Close to $1 million in provincial and federal funding will help Ability NB officially launch a pilot program dedicated to workplace accessibility reviews.
Provided by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and New Brunswick’s Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, the money will allow Ability NB to launch its Accessible NB program.
Haley Flaro, executive director of Ability NB, said her organization has performed accessibility reviews for about 65 years.
The funding, she said, will help to keep up with significant demand by hiring three designated staffers.
“The accessibility reviewers receive extensive training on best practice standards and New Brunswick regulation, and they will go out and do reviews of businesses … to see how they fare up and provide them with a private report with recommendations for change,” said Flaro.
“We know there’s a significant accessible tourism market that New Brunswick isn’t tapping into. People with a disability have buying power and want to visit here, but they need accessible businesses and tourist sites.”
According to numbers from Ability NB, about 73,000 New Brunswickers live with a mobility disability. Only 38 per cent of working-age New Brunswickers with a mobility disability are employed.
The organization says the Accessible NB program aims to improve that, stating accessible and universally designed workplaces can enhance the employability of persons with a disability.
Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Trevor Holder said integrating as many people as possible into the workforce, including those with a disability, is critical to New Brunswick’s success.
“Our government knows that barriers prevent many persons with a disability from entering the workforce, and we are proud to support initiatives that will help remove these barriers through WorkingNB,” said Holder in a news release.
“We continue to focus on more inclusive workplaces, and I’m excited about the potential for Accessible NB to encourage significant improvements across the province.”
Flaro said there are accessible review services offered nationally, such as through the Rick Hansen Foundation. However, Accessible NB will be the first free service provided in New Brunswick.
Those interested in a review can request one from Ability NB. Flaro said accessibility is socially and economically important and believes it is a perfect time for businesses to get on board.
“We know that accessibility is important for social inclusion, economic inclusion and tourism, so this is a really timely opportunity for New Brunswick businesses and tourism locations to tap into this free service,” she said.
“They’ll attract more employees with a disability, more customers and more tourists.”
