National Caregiver Day is an opportunity to recognize, celebrate, and elevate the essential role caregivers play across Canada’s health and social care systems. Every day, family members, friends, and care partners provide critical support to individuals living with complex health, social, and functional needs, often balancing caregiving alongside employment, education, and other responsibilities. Their contributions are foundational to enabling people to live with dignity, independence, and quality of life at home and in their communities.
At the same time, caregivers are facing increasing pressure. Rising care complexity, workforce shortages, fragmented systems, and limited access to coordinated supports have intensified the demands placed on caregivers and the systems that support them. Addressing these challenges requires collaboration across sectors and lived experience, bringing together caregivers and persons with lived experience, care providers, employers, researchers, and policymakers to strengthen caregiver wellbeing and system sustainability.