Working together.
The Canadian Caregiving Summit, hosted by the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence (CCCE), brings together lived experience experts, leaders, policy makers, and researchers across the age, disability, and illness communities to work together to build the foundation of a national caregiving strategy.
Caregiving impacts all of us. Most Canadians will need care or give care at some point in our lives, yet families are stretched thin, and people with disabilities and our elders are struggling.
CCCE believes that caregiving is the next frontier in public policy in Canada. The Canadian Caregiving Summit is part of our effort to build a national movement to transform the experiences of caregivers, care providers and care recipients across the country.
CCCE is advocating for policy reform to improve the experiences of caregivers and care providers in the future – but we cannot do it alone. By bringing together the voices of caregivers, care providers, sector leaders, researchers and academics, we can drive meaningful change and make Canada the best place in the world to give and receive care.
Quick facts about caregiving in Canada
- It is estimated that 8+ million Canadians are caregivers.
- Caregivers spend 5.7 billion hours supporting others every year, valued at $97.1B.
- Lost economic productivity due to care responsibilities is estimated at $1.3 billion annually.
- Caregivers provide the equivalent support of 2.8 million full-time paid care providers each year.
- A 2021 survey revealed that 87 per cent of caregivers experienced loneliness, 73 per cent experienced moderate to high anxiety and 69 per cent noted a deterioration in their mental health.
Quick facts about care providers in Canada
- In 2020, long-term care facilities were 1 to 2 staff short every shift.
- Only 50 per cent of PSWs remain in the sector for more than five years.
- Most PSWs and DSPs are women of colour.
- High demand and shortage of workers has increased pressures to work unreasonably long hours, cover additional shifts and work short-staffed.
Summit Planning Committee
We are grateful to the members of the CCCE advisory council and Canadian Caregivers Advisory Network (Caregiver CAN) for their participation in our Summit Planning Committee. Without them, this event would not be possible.
Summit Planning Committee members include:
Sharon Anderson
University of Alberta
Amy Coupal
Ontario Caregiver Organization
Nicole Dauz
Member of Caregiver CAN, self-care coach, speaker, author
Dr. Janet Fast
University of Alberta
Zelda Freitas
CIUSSS West-Central Montreal and Adjunct Professor, McGill University
Christa Haanstra
Clarity Hub
Janet Kuntz
Caregiving advocate, member of Caregiver CAN
Michelle Lewis
Young Caregivers Association
Dr. Ito Peng
University of Toronto
Dr. Yona Lunsky
Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Barb McLean
Family Caregivers of British Columbia
Katrina Prescott
Co-chair, Caregiver CAN
Helen Ries
Siblings Canada
Becky Rossi
Siblings Canada
Dr. Hsien Seow
McMaster University
Ella Tan
North York Community House
Jenny Theriault
Caregivers Nova Scotia
Donna Thomson
CCCE advisory council, member of Caregiver CAN, author
Our Advocacy Work
In November 2022, CCCE released its first whitepaper, Giving Care: An approach to a better caregiving landscape in Canada. The whitepaper was the first in a series of actions planned by CCCE to rally support for policy creation to establish a coordinated approach to caregiving.
The Canadian Caregiving Summit is second phase of the advocacy work led by CCCE. The goal is to bring together all stakeholders interested in improving our care systems to build the foundation of a national caregiving strategy.
The Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence is an initiative of the Azrieli Foundation to support caregivers and care providers. CCCE empowers caregivers and care providers, advances the knowledge and capacity of the caregiving field, and advocates for effective and visionary social policy, with a disability-informed approach.