2. Canadian Indicators for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) – article 9: accessibility
On this page
- 2.1 Internet use
- 2.2 Reasons for not using the Internet
- 2.3 Home modification needs met
- 2.4 Assistive aids or devices needs met
- 2.5 Barriers to accessibility in public spaces
- 2.6 Barriers to accessibility related to behaviours, misconceptions, or assumptions
- 2.7 Barriers to accessibility related to communication
- 2.8 Barriers to accessibility related to Internet use
Alternate formats
A PDF version of the Canadian Indicators for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is available on the index page.
2.1 Internet use
Figure 2.1 - Text description
| Age group | Milder disabilities | More severe disabilities |
|---|---|---|
| 15 to 64 years | 4% | 11%* |
| 65 years and over | 25% | 38%* |
- * significantly different from estimate for persons with milder disabilities within the same age group (p<0.05)
- Notes: Respondents were asked if they had used the Internet for personal use in the past 12 months. The above chart displays estimates for those who answered "No".
- "Milder" refers to those with mild or moderate disabilities, and "more severe" refers to those with severe or very severe disabilities.
- *significantly different from estimate for persons with milder disabilities within the same age group (p<0.05)
- For both levels of severity, estimates for persons aged 65 years and over are significantly different from those for persons aged 15 to 64 years (p<0.05).
- Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Disability, 2022 (Social Research Division calculations).
Among persons with disabilities aged 15 to 64 years, those with more severe disabilities were nearly 3 times as likely as those with milder disabilities to report not using the Internet for personal use (11% versus 4%). Similarly, among persons with disabilities aged 65 years and over, those with more severe disabilities were more likely to report not using the Internet for personal use (38% versus 25%).
2.2 Reasons for not using the Internet
Figure 2.2 - Text description
| Reason | 15 to 64 years | 65 years and over |
|---|---|---|
| No need, no interest or no time | 36% | 48%* |
| Too difficult to use Internet | 29% | 38%* |
| Limited due to health condition | 17% | 12%* |
| Cost of service or equipment | 14% | 9%* |
- * significantly different from estimate for persons aged 15 to 64 years for a given reason (p<0.05)
- Notes: Respondents were allowed to select multiple reasons for not using the Internet for personal use in the last 12 months. While other reasons were available, these were the most common reasons. The data refers to the proportion reporting a given reason among those who did not use the Internet.
- * significantly different from estimate for persons aged 15 to 64 years for a given reason (p<0.05)
- Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Disability, 2022 (Social Research Division calculations).
Persons with disabilities aged 65 years and over were more likely than those aged 15 to 64 years to report that they had no need, no interest or no time to use the Internet for personal use (48% versus 36%) or that it was too difficult to use the Internet (38% versus 29%). Persons with disabilities aged 15 to 64 years were more likely than those aged 65 years and over to report that they didn’t use the Internet for personal use because they are limited due to a health condition (17% versus 12%) or due to cost of service or equipment (14% versus 9%).
2.3 Home modification needs met
Figure 2.3 - Text description
| Age group | Milder disabilities | More severe disabilities |
|---|---|---|
| 15 to 64 years | 90% | 74%* |
| 65 years and over | 93% | 87%* |
- * significantly different from estimate for persons with milder disabilities within the same age group (p<0.05)
- Notes: Home modifications refer to specialized architectural features built inside the respondents' home. The architectural features in question include bathroom aids; walk-in baths or showers; patient lifts; access ramps or ground-level entrances; elevators, stair lifts, or platform or porch lifts; automatic or easy to open doors; extra railings (other than on stairs); widened doorways or hallways; and adjusted counters in the kitchen or bathroom. The chart above depicts the proportion of respondents, among those who require such accommodations, have had their needs met.
- "Milder" refers to those with mild or moderate disabilities, and "more severe" refers to those with severe or very severe disabilities.
- * significantly different from estimate for persons with milder disabilities within the same age group (p<0.05)
- Among only those with more severe disabilities, estimates for persons aged 65 years and over are significantly different from those for persons aged 15 to 64 years (p<0.05).
- Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Disability, 2022 (Social Research Division calculations).
Among persons with mobility disabilities who reported requiring home modifications, those with milder disabilities were more likely than those with more severe disabilities to have their home modification needs met, for both age groups: 15 to 64 years (90% versus 74%) and 65 years and over (93% versus 87%). Among persons with more severe mobility disabilities, those aged 65 years and over were more likely to have their home modification needs met than those aged 15 to 64 years (87% versus 74%).
2.4 Assistive aids or devices needs met
Figure 2.4 - Text description
| Disability type | Proportion with all needs met |
|---|---|
| Seeing | 89% |
| Physical | 79% |
| Cognitive | 66% |
| Hearing | 56% |
| Other | 75% |
- Notes: Respondents were asked about their use of assistive aids or devices to help with different disability types, and whether there are any assistive aids, devices or technologies they think they need but do not have. For each disability type category, respondents’ needs were grouped into 4 categories: "Some needs met", "No needs met", "All needs met", or "Does not need an aid".
- The proportions above excluded those who did not need assistive aids or devices, to observe if those who needed them had all of their needs met.
- Respondents were not limited to responding to one type of disability-related assistive aid or device.
- "Other" refers to assistive aids or devices that are used in the presence of multiple disabilities that are not associated with a single disability type. Examples include computers with specialized software, screen readers, service animals, diabetic aids, etc.
- Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Disability, 2022 (Social Research Division calculations).
Persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over who required assistive aids or devices for seeing or physical disabilities were the most likely to have all of their needs met (89% and 79% respectively).
Persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over who required assistive aids or devices for cognitive or hearing disabilities were the least likely to have all of their needs met (66% and 56% respectively).
2.5 Barriers to accessibility in public spaces
Figure 2.5 - Text description
| Feature | Milder disabilities | More severe disabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 43% | 75%* |
| Sidewalks when covered in ice or snow | 25% | 52%* |
| Wait lines | 19% | 48%* |
| Sidewalks in general | 16% | 42%* |
| Entrances or exits to buildings | 9% | 35%* |
| Floorplans inside buildings | 8% | 30%* |
| Self-serve technology | 11% | 28%* |
| Lighting or sound levels inside buildings | 13% | 28%* |
| Public washrooms | 8% | 26%* |
| Signs or directions | 9% | 23%* |
| Announcements or alarms | 9% | 21%* |
| Pedestrian signals at intersections or crosswalks | 4% | 16%* |
- * significantly different from estimate for persons with milder disabilities for a given feature (p<0.05)
- Notes: Respondents were asked how often they experienced barriers with a number of features inside or outside public spaces because of their condition in the past 12 months. Those who indicated that they experienced barriers “sometimes”, “often”, or “always” were classified as “experienced barriers” with a given feature.
- The overall calculation includes persons who experienced barriers with at least one of these features.
- "Milder" refers to those with mild or moderate disabilities, and "more severe" refers to those with severe or very severe disabilities.
- * significantly different from estimate for persons with milder disabilities for a given feature (p<0.05)
- For more information, see Barriers to Accessibility in Public Spaces: Findings from the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability
- Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Disability, 2022 (Social Research Division calculations).
Among persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over, 75% of those with more severe disabilities and 43% of those with milder disabilities experienced barriers to accessibility with at least one feature in public spaces. Barriers were most commonly experienced with sidewalks when covered in ice or snow, wait lines, and sidewalks in general. For each of the listed features, persons with more severe disabilities were at least twice as likely to have experienced a barrier at least sometimes than those with milder disabilities. For example, persons with more severe disabilities were nearly 4 times as likely to experience barriers with entrances or exits to buildings than those with milder disabilities (35% versus 9%).
2.6 Barriers to accessibility related to behaviours, misconceptions, or assumptions
Figure 2.6 - Text description
| Source | Milder disabilities | More severe disabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 28% | 49%* |
| Family or close friends | 21% | 36%* |
| Medical or health care professionals | 14% | 31%* |
| Staff of a business | 11% | 26%* |
| Staff of government services or programs | 6% | 18%* |
- * significantly different from estimate for persons with milder disabilities for a given source (p<0.05)
- Notes: Respondents were asked how often they experienced barriers in terms of behaviours, misconceptions, or assumptions made about them from a number of sources because of their condition in the past 12 months. Those who indicated that they experienced barriers “sometimes”, “often”, or “always” were classified as “experienced barriers” from a given source.
- The overall calculation includes persons who experienced barriers from at least one of these sources.
- "Milder" refers to those with mild or moderate disabilities, and "more severe" refers to those with severe or very severe disabilities.
- * significantly different from estimate for persons with milder disabilities for a given source (p<0.05)
- For more information, see Barriers to accessibility related to behaviours, misconceptions or assumptions: Findings from the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability
- Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Disability, 2022 (Social Research Division calculations).
Among persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over, 49% of those with more severe disabilities and 28% of those with milder disabilities experienced barriers to accessibility related to behaviours, misconceptions, or assumptions made about them from at least one source. Barriers were most commonly experienced from family or close friends and medical or health care professionals. For each of the listed sources, persons with more severe disabilities were more likely to have experienced a barrier at least sometimes than those with milder disabilities. For example, persons with more severe disabilities were more than twice as likely to experience such barriers from medical or health care professionals than those with milder disabilities (31% versus 14%).
2.7 Barriers to accessibility related to communication
Figure 2.7 - Text description
| Situation | Milder disabilities | More severe disabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 38% | 62%* |
| In person with medical or health care professionals | 19% | 39%* |
| In person with family or close friends | 22% | 38%* |
| In persons with others such as the general public, customer service or government representatives | 18% | 38%* |
| By voice over the phone with medical or health care professionals | 17% | 36%* |
| By voice over the phone with others such as the general public, customer service or government representatives | 18% | 36%* |
| By voice over the phone with family or close friends | 18% | 36%* |
| With an automated phone message system | 16% | 34%* |
| Using social media or online chat forums to interact with others | 10% | 21%* |
| Using video conferencing | 11% | 21%* |
- * significantly different from estimate for persons with milder disabilities for a given situation (p<0.05)
- Notes: Respondents were asked how often they experienced barriers communicating in a number of situations because of their condition in the past 12 months. Those who indicated that they experienced barriers “sometimes”, “often”, or “always” were classified as “experienced barriers” in a given situation.
- The overall calculation includes persons who experienced barriers communicating in at least one of these situations.
- "Milder" refers to those with mild or moderate disabilities, and "more severe" refers to those with severe or very severe disabilities.
- * significantly different from estimate for persons with milder disabilities for a given situation (p<0.05)
- For more information, see Barriers to accessibility related to communication: Findings from the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability
- Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Disability, 2022 (Social Research Division calculations).
Among persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over, 62% of those with more severe disabilities and 38% of those with milder disabilities experienced barriers to accessibility related to communication in at least one situation. Barriers were most commonly experienced when communicating in person or by voice over the phone with different groups. For each of the listed situations, persons with more severe disabilities were more likely to have experienced a communication-related barrier at least sometimes than those with milder disabilities. For example, persons with more severe disabilities were around twice as likely to experience barriers when communicating in person with medical or health care professionals than persons with milder disabilities (39% versus 19%).
2.8 Barriers to accessibility related to Internet use
Figure 2.8 - Text description
| Online activity | Milder disabilities | More severe disabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 11% | 26%* |
| Online access to government information, services or supports | 8% | 20%* |
| Online booking for appointments, services or reservations | 7% | 17%* |
| Online banking or online shopping | 5% | 15%* |
- * significantly different from estimate for persons with milder disabilities for a given online activity (p<0.05)
- Notes: Respondents were asked how often they experienced barriers using the Internet for a number of online activities because of their condition in the past 12 months. Those who indicated that they experienced barriers “sometimes”, “often”, or “always” were classified as “experienced barriers” for a given online activity.
- The overall calculation includes persons who experienced barriers using the Internet for at least one of these online activities.
- "Milder" refers to those with mild or moderate disabilities, and "more severe" refers to those with severe or very severe disabilities.
- * significantly different from estimate for persons with milder disabilities for a given online activity (p<0.05)
- For more information, see Barriers to accessibility related to Internet use: Findings from the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability
- Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Disability, 2022 (Social Research Division calculations).
Among persons with disabilities aged 15 years and over, 26% of those with more severe disabilities and 11% of those with milder disabilities experienced barriers to accessibility using the Internet for at least one online activity. Barriers were most commonly experienced when using the Internet for online access to government information, services, or supports.
For each of the listed online activities, persons with more severe disabilities were more likely to have experienced a barrier using the Internet at least sometimes than those with milder disabilities. For example, persons with more severe disabilities were about 3 times as likely to experience barriers when using the Internet for online banking or shopping than persons with milder disabilities (15% versus 5%).