IDEA member headshots

IDEA Symposium

October 6 & 7, 2025

Online and in-person in Toronto, Ontario

The Win-Win of Designing Workplaces for Disability Inclusion

October 6th and 7th, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Hybrid: Online and in-person in Toronto, Ontario

IDEA and partners gathered with great success for the first IDEA stakeholder symposium on October 6 and 7, 2025. Showcased at the event was progress made by us and our partners in supporting the capacity building of organizations for the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

At the event, we:

  • Highlighted the benefits of inclusive design for employers and persons with disabilities;
  • Shared innovations and promising practices developed by IDEA participants and partners that advance workplace inclusion and accessibility;
  • Hosted interactive sessions on strategies to support the uptake of solutions.

In-person attendees had the added benefit of:

  • Workshops profiling tools and resources for workplace stakeholders;
  • Interactive sessions where we will set priorities for future activities;
  • Extensive networking opportunities;
  • Breakfast, lunch, refreshments, and an end-of-day reception on each day.
SR-Innovation-Campus-daytime

Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus

Accessibility

We aim to ensure that our events are welcoming and accessible to all attendees.  At the event, we had CART, ASL, and French-English/English-French interpretation services.

Conference registration table
Conference registration table
Two attendees smiling at the camera after registration
Two attendees smiling at the camera after registration
Two attendees having a conversation at a table
Two attendees having a conversation at a table
Attendees at the continental breakfast buffet
Attendees at the continental breakfast buffet
Attendees posing and smiling directly at the camera
Attendees posing and smiling directly at the camera
Attendees smiling and engaging before the event start
Attendees smiling and engaging before the event start
Sinead McCarthy at the podium
Sinead McCarthy at the podium
Krista Carr at the podium
Krista Carr at the podium
Melissa Fishman at the podium
Melissa Fishman at the podium
Attendees listening to and/or watching presenters
Attendees listening to and/or watching presenters
Attendees listening to and/or watching presenters
Attendees listening to and/or watching presenters
Susanne Bruyere at the podium
Susanne Bruyere at the podium
In memorium posters
In memorium posters
An attendee asking a question from the audiance
An attendee asking a question from the audiance
Emile Tompa at the podium
Emile Tompa at the podium
Panelists on stage
Panelists on stage
Panelists on stage
Panelists on stage
Panelists on stage
Panelists on stage
Rafael Gomez in the audiance
Rafael Gomez in the audiance
Attendee asking a question from the audiance
Attendee asking a question from the audiance
Attendees standing and talking
Attendees standing and talking
Attendees enjoying a break
Attendees enjoying a break
Attendees talking animatedly
Attendees talking animatedly
Attendees enjoying coffee at the break
Attendees enjoying coffee at the break
Attendees posing and smiling for the camera
Attendees posing and smiling for the camera
Alec Farquhar at the podium
Alec Farquhar at the podium
Rebecca Gewurtz at the podium
Rebecca Gewurtz at the podium
Dan Samosh at the podium
Dan Samosh at the podium
Mahadeo Sukhai at the podium
Mahadeo Sukhai at the podium
Angelika Seeschaaf-Veres at the podium
Angelika Seeschaaf-Veres at the podium
Francis Fung at a break
Francis Fung at a break
Group photo of day 1 speakers
Group photo of day 1 speakers
Ruth Ann Onley in the audiance
Ruth Ann Onley in the audiance
Ingrid Palmer
Ingrid Palmer
Attendees talking at the break
Attendees talking at the break
Workshop
Workshop
workshop
workshop
workshop
workshop
workshop
workshop
workshop
workshop
workshop
workshop
workshop
workshop
Mayor Mike Bradley of Sarnia's keynote
Mayor Mike Bradley of Sarnia's keynote
IDEA National Office team
IDEA National Office team
Peter Field and Francis Fung at the podium
Peter Field and Francis Fung at the podium
Karen Harlos at the podium
Karen Harlos at the podium
An attendee asking a question from the audiance
An attendee asking a question from the audiance
Bilan Arte at the podium
Bilan Arte at the podium
Brian Foster speaking in a panel
Brian Foster speaking in a panel
Rafael Gomez speaking in a panel
Rafael Gomez speaking in a panel
Sinead McCarthy speaking in a panel
Sinead McCarthy speaking in a panel
Emile Tompa speaking in a panel
Emile Tompa speaking in a panel
An attendee asking a question from the audiance
An attendee asking a question from the audiance
Attendees having an animated conversation
Attendees having an animated conversation
Attendees having a discussion
Attendees having a discussion
Attendees having a discussion in the foyer during a break
Attendees having a discussion in the foyer during a break
Attendees having a discussion in the foyer during a break
Attendees having a discussion in the foyer during a break
Wendy Cukier at the podium
Wendy Cukier at the podium
Charolotte Buttle and Hedgerow Thompson on the stage
Charolotte Buttle and Hedgerow Thompson on the stage
Rebecca Coxon at the podium
Rebecca Coxon at the podium
Anna Nelson at the podium
Anna Nelson at the podium
Holland Bloorview Kids rehabilitation Hospital speakers at the podium
Holland Bloorview Kids rehabilitation Hospital speakers at the podium
Carolyn McDougall speaking from the stage
Carolyn McDougall speaking from the stage
Teresa Wesz at the podium
Teresa Wesz at the podium
Bridgette Sterling at the podium
Bridgette Sterling at the podium
Joann Goode and Mary Beshai on stage speaking
Joann Goode and Mary Beshai on stage speaking
Day 2 speakers posing for a group photo
Day 2 speakers posing for a group photo
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Table talk discussion
Francis Fung moderating the table talk discussion report back
Francis Fung moderating the table talk discussion report back
Table talk discussion report back
Table talk discussion report back
Table talk discussion report back
Table talk discussion report back
Table talk discussion report back
Table talk discussion report back
Table talk discussion report back
Table talk discussion report back
Wendy Cukier at the podium
Wendy Cukier at the podium
Agnes McLachlan at the podium
Agnes McLachlan at the podium
Speed mentorship session
Speed mentorship session
Speed mentorship session
Speed mentorship session
Speed mentorship session
Speed mentorship session
Speed mentorship session
Speed mentorship session
Speed mentorship session
Speed mentorship session

Symposium Agenda

MS Word
IDEA Symposium Agenda_Final.docx
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Portable Document Format
IDEA Symposium Agenda_Final.pdf
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Symposium Presenter Biographies

MS Word
_IDEA Symposium Speaker Bios_19SEPT2025.docx
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Portable Document Format
_IDEA Symposium Speaker Bios_19SEPT2025.pdf
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Incubator Hub Workshop Descriptions

MS Word
IDEA Symposium Workshop Descriptions.docx
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Portable Document Format
IDEA Symposium Workshop Descriptions.pdf
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Table Talk Discussion Questions

MS Word
Table Talks Questions_02OCT2025.docx
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Portable Document Format
Table Talks Questions_02OCT2025.pdf
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