Every day in October, CASE, our members, and service providers and employers across the country share stories about workers who experience disability and about organizations committed to workplace disability inclusion.
See below for ways to connect with us, to create awareness, and to help eliminate the barriers to full inclusion in the labour market for persons experiencing disability.
Disability Employment Awareness Month or DEAM was first proclaimed in Canada in 2010 by the Province of Manitoba. Saskatchewan followed suit in 2011, and British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and Nunavut also secured proclamations in the ensuing years.
Since then, employment service providers, employers, and community organizations throughout Canada have brought DEAM to life by organizing activities to engage employers, job seekers experiencing disability, and the public to promote the benefits of inclusive hiring.
Sources:
Statistics Canada. Labour force status of persons with and without disabilities aged 15 years and over, by age group and gender. Released March 28, 2024.
Statistics Canada. Labour market characteristics of persons with and without disabilities, 2024. Released May 14, 2025.
Statistics Canada. A demographic, employment and income profile of persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over in Canada, 2022. Released May 28, 2024.
In recognition of Disability Employment Awareness Month, CASE social media channels will post DEAM highlights throughout the month of October. Share them with your networks!
Call on your provincial or territorial government to proclaim DEAM.
Celebrate Canada’s inclusive employers with our Cheers to Inclusion! initiative.
Light your workplace up in purple and blue on October 16, 2025, for Light It Up! For NDEAM.
An important part of celebrating Disability Employment Awareness Month is garnering government support and recognition. We created the DEAM Proclamation Toolkit to help you!
The sample DEAM social media posts and press release can be found in the Cheers to Inclusion! toolkit below.
Each October, MentorAbility Canada organizes events across the country to bring employers and employment service providers together in celebration of the incredible disability-inclusive workplaces they create.
DEAM is an ideal opportunity for employers to showcase their commitment to inclusive employment while helping to break down the barriers that exist for people experiencing disability.
All options are bilingual.
> Option One: 1 in 5 workers experiences some type of disability
> Option Two: Make Workplaces More Inclusive of Workers Experiencing Disability
> Option Three: Promote Inclusion – Become a MentorAbility Mentor!
> Option Four: 1 in 5 workers experiences disability – ways to celebrate inclusion/DEAM
All options are bilingual.
> Option One: 1 in 5 workers experiences some form of disability
> Option Two: Become a mentor and boost the career of a person experiencing disability
> Option Three: Celebrate the workplace inclusion of persons experiencing disability
> Option Four: Disability inclusion means all workers are supported to succeed
Looking to access editable (for example, EPS) versions of the logos and toolkit? Please contact your nearest MentorAbility Canada Hub Coordinator for additional information or support, or email us at [email protected] with your request. A member of our team will respond within 1-2 business days.
CASE and MentorAbility Canada are thrilled to partner again with Ontario Disability Employment Network and Jobs Ability Canada on this national coordinated lighting event in 2025.
Mark your calendars! We look forward to participating with you in Light It Up! for NDEAM on
Thursday, October 16, 2025
Contact your MentorAbility Canada Provincial or Territorial Coordinator and fill out the form to ensure your locations are added to the growing list of places that will be lit up in purple and blue!
DEAM is an opportunity to celebrate and discuss employment inclusion and to collaborate to increase inclusive hiring. Every day in October, CASE, our members, and service providers and employers across […]
Sign up for our e-newsletter and stay current with all the latest from CASE and supported employment work across Canada and beyond. You’ll also receive our latest promotions and offers. We will not share your email address with any third-party vendors. See our Privacy Policy (at the link below under Quick Links) for full details on how we protect your personal information.
Tell us about new, innovative supported employment initiatives your organization is spearheading. Please send us your ideas or advice on how CASE can better serve you.
