Exclusion, poverty and isolation are a shared reality for many Canadians living with a disability. At Independent Living Sudbury and Manitoulin we encourage people with disabilities to learn the skills necessary to live independently in their communities and transcend their physical and social boundaries. Though our successes have been many, we are still facing great challenges as a community.
The facts:
- Approximately 13% of residents in Sudbury have an identified physical disability.
- 2,000 children in Sudbury are "at risk" for physical disabilities.
- There are currently over 4.4 million people with disabilities in Canada.
- Canadians with disabilities are almost twice as likely to live in poverty compared to other Canadians.
- Over two million Canadian adults with disabilities lack one or more of the educational, workplace, assistive devices, home modifications or other supports they need to participate fully in their communities.
- Over 55% of working-age adults with disabilities are currently unemployed or out of the labour market. For women with disabilities the rate is almost 75%.
- According to the International Labour Organization, the annual loss of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to the exclusion of persons with disabilities from the labour market is between US$1.37 trillion and US$1.94 trillion.
- More than 10,000 persons with disabilities live in institutions that follow the medical model of disability.
- Slightly more than half of Canadian children with disabilities do not have access to needed aids and devices.
- Rates of violence and abuse against people with disabilities, in particular women with disabilities, are among the highest for any group in Canadian society.
- For Aboriginal Canadians with disabilities these percentages are even higher.
While progress has been made over the past 25 years, many Canadians with disabilities continue to experience barriers to their full and equal participation in Canadian society.
Join Independent Living Sudbury and Manitoulin and help make a profound difference in the lives of people living with disabilities in our community.
