Eviance to develop success strategy for women entrepreneurs with disabilities

The federal government has tabbed nearly $800,000 for a new project that aims to help women entrepreneurs with disabilities succeed.

Liberal MPs Marie-Gabrielle Ménard, from Quebec, and Ginette Lavack, who represents St. Boniface—St. Vital, announced on Friday that Eviance (formerly the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies) will receive $797,557.

The organization, which is headquartered in Winnipeg, will use the federal investment to develop a strategy to promote opportunities and resources for women entrepreneurs with disabilities across Canada through community engagement, including focus groups and interviews.

Eviance, in partnership with Toronto-based think tank New Power Labs, will engage women entrepreneurs with disabilities to identify key issues and help shape solutions that create more equitable opportunities for success.

“Right now, we know far too little about how women with disabilities access or experience entrepreneurship in Canada,” said Susan L. Hardie, executive director of Eviance. “The gap has real consequences. It means that barriers go unseen, opportunities go underdeveloped, and potential goals unsupported.”

Statistics Canada reports in 2024, nearly seven in 10 (68 per cent) persons with disabilities or long-term conditions experienced a barrier to accessibility during a hiring process or one that discouraged or prevented them from working or seeking employment.

The most common types of barriers experienced were difficulties disclosing their disability to a potential employer; difficulties related to accommodations, such as unmet accommodation requests; unable to request accommodations or unaware accommodations were available; and lack of support or respect from hiring staff or past colleagues or manager.

“Too many women with disabilities become entrepreneurs by necessity because traditional employment remains inaccessible,” Hardie said. “We want to help create a future where women with disabilities can become entrepreneurs by choice, supported by the resources, networks and pathways they deserve.”

Hardie added she speaks from experience. Before joining Eviance, she confronted employment barriers as a woman with disabilities.

“Those barriers pushed me into entrepreneurship out of necessity,” said Hardie, who was previously a consultant in the mental health field. “I know firsthand how important it is to have real options — options grounded in opportunity, not survival.”

Lavack congratulated Eviance on receiving the investment.

“The information gathered through this project will directly inform federal programs and policies that make it easier for women with disabilities to start and to grow their businesses, accessing financing and contributing overall to Canada’s economy,” Lavack said.

The federal investment is great news, said Heidi Hutchison, president of People First of Manitoba and a spokesperson for People First of Canada — organizations that represent people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

“There are people in People First that are entrepreneurs and this is going to be amazing for them,” Hutchison said. “We were so excited about today (and) we’re excited to see where this is going to go.”

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca