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]

Employment^[5]

• In 2006, half (49.5%) of working age adults (15 - 64)with disabilities are either unemployed or not in the labour force, compared to a quarter (24.5%) of working age adults without disabilities.
• The employment rate for people with disabilities is 50.5% compared to 75.5% for people without disabilities.
• The unemployment rate for people with disabilities 8%, compared to 6.3% for persons without disabilities
• the following table indicates the labour force activity for adults in Ontario, ages 15 to 64:

Income^[6][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."
• In 2006, Ontarians with disabilities, age 15 and over, reported an average income of $31,668, compared to $39,951 for the non-disabled population, a difference of over $8,000. Ontarians who have disabilities have an average income that is 79.3% of the average income of persons without disabilities. 
• Ten per cent (9.9%) of adults with disabilities have a total income of $60,000 or more, compared to 19.3% of the non-disabled population.
• The following 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] Statistics Canada, Participation and Activity Limitation Survey 2006: Tables (Part III).  Catalogue no. 89-628-X - No. 008.

^[6] Total income is the total of income from all sources, including employment income, income from government programs, pension income, investment income and any other money income.

^[7] Statistics Canada, Participation and Activity Limitation Survey 2006: Tables (Part V).  Catalogue no. 89-628-X - No. 011.  Income information is reported for 2005 or the year previous to the survey.

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