Government of Canada tables the 2026 Report of the National Advisory Council on Poverty and announces Council appointments and reappointments

GATINEAU, QC, Oct. 30, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Government of Canada is working to build a stronger, more inclusive economy where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Reducing poverty and improving affordability remain key priorities in supporting the well-being of people and communities across the country.

Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, tabled in Parliament the 2026 Report of the National Advisory Council on Poverty.

The Government of Canada is taking concrete actions to reduce poverty and improve affordability for Canadians through targeted investments that are supporting children and families, young people, older persons, students, workers, and persons with disabilities at every stage of life. Specific investments to help reduce poverty, improve access to services, and strengthen long-term economic resilience and opportunity include:

• providing relief for groceries and everyday essentials;
• reducing taxes for nearly 22 million Canadians, saving a two-income family up to $840 a year;
• Facilitating access to benefits for which they are entitled
• helping families save through affordable childcare, dental care and school food;
• making housing more attainable; and,
• strengthening income supports for older Canadians.

The Government remains committed to making life more affordable, in particular for the most marginalized in our society.

The Report's findings recognize the on-going efforts of the federal government to reduce poverty. However, tabled shortly after the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17, the report underscores that more work needs to be done. Too many people in Canada remain at risk of poverty and exclusion, particularly those facing multiple forms of discrimination, including based on race, gender, or disability. The seven recommendations in the Report aim to improve affordability and income security, support communities, and advance more equitable outcomes for people facing systemic barriers.

"Too Many Left Behind" underscores that poverty reduction is a shared responsibility. The recommendations and observations will help inform ongoing efforts with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, communities and stakeholders to strengthen income security and advance Canada's poverty reduction goals.

As the National Advisory Council continues to fulfill its mandate, the Government is renewing and expanding the expertise represented by the Council. Along with the reappointment of four members, Minister Hajdu announced the appointment of two new members: Brandon Grant, Executive Director with the Government of Nova Scotia, and Sharon McCarry, a nationally recognized disability advocate, community leader, and founder of La Fondation Place Coco and The Little Red Playhouse.

By listening to those with lived experience and continuing to address barriers to opportunity, Canada can build a stronger future where no one is left behind and everyone has the chance to thrive.  

Quotes

"Canada is strongest when everyone has the opportunity to participate fully in our society. I want to thank the National Advisory Council on Poverty for bringing the voices of people facing intersectional barriers to economic security from across the country to this important work. I also congratulate the returning members to the Council and welcome Brandon Grant and Sharon McCarry. Their experience and perspectives will strengthen the Council's independent advice and help ensure that efforts to reduce poverty reflect the realities facing Canadians."

– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

"I am pleased to welcome new and returning Council members as we release our 2026 report. While the Government of Canada has made important investments to improve affordability and income security, progress toward poverty reduction has stalled for too many Canadians. Millions continue to struggle with the cost of housing, food and transportation. Achieving Canada's 2030 poverty reduction target will require bold actions, sustained investment, and a clear focus on those facing the greatest barriers. Poverty is not inevitable. By building on what works and acting with greater urgency, we can move closer to the Canada we all want: one where everyone has the opportunity to belong, contribute and thrive."

– Scott MacAfee, Chairperson, National Advisory Council on Poverty

Quick facts

• Opportunity for All - Canada's First Poverty Reduction Strategy set targets to reduce poverty by 20% by 2020 and by 50% by 2030, relative to 2015 levels. The 2020 target was reached ahead of schedule.
• The Poverty Reduction Act established Canada's Official Poverty Line and the National Advisory Council on Poverty. The Act requires the Council to submit an annual report on Canada's progress toward its poverty reduction targets.
• From November 2025 to January 2026, the Council held 32 conversations involving more than 380 people with lived or living experience of poverty, as well as four regional roundtables attended by more than 120 community leaders and change makers.
• Striving to reflect Canada's diversity, members of the Council can include people with lived experience of poverty, Indigenous people, racialized people, community leaders, persons with disabilities, academics and practitioners working in poverty reduction.
• Together, the reappointed and new members will support the Council's mandate to advise the Government of Canada, report annually on progress toward the poverty reduction targets and maintain a national dialogue on poverty.
• The Government of Canada has taken concrete action to make life more affordable, including:
  • introducing the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, which provides up to $1,890 this year for a family of four and about $1,400 a year for the next four years until March 2031;
  • reducing taxes for nearly 22 million Canadians, saving a two-income family up to $840 a year;
  • launching the Canada Disability Benefit, providing up to $2,450 annually to eligible recipients;
  • helping reduce financial barriers to oral health care, ensuring more children and families can access essential dental services without facing significant out-of-pocket costs – saving an average of $1,180 per year on their health care service.
  • supporting approximately 900,000 children through affordable child care; and
  • making the National School Food Program permanent, providing meals to up to 400,000 children each year and helping families save an average of $800 annually.

Related Product

• Backgrounder

Associated links

• Too many left behind: The 2026 annual report of the National Advisory Council on Poverty 
• Opportunity for All - Canada's First Poverty Reduction Strategy
• National Advisory Council on Poverty
• Members of the National Advisory Council on Poverty
• Governor in Council appointments

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

Contacts: For media enquiries, please contact: Jennifer Kozelj, Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]