When the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) partnered with Ready, Willing and Able (RWA) to expand inclusive hiring, one of the new faces to join its team was Erica, now a valued employee at LCBO’s Summerhill store in Toronto.
Erica applied to LCBO through one of RWA’s agency partners, part of a pool of skilled candidates who have intellectual disabilities or are on the autism spectrum. After LCBO’s hiring team selected her for a part-time role, Erica quickly made a strong impression. As her manager noted “This past summer, Erica joined our team and quickly impressed us with her positive attitude, enthusiasm, and teamwork,”
“I completed the onboarding and online training modules, and jumped right into the work,” Erica shared. “It was a great chance to gain hands-on experience and show that I could deliver great customer service and stay reliable under pressure.” Her work ethic didn’t go unnoticed. “My positive performance led to an invitation to return for the busy Christmas season,” she adds. “That really showed me the value I was bringing to the team.”
Erica’s manager agrees, “We’re proud to have her on our team and look forward to supporting her continued growth.”
Stories like Erica’s illustrate how LCBO’s partnership with RWA helps the organization build a workforce that reflects the communities it serves—while creating meaningful employment opportunities across Ontario.
LCBO is one of the world’s largest retailers of beverage alcohol, operating more than 650 stores province-wide. As a provincial Crown corporation and major employer, it has made inclusion a central business priority. Through its collaboration with RWA, LCBO has hired more than 100 individuals with intellectual disabilities and on the autism spectrum into positions across Ontario. These employees have contributed to store operations, customer service, and community connection, while gaining valuable experience in supportive environments.
As Joanna Patsakos, Accessibility Specialist in LCBO’s Vice-President, Human Resources Division, explains, “These new hires have contributed meaningfully to store operations and customer service, while developing skills and confidence in a supportive workplace environment.”
RWA supports LCBO by coordinating candidate outreach and connecting the company with a pool of candidates who are supported by local community agencies that provide a variety of employment supports. This partnership ensures that candidates are supported and employers are confident—building a recruitment process that is both equitable and efficient.
For LCBO, inclusive hiring is not only a values-driven initiative but a practical business strategy. Employees hired through the LCBO-RWA’s partnership have strengthened teams, enhanced customer experience, and helped LCBO meet real staffing needs while advancing its inclusion goals.
Erica’s journey is just one small example of what happens when inclusion becomes part of the business model: opportunity leads to confidence, and confidence leads to success. LCBO’s experience shows that when employers commit to inclusion—and partner with the right supports—everyone benefits.