GATINEAU, QC, Feb. 16, 2018 /CNW/ - Canadians with disabilities face challenges every day that prevent them from participating fully in all aspects of our society, and our government is taking action to break down these barriers.
Today, the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, announced the approval of approximately 600 Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) projects for a total of $15.5 million. Through programs such as the EAF, the Government of Canada is taking action to build a more inclusive, accessible and resilient Canada.
The EAF supports community-based projects across Canada aimed at making public facilities and workplaces more accessible.
Sixty-four projects were approved under the Workplace Accessibility Stream, with funding to improve accessibility and safety in workplaces across Canada through capital cost investments.
A total of 529 projects were approved under the Community Accessibility Stream, with funding to improve accessibility and safety through renovations, retrofits or construction of community facilities and venues so that programs and services can be accessed by people with disabilities.
The newly launched Youth Innovation Component of the EAF saw nine youth-driven projects accepted, which will help increase accessibility in community facilities and workplaces across Canada. Each project will receive up to $10,000 in funding and will empower young leaders to work with organizations of their choice and tackle accessibility barriers in their communities.
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"Canada is at its best and all of society benefits when everyone is included, and projects like the ones approved through the Enabling Accessibility Fund do just that. I am glad to see the enthusiasm for this fund growing each year. Thanks to the projects announced today, Canadians with disabilities can fully participate in their communities and their workplaces."
– The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities
Quick Facts
- Since the creation of the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) in 2007, the Government of Canada has funded over 3,000 projects, helping thousands of Canadians gain access to their communities' programs, services and workplaces.
- The EAF has an annual (grants and contributions) base budget of $13.65 million.
- Budget 2016 provided an additional $4 million over two years, starting in 2016–17, for the EAF's community stream to support the capital costs of construction and renovation related to improving physical accessibility and safety for Canadians with disabilities. This has increased the EAF grants and contributions budget to $15.65 million in 2016–17 and 2017–18.
- Starting in 2018–19, the EAF grants and contributions budget will grow to $20.65 million, as Budget 2017 provided $77 million ($70 million in grants and contributions and $7 million in operational funding) over 10 years to expand the activities of the EAF and support more small and mid-sized projects, including youth‑driven proposals, aimed at improving accessibility in Canadian communities and workplaces.
Associated Link
Funding: Enabling Accessibility in Workplaces and Communities
Backgrounder
Enabling Accessibility Fund
The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) is a federal grants and contributions program which supports community-based projects across Canada aimed at improving accessibility in public facilities and in workplaces.
Funding is provided through two streams: the Workplace Accessibility Stream and the Community Accessibility Stream.
The Workplace Accessibility Stream supports projects that improve accessibility and safety in workplaces across Canada through capital cost investments (i.e. renovation, retrofit or construction of facilities in which job opportunities can be created or maintained for people with disabilities). This includes the provision of information and communication technologies for community use that eliminate systemic accessibility barriers.
The Community Accessibility Stream provides funding to eligible recipients for capital cost projects that improve accessibility in public facilities to improve access to programs and services for people with disabilities. Projects must be directly related to removing barriers and increasing accessibility for people with disabilities in Canadian communities.
All projects must respond to specific eligibility criteria.
For further information on the EAF, please visit http://www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/disability/eaf/.
SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
For media enquiries, please contact: Annabelle Archambault, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, 819-934-1122 / TTY: 1-866-702-6967, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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