Premier's Council on the Status of Disabled Persons

Statistics on Persons with Disabilities

December 2006

Notes:
  • The population covered by the survey was persons residing in private and some collective households in the ten provinces and three territories. Persons living in institutions and on First Nations reserves were excluded.
  • Please visit the Statistics Canada website for more statistics concerning individuals with disabilities.

Definition of Disability:

"... any restriction or lack of ability (resulting from impairment) to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being." - World Health Organization

Number of Persons with Disabilities by Province:

New Brunswick
Total population – 711,440
Total number of persons with disabilities – 122,540
Disability rate – 17.2%

Newfoundland and Labrador
Total population – 498,920
Total number of persons with disabilities – 74,510
Disability rate – 14.9%

Prince Edward Island
Total population – 133,750
Total number of persons with disabilities – 21,750
Disability rate - 16.3%

Nova Scotia
Total population – 893,790
Total number of persons with disabilities – 179,100
Disability rate – 20.0%

Quebec
Total population - 7,396,960
Total number of persons with disabilities – 768,140
Disability rate - 10.4%

Ontario
Total population – 11,970,000
Total number of persons with disabilities - 1,853,570
Disability rate - 15.5%

Manitoba
Total population - 1,075,490
Total number of persons with disabilities – 169,170
Disability rate – 15.7%

Saskatchewan
Total population – 905,510
Total number of persons with disabilities – 145,230
Disability rate – 16.0%

Alberta
Total population – 3,212,360
Total number of persons with disabilities – 435,820
Disability rate – 13.6%

British Columbia
Total population - 3,995,600
Total number of persons with disabilities – 638,640
Disability rate - 16.0%

Nunavut 2
Total population – 19,340
Total number of persons with disabilities – 1,630
Disability rate – 8.4%

Northwest Territories 2
Total population – 30,910
Total number of persons with disabilities – 3,220
Disability rate – 16.0%

Yukon 2
Total population – 24,140
Total number of persons with disabilities – 3,790
Disability rate – 15.7%

Canada 3
Total population – 30,893,640
Total number of persons with disabilities - 4,417,870
Disability rate – 14.3%

Number of Persons with Disabilities in New Brunswick Households, 2006:

Age: 0 - 14 years
Both sexes 1 - 4,680
Male – 3,090
Female – 1,590

Age: 15 - 24 years
Both sexes 1 - 4,970
Male – 2,450
Female - 2,510

Age: 25 - 44 years
Both sexes 1 – 18,850
Male – 8,400
Female – 10,440

Age: 45 - 64 years
Both sexes 1 – 47,160
Male – 22,970
Female – 24,190

Age: 65 - 74 years
Both sexes 1 – 20,920
Male – 10,320
Female – 10,610

Age: 75+ years
Both sexes 1 – 25,970
Male – 10,270
Female – 15,700

Highlights:

  • Disability increases with age: just 4.0 percent of children under 15 years of age experience some level of disability, compared to 14.3 percent of adults aged 15 to 64, and more than 45% among persons aged 65 and over.
  • Severity of disability also increases with age: only 1.4 percent of children had a severe or even very severe disability, compared to 17.5 percent of those aged 65 and over.

Nature of Disability

Canada
Mobility – 9.5%
Agility– 9.5%
Hearing – 4.2%
Seeing – 2.7%
Pain – 2.4%
Learning – 2.4%
Psychological – 2.1%
Speech – 1.8%
Memory – 1.6%
Developmental – 0.6%
Unknown – 0.4%

New Brunswick
Mobility – 11.6%
Agility – 11.1%
Hearing – 5.5%
Seeing – 3.1%
Pain – 3.0%
Learning – 3.0%
Psychological - 2.2%
Speech – 2.4%
Memory – No number given
Developmental – 0.8%
Unknown - 0.5%

Adapted from Statistics Canada - The 2006 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey: Disability in Canada . Catalogue # 89-628-XIE – No. 3.

1 The sum of the values for each category may differ from the total due to rounding.

2Applies to persons aged 15 years and over.

3The Canada total excludes the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

New statistics from the 2006 PALS

October, 2008 - Tables (Part V): www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=89-628-XWE2008011

September 25, 2008 - reports on the impact a child with an activity limitation has on the family: www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/080925/d080925a.htm

July 24, 2008 - reports on the labour force experience of people with disabilities: www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/080724/d080724a.htm

June 3, 2008 - reports on the use and requirements of specialized equipment and aids for children and adults with disabilities: www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/080603/d080603b.htm

May 27, 2008 - explored the educational experiences of Canadian children with activity limitations: www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/080527/d080527a.htm

December 3, 2007 - examined the prevalence, type and severity of disabilities by age and sex: www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/071203/d071203a.htm

 
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