More than 750,000 Canadians have joined the ranks of the disabled in the past five years, according to newly released data from Statistics Canada.
There are now an estimated 4.4 million people - one in seven Canadians - reporting a physical, psychiatric or developmental disability, and every indication that those numbers will continue to grow.
The increase is being attributed to three principal factors: the aging of the population, the willingness of people to disclose disabilities due to lessening stigma, and better data collection.
"What these numbers say to us is that disability is an issue for all Canadians," Laurie Beachell, national co-ordinator of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, said in an interview.
"Some 14.3 per cent identify as having a disability, but they all have family and friends, so we all know people with disabilities; it's not hidden any more," he said.
Mr. Beachell said the most important aspect of the report is what is unwritten: "The numbers are growing, but the unmet need for services is also growing."
Max Beck, chief executive officer of Easter Seals Canada, made similar comments.
"It's distressing that the rates of disability are still climbing among children and youth," he said.
"But even more disturbing is they're not getting the support they need: They aren't getting mobility supports like wheelchairs; jobs are still hard to come by; and communities aren't accessible enough," he said.
Mr. Beck said the good news is that stigma is disappearing, that people with disabilities, and children in particular, "aren't hidden away any more, as once happened."
According to Statistics Canada, 16.5 per cent of adults and 3.7 per cent of children suffer from a disability.
People with disabilities were defined as those reporting difficulties with daily living activities, or who indicated that a physical or mental condition or health problem reduced the kind or amount of activities they could do.
About 40 per cent of those with disabilities reported severe limitations, while 25 per cent said they had moderate limitations and 35 per cent mild limitations.
The biggest increase was among people reporting learning disabilities (such as trouble reading), while the number of people with developmental disabilities (such as Down syndrome) has fallen slightly.
In children, disability is related mainly to chronic conditions such as asthma and autism. For working-age Canadians, chronic pain is the most common form of disability, while for seniors it is mobility limitations.
Anne Martin-Matthews, scientific director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Institute of Aging, said there are a lot of policy implications that flow from the numbers.
"When a significant number of people in society have disabilities, there are a lot of practical implications - everything from the duration of crosswalk lights to the way we build homes and cities," she said.
"We have the data but we've got a long way to go in terms of awareness about what we have to do as a result of that data."
She also stressed that while there are significant numbers of seniors with disabilities, Canadians need to keep the numbers in context.
"The vast majority of seniors do not have a disability and those with limitations can still have fulfilling lives. We just need policies that make that easier," Dr. Martin-Matthews said.
According to Statistics Canada, disability rates have increased in every province over the past five years. However, there remain substantial regional variations in disability rates, from a low of 10.4 per cent in Quebec to a high of 20 per cent in Nova Scotia.
The Atlantic provinces have the oldest populations in Canada, which explains part but not all of the variation.
