Researchers estimate the economic value of caregiving in Canada at $97B per year.
February 22, 2022
According to new research from the University of Alberta and University of Manitoba, family caregivers in Canada contribute 5.7 billion hours of care work per year, with an estimated annual economic value of $97.1 billion.
These findings and more are available in a new infographic released this week by Research on Aging Policies and Practices (RAPP), which provides a series of updated measures (including provincial territorial breakdowns) that highlight the value of unpaid caregiving using 2018 GSS data, with analysis done by doctoral student Choong Kim and funding from AGE-WELL.
“This research shows the true scale of caregivers’ contributions, not just to their loved ones but to the care economy and the country as a whole,” said Janet Fast, PhD, lead researcher and family economist. “They don’t just support care provision… without their care work, it’s no exaggeration to say that home, community and long-term care in Canada would collapse.”
Access the Value of Family Caregiving in Canada infographic
About RAPP
Research on Aging Policies and Practices (RAPP) is a research centre based at the University of Alberta that engages in cross-sectoral partnerships to support the wellbeing of older adults and family/friend caregivers.
Learn more about RAPP in our program profile
