Caregiving in Canada: Challenges and opportunities shaping a national conversation

Caregiving is an issue that affects all Canadians. One in four Canadians is a caregiver for someone with a long-term health condition, disability or need related to aging at some point in their lives. It is estimated that 75% of care is provided by unpaid caregivers, saving Canadian healthcare systems billions of dollars per year. Our society simply would not function without caregivers.

This discussion paper is a starting point for the important work that will be carried out by the Petro-Canada CareMakers Foundation/Fondation proches aimants Petro-Canada. It is the CareMakers Foundation's intent that this paper will be used to generate awareness of challenges faced by caregivers, highlight opportunities for meaningful intervention and serve as a tool to advance the cause of caregiving.

The Petro‑Canada CareMakers Foundation creates awareness and understanding of the issue of family caregiving in Canada and inspires Canadians to help. They work to raise funds that can be used to enable and amplify the work of charitable organizations in Canada that currently  support family caregivers.They convene and collaborate with others in the sector to create innovative new programs, resources and tools. Click here for more information.