The national federation working to advance the full inclusion & human rights of people with an intellectual disability and their families.
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Many people think that they do not need to file their taxes if they did not make any money. However, filing taxes can help you qualify for various benefits and credits.
We understand that filing taxes can be a complicated process, especially for people with disabilities who have extra forms and information to fill. That is why our Barrier-Free Benefits (BFB) Program can help. It is free.
Our navigators can provide advice and information on the process of filing your taxes, why it is important and what disability programs could be potentially accessible if you file, and they provide information and resources on where you can get help to fill out your taxes and submit to CRA.
More information can be found here:
inclusioncanada.ca/page/fili…
Contact one of our BFB navigators today!
ALT Flyer promoting Inclusion Canada’s Barrier‑Free Benefits Navigator program offering free one‑on‑one help for people with disabilities to understand and apply for federal benefits (Disability Tax Credit, Canada Disability Benefit, RDSP, dental plan, tax advice), with eligibility, process, and contact information.
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Yesterday, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance released its recommendations for Federal Budget 2026.
We were pleased to see four recommendations that align with priorities Inclusion Canada and others have been urging the federal government to address:
Recommendation 35 - "Continue and sustain the Ready Willing and Able (RWA) labour force inclusion program"
Recommendation 62 - calling on government to "modernize the disability tax credits (DTC)"
Recommendation 120 - "double the Canada child disability benefit (CCDB)"
Recommendation 121 - "increased funding for the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), expand eligibility and streamline the application process"
This report is important because it represents an all-party report calling for the same thing and urging the government to act. We appreciate that they listened to us, other disability organizations and people with disabilities.
Budget 2026 should now act on these recommendations: renewed and expanded funding for RWA over the next five years, increased funding to the CDB and the CCDB, expanded and streamlined eligibility for the CDB, and a transformation to the DTC.
You can see the full parliamentary report below and the specific recommendations as referenced.
buff.ly/rQtlFgn
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A FORMAL NOTICE FROM INCLUSION CANADA
We’re sorry to inform you that November 23–26 are no longer four ordinary days.
For the first time ever, Inclusion Canada is taking our fundraising event coast to coast with four regional broadcasts, bringing Canadians together around one shared vision: a Canada where everyone belongs.
For four days, communities across the country will come together to share stories, amplify the voices of people with intellectual disabilities and their families, inspire action, and raise the resources needed to create greater opportunities for inclusion.
And yes, you may need to:
Clear your calendar.
Gather your people.
Tell your colleagues.
Get your organization involved.
Because this isn’t just another fundraiser. It’s a national movement.
November 23rd Atlantic
12 PM AST / 12:30 PM NST
November 24th Eastern
12 PM EST
November 25th Central & Mountain
12 PM MST / 1 PM CST
November 26th Pacific
12 PM PST
With more than 400 participants each year, this event demonstrates what’s possible when organizations, families, self-advocates, supporters and communities come together around a shared vision.
For organizations, it’s an opportunity to do more than support an event. It’s an opportunity to stand behind inclusion, amplify authentic stories, engage your community, and help create lasting change.
So, for the record: This is your formal invitation.
Bring your organization. Bring your people. Bring your commitment to inclusion.
Together, we’ll build a Canada where everyone belongs.
Register HERE: inclusioncanada.ca/2026-fund…
#InclusionCanada #InclusionMatters #EveryoneBelongs #SocialImpact #Community #CorporateSocialResponsibility#DreamBelieveBelong
ALT National fundraising event for Inclusion Canada titled "Dream. Believe. Belong." — smiling parents lift a joyful child, promoting one event with four broadcasts
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Our fifth public policy recommendation for this session of Parliament focuses on inclusive employment.
Ready, Willing and Able (RWA) is one of Canada’s most successful inclusive employment initiatives. Delivered nationally by Inclusion Canada and the Autism Alliance of Canada, RWA has helped facilitate more than 6,500 jobs for people with intellectual disabilities and people with autism across every province and territory.
RWA works with employers throughout the hiring process—helping them strengthen their inclusive recruitment practices, connect with qualified job seekers and create the conditions for lasting employment success.
But continued progress requires continued investment.
We are calling on the Government of Canada in the upcoming federal budget to commit to further investing in the program over the next five years, beginning in 2027, to continue and expand Ready, Willing and Able.
Renewing RWA will help more people with intellectual disabilities and autistic people find meaningful employment—and help more Canadian employers access talent, strengthen their workforces and build inclusive workplaces.
Learn more about RWA and join us in calling for renewed federal funding: readywillingable.ca
@AllianceAutism
ALT Celebration of 6,500+ jobs facilitated through Ready, Willing and Able across Canada, showing Inclusion Canada and Autism Alliance logos and smiling workers in hospitality, laundry, retail and moving roles to highlight inclusive employment.
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Register Today!
Join us on December 3, 2026, at the Palais des congrès de Gatineau (Gatineau, Quebec) for our 17th Annual Federal Policy Forum on Inclusion, From getting by to getting ahead: Eliminating poverty and building financial stability.
This year's policy forum will explore what it takes to eliminate poverty and build financial stability for people with an intellectual disability and their families. This in-person event will feature a series of panels and interactive question & answer periods. Panels include lived-experience perspectives from people with an intellectual disability and families, as well as research and policy expertise.
Learn more and register today at inclusioncanada.ca/page/2026…
ALT Promotional flyer for the 17th Annual Federal Policy Forum on Inclusion — "From getting by to getting ahead: Eliminating poverty and building financial stability" — Dec 3, 2026, 9:00am–4:00pm ET at Le Palais des congrès de Gatineau, Québec; hosted by Inclusion Canada and People First of Canada.
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[RADIO] The National Ready, Willing and Able Program has facilitated over 6,500 jobs across the country. It is filling labour gaps for employers while providing meaningful work for people with intellectual disabilities and autism.
Brian Foster, executive director of @InclusionNS was a guest of @Mainstreethfx. Brian shared the positive impacts RWA is having in Nova Scotia and also spoke of the need for the Federal Government to renew funding for it in the upcoming budget.
Have a listen and get in touch with your MP and urge them to support Ready, Willing and Able. cc @AllianceAutism
cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-3…
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Bimbo Canada, one of the country’s largest and longest-established bakeries, is a national employer partner of Ready, Willing and Able (RWA).
At its Winnipeg operation, supervisor Omodele Ikujenyo shares how Alex has grown in his role, taken on greater responsibilities and demonstrated his potential for continued advancement.
RWA is a national workforce development initiative delivered by Inclusion Canada and the Autism Alliance of Canada. Working with employers and job seekers across every province and territory, RWA has helped facilitate more than 6,500 jobs for people with intellectual disabilities and autistic people.
Renewed federal funding for RWA would allow us to help more employers like Bimbo Canada build their capacity to recruit, hire and retain inclusively.
Share this story and encourage your Member of Parliament to support the call for renewed funding for Ready, Willing and Able in the upcoming federal budget.
@AllianceAutism
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Our fourth public policy recommendation for this session of Parliament focuses on ensuring people with intellectual disabilities have access to affordable, accessible and inclusive housing in their communities.
We are calling on the Government of Canada to ensure that federal housing investments support non-congregated housing options where people with disabilities can choose where, how and with whom they live—with access to individualized supports and services when needed.
Federal funding should not be used to create or expand institutional, segregated or congregated housing models that group people together based on disability.
A home is more than a building. It is a place where a person has choice, privacy, control and a sense of belonging within their community.
It is time to ensure that federal housing investments advance inclusion, accessibility and personal choice—not segregation.
ALT Sunny, tree-lined street of modern apartments and townhouses with benches and landscaping; headline reads "Federal housing investment should build inclusive communities" and supporting text urges affordable, accessible housing for people with intellectual disabilities — Inclusion Canada logo.
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As Parliament resumes, Inclusion Canada’s third federal policy recommendation is clear: no one should be forced into guardianship simply to access a disability savings program.
The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) helps people with disabilities build greater long-term financial security. However, some people with intellectual disabilities can face barriers to opening an RDSP when their capacity to enter into a contract is questioned.
The temporary “qualifying family member” provision allows a parent, spouse or sibling to open an RDSP on the person’s behalf where supported decision-making legislation is not available.
This essential provision is scheduled to expire at the end of 2026. If that happens, people could once again face pressure to pursue restrictive and unnecessary guardianship arrangements—or be prevented from accessing the RDSP altogether.
Inclusion Canada is calling on the federal government to:
• Make the qualifying family member provision permanent;
• Continue to include siblings as qualifying family members; and
• Work with disability organizations, provinces and territories to develop a new inclusive, trusted supported designation approach across federal disability programs, including the Disability Tax Credit and Canada Disability Benefit.
People with intellectual disabilities should not have to give up their right to make decisions in order to gain financial security.
The upcoming federal budget must protect access to federal disability supports and not take away individual rights.
Read Inclusion Canada’s five recommendations for the upcoming federal budget:
inclusioncanada.ca/resource?…
ALT Graphic stating "Financial security shouldn't come at the cost of surrendering your rights," urging that no one be forced into guardianship to access an RDSP, with bullet points to keep family provisions permanent and include siblings.
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As Parliament resumes, Inclusion Canada’s second federal policy recommendation is clear: modernize the Disability Tax Credit and reform how people qualify for federal disability benefits.
The Disability Tax Credit was never designed to determine eligibility for income-support programs. Yet DTC certification is now required to access the Canada Disability Benefit and other important supports.
For many people with intellectual disabilities, the DTC application process is inaccessible, burdensome and duplicative—particularly when they have already undergone a rigorous assessment to qualify for a provincial or territorial disability income program.
Approximately 40% of people with intellectual disabilities who qualify for provincial and territorial disability programs are nevertheless denied access to the DTC. As a result, many are also shut out of the Canada Disability Benefit.
Disability policy should not be driven by tax policy.
Inclusion Canada is calling on the federal government to:
• Decouple eligibility for the Canada Disability Benefit from the DTC;
• Automatically recognize recipients of provincial and territorial disability income programs as eligible for the CDB;
• Continue modernizing the DTC and the broader federal disability eligibility system; and
• Align DTC eligibility criteria with the broader definition of disability in the Accessible Canada Act.
Read Inclusion Canada’s five recommendations for the upcoming federal budget: inclusioncanada.ca/resource?…
ALT Person in a wheelchair blocked by a locked gate with a padlock labeled "DTC" and signs for Canada Disability Benefit and RDSP, symbolizing that the Disability Tax Credit should not be a gatekeeper to essential disability supports.
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As Members of Parliament return to Ottawa on September 21st for the Fall session, the Government of Canada is being urged to create an “action plan” to safeguard our economic well-being.
Any action plan must include people with disabilities.
This week, Inclusion Canada is is putting forward five public policy measures to advance inclusion, bring disability income supports closer to the true cost of living and help people with disabilities live fully inclusive lives.
Today, we begin with the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB).
At a maximum of just $204.20 per month—or approximately $6.71 a day—the CDB is not only inadequate; it is disconnected from the lived reality of the people it is intended to support. The benefit remains too small, too restrictive and too difficult to access for many of those who need it most. Inclusion Canada is calling for a phased increase to the CDB over three years. At a minimum, the benefit should reach $1,393 per month, consistent with the Guaranteed Income Supplement available to low-income seniors, with an additional adjustment recognizing the costs associated with disability.
The CDB must supplement—not replace—provincial and territorial disability income supports. Together, these supports should provide people with disabilities with an adequate income and a genuine pathway out of poverty. Provincial governments should not be permitted to claw back the benefit.
Read Inclusion Canada’s five recommendations for the upcoming federal budget:
ourcommons.ca/Content/Commit…
We urge the Government of Canada to ensure that people with disabilities are central to any economic action plan. No person with a disability should be legislated into poverty.
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This September, let's start with belonging.
Inclusive Education Canada is a national initiative of Inclusion Canada dedicated to advancing inclusive education across the country. Whether you're a parent, educator, administrator, or community member, IEC offers practical guidance, and information to help build schools and classrooms where everyone can belong, learn and participate.
As students return to the classroom, it's a timely reminder that inclusion happens from day one.
Explore Inclusive Education Canada and learn more here: inclusiveeducation.ca/
ALT Three smiling elementary students—one red-haired and two wearing glasses—share a friendly fist bump and laugh together in a school library, conveying inclusion and camaraderie.
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Did you know: only 34 per cent of individuals who qualify for the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) have enrolled due to a highly complex administrative process?
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A person must first apply and be approved for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) to open an RDSP. Â CRA is a tax collection agency and not a service provider for people with disabilities.
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Inclusion Canada has consistently advocated that anyone qualifying for provincial disability benefits should be getting access to the RDSP and the Canada Disability Benefit.
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Inclusion Canada Vice President Jill Teeple spoke with CBC disability columnist Luke Williams about the improvements that are required.
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This segment aired on CBC radio stations throughout Canada, including The Early Edition in Vancouver. Have a listen and kindly share!
cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-9…
For questions on how to access the RDSP, contact an Inclusion Canada Navigator today. It is a free service.
inclusioncanada.ca/page/barr…
ALT "RDSPs can be a really powerful tool for a lot of people" — Jill Teeple, vice president of Inclusion Canada, overlaid on Canadian bills, a calculator and notebooks to underscore RDSPs as a financial planning tool.
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Today brings the unofficial end of summer with school back in session for most kids across Canada. It is an exceptionally stressful for parents of children with disabilities due to a widespread lack of resources for inclusive education and proper classroom support.
Inclusion Canada CEO Krista Carr was a guest on CBC The National and shared how many parents worry their child will be segregated, pushed out or denied full access to inclusive learning.
Click here to watch the news item.
cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.7…
We welcome your support for inclusive education.
ALT Krista Carr (CEO of Inclusion Canada) has short blonde hair and round glasses. She is speaking directly to camera in a TV news interview about funding cuts leaving some children with special needs feeling excluded.
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Happy Labour Day! Our offices are closed today and will reopen tomorrow, September 8th
ALT Happy Labour Day! Our offices are closed today. Message displayed over a faded Canadian flag and blurred city skyline with a purple tint, with the Inclusion Canada logo at the bottom.
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We invite you to check out the August edition of Inclusion Matters! đź“°
This month, learn more about our submission to the National Housing Council, get the latest updates from our federation members across the country, and find out how to register for our 17th Annual Policy Forum.
Plus, discover more about Ready, Willing and Able and how it’s helping create meaningful employment opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities and autism across Canada.
That and more here- conta.cc/4gwKNTp
If you haven't signed up for our free newsletter - please subscribe now and stay in the loop! conta.cc/40kTIyR
ALT Newsletter cover titled "Inclusion Matters: News from Inclusion Canada" showing five smiling teens together, with headline "A Place to Call Home: Inclusion Canada Calls for Change" and date August 2026.
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Ableism isn’t always obvious.
It can show up in attitudes, assumptions, policies, systems, and everyday interactions. And whether it’s intentional or not, the impact can be exclusion. This is Ableism is a campaign created with people with disabilities and their families to help us recognize ableism and understand its impact.
Because we can’t challenge what we don’t see.
▶️ Watch the video and start the conversation.
piped.video/watch?v=OdK9Av9X…
#ThisIsAbleism #InclusionCanada #DisabilityInclusion #EndAbleism
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The Ready, Willing and Able program is making a significant difference throughout the country. A national initiative delivered by Inclusion Canada and the @AllianceAutism, RWA works with both businesses along with job seekers who have intellectual disabilities or autism to provide meaningful employment.
To date, over 6,300 individuals have been employed - including over 440 people n the Northern Territories.
This commentary was in the Whitehorse @yukonnews.
Many business sectors claim there is a labour shortage but there are 500,000 people with intellectual disabilities and autism who are willing to work!
Please read and share!
yukon-news.com/2026/08/22/in…
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Inclusion Canada retweeted
Canada is facing more difficult times ahead, but what I’m not hearing from the government, opposition or media is how Canada will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided the resources to weather this storm.
Persons with disabilities are always expected to do with less, in good times and in bad, this is unacceptable, don’t leave them forgotten yet again.
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