Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to our witnesses this morning. I continue to get an education every time somebody presents.
A lady in a wheelchair a couple of weeks ago said to me, “You're opening up my world with Bill C-81.” I stopped, and we had a great conversation. I walked away from that, and she's right. Bill C-81 is opening up the world for people with disabilities.
It hits home for me. In my riding of Saint John—Rothesay, Key Industries is an organization that deals with a lot of people with disabilities. We recently announced some funding there, EAF funding, so that they could have more accessible washrooms—just small, simple things like that.
Whether it's getting on a plane in Saint John, catching a train, or mailing something, there are absolutely challenges and barriers for people with disabilities. I view transforming our businesses as an investment, not a cost. Sometimes I worry. Not only my Conservative colleagues but also other businesses I talk to say, “I would do that, but there's such a cost.” I look at it more as an investment.
I'll start with you, Professor McColl. Can you speak to that? In your opinion, is taking action to invest in enhancing accessibility more of an investment than a non-recoupable cost? Can you talk to that?