Human Resources and Skills Development Canada releases the federal disability report, Advancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities 2009

Introduction

This introduction provides highlights of the overall report as well as a brief snapshot of disability in Canada, comparing data from the 2001 and 2006 surveys.Highlights

Some of the findings highlighted in Advancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities 2009 include:

General observations
•The overall disability rate in Canada rose from 12.4% in 2001 to 14.3% in 2006. Approximately one in seven Canadians now has a disability. There was an increase of reported disability in all age groups, particularly among adults over 65 (up about 3% to 43.2% in 2006). This increase is largely due to the ageing population and the increase in reported learning disabilities.
•The most common types of disabilities among adults are pain-related, mobility and agility disabilities. These three disability types experienced large incidence rate increases from 2001 to 2006, which is partially attributable to the larger percentage of seniors relative to the total population.

Disability supports and services
•Adults with disabilities were more likely to have their requirements for aids and devices fully met in 2006 than in 2001.
•In 2006, 56.5% of adults with learning disabilities who required aids and devices had their needs fully met, up 17.4% from 2001. However, adults with communication disabilities experienced a drop in their level of met needs, with just over one quarter of those with requirements having their needs fully met in 2006.

Education and training
•Overall rates of inclusion and educational attainment increased between 2001 and 2006, with the majority of people with disabilities obtaining a high school diploma. Education rates also increased by 12.3% since 2001, with 74.6% of working-age adults with disabilities obtaining a high school diploma or higher educational certification.

Employment and income
•Since 2001, the employment rate for working-age Canadians with disabilities increased by 4%, reaching 53.5% in 2006.
•Labour force attachment and the employment rate for people with disabilities increased during the period of economic growth between 2001 and 2006, with growth in full-time year-round employment and in the employment of women with disabilities. However, there continues to be a sizeable gender gap in annual salaries, with women with disabilities earning approximately $11,000 less per year than men with disabilities.
•The gap in total income between adults with and without disabilities increased slightly between 2001 and 2006. However, the gap between seniors with and without disabilities that was present in 2001 decreased by over half.

A snapshot of disability in Canada
There are roughly 4.4 million children and adults with disabilities in Canada. This represents an increase in the overall population reporting a disability from 12.4% in 2001 to 14.3% in 2006. This increase is largely due to the ageing population as well as to an increase in reported learning disabilities.

Disability rates by age group
The disability rates by age group for the 2001 and 2006 comparable data sets are listed in chart 0.3. Approximately one in seven Canadians now has a disability. The disability rate among children aged 5 to 14 has experienced a notable increase (from 4.0% to 4.6%), as has the disability rate among adults of all ages. The disability rate for children aged 0 to 4 remained stable.

Disability rates by disability type
The disability rates by disability type for the 2001 and 2006 comparable data sets are listed in charts 0.4 (adults) and 0.5 (children). The most common types of disabilities among adults are pain-related, mobility and agility disabilities. These three disability types experienced large incidence rate increases from 2001 to 2006, which is partially attributable to the larger percentage of seniors relative to the total population.

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