What Is A Disability?

Types Of Disabilities

A disability can be defined in terms of a human impairment and the environmental situation. That is, a blind person is disabled if given a printed book, but is not disabled if given a braille book. Likewise, a sighted person given a braille book would be disabled, butn not if they are given a printed book. We can also impair our cognitive abilities if consuming too much alcohol.

Almost everyone will experience a disability at some point in their lives; whether due to aging, a chronic disease, illness, or an injury. With seniors and people with disabilities representing 40% of income over the coming years, a focus on access and inclusion is a smart and sustainable business investment.
The Canadian Survey on Disability estimates that aging baby boomers account for 33% of the population but 55% of the discretionary income, and between 2016 and 2041, the number of seniors aged 65 and over is projected to more than double. Currently about one third of Canadianss over the age of 65 have a disability, and 70% of disabilities are non-apparent.

  • The number of seniors aged 65 and over is projected to almost double from 16.7% of population in 2017, to 24.8% by 2041.
  • One in seven Canadians aged 15 to 64 years or older reported having a disability.
  • About 14% of persons with disabilities have a university diploma compared to 27% of persons without disabilities.
  • Those that have a high school diploma or equivalent with disabilities is about 26.6%, and without disabilities is about 23.7%.
  • Canadian Accessibility statistics

Learn More About Disabilities

Additional Resources