Social Development and Poverty Reduction
B.C.’s commitment to make the province the most progressive place in Canada for people with disabilities is being ignited through a new partnership with the Rick Hansen Foundation.
The foundation will receive more than $125,000 to provide on-the-job experience for a minimum of six people with disabilities who are currently unemployed. The work experience will include helping assess and provide accessibility ratings for about 300 businesses, venues and public spaces in the Lower Mainland for the Rick Hansen Foundation Planat website. The employees will have the opportunity to network and engage with business leaders as they conduct their reviews. People can use this site to search and review the accessibility of places worldwide.
People with accessibility needs create one of the largest markets in the world with one in seven people worldwide who have some sort of disability. Once friends and families are included, nearly everyone is affected by accessibility issues in some way.
Job Creation Partnerships like this are part of the Employment Program of BC’s Community and Employer Partnerships, which fund projects that provide job-ready skills and share labour-market information.
This project delivers on the commitment in Accessibility 2024 to partner with the Rick Hansen Foundation to expand the Planat tool in B.C. Accessibility 2024 is a 10-year action plan released by the Premier to make B.C. the most progressive place in Canada for people with disabilities by 2024.
Quotes:
Don McRae, Minister, Social Development and Social Innovation -
“This partnership demonstrates our commitment to make B.C. the most accessible province in Canada. This project will provide people with disabilities with the skills and confidence they need to reach their employment goals and help to ensure that people have reliable accessibility information at their fingertips.”
Rick Hansen, Rick Hansen Foundation -
“This project will benefit job seekers with a disability, businesses and the public. Making venues accessible and being able to showcase them makes great economic sense and will improve the lives of people with disabilities. We hope this project in B.C. will pave the way for similar partnerships across Canada."
Quick Facts:
- People with disabilities in Canada spend $25 billion a year.
- About 550,000 people in B.C. identify as having a disability.
- There are more than 330,000 people of working age who have a disability living in B.C., and the ministry estimates that about half of these people are employed.
- The average cost for an employer to accommodate the needs of a person with a disability in the workplace is $500 or less.
- People with disabilities are five times more likely to stay on the job than people who do not have a disability.
- Businesses experience less turn-over when they invest in a person with disabilities, as they typically have higher retention rates - this means less time and money spent hiring and training new people.
- Through the Employment Program of B.C., more than 6,300 British Columbians with disabilities have found employment.
- The Community and Employer Partnerships program is part of B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, which helps align training and education with in-demand jobs and provides support to people who are struggling to gain a foothold in the job market or who face unique challenges.
- The Employment Program of BC is funded by the Government of B.C. and the Government of Canada through the Labour Market Development Agreement.
Learn More:
For more information on Accessibility 2024: Making B.C. the most progressive province in Canada for people with disabilities: http://ow.ly/ASEha
To visit the Rick Hansen Foundation Planat: http://www.planat.com/
For more information on the Rick Hansen Foundation: www.rickhansen.com
For more information on Community and Employer Partnerships: www.workbc.ca/CEP
To find a local WorkBC Employment Services Centre: www.workbccentres.ca
To learn more about the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation: www.gov.bc.ca/sdsi
A backgrounder follows.
Media Contacts:
Corinna Filion
Communications Director
Ministry of Social Development and Social
Innovation
250 882-0918
Why Planat?
How big is this problem?
33% of the global population faces accessibility needs. In North America, 180 million people are affected. 43% of people over 65 in North America live with disabilities and this number will double by 2020.
This large and growing market includes those living with disabilities and injuries, parents with strollers, seniors, those with dexterity issues, and families, friends and caregivers of people with accessibility needs.
Why is accessibility important?
Finding reliable information on venue accessibility is challenging. What is accessible to one person may not be accessible to another. As a result, research is time-consuming and still may not provide useful information. Discovering the situation isn’t as expected on arrival, means a loss to both the consumers and venue owners.
What is Planat?
Planat is a web platform that provides venue specific information on accessibility. Users can find and share their own reviews of buildings and public spaces from mobility, vision and hearing perspectives. It is also an effective way for cities and local businesses to promote the accessibility and inclusiveness of their locations.
Planat currently provides accessibility ratings on over 30,000 physical spaces to help users make informed decisions on where to eat, shop, play and work.
Planat encourages improved accessibility by highlighting and celebrating venues and spaces that do an outstanding job of being accessible to all. In addition, Planat readily provides professional guidance and support to help in meeting these important goals.
Media Contacts:
Corinna Filion
Communications Director
Ministry of Social Development and Social
Innovation
250 882-0918
