities

Click here to access materials for this session

Speakers:

• 
  David Brown
• 
  Vincent Russell
• 
  Paul-Claude Bérubé
• 
  Jordana Globerman

Presentation slides: Standards and Best Practices to Expand Employment Opportunities, by Paul-Claude Bérubé (pdf)

 

DECEMBER 5 - PRESENTATION VIDEOS AND MATERIALS

 

December 5: Morning Sessions

Highlights from Day 1 parallel sessions

Speakers:

• 
  Maureen Haan
• 
  Steve Mantis
• 
  Melissa Egan
• 
  Ron Saunders
• 
  Kathy Hawkins
• 
  Emile Tompa

 

How will we know if we're making progress?

Speakers:

• 
  Emile Tompa
• 
  Stuart Morris
• 
  Gail Fawcett
• 
  Mike Burns
• 
  Pamela Lahey
• 
  Tabatha Tranquilla

Watch the video of the session “Estimation of the Societal Benefits of an Accessible and Inclusive Canada”, by Emile Tompa

• Presentation slides: Estimation of the Societal Benefits of an Accessible and Inclusive Canada, by Emile Tompa (pdf)

Watch the video session “Dynamics of Disability: New Results from the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability”, by Stuart Morris and Gail Fawcett

• Presentation slides: Dynamics of Disability: New Results from the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability, by Stuart Morris and Gail Fawcett (pdf)

Watch the video session “Measuring Accessibility on the Canadian Survey on Disability”, by Mike Burns and Pamela Lahey

• Presentation slides: Measuring Accessibility on the Canadian Survey on Disability, by Pamela Lahey (pdf)
• Diapositives de présentation: Mesurer l’accessibilité à partir de l’Enquête canadienne sur l’incapacité, par Pamela Lahey (pdf)

Watch the video session “Monitoring by Civil Society of the CRPD”, by Tabatha Tranquilla

Watch the video session “How will we know if we’re making progress? Conference Session Q&A”

 

December 5: Afternoon Sessions

Report back from Day 2 parallel sessions 

Speakers:

• 
  Arif Jetha
• 
  Wendy Brathwaite
• 
  Cindy Moser

Proposal for strategy implementation process

Speakers:

• 
  Alec Farquhar
• 
  Emile Tompa

Watch the video of the session “Proposal for strategy implementation process” 

• Presentation slides: “Strategy implementation: A proposal for getting it done", by Emile Tompa, Ron Saunders and Alec Farquhar (pdf)

Plenary discussion on implementation

 

December 5: Closing of the Conference

 

 

Photos from the conference. Conference photographer: Amir Mofidi

• Day 1 Photos (.zip) - 12.13 mb
• Day 2 Photos (.zip) - 21.84 mb
• Day 2 Delegate Commitment Photos (.zip) - 3.51 mb

 

Notes from the conference

• Day 1 Parallel Session III - Sharing best practices for accommodating employees with disabilities (Word)
• Day 2 Parallel Session on Strategy Implementation - Comprehensive Supports (Word)
• Day 2 Parallel Session on Strategy Implementation - Partnerships (Word)

 

Publication about the Pan-Canadian Strategy for Disability & Work. Vu U, Moser C. Strategy and Standard: Two recent developments in disability and work. OOHNA Journal | Spring/Summer 2020. Volume 39(1), p.13-16. 

 

DWC Commitments

Disability & Work in Canada strategy Committments: How-to guide by Emile Tompa and Dan Samosh

DWC Commitment by Mario

DWC Commitment by Steve Mantis

DWC Commitment by Tammy Yates

DWC Commitment by Rachel Boutin

DWC Commitment by Yin Brown

DWC Commitment by Janet Paterson

DWC Commitment by Alec Farquhar

DWC Commitment by Jason Mitschele

DWC Commitment by Gail Fawcett and Pam Lahey

DWC Commitment by Samah Henein

 

Thank you: