A Canadian Perspective on Disability Issues

In Unison 2000: Persons with Disabilities in Canada

Introduction

A Canadian Perspective on Disability Issues

Canadians share basic values that help define us as a nation. These include a commitment to inclusion - welcoming everyone to participate fully in society.

The vast majority of Canadians believe that persons with disabilities should be supported in their efforts to be active in their communities and society. Yet we still have a long way to go to fulfill this goal.

Disability Facts and Figures

In 1991, 16 per cent of Canadians were considered to have a disability. That is 4.2 million people — 3.9 million living in the community, and 273,000 in institutions.

Fifty-six per cent of people with disabilities were of working-age; nine per cent were children under 14, and 35 per cent were people over 65.

In 1991, among working aged women, 13 per cent were considered to have a disability.

Slightly more than half of adults living with a disability were affected by a mild disability, one third were considered to have a moderate disability, and 14 per cent were affected by a severe disability.

The 1991 Aboriginal Peoples Survey revealed that 31 per cent of Aboriginal adults reported some form of disability — almost twice the national average.

The disability rate among young adults was almost three times higher for Aboriginal people than for non-Aboriginal people.

Sixty-six per cent of Aboriginal adults with disabilities were affected by a mild disability, 22 per cent by a moderate disability and 12 per cent by severe disability.

The likelihood of a person having a disability increases with age. As Canada's population ages, the incidence of disability is increasing.

Citizenship for people with disabilities depends on having the supports necessary to take part in work and community activities. It also depends on having access to public and private facilities and to decision-making processes.

Every person with a disability faces a unique situation, determined by a variety of factors including the nature of their disability, their family situation and their community, as well as their cultural context — an important consideration in a multicultural society.

Those who live in northern, rural and remote communities — of which a high proportion are Aboriginal people — face special challenges that differ from residents of urban southern Canada, including a lack of supports, high unemployment, transportation challenges and difficulty in getting access to a wide range of services in areas where the population is smaller and more dispersed.

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