Increasing numbers of people with a disability in Nunavut
There are different ways of determining the population of people living with disabilities in Nunavut.
According to data from Statistics Canada, 14.3% of Canadians report having a disability. This is consistent with the United Nations’ estimate of 15% of the world’s population living with some form of disability. When calculated against Nunavut’s current population of 39,000, the result is more than 5,570 people living with disabilities in Nunavut.
McGill University’s Professor James MacDougall reported in his 2006 publication, “Where the River Flows”, that the overall rate of disability in the Indigenous population in Canada is estimated to be much higher than in the general population – at least double (32%) that of the general population. When calculated against Nunavut’s current population of 39,000, the calculated result is approximately 12,480 people living with disabilities in Nunavut.
As stated earlier, the Nunavut Bureau of Statistics compiles the number of people receiving disability benefits or credits in any given year. In 2005 there were 450 people in Nunavut receiving disability credits or benefits from the Government of Nunavut; by 2015, this number had increased to 660 people in Nunavut receiving disability credits or benefits. An analysis of this data reveals that the number of people receiving the Government of Nunavut’s disability benefits or credits increased by 74% between 1999 and 2015. Considering the demographic circumstances projected for Nunavut in the future, and the expanded legal definitions of disability in Nunavut, it is reasonable to anticipate that it will continue to rise.
Aging population in Nunavut
The Government of Nunavut has recognized that the population of Nunavut is aging. In analyzing the available census data in 2006 and 2016, the population of people over 65 in Nunavut has increased by 40%.
The prevalence of disabilities is known to rise with age. According to a 2012 Statistics Canada study, the prevalence of disability rose from 4% among 15- to 24-year-olds to 43% for persons aged 75 years or older. In this study, about half of seniors (65 years or older) with disabilities reported that they began having difficulties or activity limitations before age 65. Too, it found the prevalence of most types of disabilities increased with age, particularly sensory (seeing and hearing) and physical (pain-related, flexibility, dexterity, and mobility) disabilities. Certain disabilities are known to disproportionately affect the elderly or senior citizens, including arthritis, dementia, Alzheimer’s, mobility-related disabilities, and hearing-related disabilities.
The senior age demographic will continue to grow significantly. The Government of Nunavut has declared its intention to support this aging population through the development of seniors’ continuing care homes in Nunavut. A 2015 report by the Government of Nunavut reported that the estimates for continuing care needs will double by 2024, and double again by 2035. According to this report, the number of seniors requiring supported living will potentially quadruple in 20 years.
Expanded legal definitions of disability in Nunavut
The expanded legal definitions of disability in Nunavut mean a more significant portion of Nunavut’s population can formally self-identify as having a disability. According to the Nunavut Human Rights Act of 2011, the term “disability” now means any previous or existing or perceived mental or physical disability, and includes disfigurement and previous or existing dependency on alcohol or a drug.
It is significant that the definition of disability encompasses the “dependency on alcohol or a drug”. In the rationale for developing a Nunavut Addictions and Trauma Recovery Centre, reported justifications included population growth, increased rates of consumption of substances, and increased availability of substances. The Phase A Report states that statistical data on substance use disorders (addictions) among Nunavummiut is not available, however it is generally acknowledged, including by those who work in the field of addictions and trauma treatment, as well as by Nunavummiut more generally, that substance use is a problem in Nunavut. The Nunavut Recovery Centre will essentially support a percentage of Nunavut’s population who are experiencing disability as a result of a dependency on alcohol or a drug. In the feasibility study, the Recovery Centre is planned to have a total of 32 beds available to accommodate 32 clients (including children) at any one time, for programming that will last several weeks. It is assumed for planning, staffing and costing purposes that the Centre will operate at full capacity 365 days per year. This is indicative of a significant number of people who can self-identify with disability, who should be supported and represented by NDMS.
Additionally, there is an increasing awareness and diagnostic opportunity for Nunavummiut identifying with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). FASD covers a range of mental and physical disabilities, and is the most common cause of developmental disability in Canada. Its prevalence in Nunavut has never been measured; however, nationally, the rates of FASD have been estimated at four percent of the population. A study released in April by Dr Svetlana Popova of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health found that FASD is higher in Indigenous populations, children in foster care, correctional inmates and other vulnerable groups. Diagnosis requires significant attention in Nunavut; recently it was recognized through the initiation of a new pediatric unit at Qikiqtani General Hospital that is undertaking FASD diagnosis. FASD is a lifelong disability, and the volume of people living with FASD throughout their lives – as children, youth, and adults – is projected to be a substantial number in Nunavut. It is anticipated that the number of people self-identifying as living with disabilities will continue to rise in the years to come.