May 15, 2023 – Muscular Dystrophy Canada (MDC) is proud to spotlight its leadership role in advancing Canada’s first-ever Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP), a national blueprint from the federal government that aims to create a more inclusive society for the 6.2 million Canadians (more than 22%) who live with a disability.
Together with partner organizations, Muscular Dystrophy Canada has helped to inform the federal action plan with the publication of Shaping Canada’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan: Bridging the gap between lived experiences and policy through a community-led, capacity building and knowledge-exchange approach. This report reflects the engagement and input of more than 4,000 lived-experience participants across Canada — including those often overlooked, such as people experiencing homelessness, newcomers, Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQ2S+ communities, and Deafblind individuals.
This inclusive project followed a strict “nothing about us, without us” philosophy, ensuring participants shaped every stage of the plan’s development and execution. It provides insights into how persons with disabilities can be socially and economically included, highlights the obstacles they encounter when accessing federal programs and benefits, and articulates the perspectives and requirements of persons with disabilities to ensure that the government’s policies and programs are inclusive and attend to their experiences.
The data and insights provided in the report are intended to facilitate the implementation of the Disability Inclusion Action Plan, with themes and recommendations identified across four pillars: financial security; employment; accessible and inclusive communities; and a modern approach to disability.
Read Shaping Canada’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan now:
Project timeline
2021
- August: Calls for proposals published by Employment and Social Development Canada
- September: Muscular Dystrophy Canada and Independent Living Canada develop proposal and statement of work
- December: The Government accepts the proposal and awards Independent Living Canada funding for the project with a focus on consulting with Canadians with disabilities “on the margins of the margins”
2022
- January: Muscular Dystrophy Canada and Independent Living Canada launch the project with pillar lead organizations:
- Inclusion Canada (Pillar 1: Financial Security)
- the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (Pillar 2: Employment)
- The Canadian Association of the Deaf (Pillar 3: Accessible and Inclusive Communities)
- Eviance (Pillar 4: Modern Approach to Defining Disability)
- April: Consultations by pillar begin in the format of interviews, focus groups and roundtables
- September: Completion of Phase 1 consultations with 400 individuals and organizations participating
- October: Survey about the Disability Inclusion Actino Plan developed and launched in accessible formats
- November: Interim reports for each pillar are developed and submitted to ESOC.
- December: Completion of Phase 2 consultations with 1,298 survey responses received
2023
- April: Completion of Phase 3 consultations with four “Did we get it right?” Town Hall sessions attended by 1,586 individuals, 756 of whom provided feedback on findings to further improve the reports.
- May: Reports updated to reflect feedback. Final “What we heard” report with recommendations submitted. Fully accessible executive summary developed and shared.
Project Partners
- Muscular Dystrophy Canada
