Canada’s National Advisory Council on Poverty is urging Ottawa to make poverty reduction a core investment priority and establish regional income floors, as its latest report says progress toward the country’s 2030 goal has stalled.
Statistics Canada estimated that 4.478 million people, or 11.0% of the population, were below the Market Basket Measure poverty line in 2024. The rate eased from 11.1% in 2023, while the number grew from 4.390 million. The Council measured poverty in 2024 at 26% below its 2015 level, against the federal target of a 50% reduction from 2015 by 2030.
The Council recommends assessing major federal budget proposals for their expected contribution to poverty reduction. Its seven proposals also call for equity goals in federal transfers, plans for groups facing disproportionate poverty and expanded supported-employment pathways. Regional income floors would help people reach the Official Poverty Line through wages, government supports or both. The Council also proposes increasing non-market housing’s share of the country’s housing stock from 3.5% to at least 7.1% and providing nonprofit organizations with reliable multiyear operating support.
The report points to rising costs for essentials, fragmented support systems and systemic inequities as factors behind poverty. It says short-term, project-based funding has weakened nonprofit organizations. People experiencing poverty are the intended beneficiaries of the proposals; the Council says poverty also limits economic participation and strains health care and criminal justice systems. The report does not estimate the cost of implementing its recommendations.
The Council says temporary pandemic supports sharply reduced poverty, but many gains faded after those measures ended. Canada reached its earlier target of reducing poverty by 20% from its 2015 level by 2020 ahead of schedule, the government said.
To inform the report, the Council gathered input from more than 380 people with past or current experience of poverty in 32 conversations held from November 2025 to January 2026. Four regional roundtables brought together more than 120 community leaders and changemakers. “Progress toward poverty reduction has stalled for too many Canadians,” Chairperson Scott MacAfee said.
The federal government said Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu tabled the report on Oct. 30. It also announced Brandon Grant and Sharon McCarry as new Council members, with terms ending Sept. 30, 2028, and reappointments for Hannah Brais, Avril Colenutt, Kristen Desjarlais-deKlerk and Noah Lubendo through Sept. 30, 2029.
