Caring in Canada: Survey insights from caregivers and care providers across Canada

Caring in Canada 2026

Caring in Canada 2026 provides an in-depth analysis of the survey results collected in the 2025 National Caregiving Survey completed by more than 2,600 caregivers and care providers from across Canada. The survey, conducted by Leger Communications, offers new insights into the experiences of caregivers and care providers across Canada.

The report reveals that the national affordability crisis is adding significant pressure to Canada’s 8+ million caregivers, many of whom are already stretched beyond their limits. As the cost-of-living increases across the country, a growing number of caregivers are unable to afford basic expenses, working more hours or using up their savings sooner than expected. 

Despite calls for urgent action to support caregivers and care providers in Canada, political inaction on key items has resulted in caregivers feeling worse than in the 2023 report.

Data highlights:

• Caregiving is adding financial pressures to families: 49% of caregivers face financial strain, with one in five spending more than $12,000 annually out of pocket. More than 20% of caregivers report having to stop saving entirely, putting their long-term financial security at risk.

• Juggling care responsibilities is impacting workforce participation: 59% of caregivers balance work with care responsibilities, with 36% of working caregivers having their work productivity suffer and facing lost earnings.

• Caregiving takes a toll on a caregiver’s well-being: 77% report negative impacts on their well-being, including stress, fatigue and burnout.

• Care work is low-paid and high-stress, setting up a workforce that is on the brink of collapse: 73% of paid care providers, such as Personal Support Workers or Direct Support Professionals for people with disabilities, have considered changing careers, citing low compensation, inadequate staffing and lack of safety at work.

• Caregivers and care providers do not feel supported by the government: 65% of caregivers and care providers say caregiving issues are important to how they vote. Despite this, 61% of caregivers and 54% of care providers do not feel supported by the government.

The report explores the results in alignment with the five pillars outlined in the National Caregiving Strategy, showcasing why urgent action is needed to support all those who give and receive care in Canada.

As part of our commitment to serving equity seeking groups, the report oversampled Indigenous caregivers and offers insights from racialized, LGBTQ2S+, young caregivers and siblings.

Voices of Care

Nicholas Goberdhan

Young caregivers often provide invisible, emotional care that goes unrecognized. Growing up in an Indo-Caribbean family, Nicholas Goberdhan supported his mother through mental health challenges, which required constant awareness and emotional presence. Today, as a PhD candidate at Concordia University, Nicholas is helping bring visibility to caregiving experiences that too often go unseen.

Pamela

Forty-nine per cent of caregivers in Canada experience financial strain due to their caregiving responsibilities. Pamela is one of them. When she made the decision to leave the workforce at 49 to care for her father with Alzheimer’s and cancer, she did not anticipate being out of the workforce for over 10 years, or how this time away from paid work would affect her retirement security.

Janet Fralick

Janet Fralick has been a care provider for Pamela’s family for 14 years — first caring for her father, then her mother, and later her husband. This video offers a glimpse into how the relationships between caregivers and care providers make sustained care possible.

Eighty-two per cent of caregivers say it’s important to ensure paid care providers earn a living wage, underscoring the essential role care providers play in the well‑being of families and communities.

Elizabeth Chambers

Elizabeth Chambers is part of the sandwich generation, juggling care for her children with complex needs as well as her aging mother. When the level of care her family required intensified following the birth of her youngest son, William, Elizabeth made the difficult decision to step away from her career and become a full-time caregiver. While love keeps her going, years of intense care has led to significant impacts on her mental, physical and financial health.

Caring in Canada 2024

The landmark report, Caring in Canada, was the first data report released by the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the 2023 National Caregiving Survey, conducted by Leger Communications.