By Laurie MonsebraatenSocial Justice Reporter
Toronto Star, May 22, 2020
Amanda Demerse lost her part-time job as a rink attendant with the City of North Bay in March when the municipality closed recreation facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What happened next, amid a global health emergency, is an example of what goes on every day for vulnerable people living on the fault lines of creaking federal and provincial income support systems, social policy experts say.
May 19, 2020
Source: Injured Workers Community Legal Clinic
THUNDER BAY, Ontario, May 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights recently gave a statement sounding the alarm that Canadians living with disabilities including permanently injured workers face disproportionate challenges during the pandemic.
“People with disabilities must often rely on others for help with daily tasks,” she reminded, something that is increasingly difficult during COVID-19 (9 April 2020).
The pandemic has caused confusion among disability recipients when it comes to properly reporting income by Aaron Broverman
May 16, 2020
Confusion around the Ontario Disability Support Program during the pandemic put writer Meagan Gillmore in a financial bind.
It’s no secret that Torontonians with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to contracting COVID-19, and there’s a fear among the disabled community that they would not receive adequate treatment while in hospital.
City has avoided hiring people with restrictions because of budget constraints, analyst said Laurie Monsebraaten
The Toronto Star Oct. 1, 2019
Louis Manno worked in the city’s old “Access Toronto” call centre for a dozen years until the current 311 information service was introduced in 2009 and forced him into early retirement.
Manno is blind, and the 311 technology was not compatible with his computer screen reader, which transcribed web pages into braille or speech so he could respond to callers’ queries.
Anna Sharratt
The Globe and Mail, July 10, 2019
At Wanda’s Pie in the Sky bakery and café in Torontos Kensington Market, owners Wanda and David Beaver work to create a sense of comfort and belonging for their customers and staff. Its why the owners have a policy to hire workers with disabilities, incorporating both hospitality and inclusion into the business.
