Improving physical accessibility would dramatically improve labour force participation and consumer spending for the one in 10 Canadians with physical disabilities that impair their mobility, vision, or hearing, boosting the wider economy.
The Business Case to Build Physically Accessible Environments
The Business Case to Build Physically Accessible Environments
Canadian Economic Analysis
DEI Research
People and Culture
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- There are 2.9 million Canadians living with a physical disability that impairs their mobility, vision, or hearing, representing 10 per cent of the country’s population.
- That number will rise by 1.8 per cent annually over the next 13 years, nearly double the pace of the population as a whole.
- Real spending by this group is set to rise from $165 billion in 2017 to $316 billion in 2030, increasing from 14 to 21 per cent of the total consumer market.
- Reasonable investments in workplace access would allow over 550,000 Canadians with disabilities to participate more fully in the workforce, increasing GDP by $16.8 billion by 2030.
- Physical accessibility is more than meeting legal standards or specifications—it also involves fostering a sense of inclusion so people with disabilities can flourish.
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