People with disabilities

In 2001, there were 3.6 million Canadians with disabilities, according to the Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS). This represents 12.4% of the population. Many Canadians with disabilities have high levels of education, are fully employed and have adequate incomes. Yet, research from a 2002 Human Resource Development Canada (HRDC) report—Advancing the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, A Government of Canada Report—shows that persons with disabilities face significant obstacles in all three of these areas.

The 2001 PALS reported that 37% of those aged 15 to 64 with disabilities had less than a high school education, while only 11% had completed a university degree. In contrast, over 25% of persons without disabilities had not completed high school, and 20% had completed university.

It was reported that among persons with disabilities, the employment rate was 45% for men and 39% for women. In contrast, among people without disabilities, the employment rate was much higher—about 79% for men and 69% for women. In 2000, working-age Canadians with disabilities took in 72% of the average income of those without disabilities.