More than a third of Maritime university students report disabilities [Video]

A growing number of university students across the country are reporting disabilities — and receiving academic accommodations — with Maritime institutions leading the way.

Academic accommodations can include extra time for exams and assignments, note-taking assistance, a quiet space to write tests and reduced course loads.

According to the Canadian University Survey Consortium, 29 per cent of Maritime university students reported a disability in 2019. That number jumped to 37 per cent in 2022. 

That’s higher than universities outside the Maritime provinces, where 24 per cent of students reported having a disability in 2019, climbing to 30 per cent in 2022. 

Mental health issues, particularly anxiety and depression, make up more than half of all reported disabilities.

These figures come as no surprise to Amanda Manning, manager of accessibility services at St. Thomas University in Fredericton. She said the number of students reporting a disability tripled between 2013 and 2023 …