A comparison between Ontario and B.C. of how people with disabilities can be better served.
- Kethra Stewart
- Mar 21, 2023
- 4 min read
By Kethra Stewart and Leticia McDougall
People living with disabilities in British Columbia, Canada, face many barriers to accessing services in B.C. The main barriers are society’s perceptions of people with disabilities, such as their attitudes, bias, and discrimination towards them, by not showing respect or treating them as equals. There are many ways that people living with disabilities can be better served, such as learning about people with disabilities and showing compassion towards them. Currently, there are laws, policies, plans, and programs in place by the B.C. government to help improve the lives of people living with disabilities.
According to the statistics, the current population of B.C. is approximately 5.3 million, and we are the 3rd most extensive populous in Canada, next to Ontario and Quebec (Wikipedia, 2023). In addition, the percentage of people who self-identify as living with disabilities is 24.7%, including mental health, pain, and learning disabilities (B.C. Gov News, 2023).
A person with a disability who has difficulty asking someone for help is a barrier because of communication issues. An inability to speak or write, or inability to use a technology system or have access to the internet, such as a computer or mobile phone for assistance, are other issues that the B.C. government addresses. Other barriers are not having accessible ramps to businesses or housing or ways to be portable for having access at tables in restaurants, meetings, language interpreters, and stigma about a person’s ability (Government of B.C, 2023a).
The Government of B.C website has a wealth of information regarding B.C's disability, accessibility, and inclusion plan. In addition, it offers services through communities by upholding the recent law passed in June 2021, the Accessible BC Act (Government of B.C, 2023). Government services have improved the lives of people with disabilities. They have launched programs to help people with disabilities, including making high-speed internet access to homes, homecare funding, and inclusive care for equipment and children with disabilities at home and schools with more funding (Government of B.C., 2023).
B.C. distinctly involves the community through funding for various programs, as we have a plan from 2022-2025 for the five priorities in place to help remove barriers for people living with disabilities (Government of B.C, 2023). The top five priorities are creating a culture of accessibility and inclusion with a gender equity lens, improving information and technology systems in homes and access, improving access to public places, funding for wheelchair-user-friendly in universities, colleges, restaurants, buildings, and government buildings, and other public places more accessible (Government of B.C, 2023). Other priorities are employment inclusion opportunities with a workable internship program that includes diversity and inclusion plans and improving public services (Government of B.C., 2023).
The priorities set in place will take time for the journey towards including marginalized groups such as people living with disabilities. However, in time the government structure is serving the community better by creating these plans, which allow more opportunities for people with disabilities as they need to be included in society through acceptance, knowledge of the barriers, and being treated with respect.
The divergence between B.C. and Ontario are the timelines of delivering accessible services and the importance of accessibility. B.C. distinctly involves the community through funding for various programs, as we have a plan from 2022-2025 for the five priorities in place to help remove barriers for people living with disabilities (Government of B.C, 2023).
There may be some differences in the experiences of people with disabilities in Ontario and British Columbia, as each province has policies and programs related to disability support and inclusion. For example, in Ontario, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) was introduced in 2005, which sets standards for accessibility in various areas, such as customer service, employment, and transportation (The Act (AODA), 2019). In British Columbia, the Accessibility 2024 initiative was launched in 2014, which aims to make the province the most progressive place for people with disabilities in Canada(Government of B.C, 2023a).
In terms of specific programs and services, Ontario offers the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), which provides income support and employment assistance to people with disabilities (Ontario Disability Support Program, 2022). British Columbia has a similar program called the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Benefit (Disability Assistance, n.d.). However, the two programs may differ in eligibility criteria and the level of support provided.
Overall, it is essential to recognize that the experiences of people with disabilities are complex and diverse and may be influenced by various factors such as socioeconomic status, race, gender, and age. Therefore, while there may be some differences between the experiences of people with disabilities in Ontario and British Columbia, it is essential to focus on improving access and inclusion for all Canadians with disabilities, regardless of where they live.
The priorities set in place will take time for the journey toward including marginalized groups, such as people living with disabilities. People with disabilities need to be included in society through acceptance, knowledge of the barriers, and being treated with respect.
References
BC Gov News. (2023). Building a better B.C: accessibility and inclusion in British Columbia. Government of B.C. Retrieved March 19, 2023. https://news.gov.bc.ca/factsheets/building-a-better-bc-accessibility-and-inclusion-in-british-columbia#:~:text=Passed%20into%20law%20in%20June,with%20disabilities%20face%20in%20B.C
Disability Assistance. (n.d.). Retrieved from Government of British Columbia: https://alpha.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/family-social-supports/services-for-people-with-disabilities/disability-assistance
Government of B.C. (2023a). AccessibleBC: B.C's Accessibility Plan for 2022/2023 to 2024/2025. Province of British Columbia. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
Government of B.C.(2023b). The rights and responsibilities of Businesses and the public. Province of British Columbia. Retrieved March 19, 2023. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/human-rights/guide-and-service-dog/public-rights
Ontario Disability Support Program. (2022, March 22). Retrieved from Ontario Government: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-disability-support-program
The Act (AODA). (2019). Retrieved from Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act: https://aoda.ca/the-act/
Wikipedia. (2023). British Columbia. Retrieved March 19, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia
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