Economic and Social Reports, October 2021

Released: 2021-10-27

The October 2021 issue of Economic and Social Reports contains four articles.

Two articles examine the experiences of women with disabilities.

Both women and people with disabilities are designated as groups for which the Employment Equity Act aims to achieve equality in the workplace. The article "Work experiences of women with disabilities" contributes to the important intersection between disability status and sex, in the context of work experiences, using a gender-based perspective and data from the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability.

Women with disabilities were more likely than men with disabilities to change their workload, begin working from home, or take a leave of absence because of their condition. Child care was a top reason for part-time employment among women with disabilities.

A higher proportion of women than men with disabilities required workplace accommodations. Perceptions of labour discrimination were generally similar between men and women with disabilities, but fewer women—particularly those with more severe disabilities—reported being refused a job interview because of their condition.

More women than men with disabilities say their education was interrupted because of their condition

People with disabilities tend to have lower levels of educational attainment than those without disabilities due to barriers that decrease their chances for educational success. However, more women with disabilities have a bachelor's degree or higher, compared with men with disabilities. The article "Educational experiences of young women with disabilities" compares the educational experiences of women and men aged 15 to 34 with disabilities.

While women with disabilities reported attaining higher levels of education than men, a higher proportion of women (53%) than men (37%) with more severe disabilities reported that their education was interrupted because of their condition.

Among people with more severe disabilities, around double the proportion of women (45%) as men (22%) did their courses online or by home study, while a greater proportion of men changed schools or attended a special school or classes because of their condition.

Spotlight on working from home

Statistics Canada has published several studies on work from home since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The article "Working from home in Canada: what have we learned so far?" synthesizes the key findings, including the following: roughly 40% of Canadian jobs can be done from home; higher education increased the likelihood of being able to work from home; being able to work from home may increase job security in future pandemics; and working from home could potentially reduce the demand for public transit and greenhouse gas emissions due to commuting.

Insights on recent developments in the Canadian economy

The article "Recent developments in the Canadian economy: Fall 2021" provides an integrated analysis of recent changes in output, consumer spending, business investment, international trade and employment. It also draws on new data sources that provide detailed information on the financial conditions facing businesses and households. The analysis is based on data that are publicly available as of October 8, 2021.

Products

The October 2021 issue of Economic and Social Reports, Vol. 1, no. 10 (Catalogue number36280001), is now available. This issue contains the articles "Working from home in Canada: what have we learned so far?," "Recent developments in the Canadian economy: Fall 2021," "Educational experiences of young women with disabilities," and "Work experiences of women with disabilities."

Contact information

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