The federal government has established a new advisory group to provide recommendations on strengthening Canada’s care economy, Minister of Jobs and Families Steven MacKinnon announced Wednesday.
The Sectoral Table on the Care Economy will examine ways to improve working conditions for paid and unpaid caregivers, support care recipients and equity-seeking groups, and address regional disparities in care services. The group’s first meeting is scheduled for the spring of 2025.
“Governments make better decisions when we listen to experts in the field,” MacKinnon said. “This Sectoral Table will provide our government with first-hand knowledge on how we can better support the care economy, understand the contributions of paid and unpaid Canadian carers, and best support families and future generations to come.”
The care economy includes both formal and informal caregiving roles that support people across all generations, including seniors, children, and individuals with disabilities or long-term conditions. The new table will offer policy advice as the government looks to build on previous investments in early learning, child care, tax credits for caregivers, and long-term care services.
The panel will include experts from a range of fields, including health care, social services, and labour representation. Members include Mitzie Hunter as chair, alongside Pat Armstrong, Ayla Azad, Morna Ballantyne, Peter Dinsdale, Jodi Hall, James Janeiro, Jeff Moat, Ito Peng, Caroline Senneville, Sharleen Stewart, and Siobhán Vipond.
The initiative complements recent efforts by the National Seniors Council, which provided recommendations on how to help more Canadians age at home. It also follows commitments in Budget 2024 to address caregiving challenges, including consultations on a proposed national caregiving strategy.
Minister of Health Kamal Khera said the new advisory body builds on federal funding already allocated to long-term and home care through the Aging with Dignity agreements signed with provinces and territories.
“Caregivers and care workers help ensure that Canadians can live in dignity, safety, and comfort,” Khera said. “This table is another key step towards improving health outcomes for all Canadians.”
