The previous chapter shows that Canada has some of the major problems seen in most OECD countries, such as low employment and high unemployment of persons with disabilities. At the same time, the international trend towards increased use of disability benefits among the working-age population is not as apparent. While Canada is doing better than other countries in this respect, closer scrutiny of the shift to non-contributory payments as well as high poverty levels suggests low take-up does not necessarily mean that all persons with disabilities are getting the help they need to find work or the degree of income support they need to stay out of poverty. Attention is needed here as the current economic downturn is expected to make access to the labour market for marginalised groups such as persons with disabilities even more difficult, once they become unemployed. Poverty is already an issue for persons with disabilities and could become a major challenge for Canada as the effects of the crisis continue to unfold.