Grants you can apply for · Federal program · Non-repayable contribution
Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities
Government of Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada
Taking applications?
Not taking applications
The official page says: “Current Status: Closed”
Read from the official page on October 14, 2026. Confirm the deadline on the official page before you apply.
- Amount
- Up to $15M
- Cost share
- Not stated on the page
- Who can apply
- Businesses; Indigenous organizations and businesses; Municipalities; Non-profits and charities
- Where
- Anywhere in Canada
What it is
Funding for projects that support individuals, employers and others that work to support disability inclusion and accessibility in employment.
Up to $15,000,000 over 3 years. Not accepting applications
Description from ESDC funding programs, the funder’s own list of programs. The Government of Canada’s Business Benefits Finder (list of July 17, 2025) doesn’t include it.
What applicants actually got
From the federal records of every agreement signed under this program. Advertised: up to $15m.
- Agreements, last 12 months
- 2
- starting Oct 2025 or later
- Typical award
- $1.1M–$1.9M
- the middle half, since Oct 2023
- Median award
- $1.5M
- 26 agreements since Oct 2023
- All agreements
- 490
- $720M
Federal grants and contributions, agreements starting Jan 2006 to Oct 2026, each counted once at its latest amended value. Source: Treasury Board proactive disclosure, published October 11, 2026. Filed as “Opportunities Fund - Project” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 362), “Opportunities Funds (Regional) - Work Experience” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 66), “Opportunities Fund (Regional) - Skills Employment” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 27), “Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Enhanced EAS” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 6), “Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Developmental” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 6), “Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Community Coord.” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 6), “Opportunities Fund - Working With Employers” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 5), “Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Wage Subsidy” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 3), “Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Self Employment” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 2), “Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Skills Employment” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 2), “Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Employment Assis.” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 2), “Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Work Experience” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 2), “Opportunities Fund (Regional) - Employment Assis.for Persons with Disabilities” (Employment and Social Development Canada, 1).
Who got it
Organizations with the most funding under this program, all years.
Plus 8 agreements ($3.5M) to individuals, sole proprietors and recipients this site does not name. They count in every total above. Why
Who got it in your province
Open a province to see the organizations there with the most funding under this program, all years.
Ontario171 agreements · $311M
British Columbia58 agreements · $121M
Quebec42 agreements · $99M
Alberta49 agreements · $59.3M
Nova Scotia29 agreements · $43.2M
Manitoba27 agreements · $19.8M
New Brunswick16 agreements · $18.3M
Saskatchewan20 agreements · $10.7M
Nunavut3 agreements · $6.7M
| Recipient | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Nunavummi Disabilities Makinnasuaqtiit Society | 2 | $3.5M |
| Pinnguaq Association | 1 | $3.2M |
Newfoundland and Labrador5 agreements · $5.2M
| Recipient | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Easter Seals, Newfoundland and Labrador Inc. | 2 | $3.7M |
| Smallwood Crescent Community Centre Inc. | 1 | $954K |
| Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador | 2 | $624K |
Prince Edward Island4 agreements · $4M
| Recipient | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| ResourceAbilities Inc. | 1 | $2M |
| PEI Council of People with Disabilities | 2 | $1.9M |
| Rynco Security Inc. | 1 | $27K |
Yukon7 agreements · $3.6M
| Recipient | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Challenge - Disability Resource Group | 4 | $3.5M |
| Challenge - Community Vocational Services | 2 | $78K |
| Challenge Community Vocational Alternatives | 1 | $41K |
Northwest Territories4 agreements · $1.4M
| Recipient | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Inclusion NWT | 1 | $771K |
| Yellowknife Association for Community Living | 2 | $552K |
| Yellowknife Education District #1 | 1 | $43K |
Latest agreements
| Start | Recipient | What for | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Door Social Services SocietyEntrepreneurs on the Rise - A Journey to Self-Employment for Women with Disabilities · Contribution · Apr 2026 | Entrepreneurs on the Rise - A Journey to Self-Employment for Women with DisabilitiesContribution | $1,054,710 | |
| Canadian Hearing ServicesAdvanced Professional Development Pathways · Contribution · Jan 2026 | Advanced Professional Development PathwaysContribution | $1,416,626 | |
| Ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité socialeAppui aux personnes handicapées du Québec dans le cadre du Fonds d'intégration 2024-2027 · Contribution · Mar 2025 | Appui aux personnes handicapées du Québec dans le cadre du Fonds d'intégration 2024-2027Contribution | $27,493,746 | |
| Canadian Cultural Society of the DeafExpanding Quantity, Quality and Diversity of Interpreters in the Cultural Sector and other Care · Contribution · Mar 2025 | Expanding Quantity, Quality and Diversity of Interpreters in the Cultural Sector and other CareContribution | $820,643 | |
| Iskatewizaagegan No. 39 Independent First NationIskatewizaagegan Employment Inclusivity Initiative · Contribution · Dec 2024 | Iskatewizaagegan Employment Inclusivity InitiativeContribution | $1,644,382 | |
| Alberta Deaf & Hard of Hearing SocietyPathways to Successful ASL Careers · Contribution · Nov 2024 | Pathways to Successful ASL CareersContribution | $1,049,145 | |
| Tropicana Community Services OrganizationEmployment Program for Persons with Disabilities · Contribution · Nov 2024 | Employment Program for Persons with DisabilitiesContribution | $841,435 | |
| Service d'interprétation visuelle et tactileDéveloppement du programme de stage en interprétation des interprètes français-LSQ · Contribution · Nov 2024 | Développement du programme de stage en interprétation des interprètes français-LSQContribution | $481,611 | |
| Nova Scotia Community CollegeCreating a Hybrid Curriculum for Deaf Interpreters · Contribution · Oct 2024 | Creating a Hybrid Curriculum for Deaf InterpretersContribution | $1,183,901 | |
| Toronto Metropolitan UniversityEnhanced Training and Professional Development for Deaf Interpreters in Canada · Contribution · Oct 2024 | Enhanced Training and Professional Development for Deaf Interpreters in CanadaContribution | $555,880 | |
| Pinnguaq AssociationEnhancing the Economic Participation and Independence of Individuals Living with Disabilities · Contribution · Sep 2024 | Enhancing the Economic Participation and Independence of Individuals Living with DisabilitiesContribution | $3,197,675 | |
| Abilities Connected Employment Project Inc.Employment First · Contribution · May 2024 | Employment FirstContribution | $1,278,134 | |
| PTP Adult Learning and Employment ProgramsLEARNING TOGETHER: Identifying and addressing learning disabilities in skills upgrading · Contribution · Apr 2024 | LEARNING TOGETHER: Identifying and addressing learning disabilities in skills upgradingContribution | $1,785,431 | |
| Progressive Intercultural Community ServicesIntercultural Equity Groups Opportunities Fund Project · Contribution · Apr 2024 | Intercultural Equity Groups Opportunities Fund ProjectContribution | $2,397,766 | |
| The Learning Enrichment FoundationAbility Work Experience Program · Contribution · Apr 2024 | Ability Work Experience ProgramContribution | $1,334,316 | |
| Coalition ontarienne de formation des adultesLes troubles d'apprentissage chez les adultes - des défis surmontables pour les CLOSMF · Contribution · Apr 2024 | Les troubles d'apprentissage chez les adultes - des défis surmontables pour les CLOSMFContribution | $1,888,299 | |
| University of VictoriaCanAssist Pathways Program Bridging the Gap for People Living with Learning Disabilities · Contribution · Apr 2024 | CanAssist Pathways Program Bridging the Gap for People Living with Learning DisabilitiesContribution | $1,787,170 | |
| Project 25-44 (Sudbury) Vocational Resource Centre Inc.E.D.G.E+:Disability Inclusion in Greater Sudbury Workplaces · Contribution · Apr 2024 | E.D.G.E+:Disability Inclusion in Greater Sudbury WorkplacesContribution | $2,000,980 | |
| Construction Foundation of BC (2012) SocietyThe ReFRAME Project · Contribution · Apr 2024 | The ReFRAME ProjectContribution | $1,350,000 | |
| Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium of CanadaContribution · Mar 2024 | Contribution | $1,784,761 |
By year
Agreements by the year they started.
* 2026 so far: agreements starting by Oct 2026. Departments publish each quarter after it ends, so the latest months fill in later.
Show the numbers
| Year | Agreements | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 51 | $6.3M |
| 2007 | 26 | $1.3M |
| 2008 | 20 | $1.1M |
| 2009 | 3 | $133K |
| 2010 | 6 | $231K |
| 2011 | 2 | $149K |
| 2012 | 1 | $136K |
| 2013 | 10 | $445K |
| 2014 | 0 | $0 |
| 2015 | 36 | $55.2M |
| 2016 | 58 | $20.4M |
| 2017 | 51 | $17.3M |
| 2018 | 70 | $125M |
| 2019 | 23 | $75.8M |
| 2020 | 6 | $52.7M |
| 2021 | 2 | $3.1M |
| 2022 | 4 | $31.7M |
| 2023 | 96 | $267M |
| 2024 | 21 | $32.1M |
| 2025 | 2 | $28.3M |
| 2026* | 2 | $2.5M |
The full record: Opportunities Fund - Project, Opportunities Funds (Regional) - Work Experience, Opportunities Fund (Regional) - Skills Employment, Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Enhanced EAS, Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Developmental, Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Community Coord., Opportunities Fund - Working With Employers, Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Wage Subsidy, Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Self Employment, Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Skills Employment, Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Employment Assis., Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Regional) - Work Experience, Opportunities Fund (Regional) - Employment Assis.for Persons with Disabilities.
More programs: all provinces.