Belong Brings Disability Inclusion from Coast to Coast to Coast

Over the past few months, the Belong initiative has taken off across Canada, bringing together tourism employers, individuals with disabilities, industry associations, and disability-support partners to build more accessible, inclusive workplaces.

Regional Roundtable Events: Niagara Falls, St. John’s, Saskatoon

In partnership with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), the Belong team hosted “Unpacking Support to Tourism Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion” panels at the Eastern, Atlantic, and Prairies Regional Roundtables. Passionate and experienced service providers shared insights with tourism employers on how to bridge gaps and create meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the tourism sector.

From Insight to Action: Yukon Compass 2025

At the Tourism Industry Association of the Yukon’s Compass Spring Conference, Belong facilitated the “From Insight to Action: Building Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Workforces” workshop. Participants dug into labour force data, unpacked understanding of disability and accessibility, and explored practical strategies to create accessible workplaces, attract diverse talent, embed accessibility into every operation, and foster a culture of inclusion.

Mentorship & Shared Talent Hub Co-Design: Newfoundland & Labrador

In collaboration with Hospitality Newfoundland & Labrador, Belong led co-design sessions for IDEAL Employer Mentorship and the Shared Talent Lab. Local employers, service providers, and people with lived experience co-created frameworks to:

  • Pair experienced businesses as mentors with businesses just starting their accessibility journey
  • Share talent seasonally across multiple businesses to reduce turnover and maximize skills

Building Inclusive Tourism Workplaces Workshop: Ontario

Together with OTEC and the City of Toronto, Belong led a workshop on how to create more Inclusive, Diverse, Equitable, Accessible, and Leading (IDEAL) workplaces, with a focus on including persons with disabilities.

Event Highlights:

  • Benefits of Accessible Workplaces: Exploring enhanced reputation and stronger connections with under-served markets, stronger employee retention and reduced turnover costs, and untapped talent pools to resolve workforce shortages.
  • Overcoming Myths: Debunking common misconceptions on the cost of accommodations, stereotypes of people with disabilities, and the lack of understanding of disabilities.
  • Showcasing Tools: Learning about job-matching services, disability-awareness and confidence training, government wage subsidies, and accessibility reviews.
  • Success Stories: Hearing how individuals with disabilities found meaningful work in tourism.
  • Actionable Steps: Discovering how to audit and adapt recruitment, onboarding, and retention practices.
  • Proven Programs: Establishing that mentorship and shared-workforce models boost retention and operational agility.

Key Takeaways for Employers:

  • Breaking Barriers: Address biases towards people with disabilities through disability-awareness training for managers and staff.
  • Practical Supports: Leverage tailored job-matching services, government funding, and wage subsidies to recruit candidates from the untapped talent pool; the Tourism Workplace Accessibility Clinic offers employers a one-stop shop.
  • Start with Small Steps: Begin with a simple accessibility audit and clear action plan; embed accommodations into job design (e.g., flexible hours, modified duties).
  • Accommodation Starts with Communication: Communicate genuinely with your staff to understand their needs to succeed.
  • Community Collaboration: Involve frontline staff, HR teams, and disability service providers to yield the most practical solutions.

Tourism Employer? Here’s How to Get Started

  1. Conduct a baseline accessibility review of recruitment and onboarding.
  2. Connect with the free services of the Tourism Workplace Accessibility Clinic.
  3. Pilot one hire of an individual with a disability.
  4. Gather feedback, adjust processes, and scale up gradually.

What’s Next?

Stay tuned for upcoming events:

Tourism HR Canada thanks the following for their ongoing support of the Belong program:

  • TIAC and the regional roundtable hosts for championing inclusion from coast to coast to coast.
  • TIA Yukon for spotlighting accessibility at its Compass Spring Conference.
  • Hospitality Newfoundland & Labrador for co-designing IDEAL mentorship and talent-sharing frameworks.
  • The dedicated panellists from service provider partners, whose expertise drives real change:
    • Canadian Centre on Rehabilitation and Work
    • Canadian Mental Health Association, Niagara Branch
    • Easter Seals NL
    • Empower NL
    • March of Dimes Canada
    • Ontario Disability Employment Network
    • Ready, Willing and Able

Tourism HR Canada also thanks Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for their funding of the Belong program under the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities.