Mr. Chair and members of the committee, good afternoon.
I would like to begin by acknowledging that we are on Algonquin territory and thank the Algonquin people for sharing their land with us.
It is a pleasure to be here today with my colleagues, ministers Duclos and Hajdu, and with our officials, to speak to you about the main estimates.
This is the first time I am appearing before the committee as Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, and I am pleased to provide information and perspectives on our work and ambitions with regard to people with disabilities.
I am honoured to support those with disabilities and deeply committed to ensuring that they have access to the supports they need for full inclusion in our society.
Approximately 14% of Canadians 15 years of age or older report having a disability that limits them in their daily activities, and close to 2.3 million families in Canada provide day-to-day support for a family member with a disability. That number will only continue to grow as our population ages. Not only is this important to people with disabilities and to our government, but it is important to all Canadians.
That's why my priority as minister is to put in place new federal accessibility legislation to help break down barriers in areas of federal jurisdiction. Once in place, the legislation will increase the inclusion and participation of Canadians who have disabilities or functional limitations in their communities and workplaces. It will also promote equality of opportunity for everyone. Right now that opportunity doesn't always exist. We intend to change this.
New federal legislation would set out expectations or standards for inclusion and accessibility and would help to address systemic issues so that discrimination doesn't happen in the first place. It would also help provide a framework to break down barriers in areas in which the Government of Canada has authority and can show leadership, so that we all have a more equal chance of success.
As you may know, last year we concluded the most extensive and accessible consultation process, which is informing the development of this historic legislation. We reached more than 6,000 Canadians and advocates in cities across Canada.
Canadians shared their stories with us, the challenges they have encountered in relation to accessibility, and their ideas and hopes for the new law. A report on what we learned from Canadians during the consultation process was released at the end of last year.
We plan to introduce new federal accessibility legislation in Parliament soon to eliminate barriers and ensure greater accessibility and opportunities for Canadians with disabilities in areas under federal jurisdiction, including employment, transportation, access to buildings, and use of information and services.
Ultimately, our goal is to ensure equality, inclusion, and full participation in Canadian society for persons with disabilities.
My main focus is to make this goal a reality, to build upon the important work that has taken place and table new legislation that will ensure equality of opportunity for people with disabilities that many Canadians take for granted.
While the tabling of this legislation remains my top priority, it is only one part of our government's efforts to increase the inclusion of people with disabilities. I wish I could talk about our enabling accessibility fund, our opportunities fund, our social development and partnerships program, and the new investments we've made for the opportunities fund, which is a new investment of $77 million over 10 years that will allow us to have greater inclusion in communities and workplaces.
In conclusion, let me say that making sure every Canadian has a fair and equal chance at success is not just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to, and our future prosperity depends on it.
I want to thank this committee for its support and guidance in breaking down barriers for persons with disabilities. We know nothing will be rectified overnight, but we also know we can get there and together we will make Canada a more accessible nation than it is today.
Thank you.