Although workers, their families and employers carry more than 60% of the financial
burden of disability, Canadian society as a whole must bear the rest. This additional
burden is reflected in the costs of auto insurance, social security payments, social
services, and health care. Here are some examples of the costs associated with disability
incurred by Canadian society:
- Each person with a disability who exhausts sick leave/disability benefits and must go
on social assistance moves from being a benefit contributor to a benefit recipient.
Canadian society also loses the contributions these individuals make as a result of
their education, hard work and creativity.
- A single person who becomes disabled and goes on a disability pension at age 35 will
require a capitalized pension of $220,940 in order to pay an annual pension of $9,252
until age 65 or $980,410 if the eligible pension amount is $48,000.
- Between 1996 and 1997, $3 billion was paid in Canada/Quebec Pension Plan
Disability Benefits.
- $400 million was paid in Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits during that same
period.
- Auto insurers paid $1.8 billion to persons with disabilities.
- The Insurance Corporation of BC spends approximately $300 million per year on
wage replacement for those injured in automobile accidents.
