Minister Hajdu invites organizations to apply for funding to improve accessibility and inclusion through youth leadership

GATINEAU, QC, May 30, 2025 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to creating more opportunities for persons with disabilities to take part in community activities, programs, and services.

Today, as part of National AccessAbility Week 2025, Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, launched a call for proposals under the youth innovation component of the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF).

The EAF supports construction, renovation and retrofitting community and workplace-based projects across Canada. Over 8,100 projects have been funded under the EAF since its launch in 2007. The youth innovation component supports youth in bringing their vision for a more inclusive Canada to life, while developing leadership skills, gaining valuable experience, and fostering culture change.

Youth between the ages of 15 and 30 are encouraged to apply to become a youth accessibility leader and partner with local organizations to secure up to $12,000 in funding. Eligible youth must submit their application online by 3:00 p.m. ET on October 6, 2025. Organizations partnering with a confirmed youth accessibility leader must then submit their application for project funding by 3:00 p.m. ET on November 3, 2025.

Together, youth accessibility leaders and organizations alike are supporting the Government's objective of building a barrier-free Canada in the spirit of "Nothing Without Us." 

Quotes

"By helping organizations make accessible infrastructure improvements, the Enabling Accessibility Fund supports persons with disabilities to access programs and services, overcome barriers to employment, and find good paying jobs. The program has already improved accessibility in thousands of community spaces and workplaces across the country, and today we are inviting more youth leaders and organizations to apply for funding – and the fairness it will bring."
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario   

Quick Facts

• The 2022 Canada Survey on Disability found that 27 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and over—or about 8 million persons—report as having at least one disability.
• The EAF program supports the Government of Canada's Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP), which is focused on: reducing poverty among persons with disabilities; helping persons with disabilities obtain and keep good quality jobs; facilitating easier access to federal programs and services; and building accessible and inclusive communities while fostering a culture of inclusion. 
• Under this new call for proposals, $1 million will be allocated to support approximately 83 youth-driven accessibility projects.
• National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) 2025 is taking place from May 25 to 31, and this year the theme is "Breaking barriers together: Paving the way for an inclusive future".

Associated Links

• Enabling Accessibility Fund youth innovation component call for proposals
• Minister Hajdu's statement launching NAAW 2025
• Canada's Disability Inclusion Action Plan
• National AccessAbility Week 2025

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For media enquiries, please contact: Jennifer Kozelj, Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Job and Families, [email protected], 343-540-6643; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]