Employability Assistance For People With Disabilities Initiative

People with Disabilities - A Priority for Governments

• At the First Ministers' Meeting in June 1996, the Prime Minister and Premiers made tackling the needs of people with disabilities a national priority as part of the social policy renewal process. They recognized the importance of the federal, provincial and territorial governments working together to help people with disabilities participate fully in Canadian society.
• Having a job is an important part of participating and contributing fully to society. Yet, people with disabilities often face obstacles that keep them from participating in the labour force. Over one million adults with disabilities in Canada are currently unemployed or remain out of the labour force.
• Federal, provincial and territorial governments began working together early in 1997 to explore ways to improve the jointly-funded Vocational Rehabilitation for Disabled Persons (VRDP) program, which had been in place for over 35 years. In October 1997, Ministers responsible for Social Services approved a Multilateral Framework for Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities¹. It recognized that changes were needed to better respond to the challenges faced by people with disabilities.

• The Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities (EAPD) Initiative responds to the needs identified through the Federal Task Force on Disability Issues (the Scott Task Force) and through provincial/territorial consultations for more appropriate programs and services to help people with disabilities overcome the barriers they face in the labour force. EAPD will help people with disabilities prepare for, obtain and maintain employment. The new name reflects this stronger focus on employability.
• EAPD is a financial arrangement between the federal and provincial/territorial governments. Under bilateral agreements, the Government of Canada will contribute 50 per cent of the cost, up to a maximum, of eligible provincial/territorial programs and services. 
• The agreements between the Government of Canada and individual provinces and territories will reflect the common principles and objectives agreed to in the Multilateral Framework. Provinces and territories will have the flexibility to tailor programs to reflect local priorities and circumstances. The agreements will be for a period of five years, beginning in 1998-99. A three-year transition period provides time for provinces/ territories to adjust their programs to reflect the new employability focus, while avoiding disruptions in client service. 
• EAPD recognizes that the public wants - and deserves - information on how well government programs are meeting their objectives. The Initiative will include a new focus on measuring and reporting results. Annual reports will be released, beginning in 1999-2000, describing the success of programs and initiatives funded under EAPD. 
• Under EAPD, federal and provincial/territorial governments have also committed to a new planning process, which will ensure a co-ordinated approach to employment-related issues for people with disabilities. The planning process will take into consideration the views of stakeholders.

• EAPD supports a broad range of programs and services to respond to the full spectrum of needs of people with disabilities, from a person taking the first steps towards working, through to skills development, on to supporting a person at work, and finally, to ensuring a person is able to remain working. 
• The programs and services funded under EAPD will vary among provinces and territories, to reflect local priorities and the needs of the disability community. Examples of interventions which provinces and territories may choose to jointly fund through EAPD include employment counselling and assessment, employment planning, pre-employment training, post-secondary education, skills training, assistive aids and devices, wage subsides or earning supplements, and other workplace supports.

• EAPD demonstrates the commitment of all governments to work in partnership to renew and enhance Canada's social programs. It is a concrete example of the commitment made by participating governments to ensure people with disabilities are more readily integrated into the economic and social mainstream of Canadian society.


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¹ The Government of Quebec has not endorsed this Multilateral Framework. However, Quebec is prepared to undertake bilateral negotiations.