Disability Poverty in Canada: Learning from Today to Make Tomorrow Better
On December 3, 2025, DWP is excited to bring a wide variety of presentations from people with lived experience, service providers, academic and community researchers to our free, virtual symposium.
There are two streams available, each with a different set of speakers, presentations and panelists. You are welcome to sit in on speakers from both streams that interest you. Replay videos of both streams will be on the DWP YouTube channel after the event.
ASL, English & French closed captioning, as well as Simultaneous French translation will be provided. LSQ will be available for Stream A only for the first two hours: Opening Remarks and the discussion on Barriers to Housing for People in Quebec.
Stream A - REGISTER FOR STREAM A
7 – 7:50AM PT; 10 – 10:50AM ET
Welcome Remarks & Launch of 3rd DWP Report Card
Rabia Khedr, Michelle Hewitt and Special Guests!
8 – 8:50AM PT; 11 – 11:50AM ET
Barriers to Housing for people in Quebec
Janet Rodriguez, Marie-Eve Lamontagne, and Elizabeth Lowe
Presentation in French with simultaneous English interpretation
9 – 9:50 AM PT; 12 – 12:50 PM ET
Disability, Poverty, Housing: A Look Through the Lens of Lived Experience
Michelle Hewitt, Steven Vine, Marie LeBlanc and Latonya Ludford
10 – 10:50AM PT; 1 – 1:50PM ET
Navigating ODSP
Erica Zacharias, Asif Khan, Camille Deondra Stewart, Trevor Manson
Lunch: 10:50 – 11:30AM PT / 1:50 – 2:30PM ET
11:30 – 12:20 PM PT; 2:30 – 3:20PM ET
Just Societies: Canada's Drug Laws, MAiD, and Experiences of Homelessness
Michelle Hewitt, Nicole Luongo, Ty Ragan, Emilio Toala
12:30 – 1:20 PM PT; 3:30 – 4:20PM ET
Neoliberalism and Policies of Disability Management
Jen Rinaldi, Stefan Sunandan Honisch, William MacGregor
1:30 – 2:20 PM PT; 4:30 – 5:20PM ET
Intersectionality Within Disability and Poverty
Meenu Sikand, Rayanne Banaga, Danielle Landry
2:30 – 3:20 PM PT; 5:30 – 6:20PM ET
Employment, Entrepreneurship and Finding Benefits
Brittany Finlay, Edna Appiah-Kubi, Sarina Mawji, Cindy Christensen
Agenda subject to change
Thank you for your participation!
The DWP Clare Li Research Collective
Stream B - REGISTER FOR STREAM B
8 – 8:50AM PT; 11 – 11:50AM ET
Locating Legislated Poverty in the Structuring of Ontario’s Disability Service Provisions
Jen Rinaldi and Heather M. Shearer
9 – 9:50 AM PT; 12 – 12:50 PM ET
Every Canadian Counts: How to Advance Economic and Social Inclusion for those with Lifelong Disabilities in Canada
Deidre Guy, Hubert van Niekerk, James van Schaik, Ryan Yellowlees
10 – 10:50AM PT; 1 – 1:50PM ET
Universal Design and the Disability Industrial Complex
Shelley Petit and Murielle Pitre
Lunch: 10:50 – 11:30AM PT / 1:50 – 2:30PM ET
11:30 – 12:20 PM PT; 2:30 – 3:20PM ET
2SLGBTQ+ People with Disabilities and Experiences of Poverty in Canada
Nick Mulé, Luca Gheorghica, Dani Hummel, Mike Martell, Celeste Pang
12:30 – 1:20 PM PT; 3:30 – 4:20PM ET
Education and Disabled People: A Tool to End Poverty
Diane Driedger and Nancy Hansen
1:30 – 2:20 PM PT; 4:30 – 5:20PM ET
Navigating Disability Policy Across Canada: Current Status and Future Directions
Brittany Finlay, Sarah Raza, Laura Mudde, Meaghan Reitzel, Kelsey Seguin
2:30 – 3:20 PM PT; 5:30 – 6:20PM ET
Real Pay-Meaningful Work: Addressing Employment Barriers for Marginalized Deaf and Disabled Women & Gender Diverse Peoples
Dr. Doris Rajan, Bianca Okine, Kelly Johnson, Skyler Wolfe, Ben Akuoko, Lina Gharbiya
3:30 – 4:20 PM PT; 6:30 – 7:20PM ET
‘Not enough to be a game changer’: Perspectives of disabled people on the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) – A Suspected Policy Failure
Tracy Smith-Carrier, Alfiya Battalova, Lauren Touchant, Sid Frankel, Melissa Brideau, Laura Cattari
Agenda subject to change
Thank you for your participation!
The DWP Clare Li Research Collective