Canada tables poverty council report, updates advisory body appointments

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Canada poverty council report

Highlights

Minister Patty Hajdu tabled the 2026 National Advisory Council on Poverty report, 'Too Many Left Behind,' urging enhanced affordability and income security measures.
The federal government announced targeted investments including tax cuts for nearly 22 million Canadians, affordable childcare, dental care, and strengthened income supports for older Canadians.
Four council members were reappointed and two new members joined, broadening policy and lived-experience perspectives as Canada continues its poverty reduction mandate.

Report recommendations and federal response

As reported by the Government of Canada, Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu has tabled in Parliament the 2026 Report of the National Advisory Council on Poverty, titled "Too Many Left Behind." The report comes shortly after the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17 and says further action is needed to improve affordability, income security and equity for people facing systemic barriers.

The federal government says it is pursuing targeted investments to reduce poverty and improve affordability for children and families, young people, older persons, students, workers and persons with disabilities. Measures highlighted include grocery and everyday cost relief, tax cuts for nearly 22 million Canadians, easier access to benefits, more affordable childcare, dental care and school food, improved housing attainability and stronger income supports for older Canadians.

The report recognizes ongoing federal efforts but says too many people in Canada remain at risk of poverty and exclusion, especially those experiencing overlapping discrimination based on race, gender or disability. Its seven recommendations are intended to improve affordability and income security, support communities and advance more equitable outcomes.

Council appointments and broader policy implications

The government says the council's observations will help inform ongoing work with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, communities and other stakeholders as Canada pursues its poverty reduction goals. The report frames poverty reduction as a shared responsibility and points to the need for continued coordination across levels of government and civil society.

Alongside the report's release, Hajdu has announced the reappointment of four council members and the appointment of two new members, Brandon Grant, Executive Director with the Government of Nova Scotia, and Sharon McCarry, a disability advocate, community leader and founder of La Fondation Place Coco and The Little Red Playhouse. The changes expand the mix of policy and lived-experience perspectives represented on the advisory body as it continues its mandate.

Our earlier article examined Mario Draghi’s warning that aggressive debt control and inflation fighting can backfire if they suppress the structural investment needed for long-term growth and resilience. It highlighted his argument that central banks should keep inflation under control while aiming for the lowest interest-rate path consistent with price stability, and that clearer policy communication can narrow uncertainty about future rate paths and borrowing costs.

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