ARTICLE

Date ArticleType
6/16/2014 Media Releases
Chamber Welcome's B.C.'s Accessibility Plan

The BC Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the B.C. government’s Accessibility 2014 plan, which seeks to make B.C. the most progressive province in Canada for people with disabilities by 2024.
“We commend the government for creating a plan to help all British Columbians participate fully in B.C. workplaces and beyond,” said John Winter, president and CEO of the BC Chamber.
The BC Chamber has engaged with government on this file since the early 2000s when, in the context of a looming skills shortage, the Chamber identified British Columbians with disabilities as one of a number of under-represented groups in B.C. workplaces.
“We saw an opportunity to not only assist disabled British Columbians, but also to help employers seeking skilled workers but who balked at employing people with disabilities due to what was wrongly perceived as a high cost of accommodation,” Winter said. “With this investment, much of that misconception can be dealt with.”
Winter noted that the BC Chamber supports all efforts to remove barriers that are keeping British Columbians from contributing their skills and expertise to B.C.’s economy.
“We look forward to seeing positive changes on this front as the Province moves forward with this important initiative,” he said.
In May, BC Chamber of Commerce members voted in a policy to reduce red tape to enable more disabled Canadians to access Canada’s Registered Disability Savings Plan.