The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (The Institute) recently hosted its first Career and Opportunities Fair for People with Disabilities, a day dedicated to learning, building understanding and committing to action. The Fair was organized by the People & Culture Division, which oversees equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), talent acquisition, human resources, environmental health and safety and training and learning solutions at The Institute. The fair took place on October 22, 2025 at the Glen site, when staff, researchers, students and partner organizations joined people with disabilities who came to learn about working life at The Institute and to share their experiences of employment and inclusion.
Inclusion of people with functional, sensory, or other limitation drives research excellence by bringing new questions, solutions and perspectives that some may take for granted. According to Statistics Canada (2022), 27% of Canadians aged 15 and over—about eight million people—live with at least one disability, yet only 9% work in scientific and technical services. At The Institute, ongoing efforts have helped increase representation, with people with disabilities now making up more than 3% of the overall workforce and 5% of senior leadership. This reflects steady growth since the implementation of Together Toward Inclusion, the Institute’s EDI Action Plan, launched in 2021. The Institute’s 2030 Vision identifies equity, diversity, and inclusion as core elements of research excellence, recognizing that diverse abilities strengthen both research and administrative teams.