Challenges Encountered by Newcomers with Disabilities in Canada

An Illustration of the Ontario Disability Support Program

Authors

  • Dora M. Y. Tam Faculty of Social Work University of Calgary
  • Tracy Smith-Carrier School of Social Work King’s University College at Western University
  • Siu Ming Kwok School of Public Policy University of Calgary
  • Don Kerr Department of Sociology King’s University College at Western University
  • Juyan Wang Department of Sociology Western University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15353/cjds.v10i3.818

Keywords:

Newcomers; Disabilities; Income Support; Ontario Disability Support Program; Canada; ODSP; Immigration

Abstract

Through a secondary data analysis of administrative data of the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) between 2003 and 2013, we aim to understand the interlocking challenges encountered by newcomers with disabilities in Canada that contribute to this population’s financial hardship. Our findings show that newcomers with disabilities on ODSP were more likely to have post-secondary education, to be older adults, to be married, common-law, and to be female who were divorced, separated, or widowed as compared to Canadian-born recipients, who were more likely to be less educated, younger, single and male. The ratio of Canadian-born to newcomer recipients on the ODSP was high between 2003 and 2013, indicating that the latter were under-represented on the program. Implications for this under-representation support future research to examine the full integration and participation of newcomers with disabilities in Canada.

Author Biographies

Dora M. Y. Tam, Faculty of Social Work University of Calgary

Faculty of Social Work University of Calgary

Tracy Smith-Carrier, School of Social Work King’s University College at Western University

School of Social Work
King’s University College at Western University

Siu Ming Kwok, School of Public Policy University of Calgary

School of Public Policy University of Calgary

Don Kerr, Department of Sociology King’s University College at Western University

Department of Sociology
King’s University College at Western University

Juyan Wang, Department of Sociology Western University

Department of Sociology Western University

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Published

2021-12-08

How to Cite

Tam, D. M. Y., Smith-Carrier, T., Kwok, S. M., Kerr, D., & Wang, J. (2021). Challenges Encountered by Newcomers with Disabilities in Canada: An Illustration of the Ontario Disability Support Program. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 10(3), 119–146. https://doi.org/10.15353/cjds.v10i3.818

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 3 (2021)

Section

Articles

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