Canadian Survey on Disability, 2017 to 2022

Canadian Survey on Disability, 2017 to 2022
The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) was passed in 2019 with the intention of creating a barrier-free Canada by 2040. The Canadian Survey on Disability 2022 showed that 27% of Canadians aged 15 years and older (8.0 million people) had one or more disabilities that limited them in their daily activities. The rate of disability in Canada has increased by 5 percentage points since 2017, which can be partially attributed to both the aging population and the large increase in mental health-related disabilities among youth and working-age adults. Persons with disabilities often have multiple co-occurring disability types. As individuals age, they are more likely to experience a higher number of co-occurring disabilities. In 2022, 29% of Canadians with a disability had one disability type, 37% had two or three, and 34% had four or more.

20% of youth, aged 15 to 24 years, had a disability; An increase of 7 percentage points over 2017.
24% of the working-age population, 25 to 64 years, reported having a disability; An increase of 7 percentage points over 2017.
40% of seniors, 65 years and older, experienced an increase in the rate of disability; An increase of 3 percentage points from 2017.
62% of working-age adults with disabilities were employed, compared with 78% of persons without disabilities; An increase of 3 percentage points from 2017.
72% of persons with disabilities (6 in 10) reported in 2022 that they experienced 1 or more barriers related to accessing indoor and outdoor public spaces.
A report which uses data from the 2022 CSD to further explore the accessibility experiences of persons with disabilities in Canada will be released in support of the 2024 National AccessAbility Week, taking place from May 26 to June 1, 2024.