Statistics Canada's Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) provides demographic information on people with disabilities, as well as information on employment, education, income and participation in society.  PALS is conducted every five years.  The first data on disability rates and age groups from the 2006 survey was released by Statistics Canada on December 3, 2007.

Total Number and Percentage of People with Disabilities in Canada

• Approximately 4.4 million people in Canada have disabilities, representing 14.3% of Canada's population.^[1]

Total Number and Percentage of People with Disabilities in Ontario

• Approximately 1.85 million people in Ontario have disabilities, representing 15.5% of Ontario's population^[2]

Disability Rate Increases with Age

• Of the total Canadian population in 2006, 14.3% have a disability. National statistics indicate that 43.4% of people aged 65+ have a disability, while amongst those aged 15-64, 11.5% have a disability. Of the total population of Canadian children aged 0-14, 3.7% have a disability.
  
• In 2006, 47.2% of Ontario’s seniors (age 65+) have a disability.  Among the working age population (age 15-64), 12.6% have a disability.  Among children (age 0-14), 3.8% have a disability ^[3].

Projected Statistics on Aging Population

• Projections show that by 2021 seniors with disabilities will outnumber 25-64 year olds with disabilities. In 2026, the majority of people with disabilities will be 65 years of age or older – some 3.05 million people in Canada.^[4]

Education^[5]*

• Approximately 40% of adults with disabilities have a post-secondary education, compared to 48% of the non-disabled population.
• Table indicates the highest level of educational attainment for adults in Ontario ages 15-64:

• More women than men have completed college or university in the non-disabled population (42% versus 37%, a 5% differential), as well as in the population of people with disabilities (31% versus 25%, a 6% differential).

Employment^[6]*

• Over half (54%) of working age adults with disabilities are either unemployed or not in the labour force, compared to less than a quarter (24%) of working age adults without disabilities.[3]
• The employment rate for people with disabilities is 41% compared to 76% for people without disabilities.
• The unemployment rate for people with disabilities (26%) is over 5 times higher than the unemployment rate for people without disabilities (5%).
• Table indicates the labour force activity for adults in Ontario, ages 15 to 64:

• A breakdown of the results by gender for Ontario adults indicates that 45% of men and 38% of women with disabilities are employed, compared to 81% of men and 72% of women without disabilities. This contrasts with the higher post secondary education of women with disabilities.

Income^[7]*

• Total income is defined as the "total of income from all sources, including employment income, income from government programs, pension income, investment income and any other money income."
• Ontarians with disabilities reported an average income of $22,543, compared to $34,144 for the non-disabled population, a difference of over $11,000. Ontarians who have disabilities have an average income that is less than a third (33%) of the average income of people without disabilities.
• Nine per cent (9%) of adults with disabilities have a total income of over $50,000, compared to 21% of the non-disabled population. Of the adults with disabilities who have incomes over $50,000, 14% of men have a total income of over $50,000, compared to 5% of women.
• Eighty-four per cent (84%) of women with disabilities and 65% of men with disabilities reported income of less than $30,000.
• Forty-six per cent (46%) of adults with disabilities in the labour force make less than $15,000 a year compared to 32% of people without disabilities. Just over half (56%) the women with disabilities in Ontario's labour force have a total income of less than $15,000, compared to approximately a third (33%) of disabled men.
• Table indicates the total income of adults with and without disabilities in Ontario, for ages 15 and over:

Footnotes

^[1] Figures from Statistics Canada, Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) 2006, released December 3, 2007, Table 1.1-1: http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-628-XIE/2007003/series1-en.htm

  ^[2] PALS 2006 Table 2.7-1: http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-628XIE/2007003/series2-en.htm

 ^[3] PALS 2006  Table 3.1-1

  ^[4] Figures from the Government of Canada, Office for Disability Issues, “Advancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities” report (2005).

 ^[5]* Figures from Statistics Canada, Participation and Activity Limitation Survey  (PALS), 2001, Education, employment and income of adults with and without disabilities, released in September 2003 - Tables 1 and 2: http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-587-XIE/tables.htm

 ^[6]*PALS, 2001, Education, employment and income of adults with and without disabilities, Tables 3 and 4: http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-587-XIE/tables.htm

    ^[7]*PALS 2001, Education, employment and income of adults with and without disabilities - Tables 5 and 6: http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-587-XIE/tables.htm

*PALS updates to these statistics will be be supplied in the Fall 2008

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