The statistics surrounding disability poverty in Canada are truly appalling.
According to Statistics Canada's Official Poverty Indicators for 2023:
- The average income for disabled people is $48,300 annually, while for non-disabled the average income is $62,600 annually.
- 42.9% of disabled people have an income less than $30,000 annually. This is important because the poverty line, while different for most communities, is roughly $27,000 annually. It costs more to be disabled than not disabled, with some reports, such as the Wellesley Institute putting this additional cost at at 40% more. Therefore it can be presumed that at least 42.9% of disabled people in Canada live in poverty.
- Data for 2023, for all Canadians, shows that Deep Income Poverty has increased by 6%. Deep Income Poverty is measured as two thirds of the poverty line. Food insecurity has increased by 13%.
Add the this the cost of housing, the major income expense every month for disabled people, and the situation is dire.
I volunteer as Chair of the Board of Disability Without Poverty, Canada's only national disability charity devoted to eradicating disability poverty. We work hard to build a movement that lifts disabled people out of poverty, by mobilizing grassroots power, working with government and securing public support for ending disability poverty.
We work with allies, partners, a strong network of disability organizations through the National Disability Network, and some amazing funders that have shown they believe in this work.
