New Canadian policies aim to improve job accessibility and financial security for persons with disabilities
Recent years have seen the adoption of new policies and legislation, such as the Accessible Canada Act and the Canada Disability Benefit Act.
These measures aim to enhance employment accessibility and financial security for working-age persons with a disability.
Statistics Canada has published a new article titled ‘Labour market characteristics of persons with and without disabilities, 2023.’
This article examines trends in employment and unemployment rates for persons with and without disabilities in 2023. It also explores how disability intersects with age, sex, educational attainment, and racialized groups to influence labour market outcomes.
Rise in Disability Rates Among Canadians
The 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD) indicates that 27 percent of Canadians aged 15 and over, or 8.0 million people, had one or more disabilities, up 4.7 percentage points from 2017. This highlights the growing importance of job accessibility in employment and labour force participation in Canada.
Stable Employment Rate for Disabled Canadians
In 2023, the number of employed Canadians with a disability increased by 1.6 percent, while their population rose by 1.5 percent compared to 2022. Consequently, the employment rate for persons with a disability remained steady at 47.1 percent.
In contrast, the employment rate for Canadians without disabilities decreased from 67.7 percent in 2022 to 66.9 percent in 2023, mainly due to international migration.
Higher Unemployment Rates for Disabled Canadians
In 2023, the unemployment rate for persons with a disability was 7.6 percent, higher than the 4.6 percent for people without disabilities.
Both groups saw an increase in unemployment rates from 2022 to 2023, with a rise of 0.8 percentage points for those with a disability and 0.7 percentage points for those without disabilities.
Challenges for Youth with Mental Health-Related Disabilities
In 2023, the employment rate for youth (aged 15 to 24) with a disability was 51.9 percent, lower than the 57.7 percent for youth without disabilities.
Youth with a mental health-related disability had an employment rate of 46.7 percent, 5.2 percentage points below the rate for youth with all types of disabilities combined.
Impact of Disability on Employment Rates
Disability significantly impacts the employment rates of men, especially among youth and core-aged workers (aged 25 to 54). In 2023, the employment rate for men with a disability was 48.9 percent, significantly lower than the 70.8 percent for men without disabilities.
For women, the employment rate for those with a disability was 45.6 percent, compared to 62.8 percent for women without disabilities.
Educational Attainment and Employment Rate Gaps
The employment rate gap between persons with and without disabilities decreases with higher levels of education. Among core-aged individuals with at most a high school diploma in 2023, the employment rate for those with a disability was 28.6 percentage points lower than for those without disabilities.
This gap narrows to 3.1 percentage points among those with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Employment Rate Variances Across Racialized Populations
In 2023, employment rates for racialized persons with a disability were above the national average for Filipino (60.4 percent), Latin American (57.0 percent), and South Asian (52.2 percent) Canadians. However, West Asian Canadians had an employment rate below the national average at 44.1 percent.
Industry Employment Differences
Persons with a disability were more likely to be employed in health care and social assistance (14.4 percent) and public administration (6.8 percent) compared to those without disabilities. However, they were less likely to work in professional, scientific, and technical services (7.9 percent).
Provincial Employment Rate Differences
In 2023, Alberta recorded the highest employment rate for persons with a disability at 52.9 percent. Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia also had rates above the national average.
Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia had employment rates below the national average, mirroring provincial differences in overall employment rates.
