According to the Conference Board of Canada, “beginning in 2014, if current trends continue, labour demand will exceed labour supply; therefore the projected gap will grow steadily larger. As a result, Ontario could face a shortfall of 190,000 workers in 2020 rising to 364,000 by 2025 and 564,000 by 2030.”

Hiring persons with disabilities makes good business sense. By developing a strategy to hire persons with disabilities, not only will you be tapping in to an under-utilized group of qualified employees, you’ll also be tapping into an often overlooked consumer market. It is estimated that in Canada, person with disabilities represent $25 billion in consumer spending. (Information provided by the Ontario Disabilities Support Program and the Region of Waterloo Training and Adjustment Board, 2007)

“People with disabilities want to work for you and they want to buy your products. With skilled and loyal employees at a premium and traditional market growth slowing, can you afford to ignore or stereotype them?”

Fortune Magazine, 1998