Government of Canada Funds Lending Library Pilot Project to Improve Workplace Accommodations for Short-term Public Service Employees with

Ottawa: The Government of Canada’s vision is to be the most accessible and inclusive public service in the world by creating a barrier-free workplace where everyone can participate fully. It continues to strive to build a diverse workforce reflective of the Canadian population it serves.
Today the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Digital Government announced up to $4 million of funding for the Lending Library pilot project. This pilot project is a personalized service that offers short-term public service employees with disabilities or injuries quick access to specialized accessibility services, workplace accommodations, and software and hardware loans. It will immediately address physical, technological and communications barriers that can have negative effects on employment and career development opportunities and prevent full participation in the workplace.
The Centralized Enabling Workplace Fund (CEWF), administered by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s Office of Public Service Accessibility, will fund up to $2 million towards the Lending Library pilot project and the balance will be funded by Shared Services Canada. The pilot project meets the CEWF objective to invest in innovative ideas and tools to improve workplace accommodation practices and reduce barriers for persons with disabilities in the federal public service.
The Lending Library supports the achievement of goals identified in Nothing Without Us: An Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada and addresses a key issue identified in the 2019 Benchmarking Study of Workplace Accommodations in the Federal Public Service.