To mark the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, Canada’s unions are reiterating our demand that the federal government meaningfully address the poverty crisis facing people with disabilities in this country.
“Our labour movement remains deeply committed to the fight for a barrier-free Canada that is truly accessible for everyone and all abilities. This includes drastically reducing the economic barriers disproportionately faced by persons with disabilities in our country,” said Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress.
Currently, more than 1.5 million people with disabilities in Canada are living below the poverty line. Moreover, women with disabilities experience poverty at a higher rate (17.7%) than men with disabilities (15.7%); and people aged 65 and above with disabilities had higher poverty rates (18.8%) than people with disabilities aged 15 to 64 (15.9%).
The employment situation for persons with disabilities is not much better either. About 1/3 of people with disabilities looking for work are shut out of today’s labour force, and the employment outlook is most dire for racialized people with disabilities. Those who are employed report experiencing disproportionately high levels of harassment and violence in the workplace (75%), alongside an hourly wage gap that has widened from $1.91 in 2023 to $2.22 in 2024. This is a weekly wage gap of $115.20, or almost $6,000 per year!
“Disability rights and economic justice for people with disabilities across Canada have always been, and will always unequivocally be, workers’ issues,” said Chang.
Despite the welcome introduction of the Canada Disability Benefit earlier this year, the relatively low benefit amount of only $200 a month, restrictive eligibility criteria, separate application process, and the risk of provincial claw-backs have resulted in a benefit that does little to meaningfully address the enormous socio-economic barriers facing millions of persons with disabilities in this country.
While the 2025 federal budget included a small $150 top-up and tax exemption, it still falls short of delivering real change for Canadians with disabilities. This is why the CLC will continue to work alongside disability rights and justice advocates across the country in demanding immediate action from our federal government to shape a better benefit that truly lifts people with disabilities out of poverty.
“Canada’s unions are holding this government accountable and demanding they fulfill their promises and human rights obligations to make the eradication of disability poverty a reality in this country,” said Chang.
