Persons with disabilities and COVID-19

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Release date: July 6, 2020
COVID-19: A data perspective More information PDF version
Infographic: Persons with disabilities and COVID-19
Description: Persons with disabilities and COVID-19

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What makes them vulnerable?

Using data from the 2017 Canadian Survey on DisabilityNote 1, this infographic provides a snapshot of potential areas of impact and unique challenges persons with disabilities may face during the pandemic.

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Among the 6.2 million Canadians aged 15 and older with a disability, 21% (or 1.3 million) were living alone.

Almost half (49%) of those with a disability received help with daily activities because of their condition.

  • 36% relied only on help from outside their household.Note 2

778,000 of those with a disability considered themselves housebound due to their condition.

Of those:

  • 38% considered themselves housebound due to limited social connections outside the home.
  • 74% received help with daily activities because of their condition.

Among those with a disability, almost one in five (19%) reported that they do not use the Internet.

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The Public Health Agency of Canada has identified older adults as a vulnerable population, with increased risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19.

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In 2017, almost 1.4 million (42%) Canadians aged 70 and older living in a private dwelling had a disability:

  • Canada: 42%
  • Newfoundland and Labrador: 34%
  • Prince Edward Island: 42%
  • Nova Scotia: 44%
  • New Brunswick: 44%
  • Quebec: 28%
  • Ontario: 48%
  • Manitoba: 47%
  • Saskatchewan: 45%
  • Alberta: 45%
  • British Columbia: 44%
  • Territories: 50%

Source: Canadian Survey on Disability, 2017.

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Copyright

Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2020

All rights reserved. Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

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