Disability in Canada
Disability in Canada affects approximately 8 million individuals aged 15 and older. According to the 2022 survey by Statistics Canada of those reporting a disability nearly 42% of seniors had four or more co-occurring disabilities, while 43% of youth and 36% of working-age adults had two or three types. The disability rate was higher for women compared to men, consistent with past trends. In terms of severity of disabilities, about 59% of disabled persons were classified as having milder disabilities, while 41% had more severe disabilities.
Despite significant gains for people with disabilities in recent decades, there is historical and modern discrimination issues. From the late 1800s to the mid 20th century, Canadian immigration laws prohibited people who were perceived to have intellectual or developmental disabilities from entering the country. People with disabilities within Canada have faced institutionalization, involuntary sterilization, employment denialism and emotional and physical violence. Those with disabilities continue to have lower educational achievement, higher unemployment rates, thus are more likely to experience low income, and inadequate housing compared to those without disabilities. Findings show that 72% of people with disabilities encountered one or more accessibility barriers due to their condition.
Domestic legislation intended to protect disabled Canadians include the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and the Employment Equity Act. The Accessible Canada Act aims to create a barrier-free country by 2040. Internationally Canada is a signatory of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and meets regularly to address implementation of the Convention's newest recommendations. Alongside social and financial support from federal and provincial governments, there are a multitude of fundamental rights organizations in Canada dedicated to assisting and advocating for individuals with disabilities beginning with the War Amps after the First World War. National disability rights organizations include the Council for Canadians with Disabilities, Disabled Women's Network Canada, and Canadian Association for Community Living.
Statistical data
Overview
's 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability highlighting that 27% of Canadians aged 15 and older, or about 8 million individuals, have one or more disabilities that hinder daily activities. This marks a rise from 22% in 2017. The increase is attributed to an aging population and a notable rise in mental health-related disabilities among younger and working-age adults. In 2022, the disability rate was higher for women compared to men, consistent with past trends.The CSD report shows significant growth in disability rates among various age groups from 2017 to 2022. The youth group saw the largest increase, with 20% reporting a disability in 2022, up by 7 percentage points from 2017. In working-age adults, 24% had disabilities, a 4-point rise, while among seniors, the rate reached 40%, an increase of 3 points. Almost 14% of Canadians aged 15 and older, or about 3. 8 million individuals, reported a disability limiting their daily activities. Prevalence varied by province, with Nova Scotia having the highest rate at 19% and Quebec the lowest at 10%.
The survey noted that disability prevalence increases with age, particularly among seniors aged 75 and older, where the rate reached 43%. The average age of onset for disabilities was found to be around 43 years. Overall, the growing number of seniors in the population contributes to the rising disability rates. The report also indicates that pain-related disabilities remain the most common, affecting 62% of those with disabilities, while mental health-related disabilities witnessed the largest growth, moving from 33% in 2017 to 39% in 2022, reflecting broader trends in declining mental health indicators.
Different age groups show varying types of disabilities. Among youth with disabilities, the most common were mental health-related, with substantial rises in mental health issues noted across youth and working-age populations. Working-age adults reported high instances of pain-related and mental health-related disabilities. For seniors, the most prevalent disabilities included pain-related and mobility issues. Many individuals with disabilities face multiple disability types, with 29% having one type, 37% two or three, and 34% four or more disability types. The likelihood of having multiple disabilities increases with age.
In terms of severity of disabilities, about 59% of disabled persons were classified as having milder disabilities, while 41% had more severe disabilities. Women were found to be more prone to severe disabilities than men. Barriers to accessing public spaces remained substantial, as 72% reported encountering various accessibility issues, with individuals having more severe disabilities facing greater challenges. The most common were related to public spaces, like entrances or sidewalks, followed by communication barriers, behavioral misconceptions, and online activity barriers.
Education, employment and income inequality
The Canadian Survey on Disability emphasizes financial challenges faced by disabled individuals, noting that they had a lower median after-tax income compared to their non-disabled counterparts. The COVID pandemic intensified financial difficulties for many disabled individuals, with 45% reporting struggles to meet financial obligations. The report highlights that persons with mild disabilities are more likely to be employed than those with very severe disabilities. Adults aged 25 to 64 with disabilities had lower employment rates compared to those without disabilities. Employment rates also decreased with the severity of disability. Employed persons with disabilities were more likely to work part-time.In 2022, 42% of disabled individuals aged 25 to 64 who were not employed had work potential, amounting to 741,280 people. It also points out that 17% of youth with disabilities, aged 15 to 24, were not in employment, education, or training in 2022, with a higher rate among those with more severe disabilities. Employment rates have improved for working-age adults with disabilities, with 62% employed in 2022, up by 3 points since 2017, thereby narrowing the employment gap with non-disabled individuals.
Disabled and lone parents with a disability represent a significant portion of the low-income population in Canada. In 2014, about one-fifth of adults aged 25 to 64 had a disability, with 23% living in low income compared to 9% among those without a disability. The likelihood of being in low income varied with the type of disability: 17% for those with physical-sensory disabilities, 27% for mental-cognitive disabilities, and 35% for those with both types. Family structure also affected these rates; low-income rates soared to over 50% for lone parents and individuals living alone with a disability, while it was only 8% for those living with a non-disabled spouse.
Employment status plays a crucial role in income levels, with 22% of non-disabled individuals out of work falling into low income, compared to 35% for those with physical-sensory disabilities, 46% with mental-cognitive disabilities, and 47% with both. Certain demographic groups, such as recent immigrants and Indigenous peoples, face higher risks of low income, similar to persons with disabilities.
Violence
According to Canadian indicators from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, persons with disabilities were more likely to experience physical assault before age 15, with 33% of men and 30% of women reporting such incidents, compared to 20% of men and 16% of women without disabilities. Additionally, 5% of men and 14% of women with disabilities reported sexual assault before age 15, compared to 2% of men and 7% of women without disabilities.Overall, about 7% of persons with disabilities were victims of physical assault, while 6% of persons with disabilities experienced sexual assault, nearly four times higher than those without disabilities. Women with disabilities faced sexual assault before age 15 nearly three times more often than men with disabilities.