The Banking on Inclusion project is a national initiative aimed at increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities within Canada’s financial sector. Delivered by the Restigouche Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC), the project is funded in part by Employment and Social Development Canada through the Workplace Opportunities: Removing Barriers to Equity program. Guided by the Employment Equity Act and the Accessible Canada Act, it works to help financial institutions enhance their hiring practices, fostering greater accessibility, inclusion, and equitable opportunities for people with disabilities.
Our mission is to design and implement innovative resources that build on the success of another CBDC Restigouche national project, Hire for Talent, by:
- Addressing the specific needs of the Canadian financial sector.
- Supporting employers in the sector.
- Providing clear, accessible solutions for practical use.
- Empowering the financial sector to remove barriers and create more accessible and inclusive workplaces.
CBDC Restigouche
The Restigouche Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC), is based in Campbellton, New Brunswick. Part of the Community Futures Network of Canada, CBDC Restigouche delivers a range of small business support programs, as well as innovative programs and projects in the areas of training, research, HR management and career counselling.
Land Recognition
CBDC Restigouche respectfully acknowledges that it carries out its work in Mi’gma’gi, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’gmaq. Restigouche is culturally and geographically situated in Gespe’gewa’gi, the 7th District of the Mi’gma’gi—ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'gmaq. The two Mi’gmaq communities of Listuguj and Ugpi’Ganjig are significant community members whose social, cultural, and economic relations are deeply intertwined with the colonial communities that function within the region’s primary economic and resource centres. CBDC Restigouche recognizes these peoples as the past, present, and future caretakers of this land. This territory and its First Nations are encompassed by the 'Treaties of Peace and Friendship’, which continue to be in effect today.
The Banking on Inclusion project, while initiated on this land, reaches across the diverse territories of Indigenous peoples throughout Turtle Island. Rooted in the spirit of Reconciliation and collaboration, this initiative seeks to advance inclusive and equitable employment practices nationwide.
By championing diversity and inclusive hiring, Banking on Inclusion actively supports the Reconciliation process and aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action. Specifically, we prioritize Call to Action #92, which emphasizes business engagement in Reconciliation. This commitment drives our efforts to create equitable employment opportunities for Indigenous peoples and to implement staff training programs on Indigenous histories and cultures.
We are dedicated to fostering transparent communication and meaningful collaboration with Indigenous communities. Through these actions, we aim to not only meet but surpass standards for equity and inclusivity in our employment practices, contributing to a stronger, more inclusive workforce across Canada.
We are all Treaty People.
