The governments of Canada and the Yukon recently signed new agreements to promote integration of disabled workers into the labour market. A first for the territories.
According to the Economic Action Plan. over the next four years the Canadian government will invest 222 million dollars to employ people with disabilities, through establishing new agreements with the provinces and territories. They must make a matching investment.
While there have been agreements reached between the Canadian government and each of the provinces, Yukon became the first territory to sign an agreement last February 19. This agreements has a twofold objective: to allow disabled Yukon residents to acquire the skills and experiences to get a job and to best meet the needs of companies. The Canadian government will therefore provide Yukon with 1.25 million dollars per year and the territory will make the same financial contribution. This first agreement was followed by signing a second, with the same objectives, between the governments of Canada and the NorthWest Territories for an equivalent amount.
800,000 disabled Canadians capable of working and of working age are unemployed today. Close to half of these have completed post-secondary studies. Current agreements for disabled people on the labour market let the provinces finance 300,000 activities per year through more than 100 programs.