VANCOUVER - They are some of B.C.’s top business leaders. They come from diverse backgrounds representing different sectors and they are responsible for the employment of thousands of British Columbians.

They are the Presidents Group, a body of change-driven business leaders that is advising government on employment and consumer opportunities and improved outcomes for people with disabilities. The Presidents Group is working alongside government to deliver on Accessibility 2024, the 10-year action plan that will transform British Columbia into the most progressive province in Canada for people with disabilities.

These 15 men and women are working toward B.C. having more diverse workplaces that include people with disabilities, which makes for a healthier economy, communities and citizens. The Presidents Group are holding their annual general meeting today.

Presidents Group co-chairs Tamara Vrooman, president and CEO of Vancity, and Wynne Powell, president and CEO of the London Group, are leaders in B.C.’s business community when it comes to recruiting, hiring and retaining people with disabilities within their own organizations.

Part of the Presidents Group mandate is to identify barriers and solutions for businesses when hiring people with disabilities. Making the marketplace more accessible for people with disabilities is also a priority as people with disabilities hold considerable purchasing power.

Quote:

Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation Don McRae -

“Working with the Presidents Group to improve employment and consumer opportunities for people with disabilities in B.C. is a real boon to the province and its citizens. Their expertise in the business world opens the door to so many possibilities as we work toward making British Columbia the most accessible province in Canada for people with disabilities.”

Tamara Vrooman, CEO, Vancity -

“Creating accessible and inclusive workplaces is not only the right thing to do, it also makes good business sense—from increasing diversity to addressing labour shortages to encouraging innovation."

Quick Facts:

• Nearly 550,000 people in British Columbia are living with a disability, roughly 20% of the population.
• People with disabilities have an employment rate 18 percentage points lower than people without disabilities.
• Government offers a vast array of programs and services for people with disabilities with total funding at more than $5 billion a year.

Learn More at:

For more on the Presidents Group: www.sdsi.gov.bc.ca/pwd/presidents-group/index.htm

For more information on the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation: www.gov.bc.ca/sdsi

For more on Accessibility 2024: engage.gov.bc.ca/disabilitywhitepaper/accessibility-2024

Media Contacts:

Corinna Filion
Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation
250 882-0918