This has been a season of elections for people in the Greater Toronto Area, with both a provincial election campaign and now a federal campaign, all under the shadow of an unpredictable, threatening American neighbour. The party whose leader is able to gain the confidence of the House of Commons to govern will significantly shape Canada’s social, economic and political future. That future must centre on ensuring this country is a place where all residents have the resources and opportunities they need to be healthier and more resilient.
We now face an uncertain, precarious future. But it is important to remember that this is nothing new for many. Many living in Canada need change that addresses the structural issues that prevent health equity. Low income, Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQ+ and those unhoused or inadequately housed need Canada to do better. They need a society and government that ensure no one lives sicker or dies younger because they lack the conditions they need for health. We need action that makes sure health is a birthright.
Long before the threat of tariffs, Canada was facing the impacts of the mounting cost of living, an aging population, health system pressures, worsening mental health and well-being, and climate change. There were and are significant and worsening inequalities in exposure to the social factors that impact health. Income, poverty, employment, food security and housing (among others) vary depending on who you are and where you live.
Over the next few weeks, Wellesley Institute will provide recommendations on issues we know Canada’s political leaders must address. We begin with a look at what parties should do to progress towards ensuring everyone in Canada has what they need to thrive – to live a healthy, engaged life.
Thriving
Canada is a high-income country and its aspirations for its population should be in line with its status as a G7 nation. People living in Canada want the opportunity to live long healthy lives. Their aspiration is for more than just surviving. They want to thrive. Thriving is also good for the economy. Countries that minimize ill health and whose populations are thriving perform better economically.
Previous governments have viewed decreasing poverty by 50 per cent by 2030 as a stretch goal. But we should aim higher and do better. Canada should first fully eliminate poverty and then target thriving for all as its goal.
To do this, Canada’s next government must continue to tackle the ongoing unequal economic damage from COVID-19, which left low-income groups, racialized communities, women and newcomers primarily shouldering its burden. The next government should build on key measures that reduced poverty and aimed to address inequality, including an enhanced Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Workers Benefit, the new Canada Disability Benefit and increases to Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. These measures have been able to help some people living with poverty but more must be done. Parties should commit to:
- Build a 10-year plan with the provinces, territories, municipalities and Indigenous leaders to end poverty in Canada.
Wellesley Institute’s thriving framework outlines the resources needed to meet the physical, social and psychological health needs of everyone living in Canada. This goes beyond just basic survival needs like food and shelter, and includes having resources related to food and nutrition, physical activity, savings and debt, personal care and adequate, healthy housing. This will require bringing together all levels of government and sectors of our society. Programs such as child care, dental care and pharmacare are steps in the right direction for many who do not have the resources to pay out-of-pocket for these services, including lower-income older adults, low-income families and persons with disabilities. More needs to be done, and all parties should:
- Establish thriving, beyond poverty or a living wage, as our national goal, and bring together all levels of government, employment sectors and communities to achieve it.
- Develop, expand and reform new and existing income support programs to be accessible to more people in need so that they first end poverty and then achieve thriving for all.
- Build on the foundational child-care, dental care and pharmacare programs.
- Increase access to the national child-care program by increasing spaces, improving the working conditions of the child-care workforce, further reducing costs, improving quality, and working to ensure it is equitably delivered.
- Expand dental care to cover more procedures, cover more people and reduce co-pay amounts until everyone is able to access dental care without meeting financial barriers.
- Expand pharmacare to cover more needs for more people
Wellesley will be closely monitoring the parties’ proposals, on issues including carbon pricing, income tax rates, and capital gains.
What’s needed from the next government is a commitment to eliminate poverty and to deliver change that moves everyone in Canada towards having what they need to thrive. “Tax cuts” that reduce government’s capacity to invest in the change we need in these challenging times will worsen health and health equity. Policies that increase income or wealth inequality will do the same. Parties must not make changes that might make it even harder in future to deliver the real change we need.
The next Federal government must make sure that Canada does not fall back on its progress towards a future centred on ensuring this country is a place where all residents have the resources and opportunities they need to be healthier and more resilient. It must ensure that we plan to deliver a population that thrives and a country where health is a birthright.