Record Participation in Light It Up! For NDEAM 2023 Reflects Increasing Conversation About Disability Inclusion in Communities Across Canada

Billed as a national movement that ignites conversation about the importance of disability inclusion in employment, and in businesses and communities across Canada, Light it Up! For NDEAMTM 2023 did just that in a record way — as the amount of purple and blue light shone on disability awareness Thursday night, shows.

“Almost 500 locations in 140 communities participated this year,” says Jeannette Campbell, CEO of the Ontario Disability Employment Network (ODEN), which created and leads Light it Up! For NDEAM.

“That means there was a lot of engagement and conversation about disability-inclusive hiring between job seekers, families, community agencies, businesses and local governments, in many big cities, small towns and rural communities across the country.”

Hundreds of structures — from office towers; to small and medium businesses; to government buildings; to bridges; to municipal signs, and town and city halls; to public spaces and world-famous Canadian landmarks across the nation — were all lit purple and blue Thursday night.

Landmarks included the CN Tower, Niagara Falls, The Big Fiddle in Sydney, NS; the Terry Fox Memorial in St. John’s; The Big Nickel in Sudbury, ON; the Calgary Tower and Olympic Plaza; and the High Level Bridge in Edmonton.

Campbell adds, “Light It Up! For NDEAM happens on this scale because those conversations happen. And involvement is increasing year on year. Several communities across Canada joined the Light It Up! For NDEAM movement for the first time this year.”

ODEN started Light It Up! For NDEAM provincially in 2020 as part of its National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) campaign. The first year, 28 structures in 16 communities around Ontario participated. The event went national in 2021, with over 300 locations in 113 communities nationwide participating. In 2022, that increased to over 400 locations in almost 120 cities and towns across Canada. The participation in 2023 is a new record level.

“We make it easy for anyone to participate in Light It Up! For NDEAM. We want involvement to increase like this every year,” says Campbell, “because the more the involvement, the greater the impact.”

Light It Up! For NDEAM is having more impact than ODEN ever imagined it would when her organization started the event, she notes.

“That’s exciting and rewarding to see happening. The conversation it starts is having a lasting impact nationwide that can affect change. This is important, because access to employment is still a major barrier for people who have a disability.”

Over 600,000 employable Canadians who have a disability want to work, but are unemployed. Their talents, skills and abilities are not being tapped by employers, largely because many businesses are still unaware of the disability talent pool and how to connect with these job seekers. Light It Up! For NDEAM fosters connection and engagement efforts between local businesses, and community agencies that assist job seekers who have a disability.

Light It Up! For NDEAM is having other ripple effects in the disability sector. Traditionally, awareness campaigns during National Disability Employment Awareness Month are “siloed” in individual regions and provinces that celebrate NDEAM. Light It Up! For NDEAM has become an over-arching, unifying flagship event of regional NDEAM campaigns nationwide.

“We all have a common goal,” explains Campbell, “and that is, increasing disability awareness and confidence, leading to more, productive and equitable employment opportunities for Canadians who have a disability. Light It Up! For NDEAM has become a common national thread, with a unified message, that any organization can join in to help us all achieve that common goal.”

Light It Up! For NDEAM is the only event of its kind in Canada during National Disability Employment Awareness Month. ODEN leads the event, but it happens in collaboration with the Canadian Association for Supported Employment, MentorAbility Canada, Jobs Ability Canada and many community-based employment agencies across Canada.

The federal government has been involved in Light It Up! For NDEAM since 2021. This year, Public Service and Procurement Canada co-ordinated the illumination of 45 federal buildings across Canada, the most yet. They include The Public Archives and National Library of Canada in Ottawa; the National Printing Bureau in Gatineau, QC; two RCMP Division Headquarters, in Edmonton and Vancouver; the Canadian Grain Commission in Winnipeg; Government of Canada buildings in Collingwood, Timmins, London, Sarnia and Sudbury, ON; and the Greenstone Government of Canada building in Yellowknife, NWT.

Some provincial governments also support Light It Up! For NDEAM. The Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg and Government House in St. John’s have illuminated purple and blue for the event since 2021. As well, the Government of Ontario illuminated five buildings around the province again this year. The Alberta Legislature participated for the first time.

“Light It Up! For NDEAM was incredibly successful this year, in numerous ways. A lot of people across the country put in outstanding efforts to make it so successful,” says Campbell. “The awareness night is over for another year, but the disability inclusion conversation must keep going year-round. Disability needs to be part of every business conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion. Still too often, it gets left out.”