Meenu Sikand of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in the article Change Your Mindset, Change Your Business featured in the Abilities magazine states that Canadians living with disabilities and their friends and families have a collective buying power of $366.5 billion. If a business is not accessible, then the ability to benefit from this buying power is diminished. 

Sikand outlines several toolkits and guides produced by the Retail Council of Canada, Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario, local businesses improvement areas, chambers of commerce and industry specific professional organizations that are valuable resources to assist businesses to be more accessible. In addition, the author identifies federal and provincial training and development organizations such as the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work and Accessibility Ontario that can assist businesses.

Sikand reminds the reader that research findings identify that most Canadians say that they would be more likely to choose a business that has a proven track record of hiring people with disabilities. 

To read the entire article, click here.