Canada Strong for all is not the plan it says it is
Build Canada Strong has become the Liberal Party’s de facto tag line, and with their newly earned majority in the House, the federal government has leveraged patriotic messaging to further their economic and political agendas. But who exactly will benefit from this supposedly “stronger” Canada, and who might be left behind?
Nationalist narratives do little to address the real and harmful impacts of current federal policy—and that’s why it’s time to take a hard look at the federal government’s recently published Spring Economic Update 2026: Canada Strong for All. It’s especially helpful to do so in light of CPJ’s own recent report Poverty Trends 2025, which explores who is experiencing poverty and what we should do about it. Poverty Trends offers several comprehensive and evidence-based policy recommendations—many of which, unfortunately, are not taken up in the spring economic update.
Providing a Minimum Income Floor Through Government Transfers
Some of the most successful poverty reduction policies in Canadian history have been cash transfers, like Old Age Security, The Covid Emergency Response Benefit, and the Canada Child Benefit. Poverty Trends 2025 recommends building on these successes by implementing a national basic income with stackable benefits, including the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB), to support diverse needs of Canadians. CPJ maintains that cash transfer income benefits, which are broadly accessible, and which maintain the dignity of people in low income, must be a cornerstone for poverty reduction policy.
However, the spring economic updatetakes a different approach: the bulk of the policies introduced in Canada Strong for All focus on equipping individuals to work, target middle class workers, and otherwise overlook critical social welfare programs. Incentives like Team Canada Strong, a national recruitment and training effort for young people, will certainly benefit some—however, crucial programs like Employment Insurance have taken a back seat, leaving people in poverty without a lifeline.
Publicly Funded, Publicly Delivered Health and Social Services
Universal healthcare is a shining jewel of Canadian identity, yet increasing profitization, and eroding access have plagued our public health care and social services for decades. While Poverty Trends 2025 recommends the development of a single-payer public pharmacare program, current federal policy lands flat.With Budget 2025 signaling a decrease in bilateral health funding of $1.2 billion, and Canada Strong for All issuing no new funding for existing or new pharmacare agreements, it is evident that Mark Carney’s liberal government have deprioritized an expansion of Canadian medicare.
For more information on the detrimental relationship between poverty and poor health outcomes, see pages 13-14 in Poverty Trends 2025.
Providing Stability and Security Through Adequate Housing
Build Canada Homes has been a substantial talking point for the Liberal Party since its announcement in advance of Budget 2025. With huge funding allocations, talks of public partnerships, and removing red tape for construction, we have waited with great anticipation to see whether new housing initiatives would heed the calls of housing rights activists and CPJ’s own advocacy. Poverty Trends 2025 emphasized the importance of investment in non-market and co-op housing, the implementation or rent and vacancy controls, and ensuring that investments reflect the diverse needs of Canadians in equity-deserving communities.
Unfortunately, Canada Strong for All is shrouded in ambiguity regarding these plans. The federal government has committed to platitudes like “helping those most in need” with little explanation as to how they intend to do so. Additionally, housing plans outline expedited development of housing supply, but do not indicate whether this will include non-market housing.
Once again, Canadians are left wondering whether government policy is adequate to meaningfully impact experiences of poverty, and core housing need in our communities.
By Nev Rakic
Published on the Citizens for Public Justice website