Press Releases

Commentary by the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association

Ottawa, March 5, 2010: The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA) has reviewed Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s Budget 2010: Leading the Way on Jobs and Growth, which he tabled yesterday in Parliament. “We present today a jobs and growth budget,” said Minister Flaherty.

The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association is pleased to note that this budget makes reference to the Enabling Accessibility Fund, which was first introduced in Budget 2007.

Budget 2010 builds on the success of the Enabling Accessibility Fund by extending it and providing an additional $45 million over the next three years. The budget expands eligibility for the program to include mid-sized projects, allowing for communities to undertake larger retrofit projects or foster partnerships for new facilities. “We are certainly looking forward to getting more information in the very near future on the types of initiatives that will be funded under this extended program,” said Carole Willans, President of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association. She added, “Disability organizations need financial backing to be effective in their very significant contribution to this country’s growth. Many Canadians who are hard of hearing are unemployed or under-employed and this should be remedied.”

The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association is a consumer-based organization formed by and for hard of hearing Canadians. CHHA works cooperatively with professionals, service providers and government bodies, and provides information about hard of hearing issues and solutions.

For more information, contact Snookie Lomow, Executive Director, at the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association at execdir@chha.ca or call toll free 1-800-263-8068.

- 30 -