VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A recent survey has found more than half of all small businesses have never hired a person with a disability. Owners say they don’t know how to recruit or retain employees.

“I don’t think that’s necessarily surprising, in terms of not knowing. There are various local agencies available that can help with that,” explains Amy Kwan with BMO, which conducted the survey.

Seventy-seven per cent of small business owners who have hired someone with a disability say that person has either met or exceeded their expectations. Still, there is still a high number of people with disabilities who are unemployed, though they are capable and educated.

Kwan adds this can have significant economic implications. “We found out that about one in four businesses plan to increase the size of their workforce next year; not knowing how to recruit can be a challenge for the economy.”

On average, people with disabilities who are able to work are twice as likely to be unemployed as the general population.