Slide 1
Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy
Mission, Structure and Key Activities
Normand Boucher , Ph. D 		
Researcher at CIRRIS and Adjunct professor, Université Laval
WINTER SEMESTER: DISABILITY AND LABOUR MARKET INTEGRATION
Disability and Work: Inclusion and Integration in the Labour Market
Friday, February 9, McGill University

Slide 2
Who We Are 
Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy
•	In 2012, the Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy (CRWDP) was created through a 7-year SSHRC Partnership Grant following a 2 year development period 
•	We are a national collaborative of 60+ researchers and 60+partners across 15 research institutions. We are dedicated to addressing issues related to Canada’s work disability policy system

Slide 3
Our Mission
•	We are a transdisciplinary initiative on the future of work disability policy in Canada 
•	Our mission is to conduct partner-informed research on how to improve Canadian work disability policy to help all people access employment and income security

Slide 4
CRWDP Core Mandate
•	Bring together varied stakeholders in the Canadian work disability policy system, including employers
•	Identify issues associated with program coordination and complexity
•	Facilitate dialogue, problem identification, and policy action
•	Support multiple transdisciplinary research projects, including international comparative work
•	Build capacity for research on applied work disability policy
•	Build consensus on a roadmap for work disability policy

Slide 5
Overview of How We are Organized
•	External Advisory Committee
•	Arms length advice
•	Executive Committee
•	Centre oversight
•	Provincial Cluster Leads
•	Provincial coordination
•	Thematic Leads
•	Cross national thematic coordination
•	Focussed Committees
•	Knowledge Mobilization
•	Partner Engagement
•	Seed Grants
•	Student Capacity Building

Slide 6
Work Disability Policy
Issues and Context
•	Complex Canadian work disability policy system consisting of multiple programs at the provincial and federal level
•	Changing nature of work, workers and injuries posing new challenges
•	Economic climate can create pressure to further restrict eligibility 

Slide 7
Changing Nature of Workers, Work, Injuries
[Diagrame – Employment by Age Group, Canada

Slide 8
Chart 11: Change in temporary and contract workers by industry (1997-2013)
Slide 9
Patchwork of Canadian Work Disability Programs
Varied Disability Concepts Across Canadian Programs
Programs include: 
1.	Canada/Quebec Pension Plan Disability
2.	Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits
3.	Provincial workers’ compensation benefits
4.	Provincial social assistance disability benefits
5.	Employment-based short- and long-term disability plans
6.	Disability Tax Credits, Registered Disability Savings Plans
7.	Veterans’ benefits for disability
8.	Other programs (e.g., car insurance and compensation for victims of crime)

Slide 10
Varied disability concepts across Canadian programs [programs are listed in the diagram, and indicated which of the programs employ medical model, socio-medical model, or human rights model of disability]
Slide 11
Social and organizational silos [diagram]

Slide 12
Population Health Focus
•	 Work disability touches most people at some point over their lifetime
•	Work disability policy is not a fringe concern

•	People with disabilities represent about 15.5 per cent of Ontario’s population (similar percentages apply across the country)

•	More than 50% of Canadian families touched by disability

•	Aging of the Canadian population means more working age adults will be affected by chronic and episodic health conditions

Slide 13
CRWDP’s Overall Objective and Research Questions
To identify how people, when disabled, can be better retained and integrated into the Canadian labour market
•	Research questions
•	How well does the Canadian disability policy system serve the current and emerging needs of working-age individuals, when disabled, in terms of employment support and opportunities? 
•	For what individuals and labour-market contexts does it work well/not work well and why?
•	What are the key opportunities for policy and program improvement in the short and long run?

Slide 14
Research Activity Plan
Research Themes and highlights (picture)
Slide 15
CRWDP Research Studies Groundwork
Environmental Scan of Past Policy Initiatives Addressing Canadian Work Disability Policy System Coordination Issues
o	Identified and described past policy efforts (initiatives) to address coordination of disability income support programs in Canada
o	Created database describing each initiative with related documents
o	Provides important lessons going forward

Scoping Review of Work Disability Policy
o	Created an accessible database of 751 scientific articles about work disability policy
o	International in scope, current (published 2000 or later), and organised by government program type

Slide 16
Activating Research through Seed Grants
Academic-Partner Collaborations

[Picture]
Slide 17
Student Research 

[Picture]
Slide 18
Student/New Researcher Training Opportunities
o	Support training and mentoring opportunities for students and new scholars
•	70 Graduate stipends over 7 years
•	8 Post-doctoral fellowship years of funding
•	Research associates on projects
•	Community/Policy internships
•	CRWDP new research activities at conferences

Slide 19
Knowledge Mobilization Activities
•	Employer Round Tables: Forum to help move employer from challenges to best practices

•	Labour Round Tables: Discussion with unions and labour representatives on current work disability policy issues

•	Policy Round Tables: Discussions with policymakers about a roadmap for policy change

•	Speakers Series and Webinars: Forum for presenting new research and discussing policy implications

•	National Symposia: Events bringing academics and partners together to discuss new research, knowledge gaps and research priorities

Slide 20
Quebec cluster members
•	Marie-José Durand, Université de Sherbrooke, Co-Investigator; Quebec Co-Lead; 
•	Normand Boucher, Co-Investigator; Quebec Co-Lead; Executive Committee Member;
•	Geneviève Baril-Gingras, Université Laval, Co-Investigator; 
•	Marie-France Coutu, Co-Investigator, New Researcher Capacity Building Committee Member;
•	Alain Noël, Université de Montréal, Co-Investigator,
•	Eric Latimer, McGill University, Co-Investigator
•	Jeffrey A. Hilgert, Université de Montréal, Co-investigator;
•	Marie Laberge, Université de Montréal. Centre de recherche du CHU Ste-Justine, Co-Investigator;
•	Ysabel Provencher, Université Laval, co-investigator

Slide 21
Community Capacity Building
•	Spearheaded by Steve Mantis, longstanding injured workers advocate
•	Community Caucuses – umbrella structure for coming together to create common ground
•	Community Forums – meetings for two-way dissemination of knowledge
•	Speakers School – training program to develop speaking skills and confidence

Slide 22
Worker Videos Stories
•	Injured and disabled workers  sharing their experiences of Canada’s work disability policy system
•	Available on CRWDP website and YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/crwdp
•	Developing videos of worker-employer experiences with employment
Slide 23
Target Outcomes

[Picture]
Thank you very much
Questions?