Canada: 2026 Poverty Advisory Council Report Tabled, Chair Says Progress Has Stalled
The Government of Canada announced in Gatineau, Quebec, on October 30 that Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu has tabled in Parliament the 2026 Report of the National Advisory Council on Poverty, alongside council appointments and reappointments.
The report, titled Too Many Left Behind, recognizes ongoing federal efforts to reduce poverty but underscores that too many people in Canada remain at risk of poverty and exclusion, particularly those facing multiple forms of discrimination based on race, gender or disability. Its seven recommendations aim to improve affordability and income security, support communities and advance more equitable outcomes for people facing systemic barriers.
Council chair Scott MacAfee said that while the government has made important investments in affordability and income security, progress toward poverty reduction has stalled for too many Canadians, with millions struggling with the cost of housing, food and transportation, and that achieving the 2030 target will require bolder action.
From November 2025 to January 2026 the Council held 32 conversations with more than 380 people with lived experience of poverty. Brandon Grant and Sharon McCarry were appointed as new members and four members were reappointed. Canada's first Poverty Reduction Strategy targets a 50 percent reduction in poverty by 2030 relative to 2015.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 照片：食物银行志愿服务（资料图），美国国土安全部摄，Wikimedia Commons，公共领域 / Photo: food bank volunteering, by the US Department of Homeland Security, Wikimedia Commons, public domain
