In April, as part of Budget 2024, the federal government announced its “ intention to launch consultations on the development of a National Caregiving Strategy .” But what does this mean for Canadians? Although still in the consultative stage , a national caregiving strategy could transform the Canadian care economy and improve the lives of caregivers. Most importantly, a national caregiving strategy will set a standard for services and supports available to Canadian family caregivers, as well as the working environment of paid care workers.
This will reduce the inequity of current supports and services across provinces and territories. As a public health researcher examining family caregiving in rural Canada during the ongoing drug poisoning crisis , and as someone who has previously cared for a family member, this announcement marks a promising next chapter. In 2022, approximately 42 per cent of Canadians provided unpaid care to a loved one .
There is a gendered element to care, with over half of all women in Canada providing unpaid care . Caregiving is typically linked to Canada’s aging population ; however, there is growing recognition that caregivers care for people of all ages and are of all ages themselves. It is estimated that 1.
25 million young Canadians between 14 and 25 years old are caregivers and over 1.7 million Canadians are “sandwich generation” carers who provide care for both young children and care-dependent adults. Many Canadians provide care for.
