Insights on employment and income support for persons with disabilities: Summary report from the Ontario cluster of the centre for research on work disability policy

Working-age Ontarians with disabilities who seek employment or income support face a complex policy system involving complicated program eligibility criteria, onerous reporting procedures, and challenges to meeting basic needs while accessing social assistance programs. They also face systemic barriers to accessing employment, which often stems from employer reluctance to hire persons with disabilities. The Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy (CRWDP) Ontario cluster was formed in 2014 to consider ways the disability policy system can better meet the needs of working-age individuals with disabilities who turn to it for support.

This report is designed to offer information to anyone interested in learning more about the policy structure in Ontario that affects access to income supports for persons with disabilities, or for anyone wishing to learn more about how to help employers become more confident in hiring persons with disabilities. Finally, it provides useful information learned by the Ontario Cluster that might inform initiatives across Canada.