EnAbling Change Program
Learn how to get funding to spread awareness about accessibility and help make Ontario more open to people of all abilities.
Overview
The EnAbling Change Program provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, industry organizations and professional associations and municipalities to:
- educate their stakeholders about the value and benefits of accessibility
- help support compliance with accessibility laws
- promote a culture of inclusion
Since 1990, the EnAbling Change Program has supported over 230 projects across Ontario.
Download the fact sheet (PDF).
Types of projects
Some examples of projects that could receive funding may involve:
- customized educational tools and resources about accessibility and inclusion in your sector
- promoting accessibility in daily living
- encouraging regulatory compliance
- public outreach programs and initiatives
How to apply
The application period for the EnAbling Change Program is closed.
Learn about other funding opportunities through the Ontario government.
Contact us
If you have questions about the program, email your regional development advisor
Past recipients
2023 to 2024
| Organization | Project name | Project description | Funding amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance for Blind Adults | Inclusive Employment of Persons with a Visual Disability | This project will allow Balance for Blind Adults to produce additional resources and educational videos that demonstrate the capabilities of people with sight loss as part of a pre-employment program. | Up to $23,125 |
| BioTalent Canada | EnAbling Change for the Bio-economy 2023–2024 | This project will promote equitable employment opportunities for people with disabilities. With this funding, BioTalent Canada will hold 4 events across Ontario, both virtually and in person, and develop toolkits to help create equitable opportunities for persons with disabilities. | Up to $150,000 |
| Canadian Apprenticeship Forum | Recruiting and Retaining Apprentices with Disabilities in the Skilled Trades: A Guide for Employers | This project will develop a resource guide for employers to increase awareness about employment standards, AODA compliance and provide best practice tips and strategies to successfully hire, train and support apprentices with disabilities. | Up to $105,000 |
| Geneva Centre for Autism | Inclusive Education Resource Hub | This project will develop an “Inclusive Education Resource Hub.” The hub will support better outcomes and experiences for neurodiverse students in publicly funded education by providing practical tools for educators to create more inclusive classrooms. | Up to $112,500 |
| Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital | Inspire, Hire, Train, Retain: Co-designing resources with and for Ontario healthcare organizations to promote inclusive workforces | This project will develop and deliver a “training-in-a-box” to prepare healthcare managers to hire, engage and retain workers with disabilities by increasing knowledge on accessibility and confidence for inclusion. | Up to $150,000 |
| InterAccess | Public Programming Accessibility Supports | This project will allow for an expansion to InterAccess’ Public Programming Accessibility Supports program which includes technical support for instructors and participants in coordinating accessibility workshops. | Up to $30,000 |
| Milton Community Resource Centre | Neurodiversity in Early Years | This project will deliver training and learning materials to early childhood educators focusing on neurodevelopmental disabilities, teaching strategies, emotional regulation and universal design for learning. | Up to $68,500 |
| ODEN Centre for Excellence | Beyond AODA Compliance — Disability Inclusive Hiring | This project will develop education and awareness resources and tools across all stages of employment to create “Beyond AODA Compliance — Disability Inclusive Hiring.” | Up to $150,000 |
| ParaSport Ontario | Volleyball for All | This project will train athletes with disabilities as leaders in four regions of Ontario in the sport of sitting volleyball. Once trained, they will then recruit people with disabilities to join sitting volleyball teams and participate in two tournaments. The project will also produce legacy resources on recruiting athletes with special needs. | Up to $61,000 |
| Pinnguaq Association | EnAbling Change in the Restaurant, Retail, and Agricultural Sectors of Kawartha Lakes Region | This project will offer priority business sectors a series of workshops to increase compliance and ability to serve people living with disabilities, both as customers and employees. | Up to $112,000 |
| Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) | Protecting and Modernizing Accessible Media Production Education in Ontario for an Accessible Economy and Workforce | This project will create an evidence-based digital accessibility program for post-secondary institutions to remove barriers for Ontario’s workforce and fulfill AODA requirements. | Up to $140,000 |
| County of Prince Edward | Access The County — ensuring AODA compliance among Prince Edward County's small business community | This project will enable Prince Edward County's Accessibility Advisory Committee to identify challenges to AODA compliance that small businesses face. Tools and resources will be developed to address gaps and make it easier for small businesses to create accessible environments. | Up to $18,750 |
| Toronto Metropolitan University | Enabling Accessible Healthcare Delivery: A pilot for students in healthcare professions | This project will allow Toronto Metropolitan University to develop, pilot and disseminate a learning resource called The Enabling Accessible Healthcare Delivery project. This resource is designed for post-secondary health professional students and aims to foster accessible and sensitive healthcare for people with disabilities that promotes their respect and dignity. | Up to $150,000 |
| University of Ottawa Heart Institute | Accessibility in Action (A-in-A): Training modules and educational toolkits for healthcare researchers and professionals | This project will deliver training and develop educational toolkits for health care researchers and professionals. “Accessibility in Action,” will highlight the importance of the perspective of a person with a disability, and create and implement meaningful change within the health care ecosystem. | Up to $132,000 |
2022 to 2023
| Organization | Project name | Project description | Funding amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario Tourism Education Corporation | Reimagine to Succeed — Bringing Diversity to Tourism & Hospitality | This project will enable the Ontario Tourism Education Corporation to deliver an employer awareness campaign, develop and support use of a sector-specific toolkit about inclusive recruitment and hiring, and provide sector leaders with disability awareness training. | Up to $150,000 |
| Retail Council of Canada | EnAbling Change for Retailers — Creating an Inclusive Culture within the Retail Store | This project will help retailers across Ontario create more inclusive employment practices and businesses, and will include a customer service guide and mental health webinar series. | Up to $119,800 |
| Breaking Down Barriers An Independent Living Centre Inc. | Start the Conversation AODA 2025 | This program will provide small businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors with guidance about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) compliance. It will include guides and workshops that cover areas such as accessible customer service, digital accessibility and the design of public spaces. | Up to $119,125 |
| Peel Career Assessment Services Inc. | Ability Works | This project will help people with disabilities access equitable employment opportunities and employers support inclusive employment. | Up to $150,000 |
| Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board | EnAbling Change in Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board | This project will include the delivery of a series of live family and staff workshops, professional development follow-up sessions, updates and revisions to the board’s Special Education Plan, Individual Education Plan Guide and Alternative Report Card. People with disabilities will be included in planning stages and a summary report will be provided to stakeholders to drive a culture of respect and dignity. | Up to $36,750 |
| Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) | CNIB Kids — Inclusive and Accessible Education in Ontario | This project will recruit and train 10 education ambassadors to build relationships with schools and educators. Fully accessible presentations will be made in schools across Ontario and will provide accessibility and sight loss education, and challenge stigmas. | Up to $116,438 |
| Carassauga Festival Inc. | Accessibility at the Festival — Celebrating Inclusion and Diversity | This project will help event organizers plan, assess and deliver accessible events. It includes workshops and webinars to support full inclusion, as well as a festival planning guide, checklists and resources on customer service and information and communications standards. | Up to $16,450 |
| ParaGolf Ontario | Driving Toward InclusiON — changing attitudes and increasing opportunities for everybody in the sport of golf | This project will connect people with disabilities to ParaGolf Ontario and its network of ambassadors, professional instructors and coaches to build a culture of respect and inclusion. The program features new teaching guidelines, coach and ambassador training, and golf events for all abilities. | Up to $104,516 |
Related
Updated: October 23, 2024
Published: May 12, 2023